An Overpacker's Guide to Packing a Carry On Only
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I have a confession to make… I’m an overpacker. Accused. Tried. Guilty, as charged. Historically, if I’m headed on a 7 day holiday, I bring enough clothing and makeup for twice that time. I have often mused that I can fit my whole life into a suitcase, and that suitcase is oversized and packed to bursting.
Knowing that I will be away from the comforts of home, I treat my suitcase like a security blanket, bringing with me a lot of items I feel I need '“just in case”. In reality, I have often stayed in very comfortable places, where all the amenities are available. Most of my clothing returns home unworn. My makeup mostly unused. I have started to realize overpacking isn’t necessary.
The final blow came when my luggage was lost after a multi-airline trip to Hawaii (Check out my Maui blog posts here and here), where I was left with only my carry on luggage and minimal spending money to purchase a few essentials. Turns out I can survive quite happily without any of my things! What a feeling of freedom.
So with a Euro-trip quickly approaching, where I have no desire to lug a full sized suitcase onto trains, buses and down busy streets and corridors, I have developed the following strategy for packing a carry on only for two weeks. Here are my tips for making that happen! (Update: This strategy was so successful, I’ve become a carry on only traveller!)
Know your carry on size limits… and max them out!
If you want to make the most of your carry on packing abilities, and leave some room for bringing home souvenirs, find out the limits for carry on sizes and purchase a carry on that meets the maximum of those limits.
For example, Air Canada allows a cabin bag of 23 x 40 x 55 cm, with a weight limit of 10kg. We can work with this.
I, personally, travel with an Away case, which in my humble opinion is worth the investment. “The Carry On” model is approved by most airlines worldwide, while “The Bigger Carry On” meets the size limits of most North American airlines.
Utilize packing cubes
Likely the best tip for packing a carry on only… packing cubes. I can’t say enough about them. They are truly a life saver for overpackers looking to downsize! It is unreal how many items can fit into a single cube. I find myself worrying more about breaking the weight restriction than not being able to pack enough items.
To put things in perspective, I have packed 4 dresses, 1 romper, 1 pair of jeans, 2 skirts, 2 pairs of shorts, 5 tops, 2 swimsuits, bras and underwear in my packing cubes, and I have a lot of room left in this carry on.
Curate your wardrobe
Do you find yourself packing a lot of pieces that you struggle to match with anything else in your wardrobe? This takes time, but if you work on choosing pieces that match multiple items in your wardrobe, you will have so many more possibilities of stylish outfit choices. You’ll be able to rewear items without wearing the same outfit twice and feeling unoriginal. This is not to say that everything in your wardrobe has to be bland, or that you can’t bring that one funky pair of pants you love. You can! Just try to keep those items to a minimum and think about the potential of each item in your wardrobe when you are out shopping.
Rolling vs Folding
This is something no-one can agree on. Personally, I prefer rolling my clothing and can fit things into my suitcase more easily this way. I also find I get less wrinkled clothing when I unpack. But I am admittedly not a great folder. Some people swear they can fit as much by folding. Find what works best for you.
Pack fewer pairs of shoes
I know, it’s hard. But, shoes weigh a lot. And remember that maximum weight we spoke about above? Use the tips we talked about above and curate your shoes so that they match many outfits. I love neutral shoes for travel, but again that doesn’t mean that if your heart desires a pair of bright, red pumps to wear out on the town, that you absolutely can’t bring them. You just may have to sacrifice some other items to do so.
Be strategic about your travel outfit
I always recommend dressing in layers for a flight, regardless of what kind of luggage you bring. Plane temperatures are unpredictable. I’ve shivered through flights with blue lips and peeled off layers while fanning myself with the in-flight magazine.
And never in the places where you would expect these extremes of temperature.
I strongly dislike having to dig through the overheads mid-flight so I would prefer to suffer rather than find a sweater in my carry on.
Put your bulkiest items on your person. You’ll probably be glad you had them handy. If you have to remove them, good news! You’ve got a personal item to stow them in tucked just under the seat ahead of you on the floor. I always wear comfortable clothing for a flight (especially long-hauls) and my runners on my feet.
Bring a personal item
Most airlines allow an extra “personal item” which can actually be surprisingly large. Examples include purses, laptop bags, small backpacks and camera bags. This is how I get my camera gear on the plane without having to fill my carry on with bulky equipment.
Personal items are great places to tuck electronics, cords, money, passports, boarding passes, and snacks. I often consolidate most of this into a travel wallet, like the one in the photo above.
Check with your airline to see the size restrictions on “personal items". In general, most airlines rule that if it fits under the seat ahead of you, it qualifies.
Use a packing check list
So my original reason for overpacking was to give me extra peace of mind. But I can find peace of mind in a packing list just as easily, knowing I have all of the essentials and they are all checked off gives me a sense of completion.
Feel free to print my personal packing list here and use it for your next adventure.
…And always have a packing buddy!
I hope these tips help you pack a little lighter in the future!
Happy Traveling!
Hill XO
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