Traveling light with just a “carry-on” is an appealing idea, but many people hesitate to give it a try. It’s often easier to stick with what we know, packing everything “just in case,” rather than embracing a new, lighter way of traveling.
But those who have made the switch to packing lighter often find the benefits far outweigh the initial uncertainty.
In fact, I used to be a heavy packer. Our family of four would always check luggage at the airport whenever we flew home to see family—twice/year.
For us, the journey of shifting travel habits began when I was introduced to minimalism. As we began owning less at home, it seemed reasonable that a next step would be to apply the principles of minimalism to my travel habits.
Believe it is possible
Break free from the mindset that traveling lightly is unattainable, or that your specific circumstances make it impossible. People do it all the time.
In fact, folks from every walk of life manage to pack lightly. Every age, every gender, every length of trip, every family size. If they can do it, you can too.
Plan your outfits
Avoid the common pitfall of randomly tossing items into your suitcase.
Plan your outfits according to your activities for each day. As I’ll mention later, consider opportunities to mix-and-match and repurpose (especially outerwear).
Repeat your outfits
It might seem unconventional, but most people won’t notice at all. I mean, I’m not suggesting you wear dirty clothes over and over again, but most articles of clothing (especially pants) can be worn more than once between washings.
Don’t be afraid to wear the same outfit more than once, especially if you’re mixing and matching different pieces.
Pack travel-size liquids
You won’t be able to bring large amounts of liquids in your carry-on (at least if you are flying). So make an extra point to think this through.
Most toiletries are sold in travel/sample size. That’s what I take. But for very specific items, there are TSA-compliant items to help you keep below the legal limit.
Limit your shoes
Shoes can be the biggest suitcase hoggers. Stick to a couple versatile pairs that work for different occasions and consider wearing your bulkiest pair during transit.
One common justification for overpacking is the fear of running out of clothes. The thinking is, “I’d rather have more than I need on a trip, than be lacking something.”
On the surface, this argument seems logical. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find that it overlooks the drawbacks of excess baggage. Extra clothes mean more weight to carry, more items to keep track of, more time spent packing and unpacking, more worries about losing luggage, and more time wasted (arriving much earlier to check your luggage at the airport and time waiting at the baggage carousel waiting for your bag to appear).
Contrast this with the benefits of a minimalist approach: simplicity, convenience, and the joy of focusing on the travel experience rather than managing belongings.
With careful planning, the benefits—saving time, reducing stress, and the joy of traveling lightly—far outweigh the minor inconvenience of potentially doing a little laundry.
If you’ve never tried it, I recommend it. I can almost guarantee, at the end of your first trip, you’ll think to yourself, “You were so right! This is much easier. I am never checking luggage again.”
If necessary, roll your clothes.
If you find that you’re really close, but can’t quite fit in a carry-on suitcase, try rolling your clothes to save space, rather than folding them flat. You’ll be surprised how much more clothing you can pack with this method.
It does require an iron on the other end of your trip. So I don’t love the method all the time. But if you’re super-close to making it happen, and there’s an iron on the other end, give it a shot!
Personally, I’m more likely to roll my clothes for the return trip where there’s a washing machine waiting for me when I get home. But you can do it either way.
