1 Bag, 2 Weeks: Living out of a Carry-On

Packing Tips
Dreamstime

I’ll admit that I used to be the Queen of Overpacking……I couldn’t fathom going on a trip unless I was totally prepared for any eventuality.

I’d pack no less than three complete outfits (including accessories and shoes) for every day, plus a few extra outfits in case something unexpected came up (formal dinner? No problem! Tea with the Queen? Got it covered!)….and that was just for time spent meeting or socializing with others…..then I’d add in some lounge-wear for watching movies in my room, pajamas, Check Pricesswimsuits, and workout gear (I always have the best of intentions….). And when you have a darling set of five matching pieces of luggage, why not use them all, right?

Ahh those were the days, my friend. Now that most airlines charge for checked luggage I’ve been forced to re-think my packing strategy. In recent years I’ve perfected my One Bag Rule (a Check Pricesrolling carry-on only), and can still get by just fine for as long as two weeks.

Step 1: Check the aircraft

Carry on luggage
Carry On Luggage

The type of airplane determines how large my carry-on bag can be (many planes differ in the size of their overhead bins — what fits on one plane may not on another!). In the worst-case scenario (the plane gets changed after booking a flight), if my standard carry-on-sized bag won’t fit, gate-checking doesn’t cost anything (yet) and I can be sure my bag will still get to where I’m going.

Step 2: Check your itinerary

Check your travel Itinerary
TheBalance

By reviewing my itinerary I know exactly what I’ll be doing each day, and can plan my packing list accordingly for both meetings and down-time. I also ask about the potential for “unexpected events” ….. really, those last-minute opportunities for a formal gala dinner or tea with someone important truly don’t crop up that often, but occasionally an impromptu meeting over cocktails or dinner just happens, so be sure to have at least one outfit that qualifies as ‘business casual’.

Step 3: Decide what customization your list needs

What To Pack - the perfect vacation packing list
ZsaZsaBalza

I have two ‘starter’ packing lists – a business trip packing list, and a vacation packing list (see below). If I’m traveling for business but plan an extra couple of days for a short vacay, then I combine elements from both lists. To either list I’ll add a few items based on whatever is on my itinerary, length of my stay, and expected weather conditions.

Grab our All Inclusive Vacation Packing List » Printable Packing List – this is a printer-friendly PDF (87kb)

Step 4: Choose your fabrics carefully

Fabrics that pack well
Reference.com

Avoid any material that will need ironing when you unpack it (that means you, white cotton blouse!). Instead stick with lightweight fabrics that don’t wrinkle easily and un-wrinkle on their own after hanging a bit in the closet. Think cashmere sweaters, lightweight wool skirts or pants, jersey knit dresses, polyester or rayon blends….synthetics with a bit of cotton or linen blended in are good choices for warm climates. Lightweight is key, don’t pack anything bulky (if you can’t live without that cable-knit sweater, wear it on the plane). While I totally LOVE my Check PricesPacking Cubes, many lightweight fabrics can simply be rolled up, making for easier packing, and you can always layer them if the weather is cooler than expected.

Step 5: Resist the urge to over-pack!

Avoid Overpacking
Real World Holidays

When it finally dawned on me that NO ONE CARED about all those Check Pricesadorable shoes I carefully selected to go with each outfit (even though I thought they were applause-worthy), I stopped packing more than one pair of dress heels for work or evening functions and a super-light pair of comfy walkers or flip-flops for anything else….generally I’ll wear the heavier shoes on the plane, unless it’s winter where I’m headed in which case I’ll wear some boots on the plane and pack the walkers.

And it may bruise your ego to hear this, but NO ONE WILL REMEMBER what you wore on a previous day, particularly if you stick with classic pieces in neutral tones that mix and match well. Every piece you pack should be a part of at least two – but preferably three or four – outfits during the week (more on a longer trip).

Tip: It’s amazing how accessories — which are usually small and lightweight, taking up very little space in your bag — can dramatically transform a simple business-appropriate daytime outfit into a dressier evening look. Swap the jacket for a sparkly pareo, the leather belt for a blingy one, the briefcase for a Check Pricessmall evening bag, and you’re good to go!

The Bottom Line:

what NOT to pack
TheTallestMermaid

Ask yourself this: is it a “will definitely need” item or a “may need it if […]“? Don’t pack any “may need” items that you can borrow (for example: most hotels have ‘loaner’ umbrellas if it’s raining) or acquire cheaply wherever you’re going. With this in mind, I winnowed my ‘Check Pricesfirst aid kit‘ down to a few band aids and a small blister-pak of Advil, stopped packing an umbrella or raincoat, and stopped trying to plan for unexpected events that just didn’t happen.

Bonus Tips:
  • For a vacation, you really don’t need much clothing beyond your beach/poolwear, a pareo or cover-up (and I do mean a full cover-up, not just a little butt-scarf), a pair of shorts and t-shirt, and flip-flops — you’ll spend 75% of your time in these. Pack a dressier look for dinners, as many restaurants have dress codes, but you don’t need a new outfit for each night as you’ll likely be visiting different restaurants during your stay (and the buffet is typically more casual), or possibly ordering room service a couple of times too. If you want to get out and explore or shop, whatever you wore on the plane should suffice.
  • Going somewhere cold and really want to pack that down jacket? Down compresses phenomenally well – just roll it up tightly, squeezing out as much air as you can, then while holding it tightly, put it inside a Check Pricestravel space saver vacuum-style baggie (the smallest size in which it will fit), again squeeze the air out of the baggie, then zip it shut. When you get where you’re going, just shake it out and hang it up – it will re-inflate on it’s own in a short time.

Don’t Miss:

Our Downloadable Printable Packing List (this link opens the PDF in a new page)
Travel Tips & Vacation Packing Checklist

Ask Us Anything!

"*" indicates required fields

About Trisha Miller - Editor-in-Chief 57 Articles
Trisha is also the Editor-in-Chief at Travel Writers Exchange, a community for travel writers & bloggers. She's also a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, and a former member of the IFWTWA, serving on their Board of Directors from 2009 through 2015. When not traveling the world visiting the many all-inclusive resorts she loves, Trisha spends her time writing, mainly about travel and technology, sometimes both at the same time.

Additional Resources

» Back to Top «
All products are independently selected by our editors, generally after a day of heavy drinking and debauchery. However, when you buy something through our retail links, there's no additional cost to you but we do earn an affiliate commission which keeps the lights on here, and provides more incentive for us to drink and debauch. So buy some stuff :-)