How to use the packing list generator
- Describe the trip. Choose the kind of trip, how many days, the weather you expect and who is travelling: adults, kids, babies and pets.
- Add what you’ll do. Tick the activities on your plan, such as swimming, hiking or a formal dinner. Each one adds the things it needs.
- Choose your bags. Pick carry-on only, checked or a mix, and whether you can do laundry. Quantities adjust to match.
- Tick, print or share. Tick items off as you pack, print the list, or copy the link: the link rebuilds exactly the same list.
A packing list made for this trip
Most packing lists online are written for someone else’s trip. A week of hiking in the Rockies, a long weekend in Paris and a family week at the beach have a few things in common (passports, chargers, toothbrushes) and a lot that isn’t. This packing list generator starts from what is different about your trip: the type of trip, how long you’re away, the weather, who is travelling and what you plan to do.
Quantities follow simple rules a seasoned traveller would use. Underwear and socks are the number of days plus one, tops scale with the days, and everything is capped when you tell the generator you can do laundry. Warm-weather trips get sunscreen and sunglasses; cold ones get a warm hat, gloves and a coat; rain adds a waterproof jacket and an umbrella.
Kids, babies and pets get their own items
Add children and the vacation packing list gains snacks for the journey, books and games, a comfort toy and kid-safe headphones for the flight. Add a baby and you get diapers (nappies) counted per day, wipes, bottles and formula, a travel stroller and a changing mat. Add a pet and you get food and bowls, a leash and harness, poop bags and vaccination records.
Items that a group shares, such as toothpaste, sunscreen, first aid and a travel adapter, appear once rather than once per person. Personal items show who they are for, so a family can split the list between them.
Activities change the list
This is the idea at the heart of the Wayfold app: what you plan to do decides what you pack. Tick “Snorkelling” and you get a snorkel and mask, reef-safe sunscreen and a dry bag. Tick “Hiking” and you get hiking boots, a daypack, insect repellent and a first aid kit. A formal event adds a formal outfit and dress shoes; business meetings add a laptop and business cards.
If you prefer to start from a complete list, browse our ready-made packing lists for beach vacations, ski trips, Disney, camping, Umrah and more, or read how to pack carry-on only for a week.
A packing list template that fits your trip
A fixed packing list template is a good start, but it was written for one trip. Here the template adapts: set the trip type, days, weather and people, and the packing checklist template rebuilds itself with quantities to match. Print it already filled in for your trip, or tick it off on screen.
Prefer to begin from a ready-made list? Each of our printable lists, such as the packing list for vacation, the packing list for international travel or theAlaska cruise packing list, has a “Customise in the free generator” button that opens it here with its settings loaded, so you can change the days, weather or travellers.
Tips for using your packing checklist
- Make the list a few days before you leave, so there is time to buy or borrow anything missing.
- Pack one category at a time and tick items off as they go into the bag, not when you think of them.
- Flying carry-on only? Check your bag against the carry-on size checker and keep liquids in containers that meet your airport’s rules.
- Keep documents, medication, chargers and a change of clothes in the bag you carry on the plane.
- Before you go, run through the travel checklist for the house: mail, plants, thermostat.
Frequently asked questions
Is the packing list generator free?
Yes. It is free, runs in your browser and needs no account or email. The list is built on your device; nothing you enter is sent to us.
How does the generator decide what to pack?
It uses the same packing rules as the Wayfold app: each item has conditions (trip type, activities, weather, flying, trip length, age group) and a quantity rule, such as socks for every day plus one, capped when you can do laundry.
Can I save my packing list?
Your settings are stored in the page address, so bookmarking or copying the link brings the same list back. Ticks are kept in this browser. To keep lists across devices, the Wayfold app syncs them.
Does it use British or American names?
Both. Switch the spelling to UK English and items such as “Pants” become “Trousers” and “Sweater” becomes “Jumper”.
Is this the same as a packing list app?
It is a quick, one-off version. The Wayfold packing list app also uses the real forecast for your dates, lists per bag and per person, and adds items when you add activities to your itinerary.