How to Pack for 7 Days Using Only a Backpack

October 6, 2025|Wandr

🎒 How to Pack for 7 Days Using Only a Backpack

There’s something oddly empowering about realising you can live for an entire week with just a backpack. You feel like Will Smith in I Am Legend. But we’re not talking about survival. We’re talking about travelling well — with everything you need at hand — without dragging around a suitcase that rolls like a medieval cart or flipping your underwear inside out to make it last “one more day”.

For years, we’ve been told that the more you pack, the more prepared you are. But deep down, we all know that suitcase full of “just in case” turns into a rolling ball of stress — bouncing between airports while you frantically look for a clean shirt, your charger, or just space to move your legs.

In this post, we’ll show you how to pack for a 7-day trip using only a backpack. No need to become a monk or a minimalist guru. We’ll guide you from real experience — and with one secret weapon by your side: the W36, our compression bag that works wonders.

🧠 Before You Pack, Change Your Mindset

Packing light doesn’t start with the bag — it starts in your head.

Travelling with less isn’t just about space. It’s a mindset. It’s about priorities. It’s learning to let go of “maybe” and “what if”. And understanding that the world won’t collapse if you don’t pack that second jumper “just in case it gets chilly”.

Once you start travelling lighter, you realise something important: you travel better. You move more freely, you breeze through airport security, you skip baggage claim, you dodge extra fees… and you feel lighter. Literally and mentally.

Sure, it’s tough at first. But so is freedom. And avoiding baggage fees is, in our opinion, a noble cause.

🎯 The Wandr Method: What to Pack for 7 Days (and Nothing More)

Let’s keep it simple. Here’s a realistic, field-tested list of what you actually need for a week away:

👕 Clothes

3 T-shirts (quick-dry if possible)
1 shirt or something “nice-ish”
2 pairs of trousers (wear one, pack one)
1 pair of shorts or leggings
4–5 pairs of underwear (ideally 7 — one per day)
3–4 pairs of socks
1 hoodie or lightweight jumper
1 rain jacket or windbreaker
1 swimsuit (because who knows)

👟 Shoes

Comfortable trainers (wear them)
Flip-flops (optional, take up zero space)

🧼 Toiletries

Toothbrush and toothpaste
Solid shampoo or 100 ml travel-size liquids
Small deodorant
Sunscreen
Comb or foldable brush
Anything else you use daily — in miniature version

📱 Essentials

Phone + charger
Headphones
Passport and travel docs
Credit/debit card + some cash
Kindle or notebook
Compact power bank

Not too crazy, right? And yes — all of this fits into a 30–35L backpack… if you pack it smartly.

🌀The Compression Trick (Spoiler: You Need the W36)

Trying to fit all that into a regular backpack without help is like trying to squeeze a mattress into a pizza box. You can try, but your bag’s going to look like it’s about to explode.

That’s why we designed the W36: a compression bag that removes every last unnecessary puff of air, reducing the volume of your clothes by up to 60%. It’s basically the Mary Poppins of packing — or Hermione’s handbag, if you’re more wizard than nanny.

And if you combine it with one of our compact air pumps (HiPump or Zero), the process becomes so fast and satisfying it should come with ASMR audio. Just seal the bag, switch on the pump, and watch everything flatten like a pancake.

Could you do it manually by rolling and squeezing? Technically, yes.

Should you? Not when there’s a pump that weighs less than a banana and does the job better.

👉 Discover the W36 and our air pumps here

🧩 How to Organise Your Backpack Without Losing Your Mind

Once your clothes are flattened to oblivion, it’s time to play Tetris (the pro version).

Divide your backpack like this:

Bottom: compressed clothes — stable base.
Middle: toiletries, shoes, and bulkier items.
Top: quick access stuff — passport, charger, light jacket, snacks for emotional support.

External pockets are your best mates. Use them for sunglasses, tissues, earbuds, emergency snacks or that one plaster that you always forget… until you need it.

Got a laptop or book compartment? Use it smart. Your backpack should open like a Swiss army knife, not like a suitcase full of shame.

🧥 Dress Smart (Yes, Like an Onion)

Anything bulky — wear it. That’s the rule.

Got a puffy jacket, thick jumper or hiking boots? Put them on. Even if it’s 27ºC and you look like you’re heading to Everest Base Camp.

While others are sweating over their luggage fees, you’ll breeze past wearing all your gear like a fashion-forward traveller who knows the game.

Bonus: if you always freeze on planes, this is a double win.

🌦️ But What If It Rains or I Spill Pasta on Myself?

Don’t worry. We’ve thought of that too.

Wash. Quick-dry clothes are your best friend. Wash at night, wear next day.
Improvise. Hoodie = pillow. Sarong = towel. Flip-flop = weapon (if things go sideways).
Buy It There. Need a warm layer or fresh tee? Buy one. €10 in destination > €40 to check in a bag.

You don’t need to pack for every possibility. Just the ones that actually matter.