Having a checked bag for many travelers has become an absolute no-go with the rising costs, the damage often caused, the endless wait at baggage claim, and the potential for it to be lost has become too great. Many travelers are opting to minimize their packing and to only pack a carry-on bag to avoid these issues.

There are many options for carry-on bags these days which include the standard carry-on suitcase, a carry-on plus, travel backpacks, and more. Airlines can be stingy about what constitutes a carry-on bag and in order to avoid any conflict I'm going to stick with the standard carry-on suitcase (22 x 14 x 9 inches) in this guide.

I recently had to put my packing skills to the test when I traveled to an out-of-state wedding I was a bridesmaid in with multiple events over the Fourth of July weekend. My goal was to get everything into a single bag (with the exception of my purse) despite seemingly needing so many clothes.

Amazingly, not only did I have everything I needed for the trip, but I was able to maximize everything I packed to not feel like I "forgot something". What's amazing is if I hadn't needed my big dress and heels for the wedding, I would have had so much more space in the bag and still would have be fine.

So let's get into the tips and tricks to fully utilize your little roller bag to beat the airlines and make packing a much less stressful ordeal.

Determine the Essentials

Basically, what absolutely must go with you? This usually includes toiletries, socks, undies, and potentially electronics. If you have an event, like I did, perhaps a specific outfit has to make it into your bag. These should be packed first so you can determine how much space you'll have left for any extras.

Compression Cubes

These are one of the secrets to saving space in small bags! If you've never used a compression cube before, essentially you fill the bag with your clothes, zip it, and then zip the outer zipper to compress everything. After you'll have a flattened bag that should be about half the size or so. Use a bunch of these and you're able to bring much more than without them.

Admit You Don't Need New Shoes for Every Outfit

Realistically, unless you have a special event to go to like I did, you probably only need two pairs of shoes. One to travel in and one extra pair. Shoes, I know, changes the whole demeanor of an outfit, but to be practical we have to throw that to the wayside. Have comfortable, neutral shoes you can pair with all of your outfits. This will save you a tremendous amount of space. I wore my favorite travel shoes on the plane and to an amusement park while my sandals I wore with all my other outfits. Realistically, if it weren't for the wedding, I could have left the sandals at home and only worn my travel sneakers but I wanted a less casual shoe for the other family events.

Reuse and Repurpose

This is probably the key to not overpacking. You don't need a brand new outfit for everything. Unless you run in super snobby circles, most people won't know you're mixing and matching a few different pieces to make new outfits. Think of as a micro capsule wardrobe. During my trip I packed one pair of shorts that I wore three separate times with different tops and no one said a thing. That's three outfits with only four pieces.

For extended trips this is even more vital. Using the same shirts multiple times as well before washing will save a lot of space.

Please do not follow this for socks and underwear. I don't want anyone getting an infection! Wear new pairs of each every day! 

If needed, play Tetris

Move items around in your suitcase for things to fit. Sometimes the first layout isn't the best, and that's ok! If things really don't fit, then reconsider what you've packed. How much do you really need that third pair of shoes?

Protect Your Suitcase

I highly recommend luggage covers even on carry-on bags! During take off things shift and scratches and scuffs happen. You could also be one of the unlucky ones that doesn't get overhead bin space and are forced to check your bag. It's happened to me a few times! If you have invested a pretty penny or just don't want your bag getting dirty, these are must.

Wanna watch how I did it?

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