Pack Everything in One Carry-On
Even for long international trips
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Why should I even try to get everything into a carry-on?
- It saves you money. Checked bags are getting more and more expensive on every airline. Some airlines are now even beginning to charge for carry-on bags also! (Maybe cargo pants will be the next travel accessory…) Remember that bag charges are per person and per way, so they can add up to $100s quickly.
- It saves you time. When you pack everything in a carry-on, you don’t have to wait in a long line to check-in bags when you arrive at the airport. After landing, you also won’t have to wait at baggage claim for your check-in. Instead, you can hop off the plane and head straight to your next connection.
- It simplifies traveling. Getting packed will be easier because you only have to worry about packing the essentials. At the airport you won’t have to lug around heavy bags hanging off your arms. You keep track of everything you have and can get around your destination easier. Plus you can volunteer to flight bump without worries about luggage, which is one of our favorite ways to make money traveling!
Minimize what you bring.
This is THE MOST important step of packing everything in a carry-on. You are not going to be able to fit a full outfit and shoes for everyday and all of your “just in case I might need this” items.
1 Start a list of everything you will need a few weeks before you leave on your vacation. Include everything that comes to mind. You will feel better if you know you’ve considered all your concerns.
2. Circle all the things you definitely need when you get ready to pack. Instead of focusing on all that you are eliminating, focus on what is essential. That way, there are less “should I take this or not” decisions to make. It makes the process easier and faster. Look for only what sparks your traveling joy. 😉
3. Ask yourself “Can I do without this and is it worth the room it will take up?”. For example, I love to travel with my nice camera. It takes better photos that we love to look back on later. But it is huge and it comes with a lot of bulky accessories, so it takes up a good amount of space. Therefore, there are some trips that I don’t take it and opt for phone photos instead.
4. Focus on multi-use items. Ask “Will it do more than one thing for me?”. I can take great photos, search maps, translate words, and a million other things, all on my phone. My body lotion can also double as an eye cream, makeup remover and baby lotion. A big scarf is also a great blanket or sun shade for the stroller. My eyeshadow can be used to fill in my eyebrows and as eyeliner and blush. You get the point. Get creative with how you use stuff!
5. Pack a color scheme of classic clothes. Most people only wear 20% or less of their wardrobe at home anyways. We’ve all gone on trips and not unpacked half of the clothes we brought! When packing everything in a carry-on, focus on key items that can be mixed and matched easily.
Stick to a set of colors that all go together, and this will work easily. I recommend neutral colors (black, gray, tans, blues, pale pink, drab green, etc.). Then add a few pops of color like necklaces, hats or a scarf. You can get away with less than you think when that one black tee can be worn 6 different ways.
6. Choose dark, wrinkle resistant clothes. Let’s be honest. I procrastinate my ironing at home, I’m definitely not going to do it on vacation. Dark colors are wonderful because they hide stains, meaning that you don’t have to change as often. Especially great for kids’ clothes. Please, by all that is good in the world, don’t pack white onesies for your baby! You are not going to want to stain treat it there or save it for back home. Save yourself the worry.
7. Do laundry there. Even if you cannot see the stain on your all black tee shirt, it will get stinky eventually. Pack less and feel clean by washing your clothes there. We have found laundromats in Paris and Mexico before, or wash your clothes in the sink.
8. Follow TSA packing rules and have items security ready. Pack your liquids bag with the 3 – 1 – 1 Rule: All liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes must be in 3.4 oz containers or smaller. Put it all in 1 quart-sized plastic bag. I like a clear one so that they can see what’s inside. Only 1 bag per person. If you bring bigger containers (even if they are only partly full) or too many you will have to throw them away.
Learn more what can or cannot be in carry-on bags.
9. Wear your bulkiest items on the plane. When we went to Europe last winter, I wanted to bring my knee-high boots. I knew they would take up too much room in my carry-on, so I wore them while traveling! It took a bit more time to take them off and on at security, but I saved a lot of space. Other things may be sweaters, coats, thick pants, etc.
Pack everything smarter.
10. Choose a good bag. When packing everything into one carry-on, the bag matters. Know your airlines size restrictions for carry-ons so you don’t run into trouble.
My all-time favorite carry-on bag is a soft-shelled backpacking backpack. It fits A LOT of stuff in it. I can pack everything I need and all my baby’s clothes also. Secondly, the soft sides make it easy to squish into tight or odd shaped places (like a crowded overhead bin). Most importantly, it is easy to carry around anywhere. Some places we take cobblestone roads and public transit, so a backpack is ideal to getting around without carrying or pulling anything. Additionally, it’s necessary with kids when you have stroller and car seats to also manage. You will want one with a detachable internal frame so that it can squish to regulation size (14 x 22 x 9 inches).
Hard-shell carry-ons look very professional and are more protective. I also like how you can access more items at once when you open it without digging around. But I find that they are harder to carry around. You can also buy them with a built-in battery for charging your devices. If you get one of these, make sure the battery can be removed! Most airlines do not allow you to check a battery. If the overhead compartments fill you will be forced to check it after removing the battery. My husband once saved a lady who had a non-removable battery bag. He figured out how to remove a few screws without tools to take out her battery, with minutes to spare before the door to her plane closed!
Here you can see me wearing it in the Amsterdam Airport.
11. Pack in categories. Categories help condense your items and make them easier to find. Clothes, electronics and cords, toiletries, etc. You can further break down into sub categories that make sense to you. For example, I like to pack all my shirts together, pants together, etc. My mom likes to pack with each day’s outfit rolled together. I like to use a separate toiletries bag with clear sides and keep all makeup and hair items on one side, teeth and washing products on the other.
12. Use packing organizers. This works well for categories, as it keeps things from jumbling together. Once again, I like soft sided items usually because it is a better use of space. Compression bags or Ziplocs are great at squeezing all the air out of clothes (sweaters, shirts and dresses work very well in these) to take up significantly less space. If you aren’t using compression bags, roll clothing very tightly and securing it with a band. It takes much less space. For tiny items, like jewelry, I use an old Altoid box to keep them from getting lost.
Before and after using a compression bag.
Use an elastic band to roll outfits together into neat little rolls
13. Pack items inside other items to make use of all available space. Stuff your shoes with socks and underwear. Fill the bra cups with t-shirts (this helps them keep their shape also). Find the empty spaces and fill them with other things.
14. Keep bulky items at the bottom. Shoes, hair tools, jackets, anything big and you won’t need on the flight, should be sent to the bottom. It keeps your bag more balanced. Makes it easier to carry, and protects more fragile items from getting squished. And it will be easier to find the other things you need sooner.
15. Keep your essentials in an outside pocket or on top. Passports, phones, wallets, chargers, snacks, etc. all should be within easy reach. Have electronics and your liquids bag in an outside pocket or the top of your carry-on. Big electronics like laptops and tablets will need to go through the x-ray separately. (Small electronics like air dryers, curling irons, razors, etc. don’t usually need to be separated.) Also, separate things that will need special screening, like baby food.
16. Notice what you didn’t use and don’t bring it the next time. Packing minimally and efficiently is something that you get better at with practice. You will begin to realize what you really didn’t need (and maybe what you did but left behind!) so can avoid bringing it the next time.
Any tips I missed that have been helpful to you? How do you get it all in a carry-on?
