How to Travel With Just a Carry On

Wondering how to travel with just a carry on? You’ll be glad to know that it is much easier than you may think.  You pack just what you need and nothing you don’t. I’ll show you how I do it!

Learning how to travel with just a carry on can make travel much easier. It’s not just about having less and making the packing process simpler. It will actually make your entire trip easier and less stressful.

There are so many advantages to packing light. After more than a decade of flying with only a carry on and a personal item, I can confidently say I would never go back to checking a bag.  Once you learn how to travel with just a carry on, you’ll be able to move through airports faster, avoid baggage fees, avoid lost luggage, and move with more flexibly throughout your entire trip.

Let’s look at exactly how to do it.

How Traveling Light Changes Your Whole Trip

When you pack carry on only, you save time, money, and headaches.

• No waiting to check a bag.
• No waiting to pick up your bag.
• No panic when your bag doesn’t arrive.
• You get out of the airport much quicker.
• You can take any form of transportation you want.
• No dragging heavy luggage up stairs or through cobblestone streets.
• You can stay at any type of accommodation, including those in old buildings with no elevators.
• You can move freely around a city when moving from location to location.
• You can store bags easily when needed.
• You can stop for a meal in a restaurant or walk in a store if you have smaller bags.

You can also save money!  Many airlines charge for checked bags, especially on international flights.  Choosing carry on only can save hundreds of dollars per trip, especially for couples or families.

But even more than cost savings, the best part is the freedom you have when you have less to drag around.

You can move quickly.  You can change plans easily (which we do often!).  You can hop on trains, buses, ferries, and budget airlines without worrying about luggage limitations.  Travel feels simpler, and that makes the whole trip easier.

Pack Nothing Without A Purpose

The secret to traveling with just a carry on is to pack only what you need– no extras or “just in case” items. If you don’t really need it, it doesn’t go.

I like for each item to have multiple purposes if possible. For example, my raincoat can cover me in the rain, serve as a windbreaker, or a small pillow when rolled up. Or my scarf can keep me warm when walking in the cold weather, or as a blanket when it’s cold on a plane, or as a cover in some churches.

Before placing anything in your suitcase, ask yourself:

• Will I actually use this?
• Can I use it for more than one purpose?
• Can something else serve the same purpose?

This thought process makes a huge difference when it comes to how much you pack.

What Goes in My Carry-On

I’ve been packing light for so long that I have it down to near-perfect system, at least for me. Here’s what I take and how I pack with just a carry on:

About a Week’s Worth of Clothes

For most trips, I pack roughly a week’s worth of mix-and-match outfits, no matter how long the trip.  That typically includes:

• 6–8 tops
• 3–4 bottoms
• Layering items like tanks or camisoles
• Pajamas
• Undergarments

I make sure every piece coordinates.  Every top works with every bottom.  I like to pack mostly neutral colors with a few pops of color that match everything.

You don’t need 14 outfits for a 14-day trip.  You need about half of that.  And then you can wash (more on that later).

Makeup & Toiletries

I’m a little obsessed with small items, but I always want to make sure I have everything I need. I love finding ways to do it while saving as much room as possible.

Here’s what goes in my toiletry bag:

• Makeup in small containers – I only buy makeup that comes in small containers. I like kits that include things like blush, highlighter, and eye shadow in one small case. Anything else either comes small, or I put what I need in a separate small container.
• Small hairbrush – I get by just fine with a small hairbrush. I like this one that comes with a cover so it doesn’t get mashed.
• Toothbrush – I use a small toothbrush cover like this one so it takes almost no extra space.
• Contacts – I take a couple extra pairs of contacts.
• Facial bar soap – I use a facial cleanser in a bar form, so it doesn’t have to take up room in my liquids bag.
• Two pairs of earrings – I take only two pairs of earrings that match everything. I like hoops, so I take a silver pair and a gold pair. That’s it.

All of my toiletry items can be found HERE.

Liquids Bag

I keep liquids separated in case I go through an airport that requires them to be taken out at security. These days, that varies a lot, but I’m prepared just in case. This is one of my favorite bags for liquids.

I never take large bottles.  I buy refillable bottles, pouches and jars that are under 3.4 ounces (that’s the TSA limit).  The key is to determine how much you really need for the length of time you’ll be gone, and just take that amount— no more.  You’d be surprised at the amount you actually need. If you’re not sure how much you really need, test it several weeks before your trip.

I put my liquids into:

• 2–3 oz pouches – I like that these get smaller throughout the trip the more you use it.
• 0.5 or 1 oz silicone jars – Theses sizes are perfect for certain items, like moisturizer or other face creams.
• Contact cases for tiny amounts – This is one of my favorite packing hacks. There are several things that I only need a very small amount of, like eye cream and ointment medications. These fit perfectly in contact cases.

Other Essentials

These are the other items that go in my carry-on:

• Curling iron – This goes with my everywhere. I buy a dual voltage curling iron so it works internationally.
• International adaptor – This is mandatory when traveling to other countries in order plug your devices.
• Lightweight foldable raincoat – This goes with me on every trip. It’s great for rain, for wind, or for a small pillow when rolled up.
• Jacket – I normally wear this on travel days, but if I don’t need it, I roll it up and put it in my bag.
• A second pair of shoes – I don’t always take a second pair of shoes, but sometimes I take a pair of small sandals or flip flops or a dressy pair of shoes.

I normally wear my bulkiest items on travel days so they don’t take up room in my bag– things like jackets, scarves, bulky shoes.

My Personal Item

The personal item is the bag that goes under the seat in front of you on the plane. I like to use a backpack because it’s easier to carry. Sometimes I like to strap it to my carry-on, but sometimes I need to take it off, like when I have to carry it up stairs in a subway station. It’s much easier to carry it on my back than on my shoulder.

It’s important to keep the things you’ll need easy access to in this bag. When you’re in an airport or on a plane, this bag is easier to get into.

These are the things I always keep in my backpack:

• Passport – I keep this in the front pocket, so I can access it quickly when going through security.
• Charging cords – I need these frequently in the airport, in lounges, and on planes.
• Power bank – This needs to be near at all times in case there is no working outlet nearby.
• Noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds – These are great for shutting out all the noise around you, especially if you want to sleep.
• Travel pillow – This is something I need on long flights.
• Scarf – This is great to have if I get cold on a plane, or if I need a rolled-up pillow.
• Medication organizer – You never know when you’ll need medications, so it’s always a good idea to keep in nearby and easy to access.
• Lotion and lip balm – Everything gets dry on a plane, so I use this often.
• Snacks – I always keep snacks in case I don’t like the food on the plane.
• String backpack – This is what I take with me every day on our trips. It holds a lot and feels like I’m carrying nothing. And it folds up easily in my backpack.
• Stuffable neck pillow – This is my secret for being able to buy more on my trip! It’s a travel pillow that you can fill with clothes, and it doesn’t count as another bag. If I buy too much, I can fill this with a week’s worth of tops, leaving room in my carry-on. Genius!

The Easiest Ways To Do Laundry

I know that doing laundry on vacation doesn’t sound like fun, but it’s really not bad

It only takes a small amount of our time, and when you weigh the benefits of packing light, it is so worth it.

There are a few ways we do it:

• We stay in an apartment with a washer. This is the easiest because we can wash at any time of day or night.
• We find a nearby self-service laundry. We try to find one near a restaurant, so we can eat brunch or lunch while the clothes are washing.
• We find a drop-off laundry service. This works well. We just have to check the open and closing times carefully.
• We stay in a hotel with a laundry room. This is not bad. We just have to go back and forth a little to get it done.
• We use hotel laundry services. We don’t do this often because they usually charge per item, which gets very expensive.
• We wash small items in the hotel sink. We take laundry detergent sheets with us, so it’s easy to wash things out in the sink and hang them to dry.

Again, I know that doesn’t sound ideal to some people, but it is totally worth it be able to pack light. I would never do it any other way.

How to Choose the Right Carry-On

I like to find the smallest carry-on they make. Why would I do that? Because carry-on size requirements vary by airline, and if you have the smallest one, you never have to worry about your bag being too big. This is especially helpful because we fly so many low-cost airlines around Europe that have stricter guidelines.

Here’s what I look for in a carry-on bag:

• Small (around 22 x 14 x 9 in, including wheels)
• Lightweight (around 6.5 lbs)
• Hard shell
• 360-degree durable spinner wheels
• Interior compression straps
• Inside zipper compartments
• Safety lock

Here are some of my favorites, and they are all very affordable:

• Bagsmart – I like that this one is small, rolls easily, has inside zippers, has a security lock, and comes in pretty colors.
• Samsonite – This one is also small, rolls easily, has inside zippers, has a security lock, and comes in lots of cool colors. It’s slightly bigger than the other two but not much.
• Steve Madden – This is a bag that I’ve never heard anyone talk about, but I’m listing it because it has held up for me so well. I actually bought it several years ago at TJMaxx because I needed something asap at that time. I thought I’d use it until it fell apart, then get a better one. That was over six years ago, and it is still in great shape! I have taken it all over the world and put it through the wringer, and it has no scratches, tears, or worn wheels, which is amazing. I did have to patch up part of the inner zipper once, but that’s it. I don’t think they make this exact one anymore, but this one is similar.

I hope this has given you an idea of how helpful and how easy it can be to pack light. Once you learn how to travel with just a carry on, I really don’t think you’ll ever want to check a bag again.