How to Pack Light: Carry-On Packing List for Men

man walking on the road holding black luggage during sunset

We choose to travel carry-on only whenever possible. Through our years of travel, we have found that bringing less simplifies our entire trip- from packing, to the actual travel, to unpacking. This is the packing list for men that Casey uses to make sure he has everything he needs, and nothing more, for any trip.

Advantages of Packing Light

  • Packing smaller suitcases is just easier. We don’t need to worry about packing and folding our entire wardrobe.
  • Moving through airports with carry on bags is much easier. We are often able to skip the check in desk and we never need to stop at baggage claim.
  • Traveling light saves money in checked baggage fees.
  • Managing fewer items reduces the possibility of losing something to theft or carelessness.
  • Lifting smaller items is much easier when going up and down stairs in hotels or metro stations.
  • Transportation is easier with fewer things- we don’t need to worry about renting a larger car or boarding a crowded subway with large bags.
  • We like to unpack at our destination. Unpacking and repacking when moving hotels takes less time with fewer things.
  • Smaller suitcases can be tucked away more easily in a small hotel room.
  • When returning home, there is less laundry to manage and unpacking is less daunting.

We’ve been traveling with Away Bigger Carry Ons for several years and love them. They are easy to wheel through airports, have convenient organization features, and easily hold a week’s worth of clothes. Click here for $20 off your Away purchase.

man kneeling with cow

Our “Golden Rule” of Packing

Bring only what you can carry up a flight of stairs in one trip.

Yes, you read that right. We bring only what we can carry up a flight of stairs in one trip. And when traveling with a baby or toddler, that includes our daughter. This allows us to move quickly through airports to make tight connections, board subways and trains without issue, and carry our luggage up subway steps. It also reduces the chances of losing items to theft- each parent is able to keep their hands on their items.

Typically, we divide items like this:

baby pointing at camera while man with hat looks on in park

Tips and Tricks for Traveling with a Carry On

Pack for 5-7 days

We have found that 5-7 days is the sweet spot, regardless of trip length. We rewear pants and jackets, but pack clean underwear, shirts, and socks for each day.

Do Laundry

We are not the type of people that can get away with wearing dirty clothes multiple days. We plan our trips to have access to laundry every 5-7 days. Typically, we stay in AirBNBs, so this is easy. If we don’t have laundry in our apartment, we will find a wash-and-fold service nearby. Some destinations, including those in Asia, have very affordable laundry services through the hotel, so we do use that occasionally. Just be sure to check the turnaround time and plan accordingly.

Pack clothes that dry quickly

Many European homes have washers but not dryers. Packing clothes that dry quickly eliminates the amount of time it takes for your clothes to be ready to wear, or ready to put in your suitcase and move to your next destination. We try to avoid washing jeans and sweatshirts while traveling for this reason.

Skip the “just in case” items

Unless you are visiting a remote destination, you can pick up these items at your destination if needed. Only pack the items you will definitely need.

Cut down on shoes and toiletries

These are the items that steal the most space in your luggage. 5 days of clothing is remarkably similar in size to 7 days of clothing. Adding an extra pair of shoes, however, can take up 25% of your suitcase, especially when you have large feet like Casey. Cut back on the number of shoes you bring and the amount and size of your toiletries to save space in your luggage.

Packing List for Men- Carry On Only

couple standing at viewpoint above Ljubljana
Ljublana Castle View

Clothing

Pack clothing for 5-7 days and plan to do laundry. The linked items are the tried-and-tested items that Casey packs for every trip.

  • 5-7 underwear
  • 5-7 socks
  • 2-3 bottoms (pants, shorts, etc.)
  • 5-7 shirts
  • 2 pajamas
  • 1 sweatshirt
  • 1 light layer (sweater, quarter zip, etc.)
Seasonal Items- Warm Weather
  • 2-3 bathing suits
  • Hat
Seasonal Items- Cool Weather

Shoes

For any trip, choose 2 pairs of shoes only. Wear one on the plane and pack the other in your suitcase. These combinations work best:

If you are planning nice dinners, choose a casual shoe that can be dressed up.

Toiletries

This is an area that really needs to be minimized in order to keep your luggage small.

Be sure your items are as small as possible. Many toiletry items are 3oz, which is allowed on planes, but is more product than you will need. We use these containers to decant products based on our needs: 3 oz containers, 1 oz containers, GoTubb containers. We’ve used these exact containers for years and have never had issues with leaking or breaking.

Finally, be sure you are coordinating your toiletries with your travel partner to avoid duplicates.

  • Shampoo
  • Toothbrush and Toothpaste
  • Deodorant
  • Razor
  • Skincare products (face wash, moisturizer, etc.)
  • Hair styling tools and products
  • Nail trimmers
  • Hydration tablets
  • Frequently taken medications (pepto, Tylenol, etc.- whatever you use frequently at home)
  • Sunscreen and bug spray (if needed)

Miscellaneous

Need more packing help? Check out these related posts:

man on pier at lake

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