Packing for a trip can be both a burden and challenge. Most people when traveling for more than a week ultimately decide they need to check a bag; but I am here to tell you: you don’t have to! The last time I checked a bag was in 2006. Yes, over 12 years ago. And it was a dumb reason….because I thought I needed all these different outfit choices on a trip to Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. Looking back, it was a pretty ridiculous thing to do. I was lugging around this huge suitcase all over the city. I’ll share How to Travel Internationally in Only a Carry-On in this article.

After watching an amazing video from a flight attendant who only travels with a carry-on, I realized I needed to make a change. I decided to switch to a carry-on size suitcase and start traveling with only that. Which worked amazingly well. Until I flew from Paris to Venice and had to check my “carry-on” because American carry-on sizes are different than European budget airlines sizes. So, I smarted up and changed from a roller-bag carry-on to a backpack. And I never looked back!

The key to traveling with only a carry-on includes the following tips:

1. Find a good travel backpack. I purchased a Tom Bihn one, which I love, but it’s a bit heavy. REI has a number of inexpensive ones, along with Eagle Creek, who has one that can change from a roller bag to a backpack. Look at a few, try them on and decide which one works best for you.

2. Invest in Packing Cubes. Nothing has changed my travel life more than investing in 3 packing cubes. Get them from Amazon, Eagle Creek, etc. I have a small, medium and large sizes. Whether you roll your clothing (me) or fold it, these little guys organize your clothing perfectly! When I went to Paris and Italy, I organized by place (dresses in one cube for Italy; pants and long-sleeve shirts in another for Paris). Sometimes I will organize by clothing type (shirts and sweaters in one; undies and sleepwear in another and pants in the last one).

3. Pick a color scheme. This is another amazing tip, especially for the ladies out there who want to bring their entire closet with them. For starters, you should have a color scheme already in your closet; mine is navy, grey, green and black. Most of my clothes fall into those colors with a few additional items in different colors. When I am travelling, it’s fairly easy for me to put together 4-5 outfits that I can rotate over 2 weeks. Layout your outfits and figure out what can be worn twice without needing a wash. Also, never bring more than 2 pairs of shoes!

Any tips you have to add in or questions on how to make this dream packing situation a reality?!

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Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Amy K and the #Hashtag59 Team

Learn more about travel hacks with our article on shoulder season and why it's a great time to go explore, read it here!