PACKING LIGHT

“Packing light” is a relative term that applies differently to many different scenarios. The idea for this blog is to help you avoid paying for checked luggage while still packing everything you need to travel comfortably and with confidence. Heck, you may even have extra room to bring back a souvenir! 

To help you stay organised while you pack I’ve written a Packing Light Checklist. Print a copy and keep it handy while you pack.

In the coming weeks I’ll be publishing a companion blog titled “A-Z Packing For Your next Trip.” That gem will get into the nitty gritty of understanding what travel documentation you need for your trip, how take the hassle out of navigating airport security, and it’ll have my travel planning schedule that helps take the frazzle out of packing.

If you like what you see, follow me on Pinterest to keep up with new blog content and handy checklists. 

Happy packing!

Renee | September 2024

PS: Stay safe while travelling with two popular free downloads: How To Travel Safely – The Checklist and The Device and Data Safety Checklist.

Before You Pack

There are a few factors to consider before deciding what to pack for your trip. In no particular order, they are:

Baggage Allowance

Your flight confirmation email will have a list of bags you paid for with your ticket. Most airlines allow one personal bag (like a handbag or laptop case) in addition to the carry-on you paid for. However, some budget airlines will charge you extra for a personal bag. If you don’t pay in advance you could end up paying a lot more at the airport. Best to double check.

Your flight confirmation email will also list the acceptable dimensions for each bag. It’s worth measuring your personal item and carry-on to ensure they’re both within the acceptable dimensions. Some budget carriers have smaller dimensions than the larger airlines, and they could require you to check your “oversize” carry-on at the gate. This can get ridiculously expensive really fast.  

Restricted Items in Carry-On Bags

Your flight confirmation email will also have a complete list of restricted items. Review the list carefully. Some items, like tools, have to be packed in checked luggage.

Toiletries

If you’re staying in the same place for your whole trip, and if you’re going to be there for more than two weeks, it makes sense not to pack tiny toothpaste and shampoo that will run out while you’re there. Budget to buy these things at your destination instead of packing them along. This will free up space in your carry-on, and having fewer liquids in your bag will make it easier to get through security. The exception here would be specialty items that might be hard to find. You’ll want to research where to buy toiletries at your destination before you leave your house. 

Laundry

Access to laundry facilities is a wonderful thing on vacation, even if it’s just a clothes line. Bring the flat-pack laundry detergent sheets and cut them into little squares if you’re washing a smaller load. Or, do like my mother-in-law and just use shampoo. My husband and I borrowed a pail from our housekeeper on Crete last September and did a small load by hand every few days. We learned that we both had a couple of favourite things we preferred to wear on vacation. Some things just didn’t get worn at all. Six months later on a month-long trip to Guatemala we shared a carry-on (with no checked luggage).

What You’re Wearing On The Plane

Wearing bulky items to travel frees up a lot of space in your carry-on, like hikers and big sweaters and coats. Same goes for delicate accessories that don’t want to get squished, like hats, sunglasses and headphones. I like to keep my dirty travel clothes separate from everything else until I’ve had a chance to wash them. So if you’re like me you’ll want to figure out your laundry situation before wearing anything on the plane that’s also part of your 5-4-3-2-1.

The 5-4-3-2-1 Packing Method

By packing tops, bottoms and accessories that coordinate well together, you can pack fewer items and still have lots of outfits to choose from. Check out How To Pack Using The 5 4 3 2 1 Packing Method by Every Girl. Get creative and adjust it to suit your style and comfort.

Dressy Clothes

Business trips, weddings, family gatherings, a fancy dinner at a beautiful resort… There are lots of reasons to get dressed up on a trip, but travelling with dressy clothes adds a layer of complexity to packing light. Luckily you have a few options:

1. Choose garments that are wrinkle-resistant and carefully pack them in a carry-on. Hang them up as soon as you land, and then iron them or use a laundry service if needed. 
2. Pack everything – including your underpants and casual wear – into a carry-on garment bag. Garment bags are designed to pack clothing flat to keep them wrinkle-free.
3. If you’re travelling and sharing accommodation with someone (like a spouse or best friend), consider sharing bags. One of you carries a garment bag with all the dressy things, and the other has the carry-on with casual clothes, accessories, toiletries, etc.

I always hang up my dressy clothes as soon as I check in to my accommodation. Some of the wrinkles ease out while they hang, preventing the need to steam or iron. Do your research before you leave home to find out if there’s an iron or steamer you can borrow, or a laundry service nearby that can press your clothes for you.

Climate

If your trip is going to take you through more than one climate, then packing light may be tricky. Otherwise, check the weather forecast the week before you leave and pack accordingly. Wear bulkier items like hikers, a sweater, winter coat or raincoat onto the plane to save space in your carry-on. 

Okay, now it’s time to pack!

Packing Your Carry-On Bag

Or, as I like to call it: my ‘wheely case.’

While ranger rolling and packing cubes are hugely popular right now, I find I get the best pack by using a combination of rolling, folding and laying flat. No cubes needed. So here it is: the Travel-Wise Pixie method. If this catches on I’ll have to give it a better name.

Bottom Layer: Ranger-Rolling

The items listed here roll well and won’t be a wrinkled mess when you open them up. They’ll go first into your carry-on and fill up the spaces around the retractable handle, making a flat base for the next layers of packing to come.

• T-shirts, tank tops, long-sleeve tees
• Underpanties, socks, sport tops, bathing suits
• Leggings, tights
• Sleepwear
• Polyester dresses (linen and cotton get folded – see next step)
• Silk and cotton scarves

Middle Layer: Folding

The items listed here tend to take up more space when rolled vs. folded, so let’s just do these the old-fashioned way. All of these items want to be folded in half just once. They’re still mostly flat. Layer these on top of the rolled layer in the bottom of the carry-on. 

• Bras with underwire
• Jeans, slacks
• Cotton and linen dresses, pants and skirts 
• Thin sweatshirts (these can be folded into little rectangles instead of just once in half)

In amongst these folded items is where your toiletry bag goes, along with any flat items like books or a laptop that you don’t need to access in-flight. Power-down your laptop to prevent it waking up and getting hot. Place it closest to the wheels so that it’s already near the bottom of the carry-on when it’s being wheeled around. Your toiletry bag goes into this layer as well.

If these two layers fill up that one whole side of the carry-on, sandwich your laptop and toiletry bag between folded clothes so they don’t slide around and bang off the sides during transit. Secure everything using the stretchy clips attached to the inside of the carry-on.

Bulky Layer: Laying Flat

The items listed below are the bulkiest and typically don’t stay folded unless someone is sitting on them. They can be semi-folded to fit the shape of the carry-on, but they’re pretty much just laying there. This layer goes on top of the first two layers, or will start to fill up the other side of the carry-on. Some of these layers can be worn onto the plane to free up space in your carry-on.

• Winter coat
• Bulky sweaters, hoodies
• Sweat pants

This other side of the carry-on is where you’ll pack miscellaneous items like extra shoes and accessories.

Packing Your Personal Bag

My favorite trick is packing my laptop into my carry-on, and then using the laptop case as my personal bag. I do this for two reasons:

1. I find the laptop heavy to carry for long periods of time, and 
2. The laptop bag has handy compartments that help me stay organised while going through airport security. My everyday handbag gets packed into my carry-on.

Your personal bag wants to have the travel documentation you’ll need to get through the airport, as well as aeroplane activities and snacks. Here’s the complete list:

• Passport + travel documentation*
• Wallet with photo ID + foreign currency
• Prescription medications
• Printed or digital itinerary with all booking confirmations
• Headphones + earplugs
• Phone + charging cable
• Book or e-reader + charging cable
• Travel journal + pens / markers / pencils
• A comfort item. For me it’s wool booties + fuzzy socks, for others it might be a neck pillow.
• Reusable water bottle + snacks

*Travel Documentation

Review all your travel documents and make sure they’re up to date and valid for the duration of your trip. Keep in mind that some countries won’t let you enter if your passport is set to expire within six months. Some countries require a travel Visa in addition to a passport. Other important documents to consider: 

• International driver’s licence
• Consent letter when child is travelling with just one parent (this is recommended even for parents who are still married)
• Prescriptions
• Proof of vaccination

For a complete list of travel documents, and how to know when you need a Visa, refer to these government resources:

• Government of Canada – Travel Documents
• U.S. Department of State – Traveler’s Checklist

I’m sure some of you might think I’m crazy for being so minimal with my packing. I get it! It took me a long time to learn how to pack light enough that my husband and I could share a carry-on. But I promise it’s worth it to breeze through security and take turns dragging it around cobbled streets.

If you’re someone who normally needs a checked suitcase for a week in the Bahamas, challenge yourself to pack just one small bag the next time you go somewhere close. Start with a short road trip. Pretend you’re flying and pack light. You might just surprise yourself.

Happy packing!

Renee | September 2024