How to pack a carry-on

 
The burning question, is how in the world are you going to fit all those clothes into that one suitcase?! The answer is simple, you’re not. Well, you’re not if you plan to take your entire wardrobe and that’s what most people plan on packing for vacation, a business trip, or a simple weekend get-a-way. I’m here to tell you, there’s hope. I’m a 20 something that likes fashion just as much as the next girl but I’ve also learned to be practical; I should tell the truth here… I had to learn how to be practical. My husband is frugal and when he realized I was paying $50 to check a bag each time we traveled, he didn’t think that was necessary; so I had to learn what to pack and how to pack it. I’m going to give you some rules to follow. I’m sure everyone does it different but this is what works for me. I’m usually able to get a week’s worth (sometimes more) of clothes in a carry-on. My upcoming trip is going to challenge me because it’s full of different activities. Follow my list below and you’ll be amazed at what you can fit in your suitcase.

1. Make a day by day list. This list should be a daily look as to what you are doing so you don’t over pack. Example: Wednesday, work conference, Thursday, travel day, Friday-Sunday, weekend at the cabin, etc.
2. Make a list of what you think you might wear that day.
3. Lay out your outfits, figure out what you can mix and match. For my work trip, I can wear the same blazer with a different dress or I can wear the same dress pants and a different blouse. Try and get a good base started- blacks, neutrals, and whites, use colors you can mix up easily and throw on an accent to make it look different. After you’ve laid everything out, decide what you seriously do not need? I’m the worst at thinking, oh it might monsoon so I need these super cute rain boots that I could possibly maybe wear… ok people, if you aren’t going to be outside stomping in puddles multiple days, you don’t need the rain boots.
4. Roll those clothes! You’re going to roll pretty much everything and you want to roll it tight. Set aside things like jeans, jackets, and delicates.

Now… open your suitcase… and breathe….. after you’ve given yourself a pep talk, let’s start the actual packing process! Put your socks in your shoes, and put your shoes on the bottom of the suitcase at the corners where you can really fit them in. Take your larger items like jeans and jackets and lay those flat on the bottom and contort them to fit around your shoes. Get all your rolled items and start placing them in the suitcase, don’t forget to add your makeup and toiletries here, and lastly, put your delicate items on top. Ta-Da!! You’ve now packed your clothes in your carry-on, it wasn’t that bad was it?!
Here are a few more tips you might find useful:

• Do laundry, no one is keeping track of if you’ve worn that before or how many outfits you brought. If you’re on vacation then the chance of you seeing the same people every day are slim. If you’re at a work event (like I’m going to), everyone is so busy no one’s paying attention to what you’re wearing unless it’s a plunging top and a mini skirt (that’s a no-no). I don’t like doing laundry as much as the next person but hey, at least you don’t have to fold and put it up since you’re not at home!
• Take shoes that are versatile
• If you absolutely must take another carry on, that’s ok… we get two for free! If you’re a woman then you’ll have a purse, take a smaller one for travel and then you can put it in your 2nd carryon like a back pack or small duffle bag. You’ll be able to put your roller carry-on in the bin above your head and the smaller one at your feet.
  

If you follow all of these tips and tricks you’ll pack like a pro! Remember, you’ll be saving $50 roundtrip by not checking a bag! With that $50 I could get a new pair of shoes but then, I’d have to figure out where to pack them!