Best Packing Tips for Hand Luggage Only Travel

It is no secret that flights often make up a good portion of your trip budget leaving less for fun activities or better accommodation. One way to save on travel expenses is to pack lighter and try to fit your belongings into a carry-on. But for some of us (read: those who enjoy overpacking), packing light can be a real challenge. If you are looking for how to travel cheaper and lighter, this article includes the best time-tested packing tips that anyone can follow.

Plan Outfits in Advance

Planning what you are going to wear each day makes it easy to coordinate your clothes so that you don’t have to worry about overpacking and packing things that don’t really go well together. When deciding what you are going to wear, check the weather forecast and plan accordingly.

Most importantly, be honest with yourself about your clothing choices. If you don’t really wear that dress at home, then you probably won’t end up wearing it on holiday. If you aren’t really high heels person, you probably will survive one fancy dinner without them.

Make Sure that You Pack Clothes that Can Be Layered

One way to be prepared for any weather is to make sure you have clothes that can be layered. Nothing worse than feeling too chilly or too hot while on holiday. Bring light jackets or scarfs that can be multi-purposeful, especially if you tend to get cold on planes or just like to stay comfortable. A few smaller pieces of clothing that can be layered will usually take less space than one large item, and it will also give you more versatility and options when it comes to wearing outfits.

Limit Your Liquids

You really don’t need as many liquids as you might think, so make sure to only take smaller-sized products. You can always buy sample-sized products or refillable travel bottles that are perfect for traveling. Another good tip is to consider taking non-liquid alternatives like bar soap instead of shower gel, or dry shampoo. They usually weigh way less and are easier to pack.

Invest in Packing Cubes

One of the best tips you can ever get from any experienced traveler is to get yourself some packing cubes. Designed to save space and make packing more organized, packing cubes allow you to easily separate different types of clothing, make your carry-on more organized, as well as help to fit more in a more efficient way.

Roll Up Your Clothes

To maximize space and get the most of it, you can try rolling up your clothes instead of folding them. The method of rolling up helps to keep the clothing piece at its smallest size and helps to avoid wrinkles, which is always a plus. Pack your rolled-up belongings into packing cubes and you will be surprised how much more you are able to fit instead of doing it the usual way.

Make the Most of All Spaces

Once you packed your clothing, then you can start to fit smaller pieces like socks, and underwear into smaller spaces or any gaps that you find in your luggage. Stuffing socks into your shoes is always a great idea. You can always fit non-liquid items separately in the nooks of your cabin bag. For example, instead of packing soap, razors, and comb into one smaller bag, try to separate them and see if they better fit in the corners or sides of your bag.  If you are limited on space, make sure you are using every bit of room that you can find.

Wear the Bulkiest Clothes on the Plane

Save space in your luggage and wear your heaviest clothing pieces on the plane. You can wear your heaviest or largest in size shoes, wear your biggest jacket or coat, as well as a scarf, or hat instead of putting them into your cabin bag. If you have bigger pockets, you can also fit a few smaller ones in there as well. It is such an easy tip, but it makes a huge difference, especially in the winter season.

Photo: Zarya Maxim Alexandrovich/Shutterstock

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