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How much to pack, in real numbers
Stop guessing and over-packing. Set your trip length, whether you will do laundry, and the weather, and get a clear count for each thing, updated as you change them.
A starting point, not a rule. The big lever is laundry: one wash mid-trip roughly halves the clothes you carry. Counts assume you re-wear tops and bottoms and wear your bulkiest layer and shoes to travel.
Frequently asked questions
As a rule, pack one pair of underwear for each day plus one spare. If you will do laundry on the trip, cap it at around a week's worth, since you will re-wear after each wash.
For seven days, most people pack around five to seven tops and two to three bottoms, because you re-wear trousers and layers far more than you re-wear underwear. Choose one color scheme so a few pieces cover the week, and you carry less.
It is the biggest single factor. One wash mid-trip means you pack for a few days instead of the whole trip, so a two-week trip with laundry fits about the same bag as one week without.
Two is enough for most trips: the pair you wear to travel and one alternative. Add a third only for a specific need, such as hiking boots or dressy shoes for an event. Shoes are heavy, so wear the bulkiest pair on the plane.