Packing can be both the most stressful and the funnest part of traveling. You have to rack your brain around what to wear, what to bring, what you shouldn’t forget and even what you plan to buy on your trip. For a week-long excursion, it’s safe to say that a carry-on would suffice. Not only is it the more affordable option, but it’ll also be lighter, more convenient and you can pack everything you need and still have enough space for souvenirs.
The key here is to be smart about what and how to pack your carry-on. The type of carry-on luggage you use also matters, but the items you bring, how you fit them inside your bag and even what you wear to in transit make a bigger difference.
Naturally, your destination and itinerary will dictate what kind of clothes, shoes, travel gear and more you’ll need on your trip, but there are packing tips you can follow that apply to just about anywhere and everywhere! There’s also something deeply satisfying about traveling lighter. You move through airports faster, skip baggage claim and spend less time digging through things you never needed. Carry-on packing works best when every item earns its spot.
The Right Carry-on is Key
It all starts with the right bag! The correct carry-on can make or break your week-long trip, so you must use the right one for you. Firstly, the size has to be precise. It should fit inside the overhead compartment and not strain you too much when you carry it by hand or on your back. It’s called a “carry-on” for a reason, after all, so if it’s too big to hold with just one hand, you need to swap it out for something more suitable.
You should also take note that different airlines have different required dimensions for a carry-on. Though they don’t stray too far from the general 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm), it still pays to conduct your research beforehand. Even if it’s only a few inches bigger, you can still maximize a slightly larger carry-on.
Getting a wheeled carry-on is always a good idea, too. Don’t underestimate how big airports are and how far your gate might be! It’s ultimately easier to pull your luggage on wheels and run like the wind to get to your gate than to pile it on your shoulder or back and risk getting injured. And if you do get a wheeled carry-on, make sure it’s also still light enough to carry or drag up the stairs.
Keep Your Travel Wardrobe Versatile
Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of packing. Or in other words, your clothes. A seven-day trip may sound like it requires a full wardrobe, but that’s not always the case. The age-old adage, “less is more,” applies here as it does in turning out a look. No matter your destination, you don’t need to pack several pieces to come up with a different outfit for each day. It’s all a matter of mixing and matching and the right accessories!
Begin with the staples. The right jeans, a neutral top and comfy sneakers can serve as the foundation of your travel wardrobe. You can then build it up by adding one or two more tops and bottoms, some perhaps more colorful or edgier than the next. The point here is that you can change up your clothes in various ways to come up with totally different looks despite repeating some or all of the pieces. Your wardrobe staples are staples for a reason; they have to be versatile enough to pair well with other items of clothing.
In terms of your color palette, you can never go wrong with neutrals! Blacks, whites, grays, creams, beiges and navies can suit both casual aesthetics and more formal styles. These same colors also work well with louder hues, making up for more balanced looks that aren’t too overwhelming to the eye. And with the right accessories, an entire outfit can go from day to night in a flash! Sounds perfect for a tight itinerary where you have to rush from one spot to the next, doesn’t it?
Moreover, it’s also worth remembering that a business trip is a different matter entirely. Such high-class travels will require more business-ready looks or even formal suits and evening wear, which can get bulky. Hence, it’s best to get checked-in luggage for such excursions.
Three Pairs of Shoes are Enough!
You don’t need to bring more than three pairs of shoes on a week-long trip. Even if you have a packed itinerary filled with a variety of activities, one or two sturdy pairs are more than enough to last you those seven busy days.
This is also where researching about your destination comes in handy. Tropical escapes like the Caribbean or the Southeast Asian islands call for open-toed sandals and slippers. In contrast, big cities like those in Europe or the US require strong sneakers that can handle days upon days of walking. And if the place often gets rain, especially around the time of your trip, bringing along some boots will prove helpful, too.
So, why exactly three pairs? Simple: one pair for day-to-day, another extra pair for further comfort and a more elevated pair for dressier occasions. The first pair should be the sturdiest of them all and can handle any or all of the activities you plan to do. The second pair, on the other hand, should suit the destination, but can also serve as a substitute for your main shoes. As for the third pair, this is for an evening out on the town, perhaps made with finer materials like leather or suede. It should also remain comfortable to wear well into the night.
Now, ladies, if you truly want to pack some heels to elevate your evening looks on the trip, just keep them low. Don’t go higher than 3-inch heels, as anything taller is bound to take up more space in your carry-on. And the strain that higher heels will have on your feet as the night goes on? Excruciating! Additionally, go for neutral-hued heels, too, so that they’ll be easier to pair with any outfit you’ve brought along.
When to Roll and When to Fold
Now that you know what kinds of clothes and shoes work best on a week-long trip, let’s talk about how to pack them. There are two main ways to do it – rolling and folding – and it pays to know which pieces to do one and the other. This isn’t just to save as much space as you can in your carry-on, but it’s also to ensure that your clothes don’t end up too wrinkled when you reach your destination.
Rolling is reserved for your softer items, ranging from t-shirts and light knits to loungewear, sleepwear and underwear. You can also roll up the latter – bras, panties, briefs, socks and leggings – into small bundles and squeeze them into the corners of your luggage to keep everything intact throughout your trip.
Your more structured clothes require folding and laying them flat inside your carry-on instead. Think crisp button-downs, denim jeans, elevated slacks and other pieces made with finer fabrics like linen, cotton and silk. If you iron and steam them as you fold them when you pack, they’ll last longer and end up looking better than ever when you take them out of your bag.
This mix of rolled-up apparel and folded clothes keeps your entire carry-on more compact, even when it’s not filled to the brim. It’s also worth remembering which pieces you plan to wear first and more frequently and to pile them up on top. This way, you can take out your first-day outfit without ruining your other clothes.
Get Organized with Packing Cubes
Packing cubes are the perfect answers to easier travel. Their convenience doesn’t just extend to when you pack for your week-long trip, but also to ensuring that your luggage doesn’t end up a big old pile of mess before it’s through.
These nifty travel accessories make up small but accessible compartments for all the clothes, accessories, gadgets, toiletries and other items you brought along. They’re also especially useful when you share your accommodations with your travel buddies. You can both use the closets and dressers available without confusing whose clothes belong to who.
Categorizing is the name of the game for packing cubes. You can designate one cube for your tops, another for your bottoms, another for your underwear and so on and so forth. Not only do these cubes keep your items compact throughout your trip, but you can more easily take out the things you need without ruining your other stuff. Your folded clothes don’t get wrinkled, your socks don’t go missing and best of all, your carry-on doesn’t get too cramped.
You can also use compression cubes for bulkier pieces to save even more space. They work best for your thick sweaters, chunky knits, sturdy jeans and crisp button-downs. Just be careful how much you compress them, especially for your finer pieces, to avoid forming wrinkles and creases.
A Bulky Travel Outfit Goes a Long Way
If your destination requires bulky clothing, keep the heaviest pieces on your body. These include your biggest coat, heftiest jacket, strongest jeans, roomiest sweater, thickest scarf and bulkiest boots. Wearing all of these at the airport or station is a tried and tested trick to avoid luggage weight problems and to keep your carry-on as light as possible.
Fortunately, most modes of transportation are air-conditioned these days and these bulky clothes can help you keep warm while in transit. You can also use your softest garments as pillows and cushions, making for a more comfortable flight or train ride, no matter how long it takes to get to your destination.
Another great thing about wearing these bulky pieces is that they often come with pockets. Your jackets, coats, jeans, slacks and more can hold your smallest but most vital essentials, namely your phone, wallet and passport, among many others. This ensures that you always know where these items are and you can easily get them when you need to. Just keep in mind to stay aware of your surroundings and to secure these items on your person to avoid pickpockets and the like.
Moreover, don’t forget about your personal item, too. Be it a transportable tote or a big enough backpack, this convenient luggage can hold other important items that you can’t stuff in your pockets. You can also store some of your bulky layers inside it when it gets too hot.
Bring Airport-Ready Toiletries
Any seasoned traveler knows that airport-ready toiletries are an absolute must. In fact, many brands already sell travel-sized products and containers to help with this very situation. Be it your mouthwash or perfume, you can store these liquids in small, travel-sized bottles to make flying out as convenient as possible. Other essentials, like your sunscreen, deodorant and hair products, also come in airport-friendly sizes, which makes things all the more convenient.
It’s here where it pays to do proper research again. Different countries and airlines have set their own, specific standards for how much liquid you can bring in your carry-on. For example, the TSA has set a 3.4-ounce/100-milliliter limit for liquids in US airports. You should know the limit in the destination you plan to visit to avoid getting into trouble.
As for how to pack your travel-sized liquids, a smart way to go about this is to store all of them in a single pouch, making it easier for you to take them out when you need to. Next to your first-day outfit, your toiletries tend to be the first thing you need to get from your luggage when you reach your destination. Hence, you’d also do well to place them either right at the top, by the side, or in the side or front pocket of your carry-on to avoid taking out or rifling through your other clothes and items.
You can also store your dry toiletries, like your toothbrush, razor, cotton swabs and even medication, in another pouch to avoid messes while on your trip.
Don’t Forget to Save Some Room
A true marker of a well-packed carry-on is how much room it still has even when you’ve already put in everything you need for the trip. The spare space, no matter how big or small, is necessary for souvenirs you’ll want to buy, gifts to bring back home, or even for clothes that you can no longer put away as neatly as you did before. It also ensures that you don’t leave anything behind, whether what you brought from home or what you bought during your trip.
All of the tips mentioned beforehand save space in your carry-on. Packing very few repeatable clothes, only three pairs of shoes, travel-size toiletries and wearing your bulkiest pieces in transit saves more than enough room in your suitcase. Not to mention avoiding luggage weight problems at the airport, too. And another great way to go about it is to bring along a pretty sizable personal item that can store many of your travel essentials. A lightweight tote or a backpack goes a long way.
Overall, you’ll know you’ve mastered packing a carry-on for a week-long trip when you’ve made use of everything you brought and still managed to bring back more items when you return. It’s all about achieving a smooth, seamless trip where your luggage is the least of your problems.