You are here because, like me, you tend to be an over packer or not an organized packer. I too used to pack 30 t-shirts, 4 swimsuits, no pants, ski suit and 5 pairs of wool socks. I remember the days of not having a packing list and trying to cram as much stuff into my giant suitcase for a 3 day trip. This is not realistic when traveling and in order to lighten your load, I’m going to tell you why and how you can pull off traveling for at least a week in  nothing but a carry-on, or a backpack for that matter.

I remember thinking it was crazy to only have a carry on for a week long vacation. I was the girl at church camp that brought 3 suitcases for a 4 day trip. I was convinced that I needed 3 outfits a day.

Be sure to read my tips on international travel here. 

When Pinterest came around, I would read blog posts about carry on only travel and some of the writers made pretty compelling arguments. Flash forward to us planning our trip to Scotland a couple of years ago and I was dreading have to check a bag. The airport had lost my luggage in the past and it was a really bad time. I knew that carry on only was the way to go so I ordered us some backpacks and spent the next couple of months planning/ trying to convince my husband that using only a carry on was possible. I showed him how to use packing cubes and made a believer out of him. 

Here are some of my reasons for why I choose to travel with just a carry on: 

If you check your bag then you are running the risk of the airport losing your belongings and I’m guessing the suitcase probably had some items that were irreplaceable – think jewelry, special clothing items or souvenirs. 

Also, if you check your bag then you have to wait on your bag. You could already be in an Uber to your destination but instead you’re waiting and waiting for a bag that may never come. The baggage claim is such a awful place. People are angry and tried and you just don’t want to be there. 

If you travel with a bag that you have to check, then you have to carry/ roll that bag everywhere. Even up 4 flights of stairs because the historic apartment you rented in Paris doesn’t have an elevator. This happened to someone I know and I don’t think they will be making that mistake again. 

You also run the risk of the airport breaking your bag. In which case you will have to purchase a severely overpriced airport bag. I once heard about a guy that had his suitcase broken by the airport and it came out on the baggage claim conveyor belt with his underwear TAPED to the suitcase. Like, they had duct taped the bag back together and the underwear were very visible to everyone. I would have faked my own death. Mortifying. 

Now that you know the reasons behind why carry on travel is the best, I’ll share some of the reasons why we chose to use back packs instead of one of those rolling suitcases:

Did you know that most airlines, especially those that travel across the pond, have weight limits on their carry-ons? The weight limit is usually 10 kg. 

Did you also know that the rolling carry-on cases weigh 7-10 lbs typically.

Additionally, did you know that backpacks weigh much less? Our Eagle Creek backpacks weigh less than 2 lbs. Which means that I can pack 20 lbs of stuff rather than 10. More shoes, more makeup, just more. Pro tip: If your carry on is over the weight limit and you have a jacket/ coat with pockets, put it on and stuff as much stuff in your pockets as possible. Our bags have been ever so slightly over weight before and I’ve done this. The person at the ticket counter isn’t going to weight your coat. Get creative. 

Back packs allow you to be hands free. So nice. Especially when traveling with kids. Usually, you end up carrying their stuff too. It’s also nice when going through airport and not having a rolling suitcase to roll in and out of crowds. Just be sure that you have a nice back pack with padded straps so that your shoulders and back aren’t dying by the time you reach the gate. 

Now that I’ve explained the benefits of traveling with just a backpack, I’ll tell you how I do it:

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• Packing cubes.

  • These should be your very best friend because, they are a game changer. They can hold so much stuff and then a huge bonus is that you can actually find stuff when it’s packed. You don’t have to take every single thing out of your bag to find something. So great. They can also be different colors for each family member if you’re using 1 bag. When I get to a destination, I will pull my cubes out, put them in a drawer and unzip the top. This makes it so easy to find what you’re looking for and when it’s time to go home, just zip them back up and toss them in your bag.

• Roll those clothes, people.

  • Who cares if they wrinkle a bit? Most hotels or Air BnB’s will have an iron. Rolling can save so much space in the packing cubes. It is crazy how much I’m able to pack because I roll our clothes. Evan is always amazed.

• Make a list. Now cut it in half.

  • If you’re going for 8 days – only take 4 outfits that can be mixed and matched to create different looks. I wear my heaviest outfit on the plane, along with a sweater or coat that I’m bringing. 
  • Don’t bring 4 pairs of shoes. Chances are that you won’t even wear that pair of giant wedges on a cobblestone street and they take up a ton of room in your suitcase. I usually stick to 2 pairs of shoes (wear 1 on the plane). 

• Wear your heaviest items on the plane

  • Items like your raincoat or your hiking boots will take up a ton of precious space. You can always take your coat off while on the plane and use it as a blanket or store it under the seat in front of you when not needed. 

• Opt for e-readers or audio-books

  • Instead of actual books, which can add a lot of extra bulk, give Audible or Kindle readers a shot. What is nice about both of those apps is that you can just get them on your phone and then you don’t need to add the Kindle. 

• Mail home souvenirs

  • Wrap your souvenirs in your dirty clothes and ship them home. This reduces bulk on your return trip home and also frees up more room in your carry on for additional souvenirs if you got a little too shop-happy while on your trip. We have done this before. We had bought a TON of stuff and decided that we would just mail it home. Just don’t lose the tracking number like we did because the package took about 6 weeks to get here. Also, maybe don’t mail food items or anything glass.

• Use a backpack that opens like a suitcase.

  • This makes packing and unpacking so much easier. Trust. Our Eagle Creek back packs have the opening facing your back when you wear it so it’s harder thieves to get into it. 

If you make these simple changes to the way that you pack then you will spend more time sightseeing and less time worrying about all your stuff.  Have you traveled with just a carry on before? Leave a comment down below. I’d love to hear from you. 

Happy travels!!