Packing For 7 Days | The Conscious Snob

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Travel Tips: 7 Days With Just a Carry-On

Sep 17th, 2008 | By Travel Snob | Category: Better Travel

Rating 3.00 out of 5

7 Days with Just a Carry-On If you don’t want to fork up an extra $15-$25 or wait in a long line for your checked luggage at the baggage claim — the solution is to pack so that you don’t have to check in anything. Here are useful strategies for packing 7 days worth of clothes into just one carry-on.

(1) Maximize the size of your carry-on. Luggage restrictions generally allow carry-on’s to be 22″ in height with slightly varying heights and depths. From my experience, however, the height is usually what matters most and as long as you don’t expand your carry-on suitcase, you’re good to go. Be sure to buy a sturdy carry-on that can stand upright, and that has wheels. Forget the duffle bags unless you enjoy lugging around 40 lbs on your shoulder.

(2) Bring only what you really need. Think about what you’ll be doing in the 7 days and what type of shoes/clothes you’ll need. Here’s a list of what I usually bring on a non-winter, week-long trip:

7 pairs of underwear (there’s no skimping on this!)
3 regular bras, 1 strapless
1 bikini swimming suit, with a bikini top that can be worn as a bra if necessary
2 tanks tops with built-in support
1 casual tee-shirt
1 casual polo shirt
1 nice top that can be worn in the daytime or for an evening out
2 jersey convertible dresses from American Apparel
1 pair of jeans
1 skirt
1 pair of thin sweats
2 sets of thin sleep wear (the blankets will keep you warm at night!)
1 casual black blazer/jacket that can be worn in the daytime or evening
1 pair of flip-flops
1 pair of heels

Now you’re probably wondering how I fit all of this into my luggage. Simple. I wear all the bulkier items on the two days that I’m traveling. That means I’m wearing my jeans, my heels, my jacket and a shirt during the plane ride. Not only does eliminating these items from your luggage free up a lot of room, it’ll also keep you warm during the chilly plane ride.

As for the rest of the items, I make sure I roll all of my clothing before neatly placing them into the carry-on. My boyfriend says that it’s not necessary, but I’m a firm believer that it helps — besides, I always end up carrying some of his stuff in my carry-on…so it must be working!

If you’ve done the math, you’ll realize that I put double use to my jeans and the probably the convertible dresses. Unless you’re going to a high-profile event — chances are people won’t notice you’re wearing your jeans again, and those convertible dresses can be turned into skirts, halters and tube dresses to fit your varying mood and needs!

(3) Make your liquids and laptop easily accessible. Be sure to reduce your shampoo, makeup and other liquids to travel-size jars. Generally, each container must not exceed three ounces, but exceptions are made for medications and contact solutions. Check the TSA website to see the specifics. Place all of your liquids into a 1-quart size, clear zip-lock bag and put this in an easy to access location, whether that means in your handbag or the front pouch of your carry-on. This is a good time to think about the size of the handbag that you’re bringing on the trip. I generally bring one that can fit both my laptop and zip-lock bag to speed things along during the security line. Once I’ve past the security line, I’ll then unload the laptop and zip-lock into my carry-on if there’s room. If I know I’ll be attending an even that will require a smaller purse, I’ll usually slip a small clutch into the carry-on or just carry it in my shoulder bag.

Happy traveling!

Shopping for a Carry-On? Check out the Snob selections! Get a 15% off at Luggage Online!
Samsonite Graviton 31in. Spinner Upright

Diane von Furstenberg Shanghai 20in. Expandable Rolling Carry-On

Diane von Furstenberg Shanghai 20in. Wheeled City Bag

Samsonite Vintage Collection Wheeled Duffel

Andrew Philips Leather Goods Vaqueta Getaway Bag