How to travel with only a carry-on

A complete and objective guide to packing light .

Many people are impressed when I mention that I spent three weeks in Southeast Asia with just a carry-on bag or that our family of four stayed one month in Japan with only three carry-on bags. Yes, those carry-on bags with a weight limit of up to 4kg that you take with you into the airplane cabin.

I've always been a fan of traveling light, but, as with everything in life, over time we gain experience and evolve.

So, let's get to it. Here, I've gathered some objective and quick tips to help you learn how to travel with only a carry-on , traveling light and bidding farewell to all the hassles associated with giant, heavy, expensive, and potentially lost luggage. learn how to travel with only hand luggage, in a light way and say, once and for all, goodbye to all the troubles.

.

---

---

.

How to travel with only a carry-on?

.

.

1 – Research the destination

The first thing to do is research the destination: climate and temperature during your visit..

Is it cold? Hot? Rainy? Dry? Windy? How much cold and how much heat?

Consider the activities you'll be doing : urban excursions, upscale restaurants, hiking, beach, mountains, theme parks, museums, sports, skiing... Will you spend a lot of time outdoors? Are you attending a social event (wedding, party, etc.)?

Search if there are any Research if there's any specific dress code at the destination . For example: in Southeast Asian temples it's necessary to wear clothes that cover shoulders and knees, that are not tight or transparent; in various Islamic countries, wearing a veil (hijab) is required, and so on.

In short, do your research!

This will give you an idea of what type of clothes will you need to bring.

.

.

2 – Make a list of everything you will need to pack

Knowing what kind of clothes you need to bring, it's time to make a LIST of items.

List all the items and their quantities based on the trip's duration and planned activities, then create a packing list.

I usually bring enough clothes for 8 days of travel and I'll wash them throughout the trip.

.

.

Doing laundry while traveling?

Yes, washing clothes while traveling is not a problem, it is the solution!

Nowadays, with very few exceptions, it is easy, quick and inexpensive to have your clothes clean and fresh anywhere in the world. Research and gather information before you depart.

I plan to be in accommodation with a washing machine and dryer available to guests at least one day each week. In Airbnb listings, washer-dryer combos are becoming increasingly common (add it to your filters while searching), and many hotels (especially in the US, Canada, and Japan) have a coin laundry in common areas - laundromats with various self-service machines that operate with coins and cost a little, around $1-3 per cycle. I've stayed in hotels in Japan that had a washing machine in the room! Also Booking offers filters that allow you to narrow down your search to accommodations with laundry facilities. Check them out:

.

.

.

Here's the list of what I took on 2 trips to completely different destinations, with varying durations and temperatures. There's a winter list and a summer beach trip list.

.

.

3 – Choose a versatile color palette and clothes

The most important part: define a color palette and choose pieces that match each other! Mix and match is the way to go while traveling. Versatile items that you like and can be used with each other.

All tops should match all bottoms. Jackets/coats should match all combinations of tops and bottoms . If necessary, cold-weather tops and jackets should be compatible to be worn together, layered, one over the other.

To make things easier, the ideal is to have a set of colors – 2 base colors and 1 or 2 colorful ones - and choose pieces within those colors, so there won't be any mistakes in mixing and matching.

For example, I always go for black + white/off-white (base colors) + jeans + a stronger color. My color palette looks something like this:

.

.

Bonus tip:

Choose parts Choose easy-to-wash pieces that can be dried in the dryer, don't need ironing, and, if possible, are not bulky (especially if it's a trip to a cold destination!)

And, always, the bulkiest pieces go on the body!

.

.

4 – Limit shoes

Bring a MAXIMUM of 3 pairs of shoes.

Exactly: 3 pairs, including flip-flops. The largest one goes on your feet.

If you choose well, on vacation trips you will hardly need more than three pairs of shoes.. Shoes tend to be the bulkiest item in the suitcase, so in this department, every space you can save is highly rewarded 😉

Always take shoes that you are used to – if necessary, wear them for a few days before traveling, to avoid surprises, blisters and discomfort.

.

.

5- Hygiene & skin care items

For a long time, this was my Achilles' heel when it came to packing. I remember checking in luggage just because of toiletry items.

But there comes a time when necessity aligns with experience, and you become an expert on the subject 🤣 🤣 🤣

Jokes aside, this part of luggage can undermine your intention to travel with just a carry-on. So pay close attention: in the department of creams, liquids, and the like, what I can say is

REDUCE

• Reduce volumes
• Reduce quantities
• Reduce needs

.

• put everything in 100ml containers (the maximum limit allowed for any single container in carry-ons). Shampoo, conditioner, styling cream, moisturizer, sunscreen, repellent, in short, everything! If you cannot find the product to buy in packages of this size, transfer from the larger containers to smaller containers. Whenever I come across something in a package smaller than 100ml, when I finish using it I leave the package clean and ready to be used on the next trip (which is great for my pocket and the environment), but if I need it, it's easy to buy these 100ml containers at knick-knack stores or online.

If something runs out during your trip, it's easy to replace. There are markets and convenience stores everywhere in the world. Even if the price is a bit higher than in your hometown, this "surcharge" will certainly be cheap considering the peace of mind that traveling light provides. Normally, buying this type of item at the destination is usually an insignificant cost of the trip, believe me.

Ask your dermatologist (or search online) for minimalist skin care alternatives to use during the trip. If at home I use 4 or 5 different products, during travels it's only 2. The most important thing is sunscreen, which is available everywhere in the world.

Hairdryer, straightener, curling iron, and the like: needless to say, leave them all at home and make do with what you find at the accommodations.

.

.

6 – Medicines

No one likes to get sick while traveling – I don’t even need to talk about the importance of travel insurance, right?

But as small discomforts and accidents happen, I usually always carry a small toiletry bag with simple medications:

• painkillers and antipyretics (I used to carry a thermometer when the children were little, but now I don't)
• gastric discomfort kit
• insect bites
• scratches and bruises
• other specific needs, depending on the destination and each traveler's special situation

.

The idea here is to bring the bare minimum, enough for about 3-4 days of inconvenience. If the item is used during the trip, there's time to look for a replacement at the destination. The fact is that, over the various trips over the years, we've never needed to replenish this type of item during the trip.

Additionally, we bring daily use medications for every day of the trip. Typically, we separate them into more compact packaging, leaving the bulky blister packs at home (probably not highly recommended by doctors and pharmacists, but I do it anyway lol)

The organization of medicines in your suitcase is important: in one toiletry bag go the daily use medications (ALWAYS in hand luggage, to avoid loss), and in another toiletry bag go the emergency use medications – this toiletry bag, if all goes well, enters and exits the suitcase untouched.

.

.

7- Choose wisely the luggage

As important as thinking about what goes inside the suitcase, it is important to think about which suitcase will accommodate it all.

You might be used to always using a backpack, or a wheeled suitcase, or a duffel bag, and that is a factor to be taken into consideration, but it's important to think before making this choice.

Will there be hiking and camping? Rustic inns in hard-to-reach places? Charming inns in the old town of historic towns (hello European villages!)? Many stairs to go up and down? Going in and out of the metro and buses every day with the suitcase in tow? In any of these situations, opt for a backpack.

Road trip? Urban travel with little movement with luggage? A duffel bag can be great; wheeled suitcases too.

Are you going to be staying in various hotels, taking trains, metros, planes, but always walking on civilized sidewalks, escalators, and elevators? Wheeled suitcase!

There's no right or wrong, but think about what best suits the destination and what will make you more comfortable.

It's important to pay attention to the size and weight of the carry-on, as I explain below.

.

.

8 – Attention to the weight and size of the carry-on

You may think that everything is the same, but the dimensions and weight allowed for carry-ons vary greatly from airline to airline.

Usually, for domestic flights in Brazil, the maximum size of luggage allowed is 55cm x 35cm x 25cm. For international flights, be careful as it can be very different – ​​look at the photo below, which shows the limits for the main airlines operating at Seattle airport, USA, just to give you an idea of ​​how this varies.

The weight also varies a lot: 10kg is usually common, but many companies adopt lower limits, such as 7kg or 8kg.

Often, within the same airline, some flights have a limit and other flights have a different limit – this can vary according to the aircraft model as well.

The important thing is to check your ticket and, in doubt, contact the airline to confirm.

.

.

.

9 – Organize everything inside the suitcase

After you've made the list and separated ALL the pieces, it's time to organize them in the suitcase.

Don't start putting things in the suitcase while still thinking about what to take and separating the pieces. Have everything separated, clean and folded BEFORE starting to pack This will make it much easier to organize everything and keep everything easily accessible during the trip.

Packing cubes can be allies at this moment. I like to use them when traveling with a backpack or when more than one person shares the same suitcase.

I put the items in the suitcase separated by categories, as it's easier to locate the pieces. Pants in one corner, shorts in another, shirts there, underwear in a bag, socks in another, and so on.

.

.

10 – Hand bag

In addition to the carry-on suitcase, on air travels, you can take a smaller "personal item" that goes under the seat or on your lap. Think of it as your handbag or school-type backpack.

I usually take a backpack, normal size (20 liters), with:

• cellphone
• wallet and documents
• sunglasses
• computer
• plug adapters
• phone charger
• Camera
• headphones
• eye mask (essential for overnight flights)
• for long flights, a toiletry bag with hygiene items needed during the flight: toothbrush, hairbrush, moisturizer, headache medicine, etc.
• makeup kit
• reusable water bottle (yes, you can take an x-ray with an empty bottle)
• books and pen

.

.

11- Enjoy the trip

Now it's just about enjoying the trip, light and easy.

Packing is an art that we refine over time. Through trial and error, incorporating some tips here and there, we discover what works for us, which is different from what works for other people.

There is no magic recipe, no pre-defined formula.

Some of the strategies I use might be interesting, others you might think are a bit crazy (haha), but if you've made it this far in reading, I think you must have been interested, even a little, and if you've applied or adapted anything I've said, let me know, I'd love to hear about it!

.
These tips apply to any type of travel, whether by air, car, train, ship, bus or tuk-tuk. Because traveling light is more than not going through hassles at the airport and paying less on air tickets, It is a style of living and traveling, light and willing to enjoy the new things that adventure brings!

What would you add? Tell me in the comments, here or on our Instagram, I’d love to learn!

.

.

Did you like it? So please follow us:

Comments or questions? Leave your comment here or, if you prefer, on social media! I love to chat about travel 😉

Before you leave, SAVE THIS PIN to your PINTEREST accountto easily find this step-by-step guide on how to travel with only a carry-on whenever you need!