London Packing List – Make Sure You Bring These 10 Things
This post is part of our archived content. While we’ve shifted focus, it still may be useful.
Looking for a London packing list for your upcoming holiday?
London is an awesome place for a holiday with so much to do and see so a great time is guaranteed, especially if you are visiting during spring or summer.
If you are going to be travelling to London for the first time, you are probably thinking about your London packing list.
What do you need to bring with you and what should you leave behind?
Let’s dive in!
What to consider before you pack for your London trip
Packing for a trip can be tricky especially if you are going to a place for the first time.
If you’re only going for a few days, could you consider only taking hand luggage or a personal item bag?
If it’s a longer trip, you should consider doing a background check on the location you are visiting.
Your check should at least include the following:
- The current season of the place you’re visiting
- Weather conditions and changes
- Fashion standards of the people
- Currency in use
- Transportation system
- Accommodation options
- Local slang
- Road signs and directions
- Communication system
And lots more!
In London, there are four kinds of weather year-round.
Spring
This season begins in March and ends in May. It can be a pleasant season to travel as the temperature is usually mild. It will rain so bring an umbrella.
Summer
This runs from June through August. It can get quite hot, with the possibility of a heatwave or thunderstorm. It will rain so bring an umbrella.
Autumn
Autumn usually has a pleasant climate. It begins in September and ends in November.
It will rain so bring an umbrella.
Winter
Winters in London can get really cold as the temperature can drop as low as 1 centigrade or 33°F.
Although it hardly snows, when it does it’s usually around January or February.
Again, it will rain so bring an umbrella!
Knowing where you are going and what to expect from the weather helps to give you a hint on what and what not to pack for your trip.
You pack according to the climate conditions and the duration of your stay.
The list below contains things that will be necessary for you no matter what time or season you are traveling or how long you are staying.
How about you get a notepad and a pen and let’s go through the list below together?
You may be surprised at how many essential things you initially left out.
10 things you must include in your London packing list
Toiletries
If you are traveling on a budget and you aren’t willing to spend so much you may have to stay in a budget hotel or hostel.
For this reason, you will do well to pack your toiletries with you.
Many budget hotels do not provide toiletries for customers.
Sometimes they offer as little as just a sachet.
So, grab your soap, shampoo, toothpaste and all your other toiletries.
Bring a hanging toiletry bag for easier organization.
You don’t want to go looking for soap when you should be taking a rest or seeing a London landmark.
Dual voltage universal adapter
As long as you are coming from any other part of the world, put a dual-voltage universal adapter in your luggage.
This is because the type of plug used in the UK is not going to work with your electronics.
You’ll need to use an adapter in the wall sockets so the plugs of your electronics can fit.
Also, be sure it is dual voltage as many of your electronics are dual voltage.
Your laptops and phones are dual voltage so to avoid staying with uncharged devices, grab your dual voltage universal adapter.
An alternative is getting a voltage converter but if you have the adapter, it will suffice.
Sim card or WIFI device
You are going to need internet data for lots of stuff while in London.
To make your stay hassle-free, use a sim card with a prepaid internet data package for your stay.
Google Maps, UBER, tube apps and the like will be run on internet data.
There are two options:
- Buy a prepaid package before you leave so it gets to you and you are connected as soon as you arrive. This is very convenient and best for short trips but it costs more.
- Buy a sim card when you arrive in London. You can make the purchase from the outlets of service carriers in London like EE, O2, or Three. You can also grab one as you land at the airport from small outlets.
If you have a phone that is compatible with an eSIM, consider getting an eSIM instead as you won’t need to use a physical SIM card.
The Orange Holiday eSIM is a great choice.
Copies of important documents
Make copies of your credit cards and your passport and any other important document you need on your stay.
In the event that something happens and you lose the documents, you can easily get replacements while you are visiting London.
It saves you a lot of trouble if you have those copies and you can easily cancel your credit card.
You can make copies and send them through email to your phone and any other device you carry.
This way, you can access the document at any time through the devices if you don’t have them physically.
Copies of your itinerary
As a visitor in London, you must go through border control and you will be required to submit the address of your hotel or apartment.
You’ll also need to provide evidence that you are going to eventually leave the country when you should.
You may have copies on your phone but don’t trivialize having extra hard copies.
What happens if your phone battery dies before you get to your destination?
You are going to be outdoors for most of your stay and this means that you may not always have access to a charging outlet.
So, you need to get a power bank and you can easily carry one in your carry-on luggage.
You must however be careful to check the details of the battery in it.
Some airports do not allow batteries of more than 100 watts-hour which is approximately 20000mah.
Anything more than this should be left at home.
It will do you a great deal of good if you can find a power bank that has a flashlight.
This is necessary for emergency power outages and if you’re going to be out at night involved in outdoor activities like hiking or camping.
Clothing layers
The weather in London is unpredictable.
It rains pretty much throughout the year but not daily.
Download a weather app on your phone and follow the weather forecast.
Take along some clothing layers that can keep you warm when it gets cold or rains and are easy to peel off when the heat goes up.
We like the Heat Teach range from Uniqlo.
Depending on the time of year, bring a cardigan, fleece jacket, a rain jacket, or a blazer for any evening activity (we love The Frankie Shop Bea Blazer).
Bring a scarf too.
Acne Studios and Zara do great scarves that can also double as shawls and/or picnic blankets.
Just be sure that what you bring can keep you warm enough in the event of a drop in temperature.
Compact umbrella
An umbrella is an absolute necessity in London as you can’t really predict when the rain will come. And it will come!
If you are worried about carrying it around, find one that can be folded and fit into your small backpack or shoulder bag.
It’s better to be on the safe side.
London can get quite hot and if you happen not to have sunscreen on (please wear sunscreen), a pair of sunglasses, or a hat to shield you from the heat, then it’s your umbrella to the rescue!
Waterproof shoes
Remember that we established two important facts in this piece.
First is that you should pack according to the season of your trip but secondly, I have mentioned a few times that the weather can be unpredictable and that it rains throughout the year.
Therefore, since you’ll be outdoors a lot, you should pack in a pair of waterproof shoes or boots just in case you are caught in one of London’s rain showers.
If you have issues carrying waterproof shoes or boots, then bring a water-resistant spray for your normal shoes.
You can quickly spritz them on the shoes as you are about to step out.
So, no worries about the rain ruining your beloved shoes.
Walking shoes
It’s a holiday, remember? And you have loads of places to go to.
You may not walk much at home, but in London, you’ll walk a lot.
So, don’t forget to take two or more (according to the duration of your stay) pairs of comfy walking shoes that will not hurt your toes or squeeze your feet during all the walking.
You may not need your heels or heavy wedges.
Just something simple and lightweight yet elegant and allows you to be comfortable and also blend with the locals.
You can go for slip-on sneakers, waterproof runners or ankle boots.
Check out Adidas, Aerosols, Skechers and other shoe stores and make your pick.
We love the Loewe Flow Runner for a retro sneaker that works with many outfits.
If you are a lady, throw in a pretty pair of leather sandals. You’ll be glad you did.
Bonus tip
Want to save a little space in your luggage and at the same time save money at the coffee shop?
Then, carry a reusable cup and water bottle.
The cup comes in handy when you go for your coffee, you can get a discount for bringing your own cup.
As for the water bottle, a foldable water bottle (like this one from Stojo) is great for saving space.
Have you got all the stuff mentioned above in your case?
Yes? Good!
Your London packing list is complete and you are ready to go to visit the city and have a blast of a time.
We wish you safe travels and an awesome holiday.
Enjoy your trip!