Best packing tips for Galway, Ireland

Packing is one of the most difficult things about moving abroad. With Ireland’s unpredictable weather, it is even harder to figure out what you should bring with you. I really struggled with this because I’m someone who’s very attached to my wardrobe and planned on taking a lot of Instagram photos while I’m in Galway.

The best purchase I made was a luggage scale. They sell them in almost any store and I was able to keep track of the weight of my suitcases so I didn’t get slapped with an overweight baggage fee when I showed up to the airport.

Make sure your luggage is easily identifiable, whether it be a bright color, a distinct pattern or tying a brightly colored ribbon around the handle. Most people have black or gray suitcases, and you don’t want someone else taking your bag from baggage claim.

I also made sure I had a folder that was easily accessible in my carry-on with all of the paperwork I needed to show the immigration officer when I was entering the country. If you can’t get through the border, pretty much everything else you brought is useless.

I’d also suggest making sure you refill any prescriptions you have before you travel. It can be hard to get doctors appointments or hard to get certain medications you may not want to be caught without.

I’m really regretting leaving my big winter coat behind. It wouldn’t fit in my luggage and I didn’t want to add another checked bag. I figured one of my family members would ship it to me to avoid hauling another suitcase from New York to Dublin to Galway since I wouldn’t need a parka when I arrived at the beginning of September.

However, Irish mail takes a really long time and things get lost at customs very easily. My mother sent me a package with gifts for one of my aunts and it took almost two months to get here, so I don’t really want to risk losing my winter coat or it arriving when I’m back home for Christmas. I ended up having to purchase a good winter coat to avoid freezing on my way to class early in the morning.

When I arrived at my accommodation, I realized I only brought the pair of socks I had on my feet. I was able to get to Penny’s and get a few pairs, but the last thing I wanted to do after almost 24 hours of travel was run up to the shops, instead of taking a shower or a nap.

There are few things I regret bringing with me. The biggest is probably my rain boots, surprisingly enough. They just took up so much space in my suitcase and I don’t wear them enough to justify having brought them.

When you’re packing, I’d suggest just to make sure pretty much all of your shoes are waterproof or at least water resistant. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not constantly downpouring here in Ireland so you’ll look pretty silly if you’re wearing full rain boots for a little drizzle.

I also regret bringing as many handbags as I did. Of the four purses I brought with me, I use two. The other two are just taking up space in my already tiny room sitting unused.

I wouldn’t waste space in your luggage on photos or frames. There are a lot of places in Galway that you could go to print photos or buy frames to decorate your personal space. Penneys also has inexpensive decorations to make your place in Galway feel a little more homey.

The wind in Galway makes umbrellas pretty useless. My housemate has lost three umbrellas to the wind since we arrived here. I would suggest just getting a good water-resistant coat with a hood to keep out the rain, and making sure your school bag is water-resistant so your laptop or notebooks don’t get destroyed if you get caught in the rain.

Packing to move abroad can be really difficult, because you probably want to bring almost everything you own with you. The best words to live by when packing is if you feel like you’re bringing too much, you probably are.