How To Pack For A Week In A Carry On
When you’re thinking about ways to travel, there are pros and cons to every mode of transportation. Logistically, I think flying is actually one of the easiest ways to get where you want to go, but it’s not without drawbacks.
The main one? Checking your bag. Of course, there’s the natural stress of packing everything just right so nothing is damaged upon arrival. Aside from that, though, you also have to worry about your bag arriving at your destination in the first place. And it’s really expensive, with the average checked bag currently around $50!
I usually try to fly with the same airline, Delta, and having status covers my luggage fees, but there are times when I travel with other airlines, especially when a deal is too good to pass up.
Because of that, many people fly with a carry-on only. That way, you can keep your bag with you at all times, don’t have to fuss with baggage claim, and can ensure everything is handled with care.
This is a perfect strategy for weekend trips and short visits, but what about longer getaways? Though it takes some finessing, you can actually pack for a week in a carry-on bag.
I’ve done it a few times, so today I am sharing some of my best tips for success.
Here’s how to get everything you need inside your carry-on:
How To Pack For A Week In A Carry On
Stick to a limited color palette.
First, let’s talk clothes. When you’re packing light, you want all your clothes to work together. Think layerable basics that are all in the same color family. When you do this, you can mix-and-match to infinitely multiply your outfit options.
I recommend going with mostly neutrals. And, if you want, throw in one accent color to spice things up. But keep everything as cohesive as possible for the most effective minimal wardrobe.
For more inspiration, check out: “What to Wear in New York Winter & Fall Packing List.”
Pack layered outfits—not individual pieces.
When choosing what to pack, your instinct may be to pull out everything you own in a certain color palette. Then, pack a set number of tops, bottoms, and outerwear.
I don’t recommend that. When you pack this way, you can arrive at your destination and realize that—even though everything is technically the same color family—the pieces don’t actually work well together. Instead, you should pack in outfits.
Put together a handful of complete looks first. Then, from that smaller, more intentional selection, start rearranging the pieces to create new combinations. With layers and versatile neutral staples, it’s usually easy to build several additional outfits without packing more clothes.
And if you can’t make seven entirely different ensembles, that’s okay. Despite what Kate from Lizzie McGuire says, it’s actually perfectly fine to be an outfit repeater.
Be mindful of your fabric choices.
To save yourself a ton of hassle, pack in travel-friendly fabrics. Leave the linen, silk, and viscose at home. They wrinkle and stain easily, and you just don’t have time for that—or space for a steamer.
Instead, pack modal, polyester, denim, knits, and even lightweight cashmere or wool blends. These offer plenty of variety, but are also easy to clean, don’t wrinkle, and aren’t too bulky for your carry-on.
Only pack one extra pair of versatile shoes.
Packing shoes is tough in any bag scenario, but particularly when you’re only using a carry-on. My recommendation is to only bring two versatile pairs of shoes that will work with all of your outfits.
Wear one of those pairs on the plane. Depending on where you’re going, I recommend simple sneakers, lug sole boots, or a pair of sturdy sandals. Whatever you bring, make sure it’s comfortable!
Of course, if you’re wearing one pair on the flight, the other set goes in your bag. But, before you go stuffing them into your carry-on, read my post on how to pack shoes in your suitcase.
Choose simple, versatile accessories.
A few elevated accessories can transform any outfit. When you bring the right pieces, you won’t feel limited at all—and no one will know you’re not traveling with a full wardrobe.
To keep things minimal, I recommend packing a belt, a pair of sunglasses, one or two scarves, and a few pieces of simple gold jewelry. These accessories do the heavy lifting of upgrading an outfit without adding bulk to your luggage.
And don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten about bags. Like shoes, I recommend bringing two. Pack a small crossbody and one luxury bag. (Both in neutral colors.) Use one as your personal item and tuck the other into your suitcase. Together, they’ll refine every look in your carry-on.
Wear your bulkiest items on the plane.
If you need to bring bulkier items because of the weather or the activities you’re doing on your trip? Wear them on the plane. It might feel a little cumbersome to board in a puffy coat or heavy boots, but doing so will save a surprising amount of space in your carry-on.
You can always take layers off as you travel. It’s not ideal, but it’s the reality of packing carry-on only. Of course, you could also always leave bulky items at home altogether, if possible!
Rethink how you pack toiletries.
Some of our hair care and skin care routines are getting ridiculously long, meaning we’re using A LOT of products. But when you look at your quart-sized toiletries bag, you’re probably thinking that there’s no way your whole regimen can fit in there.
I am going to tell you that you’re wrong. Remember, you’re only traveling for a week. Think about it this way: How many drops of face oil do you really use in a week? How much shampoo really comes out of your bottle in just seven days?
See what I am getting at here? What I am saying is, even travel-sized toiletries or refillable bottles are often WAY too big. You don’t need 3.4 oz of ANY of your personal care products in a week and I say this as someone who loves to use a lot of product.
So, instead of grabbing for the same-old toiletry set you always use, think smaller. Think sample size. Grab tiny cream jars, flat squeeze pouches, and mini spray bottles. I promise, you can fit your whole routine in a quart-sized bag with these containers!
Commit to tool-free hair care.
One thing that takes up a surprising amount of space in a carry-on suitcase is your hair tool collection. Blow dryers, straighteners, curling irons, wavers—these add bulk fast. (They can also be a frequent cause of surprise during TSA bag checks.)
If your hair can handle it, consider going tool-free for the week. Most hotels provide a blow dryer, so if you can skip the rest, do it and reclaim that space.
Of course, not every hair type can go fully tool-free. If you do need a tool, it may be worth investing in a travel-friendly version that takes up significantly less room in your luggage. Sure, a mini flat iron may require a little extra effort, but the additional space is worth it.
I typically use a round brush and the hotel’s hair dryer to style my hair and then I’ll pack either a flat iron or curling iron for touch-ups.
Edit your “just in case” pieces… and then edit again.
When traveling, we’re conditioned to pack for every scenario. It’s natural to want to be prepared for everything, but you don’t have room for all the what-ifs. So, go through all those non-essential and edit down . . . then edit it down again.
Here are some just-in-case items that you could probably keep at home:
- Pajamas and lounge clothes
- Super dressy outfit
- Multiple hats and scarves
- Multiple perfume options
- Nail polish and remover
- Several hair tools and styling products
- Laptop and accessories
- Tripod for your camera
- Physical books
- Journal you haven’t written in
- Full medicine cabinet
- Full first aid kit
- Workout gear
- Yoga mat
- Excessive snacks
- Beach towel
- Personal blanket or pillow
Pack travel laundry detergent.
You can easily pack seven outfits in a carry-on bag. That said, it’s smart to plan for a worst-case scenario—ruining one of them. Whether you get caught in the rain on your way back from a museum or spill an entire cup of coffee at a café, there’s always a chance you’ll need clean clothes fast.
But if you don’t have room for extras, what do you do? You wash your clothes. Some hotels or resorts offer dry cleaning, but it can be expensive and unpredictable.
Instead, I always pack a small bottle of travel laundry detergent. If a single piece or even a whole outfit gets soiled, I can hand-wash it in the hotel sink and hang it to dry overnight.
With detergent in your bag, you can even pack fewer clothes than you think you’ll need. All you have to do to rewear pieces is do a quick wash halfway through the week. The choice is yours. But either way, having laundry detergent gives you options. Or at the very least, pack some Febreze fabric refresher.
Go digital with entertainment and streamline tech.
Are you one of those people who frets way too much about travel entertainment? I’ve known so many people who pack tons of stuff in their personal items to keep themselves occupied.
Novels, activity books, magazines, an e-reader, adult coloring pages, knitting/crocheting supplies, a tablet with headphones, a journal—you name it. And then what do they do? Chat with their travel companions and stare out the window… never touching any of it.
I’m not saying you should power through the flight without any kind of plan. I am saying you should pare down your entertainment—you probably don’t need as much as you think.
I also think you should go digital wherever possible. Music, movies, games, and podcasts can all be done on your phone. Leave bulky hobbies at home unless you genuinely plan to make them a big part of your trip.
And one more thing: don’t bring every piece of tech you own. A laptop, tablet, phone, over-ear headphones, earbuds, camera, smartwatch, gaming system, and e-reader all add up quickly. Not to mention, many of them overlap in what they can do! Just don’t forget your central charger and (possibly) a connective USB port so your chosen device doesn’t die.
Be selective and realistic about what you bring. Think about what you’ll actually use and pack what you really need. And if you want to see my personal in-flight must-haves, check out my post on carry-on essentials for long flights.
Be aware of strange things that set off airport security.
When traveling with a carry-on, your bag will be subject to the dreaded TSA security x-ray machine. If anything looks fishy, they’ll immediately pull you and start digging.
To avoid delays, of course, follow all the TSA carry-on guidelines for liquids, gels, aerosols, batteries, sharp objects, tools, and more. But some of the things that could get you pulled out may surprise you.
Here are some common things that require further investigation from TSA agents:
- Books (especially comics): The machine can’t see through the pages, meaning the staff will have to thumb through every page of your book. This is especially true if it’s really thick or has lots of ink.
- Liquid-adjacent food: Often soft foods like peanut butter, yogurt, hummus, and cream cheese count as liquids and will be tossed.
- Too much powder: More than 12 oz of powder requires screening. Because of this, don’t bring too much protein powder, greens, or dry shampoo.
- Metal water bottles: The X-rays can’t penetrate the metal, so TSA will have to pull it out and look inside.
- Candles: The machines can’t see through wax either, so the candle will have to be taken out, too.
The only one of these items that’s actually not allowed is the food. The rest you’re welcome to bring, but expect delays. But you can bring solid food!
Pack a lightweight foldable tote.
A great travel hack when you’re packing light is to toss a lightweight, foldable tote into your bag. These take up virtually no space but can be a lifesaver in a pinch.
If you end up with more than you can fit in your suitcase on the way home—thanks to souvenirs or other treasures—you can transfer a few items into the tote and use it as your personal item.
Doing this lets you avoid paying for an extra bag while still bringing everything home. As a bonus, the tote also doubles as a reusable shopping bag for markets and shops while you’re traveling.
This $10 bag is one of my best travel hacks and has been a big lifesaver for me.
Use packing cubes or compression organizers.
You’ve already done a lot to save space. Reducing your packing list is really the most important step! But to create even more room, pack everything in packing cubes or compression organizers.
Depending on the quality of the organizers and the fabric types you’re packing, this can save up to 40% of the space in your bag. Pretty amazing, right? With that kind of space-saving power, you may even be able to fit everything into a travel backpack! Then you could just skip the carry-on altogether.
When packing your cubes, keep everything organized and label each one if needed. Once you arrive at your destination, unpack your clothes right away. Keeping items compressed for too long can lead to wrinkles—and in some cases, damage delicate fabrics.
After the trip is over, pack it all back up and put it back in your bag!
These Packing Tips Prove You Can Pack Light And Still Have Everything You Need.
When traveling, I am all about saving time and money. Bringing only a carry-on is one of the best ways to do just that when flying! (Here’s more on traveling with no money.)
Using these expert tips for packing a carry-on will help you travel successfully with less, without ever feeling like you’re lacking! So, whether you’re leaving for the weekend or a week-long trip, don’t pass off your carry-on suitcase. It has plenty of space for everything you need.
For more trip advice and packing tips, head over to my blog and subscribe to my newsletter! There, you’ll find plenty of additional resources to help you travel smarter. Also, don’t miss out on following my Instagram, @caseyandthecity, to see what I’m up to in real-time. Here’s what you should read next:
