A Carry-on Is All You Need

HOW TO TRAVEL WITH JUST A CARRY-ON

Spring is finally here and I’m sure there are many of you in the midst of planning your spring and summer trips for this year. I’m doing the same! That being said if you’re looking for packing tips, I’m here for you. I will admit that I learned some of this the hard way, so I’m offering you to learn from my mistake, haha! You’re welcome. 😀

Nearly 22 years ago when the hubs and I went on our honeymoon, we were gone for 22 days. Whew! I had never been on a vacation for that long and I wasn’t quite sure how many pieces of luggage I’d need in order to take all I “needed” for that long of a trip.

Shopping for suitcases was on our agenda a few months prior to our wedding. Knowing we were going to be gone for 3 weeks, we were on the hunt for the LARGEST suitcases we could find. Three weeks worth of shoes and clothes is a lot to pack, right? I “needed” the biggest suitcase possible, the largest carry-on that was allowable, AND a “personal” item that was really as big as a carry-on. (I wish I had a pic of those as a visual reminder of how far we’ve come with our improved packing skills. LOL!)

Looking back at that trip, I made some of the best memories of my life. I was introduced to 7 countries which set my love affair with Europe ablaze! AND… I learned a very valuable lesson (or two or ten). DON’T over pack was one of them!!!

Long story short, I had clothes (and shoes) that I didn’t even wear. Those ginormous suitcases we both had were NOT fun to pull over cobblestones, up stairs and through throngs of people. Many European hotels don’t have elevators – so we had to lug them up the stairs. And they take up A LOT of space in our already tiny hotel rooms. That’s just a few of the travel lessons learned on that trip.

Ugghhhh… just putting that in black and white exhausts me, haha! Overpacking is just NO FUN! Lesson learned over here! 🙂

So, you’re probably thinking, “how in the world will I ever get what I need in just a carry-on” right? Well, it IS doable. I promise. Ever since that first big trip, we both only pack a carry-on and a personal item. That’s it! (FYI, we did a 5 week trip to France a few years back with – you guessed it – just our carry-ons and personal items. Five weeks with just a carry-on and a personal item! It can be done, friends!)

Step 1 – Choose Your Carry-on Luggage Wisely

For many years, my husband and I took our Rick Steves backpacks (as our personal items) and the Rick Steves carry-on roller bags as our luggage. You would be surprised just how much you can pack into those two pieces of luggage. In fact, the backpacks are so large and pliable that if we were only traveling for a week or less, the backpacks were more than enough space. They are both great pieces and we put many, many miles on them.

Fast forward to the present – we use our AWAY luggage exclusively. We cannot be happier with them. We purchased the AWAY Carry-On Flex with the matching AWAY Everywhere Bag. I am so happy with both of these items. (If you are interested in purchasing from AWAY, you can use this code for a discount). The Carry-On Flex allows us to expand the suitcase by 2.25″ by unzipping the flex feature. I have done this on return trips to accommodate for little treasures that I wanted to bring back with me.

What I love about the Everywhere Bag is that it is quite roomy and features a wraparound zipper to fully access the contents instead of having to practically unpack the entire bag to find that one item at the bottom. Also, it has a trolley sleeve that fits over my carry-on handle to keep it secure. It also has a padded compartment that I slip my laptop into with no worries. It’s a very functional bag.

In summary, choose a quality carry-on that is airline-approved in size and has the features you are looking for. I highly recommend looking for luggage with the following: 360^o spinner wheels; is made of lightweight material; has a hard (or soft) shell depending on your preference; is able to be expanded; and has a TSA combination lock.

AWAY luggage meets all of our requirements and there is an array of colors to choose from as well. Please do yourself a favor and ditch the ginormous suitcase(s) before your next trip abroad. You won’t regret it.

Step 2 – Choose Mix-and-Match Clothing

I have learned that it is ok to wear the same clothes more than once (or maybe twice) on a trip. The trick is to be careful and try not to get your clothes dirty, but I’m sure you already do this, right? Also, for longer trips and depending on where you’re staying, taking the time to do a little laundry in a laundromat isn’t that big of a deal and you’ll be happy to have clean clothes. Or, you can bring along a small amount of laundry powder or laundry soap sheets and wash some needed items in your sink or bathtub.

So, getting back to mix-and-match, I like to bring along clothes that coordinate with each other and solids that can go with many colors. This way you may be wearing the same clothes over but at least you can switch out tops and bottoms for a different look. I always bring some black and some white tops and bottoms that will go with anything else I bring.

Step 3 – Bring Some Accessories

Bringing a few fun or statement pieces will really help you change up your look despite wearing the same articles of clothing. A big necklace or some funky earrings will have a big impact on your overall look. Just be sure that you pack them well so they don’t tangle. Scarves are one of my favorite ways to dress up an outfit or to change the look – and this doesn’t have to only be in the colder months. Europeans wear scarves all year long.

Step 4 – Limit the Shoes

I try to get away with not packing any shoes at all. Sometimes, however, I have to break down and bring another pair depending on our itinerary. Of course my first recommendation is to ensure your feet will be comfortable. Secondly, try to wear a pair that will go with the clothes you’re bringing. If you just have to bring another pair, be sure to wear the larger, bulkier pair on the plane so that you have more room in your luggage.

Step 5 – Use Compression Travel Bags

Of all the packing “tips and tricks” I’ve learned over the years, I have to say that this one is my most valuable one. You will be surprised how much more space you will have in your luggage if you use these. I always use these Rick Steves Compression Bags. They work miracles for your packing. Haha!

Step 6 – Minimize Your Toiletries (and Liquids)

Minimizing your toiletries can save you a lot of room. This has been something I have worked on over the years. I’ve slimmed down my necessities to the bare minimum. I take one tube of travel size toothpaste, one TSA-approved amount of my hair gel and the same for my conditioner. (With naturally curly hair, I am a bit picky on gel and conditioner). Many years ago, I would bring along my favorite shampoo, shower gel and rollerball of perfume, too. Not any longer.

Almost every hotel or rental you stay at will supply soap and shampoo (and sometimes conditioner). Pitch both of those from your luggage now and save that space. Next, my perfume. I spray each piece of my clothing before I pack it so that it already has some on it already. I also spray a few cottonballs and put them in an airtight plastic bag and rub them on my skin each day. BOOM! Three things you can chuck from your bag right off the bat!!!

Remember – wherever you’re going (unless you’re going to a very remote place), they sell toothpaste, shampoo, shower gel, soap, conditioner, deodorant, etc. EVERYWHERE! Sometimes I purposely don’t pack those things and just purchase them at my destination on the first day instead. (TIP: I also bring along some samples {lotion, perfume, etc.} that I get from some of my favorite places like Nordstrom and L’Occitane. These are easy to bring along since they’re small and can be pitched once they’re used).

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I hope this helps you with your packing woes! It’s really not too difficult to minimize what you actually “need.” Although this isn’t an exhaustive list of what you need to pack, hopefully this will get you thinking about what items are essential, and which items you can live without for a week or two. Check out this post for other travel accessories to make your travel life easier.

Merci for stopping by! ⚜️

À la prochaine…

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