How to Create a Base when you’re Country-Hopping in Europe

When we went to Paris in 2016 we decided to take a quick side trip to Amsterdam. But instead of giving up our appartement in le deuxième arrondissement, we left the majority of our luggage behind, packed our weekend bags, and jetted off for a few days. It made it was so easy for us to move around, while we knew that the rest of our things, including my new Chanel flap bag, were locked safely away. That’s why I create a base when I’m country-hopping – so I have a place where I can keep my full wardrobe and souvenirs while I travel with the basics. 

If you are planning an extended trip and hope to hit a few different countries, creating a base for you to store the bulk of your luggage may be a smart idea. Here is how to create a base when you’re country-hopping in Europe. 

Stay in an Apartment Rental

This is what we did in Paris. We rented an Airbnb for the entire time that we planned our trip and then left behind our large suitcases and took the basics on the road. This made me feel comfortable knowing our stuff was safely locked up in a place no one else could access. Of course, the drawback is that you are paying for those nights that you aren’t actually staying there. But what we did is found an apartment in one of the (safer) yet less fashionable neighborhoods so it was on the less expensive side – about $90 USD a night. So for about $180 we had a place to safely store our stuff and it was completely worth our peace of mind. We also didn’t have to pack up everything multiple times during our trip.

Ask your Hotel to Store Your Bags

If you prefer to stay at hotels and can’t afford to pay for the few nights you will not be staying there, you may be able to store your luggage in the hotel storage. Make sure you check with your hotel prior to arriving to make sure that is an option though. You will be charged a fee but it should be less than the cost of a room for the time you’re gone. 

Use a Storage Service 

If you can’t afford to hold onto your apartment for those days you are traveling or your hotel doesn’t offer extended luggage storage, there are services like Stasher, NannyBag, Radical Storage, and Luggage Hero that offer solutions. It’s as simple as plugging in your destination and making a reservation! 

Do you have any travel plans for this spring and summer? Make sure you check out how to spend a day in Paris as well as my roundup of the best resources on Paris if that is on your bucketlist!