Traveling With A Carry-On Luggage – What You Need To Know!
The high fees for checked luggage might make you avoid considering this option. Why check in a piece of luggage when you can travel with only carry-on luggage? It’s more affordable. It’s easier and more convenient if you master the art of packing light and packing smart.
Stay calm at the thought of traveling with a carry-on. It’s more than attainable if you carefully plan and have a solid strategy.
Traveling With Carry-On Luggage
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The secret is simplicity. You will be forced to embrace it and learn how to look classy. You really don’t need that many pieces of clothing and make-up when traveling. A few essentials will do the trick. Below are some smart hacks that will turn you into a light packer.
Why Travel with a Carry-On Exclusively?
Traveling light comes with a few extra advantages, and maybe one of the most important is that you will look at your wardrobe completely different, afterward. You will realize that you don’t need that much clothing to look and feel stylish and even classy. A capsule wardrobe will seem like a good idea, for sure.
Besides, traveling with a carry-on will be easier. You will transport your only piece of luggage easier, and this will give you extra mobility. You will also avoid the total meltdown you might have each time you hit the airport with a crazy large piece of luggage.
Pro tip: get your boarding pass in advance for even faster check-in and security check process.
Traveling with a single bag will also help you keep track of your luggage. If you find yourself in busy and crowded areas, a single piece of luggage will be more manageable than two or more.
Besides, you won’t have to wait for bags at the conveyer belt, praying to see your bag next in line. Hop off the plane and carry-on (pun intended). But enough with the advantages, let’s get to how you can manage all this.
Plan ahead
To make the most of your carry-on bag, make sure to choose the right bag. Depending on the trip you’re taking, you should look into a hard-shell case or a duffle bag.
If you’ll be staying in only one place, the hard-shell case is a perfect choice. You can leave it at the hotel and forget about it. If you’ll be hopping from place to place, a duffle bag is more adequate. It will also offer you more mobility.
Make sure to research your airline’s luggage policy. Before you board on a plane, you want to know exactly what weight and dimension restrictions are applicable. If your carry-on exceeds them, you will be forced to pay extra fees.
56x45x25 sized cabin bags are one of the most common carry-on sizes available in the market as these dimensions are designed to comply with the majority of airlines’ requirements for carry-on luggage.
Before you start packing for your trip, take some time to research and review your airline’s official website for its updated carry-on baggage policy. If your current 56x45x25 sized cabin bag meets the airline’s requirements, you’re good to go.
However, if it doesn’t comply with their rules, it’s better to make arrangements beforehand. You might need to purchase a new cabin bag that fits the specified dimensions or repack your belongings to reduce weight and size. Some airlines allow bringing an extra small backpack or purse, besides your carry-on luggage.
When packing for your trip, you should pack outfits, not individual pieces of clothing. This will offer you more flexibility and outfit variety, with fewer items. It will also increase the available space for your toiletries and other essentials.
Also, make sure to choose the carry-on before choosing your clothing articles. This will force you to limit your choices.
Be strategic about your outfits. Select some basics and use them to create multiple combinations, adequate for different occasions. Arrange outfits for the numbers of days you will be traveling and take pictures for an easier time to put them back together.
I love that tip! Taking a picture of how you packed in the first place will make it so easy to repack your carry-on when it’s time to go home.
Pro Tip: bring non-wrinkle items to look stylish at all times.
Learn the best packing technique
Learning proper packing techniques is a lifesaver when trying to travel light. YouTube is an endless source of inspiration for space-saving techniques, and you should at least try the rolling technique. If you bring a secondary small bag with you, pack in all the critical items for your trip: passport, documents, chargers, and medication, your laptop, if you’re bringing one.
Keep these safe in easy-to-access places. This will make the whole boarding experience easier.
After you neatly roll your clothing articles, use all remaining free space. Your other essential tools and items should be fitted between your clothing articles.
For instance, if you plan to pack a small curling iron with you in your carry on, fit it between your clothing and make sure that it’s safely placed. You don’t want to break your essentials on the way. Ideally, you would leave all your jewelry behind, with the exception of a few essentials you will be wearing on the plane.
I must have my beauty essentials with me when I travel. I always want to take a curling iron, hair products, makeup, and other toiletries with me when I travel. Travel sized beauty products are perfect for travel. I make sure to fill every space possible with these items on my carry-on.
If your carry-on has some exterior pockets, fill them with critical items you might need to access easily.
While you want to travel with several essentials and beauty tools, it’s better to avoid packing toiletries. Accommodation facilities like Airbnb and hotels already have essentials like shampoo and shower gel available.
Be sneaky
When traveling light, it’s okay to be a little sneaky. It’s okay to wear your bulkiest items on the plane, and it’s okay to wear your heaviest pair of boots on the plane. Your flight attendants might give you THE look, but you shouldn’t really care.
If you’re unsure of your bag’s dimensions and weight, try to make it look lighter than it is. Looking like you’re having trouble to handle it will make airline staff double check if your bag violates the weight policy.
Another strategy to be sneaky when boarding is to stay behind a person with larger pieces of luggage than yours. And if you want to avoid the nasty looks while checking in, you can always use the duty-free trick to get all your trinkets and souvenirs.
Learning how to deal with restricted space when traveling will teach you several valuable lessons. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t look or feel amazing while doing it.
Pack essentials and your beloved styling tools, pack light and pack smart. With a bit of practice, you will master the art of traveling light and cheap with your carry-on. When necessary, downsize as much as possible. Find smaller alternatives to regular items and take those instead.
Happy travels!
Don’t forget to read This Weekend Traveler Bag Is My New Everything too!
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