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 women I use to make sure we have everything we need, and nothing more, for any trip.
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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.
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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:
- Parent 1- Handles our 2 carry on suitcases and a backpack
- Parent 2- Handles our toddler, the stroller, and a backpack (for some trips, this 2nd backpack is our pack and play)
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 Women- Carry On Only
Clothing
Pack clothing for 5-7 days and plan to do laundry. The linked items are the tried-and-tested items that I pack for every trip.
- 5-7 underwear
- 1-2 bras
- 5-7 socks
- 2-3 bottoms (pants, shorts, leggings, etc.)
- 5-7 shirts
- 2 pajamas
- 1 sweatshirt
- 1 light layer (sweater, quarter zip, etc.)
Seasonal Items- Warm Weather
- 1 dress (if you choose to pack more dresses, reduce the number of shirts you bring)
- 2-3 bathing suits
- Hat
Seasonal Items- Cool Weather
- Packable Rain Jacket
- Packable Puffer Jacket
- 1 beanie
- 1 pair gloves
- 1 scarf
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:
- Beach Trip- walking sandal and casual sandal
- City Trip- walking shoe and casual shoe
If you are planning nice dinners, choose a casual shoe like ballet flats or cute sandals that can be dressed up.
Toiletries
This is an area that really needs to be minimized in order to keep your luggage small. While traveling, I reduce my skincare routine to the bare minimum and identify items I can do without. I also choose to use soap and shampoo from the hotel, but always bring my own conditioner.
Additionally, be sure your items are as small as possible. Many skincare items are 3oz, which is allowed on planes, but is more product than you will need. I use these containers to decant my products based on my needs: 3 oz containers, 1 oz containers, GoTubb containers. I’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 and Conditioner
- Toothbrush and Toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Razor
- Skincare products (face wash, moisturizer, etc.)
- Makeup – I usually bring just mascara and tinted moisturizer. If I need more, I bring a travel palette and travel brushes.
- Hair brush and Hair ties
- Nail trimmers
- Hydration tablets
- Frequently taken medications (pepto, Tylenol, etc.- whatever you use frequently at home)
- Sunscreen and bug spray (if needed)
Miscellaneous
- Headphones
- Chargers
- Wallet, passport, visas, etc.
- Kindle Paperwhite
- Sunglasses
- Universal adapter (if needed)
- 1-2 detergent pods (we have found that most AirBNBs provide detergent, but we bring 1-2 just in case)
- Reusable water bottle
Need more packing help? Check out our other packing lists:
- How to Pack Light: Carry-On Packing List for Men
- How To Pack Light: Carry On Packing List for Toddlers
- How To Pack Light: Carry On Packing List for Babies
