How to Pack in a Carry On

While traveling is such a fun thing, many aspects of it can be stressful. I know many times that packing is one of the biggest stresses when getting ready for a trip. What to bring? How may outfits? Which shoes? all of these things can be a lot and add a lot of stress. On my most recent trip to France, I carried on everything I packed. I had a carry on suitcase and a carry on item and that was it. When I tell people this, many are shocked! In today’s post, I am sharing my tips for how to pack in a carry on for any length of trip.

How to Pack in a Carry On

Why Pack in a Carry On?

Packing in a carry on has so many benefits for any trip. First of all it can help you save money. Every airline has different pricing for checked luggage but many charge for it. Carry on luggage also will never get lost. Lost luggage at the beginning of a trip can be a huge stress. Handling it takes precious time away from your vacation. And then you may have to shop for items you need while you wait for it to be found. Also, as soon as you land you can head straight out the airport

It is easier to get around with a carry on as opposed to more luggage. If you are on a vacation where you change locations throughout the trip, you’ll appreciate not having to lug around several large bags.

My favorite suitcase is the Away Larger Carry-on. It holds way more than you expect and works as a carry-on for most major airlines. In this post, I have reviewed my favorite pieces of luggage.

Tips for Packing in a Carry On

Have a Plan

The first tip for packing in a carryon is that it takes some planning! This is not something you can do very easily last minute or without thinking it through. Give yourself a little bit of a time and you’ll be able to put together a plan.

Plan Out Outfits as You Pack

This goes with the last tip, but start the packing process by planning outfits. If it helps, make a list of some of the things you’ll be doing/types of outfits you’ll need. For example when I packed for two weeks in France I knew I’d need outfits for: wine tasting, sightseeing, beach day, a couple fancy dinners, a day in champagne etc. Once I had it listed out I could see what types of items I would want to wear and whether anything needed a really specific outfit. Then I starting picked out dresses and tops that I’d like to wear. While I don’t plan out what to wear for each specific day, by planning out outfits I know that I have something that will work for each event or thing I am doing.

Pack Coordinating Pieces

While picking out what clothes to pack. Make sure the individual pieces coordinate with each other. Tops should match a couple different bottoms and vice versa. This will give you versatility on what outfits you have to wear and options to change it up if plans change or you don’t want to wear what you had originally planned.

Re-Wear your Clothes

I think this is the hardest tip for some people. But a key packing in a carry on is wearing your clothes more than once on a trip. Mix and match pieces and wear them for different ways to get the most out of everything you pack. Change up the tops you wear with a pair of shorts, wear a dress with tennis shoes during the day and then dress it up sometime for a night out.

Pack Pieces that Can be Dressy or Casual

Pack a few items that can be worn both dressy or casual. This will lend versatility to what you have packed and make it easier to re wear items. For my trip, this black knit dress was the MVP. It is really comfortable so I wore it on two travel days with tennis shoes. I also wore it to our nicest dinner with block heels and a blazer that I packed. A great pair of linen pants can also be dressy or casual. They’ll be comfortable to travel in with tennis shoes and a graphic t-shirt. They also work as a swim coverup. In the evening a cute top will dress linen pants up for dinner. One or two really versatile pieces can really make a difference.

Pack Items you Love

While I love to try new styles and pieces, I am most happy with what I pack when I pick clothes that I love. It is one of the most important tips for packing in a carryon. It is so much easier to re-wear items and be inspired to mix and match what you packed when it is things that you love. Pack a dress that you love to wear and other things that you feel good in.

Minimize your Shoes

Shoes take up such a huge amount of space in your bag so keeping them minimal is one of the best space savers. If you will do any amount of walking/sight seeing on your trip, start with a great classic tennis shoes. Pick one in a neutral color (I prefer white) that you can wear with shorts, pants, dresses etc!

Stick with a Color Palette

If you have trouble picking out items that can be mix and matched try staying with a color palette. This helps with making sure all of the clothes you pack can go with multiple pieces. Don’t be afraid to have a lot of color in the clothes you pack, if that is your style.

Keep your Beauty Bag Simple

Starting with makeup, take some time to minimize your makeup bag. I like to take everything for my basic makeup look then one or two extra products like black eyeliner or a pretty eyeshadow that can change up my look.

As far as skincare goes, I keep that simple as well. Taking a basic routine that focuses on moisturizing, because my skin can get really dry when I travel. I also don’t pack anything that is irritating to my skin or difficult to apply.

Find a Way to do Laundry

For trips longer than a few ways, it is really helpful to be able to do a load of laundry or two during the trip. If you are staying in an air bnb, look for one that has a washer and dryer. If not, most hotels have laundry services. When I can do laundry on a trip, I won’t have to worry about something being dirty and not being able to rewear it. I also can pack less underwear and bras because It hen don’t need enough for the whole trip.

Use Packing Cubes & Compression Bags

When it is time to do actually do the packing there are couple items that will keep you organized and maximize your space. The first thing is packing cubes. They help you easily pack together like items and/or outfits. Packing cubes make it easy to get stuff in and out of your suitcase without completely unpacking and un-organizing your whole bag. They are especially helpful for trips where you go to several places and have to repack a few times. These are my favorite packing cubes (here is a more affordable option).

Another big help when it comes to actually packing is travel compression bags. Using one or two for some of the more bulkier items will save some room in your bag. Compression bags are also a great way to keep your dirty clothes separate from your others in your suitcase. I especially like to use them on the way from a trip. Since I am not worried about wrinkles, I can smash everything in a few compression bags and have more room for any purchases I made.

Pack a Travel Tote Bag

If you are going to buy some keepsakes or like to shop on a trip, traveling in a carry on seems like something you can’t do. It is not a surprise that I like to shop, so I have figured out how to do it and travel in a carry on.

So if I plan on doing some shopping, enough that I will not be able to pack it in my carry on. So on the way home I will plan on checking a bag. I don’t mind it because if my bag gets lost, it doesn’t ruin my trip. So I will take a packable tote like this one. It packs really small until you need it and then it is a great extra tote to have to take things home in. I typically put in all of my laundry or clothes in the tote and then check it. Then all my new purchases go in my suitcase and I carry that on like before.

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