Tag CarryOn

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Last Updated 8 months ago

Tired of overpacking on trips?

I’ve traveled to more than 50 countries around the world (sometimes for months at a time!) with just a carry-on suitcase, and I’m going to let you in on my best tips.

Some people have been absolutely shocked when they hear that all I have is a carry-on suitcase for a multi-month trip around Europe or South America.

But I honestly can’t imagine packing any other way!

Here’s how I do it, and how you can too.

Why Travel Carry On Only?

First of all, let’s talk about why you would even want to travel with just a carry-on.

One of the perks of traveling with a carry-on suitcase for me is that it’s simply less hassle.

As a solo traveler, I don’t want to get stressed out because I have to lug around an enormous suitcase and maneuver it through airports, train stations, bus stations, public transportation, city streets, and more.

You may also save money traveling with a carry-on suitcase because you won’t have to pay checked baggage fees on airlines.

I also like that I just feel lighter when I travel with a carry-on — literally carrying less baggage!

Now let’s talk about how to pack with just a carry-on suitcase.

Plan Your Outfits

If you’re packing for a short trip of 10 days or less, packing in a carry-on only should be really easy because you can pack enough to wear every day without even needing to do laundry while you’re gone.

If you’re traveling for longer, you will want to pack clothing that you can easily mix and match into multiple outfits.

And yes, you’ll have to be okay with repeating outfits frequently!

I find that it’s easier to pack for warm weather in a carry-on suitcase because it’s lighter clothing that takes up less space.

For trips to cold weather climates, you might be more limited in how much you can pack because winter sweaters obviously take up more room than summer sun dresses.

Packing Cubes Are Your Friends

I absolutely LOVE packing cubes. I used to roll my clothes when I packed it, but then I discovered packing cubes and it was a game-changer for me.

Packing cubes save even more space than rolling your clothes and they help you stay organized.

You can use one packing cube for all your tops, one for all your bottoms, one for pajamas and underwear, and so on.

Limit Your Footwear

This might be tough for the shoe aficionados out there, but if you want to successfully pack in just a carry-on suitcase, you’ll need to limit your footwear.

Shoes are bulky and take up a lot of space, so this is the first thing to go for me.

I have traveled for multiple months with just one pair of sneakers and then one pair of boots (if it’s somewhere cold) or one pair of sandals (if it’s somewhere warm.)

Pack And Then Pack Again

Before a big trip, I never pack just once.

I will lay out everything I want to bring, with the knowledge that I will end up removing multiple items, and then start packing.

As I go, I’ll determine what I really need and what gets cut.

Choose A Practical “Personal Item”

For most airlines, you can bring a carry-on suitcase and a small “personal item” for no extra charge.

The personal item might be a handbag, tote bag, small backpack, or briefcase. I personally love my sturdy Longchamps canvas tote bag — I traveled with one for over 10 years and only recently had to replace it with a new one.

This bag is super lightweight and it’s what I use as my daily handbag as well as a tote bag for travel days where I keep my laptop, laptop charger, and other essentials.

You could also bring a small backpack as your personal item instead of a tote bag.

Wear Your Bulkiest Clothes On Travel Days

One tip for packing in a carry-on suitcase only is to wear your bulkiest clothes on travel days.

For example, if you need a winter coat in your destination, be sure to wear it to the airport rather than trying to pack it. This also goes for footwear — wear your bulkier pair of boots or sneakers while traveling and pack lighter footwear.

Yes, you might be a little warm wearing your heaviest clothes and shoes, but it’s worth it!

Think Wisely About What You Really Need

Before you pack, think about where you’re traveling and what you’ll actually need there.

You might want to do some research and look for packing lists online for the destination(s) you’re visiting.

Don’t let yourself pack things “just in case” if you’re not 100% certain you’ll wear or use them.

Ahem… looking at myself when I packed multiple heavy sweaters and sweatshirts for a multi-month trip to Central America where I was extremely warm almost the entire time.

One single sweatshirt for the occasional chilly evening would have been just fine.

Do Laundry

Finally, let’s talk about laundry! Obviously, there’s no way I could travel for months at a time with just a carry-on suitcase if I wasn’t frequently doing laundry.

If I’m staying in one place for a week or more, I usually stay in an Airbnb, and I always make sure that it has an in-unit washing machine (a dryer is a nice bonus, but these aren’t very common in most countries around the world.)

When I’m moving around and staying in hotels or hostels, it requires a bit more effort to get laundry done. I always look for nearby laundromats that offer a wash and fold service.

This is usually pretty affordable, and sometimes even includes free delivery to where you’re staying. I never get laundry done at a hotel because the rates are always exorbitant.

And if I can’t find a laundromat with a wash and fold service, my last resort is a self-service laundromat.

I hope these tips for packing in just a carry on helped you!

If you’re looking for more, check out this ultimate travel packing guide.

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Last Updated 2 months ago

As someone who took 106 flights in 2023, most of them with a carry-on bag, I would consider myself both a travel and luggage expert. 

I’ve gotten super picky about my luggage, as I’ve realized it’s one of the most important factors of a smooth trip, and I’m not in the mood to compromise.

Low-quality luggage is a nightmare and there’s no way I can grit my teeth and bear it with a cheap bag. 

I’ve been a die-hard fan of TravelPro bags for the last decade, because I truly believe they have the best bang for your buck, but they’re not the most stylish kid on the block. 

However, Carl Friedrik caught my eye, with their 007-type design, masculine and handsome, but I wanted to see if they were also as functional as my TravelPro Elite carry-on bag. 

Straight up, it’s a dang sexy suitcase, but I’m finding it’s lacking in a few small but important areas. 

To inform the reader, the team at Carl Friedrik gifted me a carry-on bag, a perk of being a CEO of a travel news site, but my review below is completely unbiased and my own.

While they gift the bag hoping I will ultimately love it, they have zero say in my published opinion, and I always give our readers both sides of the story. 

Carl Friedrik Carry On X

• Exterior surface texture option: Dotted
• Color: Grey/Chocolate 
• Overall rating = 8/10 

I will break down everything I love, plus the details I think need redesigning. 

Looks & Style

10/10

The Carl Friedrik carry-on X bag is undeniably the best-looking piece of luggage I have ever owned. 

It’s as good-looking as they get.

It oozes luxury and wealth and looks like it has a designer-like price tag of 4-figures plus. 

I simply cannot fault it for anything style-wise. It’s absolutely flawless. 

The shell is German polycarbonate, the framing is aluminum, and it features a beautiful leather trim detail by Vachetta. 

Space

10/10

It’s a wide bag and the space is wonderful for someone trying to get the maximum allowance into a carry-on.

I was able to pack for a two-week trip easily, even though it was to 3 different cities with very different weather. 

I have been using a traditional bag for a while, so I’m hyper-used to the ‘lid on a bucket’ style, but the ‘clam shell’ style was a great way to keep things organized without packing cubes.

Functionality 

8/10

The overall functionality of the bag is good. 

I thought I would dislike the old chest-style clasps, but they are efficient for getting the bag open and closed fast. 

Where it lost 2 points:

1 point was lost for not having many interior pockets. There are two small pockets on the interior spine of the bag, but only large enough for a super tiny item, like a few business cards worth of space. 

There is another interior pocket in the compression pack which flattens and contains clothes on the one side. It’s larger of course, but only for long flat items, like a notebook or perhaps a few undergarments.

The other point was lost for the exterior laptop sleeve.

I’m sorry C.F., but TravelPro does this best. I can unzip and grab my laptop easily with one hand, as the other hand is always busy with TSA people yelling at me.

To be clear, this luggage was not poor for this specific function, but it could be better.

The exterior laptop flap is ‘hard shell’, making it a bit harder to open wide with one hand, plus the lined pocket and little velcro strap is not as smooth and flawless as it could be.

It’s a two-hand design for sure, slowing down my security experience by a few seconds. 

Wheels

9/10

The wheels are really smooth, which is nice on a fully packed case, as it tends to glide nicely on hard floors. 

The sales site mentions they are 360-degree Hinomoto silent wheels, which I’m not sure what that means, but they worked well on tile, hardwood, and concrete. 

I took off one point because they don’t roll as well on carpet as my other luggage. 

Handle 

3/10 

The handle is my biggest issue with the bag.
The luggage set Itself is so luxurious, sturdy, strong, and durable, but the handle feels like it was made by an entirely different brand. 

It’s a kind of hollow plastic that feels very cheap, very light, and it wobbles quite a bit. I imagined them using a kind of titanium or super heavy plastic with chrome or carbon-fiber detailing, but alas it’s just underwhelming. 

The button you push to make the handle go up and down also rattles, adding to the cheap feeling.

I also don’t love the shape of the handle when it’s in my hand and I’m walking with the luggage. Sounds like crazy attention to detail, but as I mentioned above, I’m on a flight at least 2x’s per week, so these little experiences add up for me. 

I have a feeling they may redesign this handle, because I cannot be the only one who has made this complaint. The bag would be PERFECT if they could make an adjustment to this one area. 

Does it fit?

When I packed this bag for the first time, I noticed it was a little wider than my TravelPro, and I got worried about it fitting in the overhead bin. Obviously, a luggage company would check that sort of thing, but I had doubts just by eyeballing the bag. 

I had a few legs on my flight, one with luxurious Emirates on a 777 and one with super low-cost airline Vueling on an A321. 

I knew it would fit on the 777 in business class, but I had doubts on the super low-cost leg. Thankfully it fit like a dream, proving it was just my eye reading the bag wrong, its measurements had been well-researched 

Am I sold? Will I continue to use the bag?

I once said I would NEVER stop using my TravelPro Elite for any reason, but this bag has convinced me to rotate in and out. My TravelPro is more functional, but if we’re being honest it’s a bit of a dog. 

• When I need more style, I will reach for the Carl Friedrik. 

• If I am on 1-direct flight, I will like use the C.F.

• When I am taking multiple legs, let’s say 2-3 flights, I will rotate back to my TravelPro, as it’s just superior for travel smoothness and functionality (mostly because of the amazing handle and one-handed laptop sleeve) 

To conclude, the bag is a gorgeous, show-off piece for a refined traveler, almost perfect really, but it just needs a few small tweaks to have ultimate bragging rights. 

Disclaimer: As I mentioned above, Carl Friedrik provided me with the piece of luggage so I could review it, but my opinion is entirely my own. No payment was made for this article and no affiliate links are used in this article, making it a completely independent and unbiased review.

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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.