Tips on packing everything in a carry-on

[phillyrunner]

I travel a decent amount, and I still don't know how to pack light and would love some tips! 

We are going to Portugal on March 1st for a week (7 nights) and we will be using trains for travel between cities (staying 3 nights in Porto, 1 night in Coimbra, and 3 nights in Lisbon). I'm sick of lugging around a huge suitcase. For those of you who pack everything in a carry on size suitcase, how do you do it? 

Weather is supposed to be 50s-60s and seems to be rainy in March. I don't wear makeup really so that isn't a problem. I never bring a hairdryer or any of that type of stuff to Europe.

I do like to run and would like to bring clothes for that (and a pair of sneakers). We are going to do all casual stuff so I wouldn't need anything really dressy. 

Thanks in advance!

[neonpink]

I use travel space bags, and roll everything up. I make sure all my clothes mix and match so I can layer and wear things more than once.

[lunabug]

I've done carry-on only for 2+ week trips. When I went to Europe last spring I took a pair of pants, one skirt, a dress and about four tops and wore another pair of pants, a top and a sweater on the plane and that was for 14 days. I took a pair of flats in my luggage and wore my boots. Since you are only going for a week you should be able to take even less- as long as everything you take is neutral-colored, you should be able to mix and match tops and bottoms and not even have to do laundry. It is even easier for a tropical trip- a few dresses can easily get me through a week.

As for your running clothes, I've found that most athletic clothing dries so quickly that you should be able to run, wash out your sports tank and shorts in the sink and hang them to dry.

I've found that I go overboard with accessories- i usually wear a scarf and take one but I could get by on just one. Instead of taking an assortment of necklaces, bracelets and earrings, I'm just going to use what I can wear on the plane and not take anything extra on my next trip.

[sarahbear]

I wear my bulky clothes to fly (to free up space in the suitcase (ie. sneakers, jacket). Everyting I bring coordinates, so I can mix and match clothes and layer for warmth without needing a lot of jackets.

[mdgirl]

In addition to what everyone else has said (especially limiting shoes and wearing your bulkiest stuff), when you're actually getting everything together to put in your bag, start with the absolute essentials like underwear and socks, then add items according to importance. It will give you a better idea of when your bag is filling up and you can cut yourself off, or that you can add more if you have more space.

[mrsnole]

I was just looking at a blog post today that had good tips .... www.everydayminimalist.com/?p=2286

[emilyinchile]

Maybe the real question is what are you thinking you'd pack for that trip? Then people can give you ideas of where to cut.

[Brit]

Feb 20, 2013 1:03:31 GMT -5 emilyinchile said:

Maybe the real question is what are you thinking you'd pack for that trip? Then people can give you ideas of where to cut.

I would start here. Even just on your own, pull out the stuff you want to pack, then start scrapping things and looking for items that can be used in more than one outfit. Also, sink washing exercise gear will be key.

I have managed three weeks split between the northern and southern hemispheres before (so like winter and summer on the same trip). You can do this easily with some though and planning.

[travelingturtle]

If I was doing your trip, I'd bring enough for 3 days and then wash part-way through, wearing a few things more than once if I needed to. I packed a carry-on for three weeks throughout asia, changing hotels every 2 nights or so, by only having a few outfits.

[anna7602]

Feb 19, 2013 16:37:58 GMT -5 sarahbear said:

I wear my bulky clothes to fly (to free up space in the suitcase (ie. sneakers, jacket). Everyting I bring coordinates, so I can mix and match clothes and layer for warmth without needing a lot of jackets.

This. When we did our one-week househunting trip in Paris, for example, I only packed one carry-on because my flight connections were tight and I didn't want to risk my checked luggage not making it.

I try to only bring two pairs of shoes total- the ones I am wearing on the plane and another pair that can go in the carry-on bag. The packed pair are usually a pair of flats or sandals, depending on the time of year. If am bringing sneakers, boots, hiking shoes or something bulky, then I try to wear those on the plane instead of giving up packing space for them.

Clothes that can be layered is a big one. A blazer is something nice to bring that looks good over plain t-shirts or tank tops if you need to look dressier for something. I also have a few pairs of quick-dry underwear that I bought at an outdoor shop. I forget the brand, but you can wash them in the sink one night and they're usually dry by the next morning.

On an unrelated note, Lisbon is a beautiful city to go for a run!

[phillyrunner]

Thank you all. Your ideas/suggestions were very helpful. I am really excited to convert to a carry-on luggage traveler!