Hacks for Fitting Everything into Your Carry-on
Checking your bags can be expensive and scary. We’ve all read horror stories about airlines losing luggage and not doing much about it for days, weeks, or even months. Some bags disappear, forcing their owners to file a claim and deal with annoying insurance companies. They should join the “Carry-on Only” club.
Multiple Bags = Multiple Headaches
Hauling a ton of luggage is a pain in the butt. Elevators are scarce, tiny, and antiquated in Europe. I’ve had to carry my luggage numerous times up several flights of stairs because the lift wasn’t working, was running slow, or didn’t exist.
Dragging around heavy, multiple bags makes catching buses and trains excruciatingly difficult. Try rolling your luggage onto those quaint cobblestone streets. In a hurry to catch a bus? Streets of stone will slow you down. Also, there’s not a lot of room for large luggage on some trains. I’ve seen people hold up the line to get onto the train because they’re trying to fit large bags into skinny overhead spaces.
Several times I’ve underestimated the distance between points A and B. The walk took longer and seemed much farther than I anticipated. Pulling more than one bag would’ve been unbearable. I probably would’ve doled out major Euro for a taxi if I had multiple suitcases.
You’re an easy mark for thieves if you bring a ton of luggage. It’ll be obvious you’re a tourist. In the Milan train station, a group of gypsy kids targeted me as I babysat a heap of bags from my group. One distracted me while another ran off with my purse. The other boys were hoping I’d run after the thief and leave our belongings unattended. I took one for the team as I stood my ground and watched my purse disappear into the crowd.
First Carry-on Only Experience
The first time I decided NOT to check a bag was when I flew to Serbia. Our delayed flight out of Detroit caused us to miss our connection in Paris. We had to wait 11 hours for the next flight to Belgrade.
We arrived in Serbia around midnight. I hadn’t slept for more than 36 hours. I passed by the luggage carousel with elation. As I waited for my driver, I overheard some passengers grumble that their bags were missing.
Hacks for Fitting Everything into a Carry-on
I’m now team “Carry-on Only” and haven’t checked a bag since 2020. Here are ten hacks I use to fit everything into a small 20-inch carry-on and a personal item backpack:
How much to Pack
How much should you pack for your getaway? Take the number of days of your vacation, and divide that by two to get the number of outfits to pack. For example, if you’re going on an 8-day vacation, pack 4 outfits. Hang selections in your closet for a few days before packing; this will help you make adjustments easily if needed.
Choosing Travel Attire
When choosing your travel outfit, wear layers in your bulkiest clothes and heaviest shoes. Don’t worry about being too warm at the airport or on the plane. These places are outright freezing, especially during long-haul flights. For traveling, I like to wear a tank top, light cardigan, and jacket with semi-dressy black yoga pants, compression socks, and athletic shoes (summer) or comfortable boots (winter).
What to Pack
Choose colors that go together to mix and match pieces. You’ll effortlessly turn five outfits into ten or more. Who will suspect, or care, that you wore the same thing twice?
Select pieces that dry quickly and don’t wrinkle easily (light knits, blended fabrics.) The key to packing less is doing some laundry by hand on the trip. Avoid clothes that take forever to dry. Limit and don’t wash clothing that’s super thick, made with wool, or wrinkles easily (linen). I never pack an iron, even a small one, because it’s heavy and takes up too much space.
Take some worn-down tee shirts to sleep in then throw them out, don’t pack them, for the return flight. This frees up room for those fun souvenirs.
Pack laundry supplies: detergent sheets, travel clothesline, and a basin to hand wash clothes. Portable basins are great; sinks often don’t have drain stoppers or are super small. Detergent sheets are fabulous for traveling. They aren’t liquid and therefore won’t leak or take up valuable space in your toiletry bag. Plus, they’re fragrant and freshen up your carry-on.
Rolling is Right
Roll your clothes tightly, and put them into packing cubes. You’ll fit significantly more clothes into these smaller spaces. Bonus: the cubes will help organize your items.
Personal Item Tips
Your under-the-seat item should be as large as possible. Little purses are cute, but not practical. I put all my non-clothing items into a backpack that conforms to size regulations but is much larger than a purse.
Put heavy things such as your laptop, curling irons, liquids, etc. into your under-the-seat item. This allows more room and weight for your carry-on. Your bag will be put on a scale if you check in at the counter instead of doing it online. Personal items are not weighed, Thank God; my backpack is probably heavier than my carry-on.
Shoes: Less is More
Bring three pairs of shoes if you can: sneakers or boots that you wear at the airport and hike in, something semi-dressy but comfortable for nights out and cultural tours, and flip-flops. I always pack flip-flops no matter what the weather. There’ve been times my accommodation’s floors didn’t look too clean, or I needed to leave my room quickly to go to the lobby. Flip-flops are so much easier to slip into than other footwear.
No Regrets
Have there been times I wish I’d checked a bag? Not really. I never have to worry about lost luggage, and I save a ton of money on airline fees. It keeps my spending intact since I don’t have the room to bring back a bunch of souvenirs. I save valuable time skipping baggage claim and better yet, not having to recheck bags. I’m a proud, permanent member of the “Carry-on Only” Club.
Smart Solo Travel in Europe 