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Flying Solo: One Month with Only a Carry-On
Packing light has never been a talent of mine. I have always been the type to throw my entire wardrobe into a suitcase because you never know what could happen, and it’s better to be prepared with an outfit for every occasion.
That said, dragging a 50lb suitcase along Europe's busy cobbled streets and up elevatorless buildings for an entire month is a humbling experience I never want to have. To avoid those horrifying scenarios, I decided this would be a carry-on-only trip.
I received several shocked stares and disbelieving laughs when I told friends and family of my ambitious plan to pack light. However, I miraculously succeeded and am very grateful for that decision. Although I was not as fashionable as I would have liked, traveling with only a carry-on and a backpack eliminated a lot of potential stress and made traveling much more manageable.
The Packing and Planning:
I’ve never pre-planned outfits for a trip before. However, it was incredibly helpful in creating this makeshift capsule wardrobe. I started by choosing my favorite tops and bottoms and challenged myself to create as many outfits as possible. From there, items were either added or eliminated until I was left with only the most stripped-down version of my closet and a catalog of potential outfits in my notes app. Taking pictures of my outfits was useful during the packing process but also whilst traveling. As much as I love planning outfits every morning, I had other things to do.
It was difficult to anticipate the weather, but I just assumed it would be warm everywhere I went. I packed a sweater, a pair of jeans, and a lightweight rain jacket for practical reasons, but never needed the rain jacket and only wore the other items on travel days (to save space).
To make my outfits a little more interesting, I packed a lot of accessories. Fortunately, earrings, hair accessories, and canvas tote bags don’t take up a lot of space, so I just went crazy and packed them all.
Not pictured, but I did end up packing two items I knew I would only wear once and a few too many shoes because I only have so much restraint.
My Travel Essentials:
Since I was responsible for my carry-on luggage, I probably didn’t need an AirTag. However, I’ve heard nightmare stories of luggage getting stolen on trains, so having a way to ensure my bag was exactly where I wanted it to be, eased a lot of anxiety.
These compression bags were a last-minute “panic” purchase, and I will never travel without them again. I brought a fair amount of clothes, and with the compression bags, I could fit all of them into one side of my carry-on. These particular bags don’t require a vacuum, which makes them easy to use.
I mostly relied on compression bags for my clothes, but I used these packing cubes to organize my pajamas, bathing suits, socks, etc. These packing cubes also have a compression design, which helps to save valuable space.
Unfortunately, the liquid restrictions for carry-on luggage are not conducive to my haircare, skincare, and makeup routines. I probably spent over an hour trying to consolidate my liquids and cram everything into a TSA-approved bag.
This travel kit was amazing. The clear bag is TSA-approved and is more structured and durable than a standard Ziploc bag. Additionally, the bottles are leakproof, and since they are silicone, they gradually take up less space with use.
This particular toiletry bag is available in a couple of sizes. I purchased the smaller size, which was perfect for a carry-on. For the most part, the bag is pretty standard, except it also has a built-in jewelry section. While I wasn’t bringing a lot of jewelry, I preferred having everything in one spot versus having to bring a separate jewelry holder.
I love this towel! Although I only had one beach town on my itinerary, I knew I would spend a lot of time in parks and wanted something that could double as a picnic blanket. This towel is very thin, and lightweight, and comes with a small storage bag, which makes it all the more convenient.
The Best Part of Traveling Light:
If possible (which it's not), I would spend the rest of my life traveling only with a carry-on. European airports are not known for their efficiency, and lately, there have been non-stop stories of lost luggage. Without having a checked bag, I avoided so many long airport lines and never had to anxiously wonder if my bag ended up at the correct destination. My newfound appreciation for packing light was further solidified after waiting two hours in the Rome airport because my mom’s luggage was “lost”.
Although I mostly traveled by train, where lost luggage is not as much of an issue, space is limited. There were a few instances where I could barely squeeze onto the train, so I can only imagine what would have happened if I had been traveling with a large suitcase.
The Worst Part of Traveling Light:
The most frustrating aspect of carry-on travel is that purchases are limited to very small items. My bank account surely appreciated that restriction. However, I was annoyed that I couldn’t buy too many souvenirs.
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