How to Pack for a Week with One Carry-On Bag

 

It is shaping up to be one of the busiest summers to travel since before the pandemic. The New York Times referred to it as Revenge Travel, and while it sounds angry – well, it kind of is. It’s the result of pent-up demand. I’ve already had a bout of it. It hit me in April, when our son had a 10-day break from school. We hadn’t left town since we moved to Valencia last summer, and I was READY! 

Unfortunately, I was so ready that my emotions overtook my brain when I stubbornly went ahead and booked a rental car for the week that bumped up against Easter. The first couple of rental agencies I checked were already out of cars two weeks prior to when we needed one so when I found an agency with cars, I jumped. It was about three times more expensive when not a holiday, but by that time getting any rental car was an accomplishment. It reminds me of the recent house-buying frenzy. We lose our perspective. We want what we want — logic be damned. 

Anyway, many of you are planning to travel this summer. I just sent a list of my favorite packing tips to my Austin gal pal who will be visiting Spain (and me!) in July, so if you’re in need of some tried and true tips, here are my best ones: 

1 Avoid checking any bags. Of all the summers to pack light, this is it! Checking baggage could make the difference between making your connection or not. Don’t risk it or risk your bag not making it to your destination because of flights being cancelled and airport staff shortages. 

2. Bring ONE small suitcase and make sure it rolls, will fit into the overhead, and that you or someone you’re traveling with can lift it. I know you’re thinking you can’t fit everything you need in one bag. I’ve got you! Keep reading. 

3. Don’t bring clothes for every day you’re traveling. Leave room for souvenir t-shirts that you know you’ll want to buy and wear them during the trip. 

4. If in doubt – leave it out! Looking at you dress that makes me look fabulous, I have no actual need for, AND requires special shoes and accessories. Sorry, not this time. 

6. Wear something that you have in your throw-away pile, and ditch it after you wear it on the trip. No need to bring it back and think of all that space you’ve just freed up!  

5. Plan to do laundry. What? Who wants to do laundry while on vacation? I do! You can bring half as much plus it’s a chance to live like a local. In Bologna, it took 15 minutes to wash and 15 minutes to dry. I used one of our suitcases to roll the clothes down to the lavanderia (laundromat), bought an Italian magazine to peruse while I waited, and watched the locals coming and going. Obviously, it takes very little to make me happy.

7.  Wear your most comfortable shoes on the plane – ones you can walk miles in. Comfy shoes for me are running shoes and they take up way too much room in a suitcase.  

8.  Bring a pair of sandals or flip-flops to wear during your downtime to give your feet a breather. Pack them in the sides of the suitcase where they take up just a smidge of space. 

9. Pack a swimsuit even if you don’t think you’ll need it. Use a hair tie or rubber band to keep it compact and not flailing around. Swimwear takes up almost no space, and nothing would be more disappointing than missing an opportunity to swim in a pretty hotel pool or the Mediterranean.

10.  Blow off the hairdryer. Almost every hotel room has one these days, and if they don’t the front desk probably has them to loan. 

11. Cosmetic bags are pretty, but bulky. A couple of ziplock bags can hold everything and squish down better making closing and zipping a suitcase much easier, not to mention, saving the rest of your belongings if something leaks. 

12. Start with less. If your suitcase has one of those extra zippers that gives you a skooosh more room, keep it zipped until you’re on your way back. It could be the difference between a zipped bag and a bag with a broken zipper.  

Thanks for stopping by! If you like these tips, please feel free to forward to your friends and family traveling this summer.

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Have you Read My Book? If you enjoy my blog, maybe you’d like to read my memoir about the two years I lived in Rome. Times New Roman: How We Quit Our Jobs, Gave Away Our Stuff & Moved to Italy is available from libraries and bookstores everywhere. Just ask for it if you don’t see it on the shelf.