• about
    • City Guides
    • Tips and Tricks
    • Work with Me
    • shop

    round trip travel and lifestyle blog

    Vlog: How to Pack Everything in a Carry-On

    December 18, 2019

    If you’re anything like me, you like to be efficient, especially when it comes to travel. Waiting around at baggage claim? Paying for extra luggage? No, thank you. For longer trips, say to Europe for three weeks, checking luggage is probably a wise idea. But for shorter trips lasting a week or less, there’s a good chance you can fit everything into your overhead bin if you know how to pack a carry-on the right way.

    This winter I’m headed to Dallas to visit a friend for about four days and knew I didn’t want to check luggage. So I challenged myself to squeeze it all into one carry-on and made a video to share how I did it. Here are my best travel hacks when it comes to packing everything into a carry-on.

    This post includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a percentage of links clicked in this post. These links help me run my blog, and all opinions are my own.

    1. Roll, don’t fold

    Unlearn everything your parents ever told you about folding your laundry because when it comes to packing a suitcase, rolling is better. It’s harder for clothes to wrinkle, and I find it easier to fit everything. Roll your clothes to squeeze everything inside.

    2. Use packing cubes and organizers

    Another great way to fit everything into your carry-on is to use packing organizers. I love my Vera Bradley zippered packing cube and like to put loose items like socks and undergarments inside. That makes it easy to find these items and also helps me use my luggage space more consciously.

    3. Make your list and write it twice

    Unless you’re a committed minimalist (hats off to you, my friend), then you’ll probably need to write your list and then edit it. If you’re anything like me, you add this top here, that dress there, another pair of shoes, and the list goes on. Count the number of days you’re traveling, and think about items you can rewear. For example, I plan to wear my Gap sculpt leggings with an oversized top on the plane ride there. I love these leggings because they can be dressed up or dressed down, which means I can rewear them during my trip.

    4. Wear your bulkiest clothes on the plane

    If your blood pressure is starting to raise because you just have lots of items you gotta pack, take a deep breath. Take a look at the bulkiest items in your suitcase. Is there a large sweater taking up lots of space? Are your boots too clunky to squeeze into your bag? Having a tough time stuffing your blanket scarf into your luggage? Take those items out and wear them on the plane ride there instead. It might not be the most fashion-forward outfit, but it’ll ensure that you don’t pay any fees on checked baggage.

    5. Make use of your personal item

    If you’re still stressing about getting what you need into your carry-on, there still is hope. For my personal item, I like to bring a North Face backpack instead of my purse. Packing a backpack as my personal item means that I don’t have to worry about making sure everything fits into my carry-on for the overhead bin because backpacks have ample packing space. If you still want to pack a cute purse, go for it. Just lay it flat into your carry-on, or fold and stick it into your personal item, whether it’s a backpack or large tote.

    Want access to my free travel resource library with packing lists for winter and summer? Sign up for free here.

    Author Signature

    Share with a friend & save for a future adventure!

    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
    • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
    • Click to print (Opens in new window)
    2 Comments

    My Fave Finds

    Previous How I Turned a Long Boston Layover Into an Adventure
    Next The Ultimate Guide to ICE! at Gaylord Texan

    You might also like:

    8 Best Travel Toiletries at Target

    41 Things to Do in Dallas, Texas

    20 Things I Can’t Fly Without + Printable Packing List

    Reader Interactions

    Trackbacks

    1. Round Trip Roundup: DECEMBER – round trip says:
      December 31, 2019 at 9:00 am

      […] Aaaandddd I squeezed everything into a carry-on and made a video of how you can do the same. […]

      Reply
    2. Q&A: Miss Missouri 2019 on Her Best Travel Tips and Baton Twirling – round trip says:
      January 15, 2020 at 9:17 am

      […] I bet. I have to know — are you a carry-on only or checked luggage […]

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Bonjour

    Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator living and working in southern France. You can find me planning my next weekend trip, sharing my best expat trips and sipping iced coffee.
    learn more about my story

    Ad

    Bienvenue

    Hey there, I'm Kristin, a Missouri girl living and working in southern France. I love planning weekend trips, sharing my best expat tips and sipping iced coffee.

    Categories

    Copyright © 2023 round trip
    Theme by SheShoppes
     

    Loading Comments...