How to Pack in a Carry-On and Backpack for Most Trips

Straight to the Point…  Carry-on packing affords you lighter weight bags for easier handling, avoids losing your bags and paying baggage fees, and teaches you to travel with less.  Checking allows you to have more outfit choices, bring larger amounts of liquids, and plan for what-ifs. Most trips can be done using these helpful carry-on packing techniques. 

Now, on to the info you need…  

Trust me when I say that I will never again take a bag larger than a carry-on to Europe. I had to learn the hard way, so take my advice and save yourself some of these problems.  Before I piss someone off, because, well, I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, I’m not shaming people who check their bags. This article is truly about learning to pack in a carry-on and backpack, if that’s what you choose to do.  

Why do we recommend traveling with a carry-on bag and a backpack?   

• It greatly reduces the chance of having your bags lost in transit, although airlines can still require you to gate check your bags at boarding for various reasons.
• It avoids time spent waiting at the baggage claim carousel.
• It reduces potential overweight baggage fees. (In Louisville, I once paid $75 to Southwest, who allows you two 50# bags, for my one 58# bag, when I was inexperienced and didn’t know better.)
• It makes traveling by public transit such as busses, trains, taxis, etc. much easier by having lightweight, manageable bags to carry when getting on and off. (In Belgium, I once got my 50# bag and my tote caught in a bus door trying to exit and couldn’t get out the door, so had to ride to the next stop and walk back.)
• It makes navigating stairs in train and bus stations easier by carrying smaller bags and by limiting how much weight you can pack in your bag.
• It makes carting your bags over cobblestones much easier. (I once dragged that same 50# bag about a mile to our hotel when I thought it would be a nice day for a walk. I was wrong!)
• It makes being responsible for you own baggage much easier. I refuse to pack a bag that I cannot personally lift or carry by myself, including placing in an overhead bin. When the time eventually comes that I cannot handle my own bags, I will start checking and take my chances.
• You always have your belongings with you in the case of cancelled or delayed flights. (In Detroit, I once had an overnight flight cancel and was able to go straight to the hotel while my fellow passengers waited Three. Long. Hours. for the airline to retrieve their checked bags.)
• You never risk boarding a cruise ship without your bags. Google that for some great sad horror stories.
• You can actually buy anything you need all over the world. I shit you not, they sell sunscreen in Iceland, contact solution in Hungary, and toothpaste in Romania. Who knew???  So don’t worry about how you’re going to get all those liquids in your carry-on bag, because you’re not.
• Finally, packing in a carry-on teaches you how little you truly need.

Now, all that said, there are truly good reasons to check a bag. They just don’t usually apply to your average vacation destination or activities. If you are going on a specific type of trip and need for example, hiking poles or boots, snorkle gear, a wedding dress or other formal attire, you are planning for vastly different climates and/or activities, then those are very valid reasons to check your bags. In reality, even if you just really want a different outfit for every day, and don’t want to do laundry on your vacation, those are valid reasons to check your bag. There is no right or wrong way to pack. Checking vs. carry-on is not a one size fits all option. Different trips call for different packing strategies. I am simply giving you ways to think about this choice differently. Lighten your load, embrace the adventure, and stop worrying about someone seeing you in the same outfit three times. Oh, the horrors! In the end, it’s the memories that matter, and photographs simply remind you of the memories. 

Tips to Packing Your Clothing in a Carry-on and a Backpack (tips for toiletries here)

Here is my biggest tip: Carry-on packing is not about how much you can stuff into a smaller size bag and a backpack. Rather, it is about how little you truly need for your trip. If you truly want to minimize some of the risks I listed above, you can take simple steps to reduce the amount of clothing you pack. Here’s how: 

• Create a packing list. Use any format you like. Word document, excel spreadsheet, pen and paper, notes app in phone, packing or closet app, papyrus, chisel and stone. They all work, some are just better than others. I use a word document that I can copy and paste for my next trip because many things are the same. Some people use a closet app such as Style Book to make a packing list, but I find it is quite a bit of work and too time consuming. The important thing is that you make a list and stick to it.
• Create categories on your list for bottoms, tops, layers, shoes, undergarments, outerwear, electronics, jewelry, makeup/toiletries (non liquids), 311 liquids bag, miscellaneous, buy at destination, or any other specific categories you need. If you are super organized, add which small bags and pouches these items will go into when packing. I use a variety of zip lock bags, zipper pouches, and other small packs I have collected over the years. Some folks like a hanging toiletry bag. Some folks like packing cubes. I don’t like either of those things in general.
• Choose a bag and backpack. I have a 20” international sized Travel Pro Max Lite 5 and a 22” Travel Pro Max Lite 5, (both are two wheeled bags), and several different sized backpacks and under seat bags to choose from. I can be a bit bougie, so I like it when they match. It’s important to choose the bag now, so you don’t change your mind later and decide to check a larger bag. (See all that shit I wrote above). See my other posts on how to choose between hard side and soft side bags and how to choose the perfect backpack.
• Choose a day bag such as a crossbody bag, tote, or small backpack, whatever is easy for you to carry daily essentials. One day bag is always enough. I carry a crossbody bag. I often add a small clutch for evenings or dinner, or alternately, I just switch out or remove the handle on the crossbody bag for evenings, depending on my trip. This day bag should ideally fit into your personal item (your backpack) for boarding an airplane to stay within most airline guidelines of two carry-on items.
• Add a daily itinerary to your packing list. Briefly list what activities are planned for each day. My itinerary with dates goes at the bottom of my clothing list.
• Check the weather history for your destinations. I use weather underground. You can see the weather history for just about anywhere you want to travel. I look at the history for the past five years for the weeks I plan on traveling, and jot it down on my itinerary page. Of course, temps and weather conditions can vary greatly from year to year, but looking back over a 5 year period gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect in general. You will want to check the actual forecast 2 days before you depart so you can make any packing changes as needed. Please don’t ask people on facebook what the weather is going to be.
• Choose a color palette. Stick to it. I pick three main colors, often black, white, and gray, and a couple of coordinating colors like teals, pinks, reds, or blues. I know what I like, and if I don’t already wear it at home, I won’t wear it on a trip. For an African safari, I have tan, green, and gray for my color palette.
• Create a capsule wardrobe. There are tons of capsule wardrobe videos and articles available online, so I am not going to re-invent the wheel here. The concept is simple. Choose clothing items in a similar color palette with individual pieces that can be mixed and matched to create different outfits. There is no set rule for how many of each clothing item you should pack. You may have heard of the 5-4-3-2-1 rule, or the Sudoku method, or three tops for every bottom, or any number of other packing strategies. Here is my strategy: I take at least three distinct full outfits for every trip. Each outfit consists of a bottom, a top, and a layer like a cardigan, blouse, quarter zip sweater, or hoodie sweatshirt, that can be worn over the top or perhaps alone with the pants. Believe it or not, you can make 45 different outfits out of nine pieces of clothing. I did the math for you. Now, I tend to wear the outfits the same couple of ways for the entire trip, but you get the idea. We need way less clothing pieces than we think. We don’t need 14 pants and 14 tops for a two week trip. Start by choosing three pants, three tops, and three layers. Swap one pair of pants for a dress or skirt if you like. Add a pair of shorts if your destination calls for them. Add no more than three pairs of shoes. These are general suggestions for all trips, not steadfast rules.
• Choose clothing that is lightweight and quick drying. We love merino wool clothing and lightweight items made from nylon, such as Columbia or Eddie Bauer brand travel or hiking clothing. In fact, I have an entire article called Why I Love Merino Wool and you can find it here.  Merino wool is lightweight, moisture wicking, quick drying, temperature regulating, antibacterial, and does not need to be washed as often as cotton or synthetics. It’s a game changer for travel and I wear it about 90% of the time at home also.
• Choose some minimal accessories. I usually pack a lightweight colorful scarf or two, and maybe two necklaces. I’m just not a big jewelry person, so a couple necklaces can change up a simple black top or dress.  I also like a tee shirt clip to change the look of my longer tee shirts by tying up a corner with a decorative clip. It can double as a scarf clip. 
• Plan a daily outfit. For each day, under your itinerary with the brief plan for the day’s activities and the general temp to expect, plan a daily outfit. I plan each day’s outfit around the activities and average temps, and write it down. Pants, top, layer if needed, jewelry, and shoes. This allows me to see what I plan on wearing each day, how I can mix and match my clothing items and colors, how many times I plan on wearing each item, and if and when I will need to wash them. My rule of thumb is if I don’t plan to wear it at least twice on a one week trip, or at least three times on a two or three week trip, it doesn’t get precious space in my bag. The longest trips we have taken to date have been three weeks. This will change when my hubby retires, but for now, this rule serves me very well. My only exception is for dress up nights on an ocean cruise. I wore scrubs for 32 years and I like to dress up, so I make room for my dressy outfit for these trips.
• Go back and assess your list and see how many times you plan to wear each item of clothing. Make adjustments as needed. Add or subtract bottoms, tops, layers, or dresses until you are planning on wearing each item two or three times at a minimum. Remember, no one gives a shit that you are repeating outfits.
• Plan to do some sink laundry along the way. I just use the hotel or cruise ship’s provided soap to wash my items as needed throughout the trip. Of course, I wash undergarments after one wear, because I’m not gross, and I don’t pack 14 pair of underwear for a two week trip. I think we all tend to wash our clothing too much in general, which wears them out much faster than they should. Think about how many times you wear an item to and from the grocery, or to pick up kids, out to dinner, or to run a quick errand. They don’t need to be washed every time they are worn. Now, your mileage may vary if you are participating in hot sweaty activities and you will need to wash things more often. The reality is that if you are determined to travel with a carry-on and backpack, you will have to wash some clothing along the way. The alternatives to carry-on are listed above under “reasons we recommend carry-on bags” and remember, they can be bad. Sink laundry doesn’t take much time, it’s easy to do, and your clothes are clean and dry the next morning. Some people balk at having to do any kind of laundry while on vacation, and that’s fine, these tips are not for them.
• Do a practice pack. Literally pack up all your clothing, toiletries (tips below), liquids, shoes, and other items. Every item on your list goes into the bag or the backpack. I pack all my electronics and chargers, toiletries, and meds in my backpack, just to be safe in case the airline forces me to gate check my rolling bag. I know I can buy most of these items, but I like my comfort products, and why do that if I don’t have to? I also add one complete outfit to my backpack for the same reason. This way, I can get by with two complete outfits and all my essentials in the case of a lost or delayed bag. Make sure it all fits in the bags and make sure it’s under the weight requirement if your airline has one. If it doesn’t fit comfortably, it’s time to reassess what’s on your list and remove some things.
• If you travel with a partner, consider cross packing your clothing in your partner’s bag. Try to swap at least one outfit and a pair of shoes with your partner. If you are forced to gate check your bags, and one bag is lost or delayed, you both still have clothing to wear. If you lose one bag, with the outfit you are wearing and the outfit in your backpacks, you will both have at least three outfits.
• Please, please, please, do not pack all your old underwear or clothing, and throw it away as you go, or “leave it behind” as people so graciously try to word it. This is just about the worst advice for carry-on packing that I have ever heard. It makes room for souvenirs, supposedly. Listen, no country wants your shitty old underwear in their landfill. Just don’t do this. It’s embarrassing that people even consider this as an option.

Like what you read? Hate it? Please drop us a comment below, but don’t be bitchy. Happy Travels!