If you’re ready to ditch the baggage claim blues, here’s how to master the carry-on game.
Those of you who know me know I am a carry-on only girl. Sure, if I’m on safari, or a surf or ski vacay, I’ll check a bag (although I have been know to stash clean undies and flats in my purse and wear my ski gear—parka, boots, and helmet included—to the airport to take advantage of a last-minute discount fare for a weekend on the slopes), but generally I favor a personal item and a rollaboard, sometimes just a medium-sized backpack. Several of you asked me how I do it. Here are a few random tips.
I assume you already know the basics: Color coordinate clothing so that you can mix and match, and ensure your shoes work with all your outfits. Travel-sized, minimalist toiletries/make-up. Pack layers to handle changeable temperatures. Bring accessories to change or liven up your look.
When I travel, I forget my usual mindset that at the end of the day, most clothes are dirty and must go into the laundry pile. Just wearing a shirt or skirt once doesn’t make it dirty if you haven’t sweated through it or spilled something on it.
I also prioritize clothes that pack smaller or roll better so you can squish more of them into a carry-on. For example, a swing dress and leggings will take up less space than jeans and a sweater.
This was the real gamechanger for me. My carry-on opens down the middle and has two compartments for packing items. One side has a flat bottom and a mesh lining that zips up to keep my belongings from falling out. The other side has a lumpy bottom (due to the suitcase handle track underneath) and a firmer cover with a mesh pocket that I cinch with two straps to keep the items on that side from falling out.
I used to use packing cubes for my clothing when traveling with this bag. I packed various-sized cubes in the zippered section and shoes, toiletries, and assorted other items in the other half. Another pair of shoes went into my personal item, along with electronics, jewelry, and meds.
Several years ago, a French friend told me I was packing my carry-on backwards.
She said I wouldn’t need packing cubes if I rolled my clothes and used the cinch straps to compress them tightly into the suitcase. She advised me to pack my shoes and toiletries in the flat, zippered side.
Mind blown.
I followed her advice, and she was 100% correct. By rolling my clothes and fitting them around each other, I could pack my outfits more tightly than I could with the packing cubes, which always rounded in the middle and left gaps between them. Cinching the clothing in with the straps worked better than my regular cubes, which don’t specifically compress.
I easily fit a pair of booties (stuffed with socks, naturally) into the other side, along with toiletries, an umbrella, travel rollers, undies, and scarves.
And the suitcase closed without me having to sit on it.
In fact, the first time I was so good at it. I went over the weight limit for carry-on luggage and had to talk myself out of an extra fee.
Twist’s Take: Want to carry-on better? The above tips may help.