How to Pack ONLY a Carry-On

Once upon a time, I went on a 6-week “backpacking” trip through Europe. I traveled to 7 countries moving city to city every 2-3 nights. To plan a trip visiting 7 countries meant to prepare for different cultures and ALL types of weather. Would you believe me if I told you I ONLY packed a carry-on? Well, you should, because that’s the title of this post! 6 weeks is a long time so obviously I was in a few unfavorable situations like wearing a dress in a downpour in Rome, and walking up the Eiffel Tower in sandals – but what I’m saying is IT CAN BE DONE! If I can pack ONLY a carry-on to travel to Europe, you can pack only a carry-on for your weekend trip to Vegas. This my friends will take skill. So let’s talk strategy –

Choose the right suitcase

Make sure when you’re purchasing your new travel buddy, you choose a light carry-on because once you fully pack that baby the weight will add up quickly. Also, know the airline policies because there are a few that have different rules for size and maximum weight, especially international flights. I also am a fan of hard suitcases, not fabric. First, it’s easier to clean and water-resistant when you’re dragging your bag through the windy nooks of Venice and have no cover from the rain. Second, it will hold its shape no matter what you have to shove in there so you know it will always fit in the overhead bin.

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Outfits, not pieces

Pack outfits and not just individual pieces! It’s true that you need to stay with a neutral color palette when packing clothes so you can mix and match your tops and bottoms, however, what’s a top if it doesn’t match with any of the bottoms you packed? Light fabrics are ideal. If I’m going somewhere warm I try to pack mainly shorts and dresses but also always pack one light jacket and pair of pants for the unexpected chilly evening or tropical showers.
PRO TIP – Jeans are the heaviest clothing item so if your suitcase is ever overweight, unpack them first or wear them on the flight.

Extra foldable backpack

This is my bonus bag! It’s not my personal item or carry-on suitcase BUT it can fit my personal item in it if I need to. I tuck it in my carry-on and will use this for day travel to carry my camera, water, and any souvenirs I buy. Save whatever space you can.

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Shoes

Choosing shoes is the hardest part of packing for me because I want to pack them all! Shoes are also the largest items and take up the most space when packing. Here is what I pack –
For work travel – 1 pair of running shoes (I’ll wear on the plane/drive), 1 pair of black heels, and 1 pair of sandals to grab breakfast in.
For vacay travel – 1 pair of walking shoes, 1 pair of sandals or wedges, and 1 pair of pumps that match ALL of my dressy outfits.
If the outfit doesn’t match those shoes, I’m tossing the shoes. It’s hard to justify packing 1 more pair of shoes just for 1 outfit.

Toiletries

I’m a pretty simple person when it comes to getting ready on vacation. In my carry-on, you’ll find my makeup bag, toiletry bag, and a separate ziplock bag for my liquids. I have travel size face wash, sunscreen, hairspray, perfume, etc. It makes so much sense because you’re not going to use a whole bottle of hairspray or a whole tube of toothpaste on your trip so why carry the extra weight and take up that extra space?
SECRET PRO TIP – I put a liquid or 2 in my toiletry bag and makeup bag to spread them out so when TSA pulls out the bag it looks less… whoops.

Packing cubes

Packing cubes are a lifesaver! You can use packing cubes to organize different clothing categories which makes finding your clothes so much easier. It is absolutely a travel essential in my book. Want to read about my other travel essentials, click HERE.

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Use all space

Fit items in all the nooks and crannies of your carry-on to use up all the space. Shove socks in your shoes, lay clothing between your toiletry bag and curling iron… Laying the items in your bag is like Tetris. See why I suggested a light suitcase?

Wear your heaviest clothes on the plane

I’m always freezing on planes so this isn’t a tough one for me. When I travel I’ll wear my pants or jeans, the bulkiest shoes which is typically my sneakers, and a light jacket. This lightens up your suitcase without eliminating clothings. I never understood getting all dress up on planes and wearing heels, to be honest.

HOW to pack your items in a carry-on

Now that we’ve covered the basics of what to pack, let’s figure out how to pack it. When actually packing your clothes in the carry-on, I lay everything flat in the bed of the luggage and hang the ends out. Then after everything is stacked in my carry-on, I’ll fold all the ends IN. Sounds confusing but click HERE for a video that describes what I’m talking about. I can’t explain WHY I pack like this but I always have. I saw a video years ago that made sense to me and I’ve been packing this way since. I’m sure the rolling strategy works as well but I like this because it really uses ALL of the space – corner to corner!

I hope this is a game-changer for all of you! Comment below if you do the same –

In case you missed it, HERE is WHY you should pack ONLY a carry-on!