A little background- I packed for six weeks in a Tuscany summer in a carry on sized suitcase and a backpack! I am staying in a bed and breakfast, so I have access to towels, hair dryers, etc. which helped me bring less!
- Roll and Cube
I purchased these packing cubes in anticipation of packing six weeks into a carry-on sized suitcase, and they ended up being the best decision I could have made! It comes with a set of six, and the pink and white stripe print looks so pretty on the inside of even the most boring luggage. They have tightening straps on the inside that can pull clothes even closer together. I rolled all my tops, skirts, and dresses as tightly as possible, and I managed to fit in 7 tops, 5 dresses, 4 pairs of shorts, 1 skirt, 5 pairs of shoes and more!
- Only bring the necessary hygiene products
Staying for so long means you can justify going to the local shops to buy shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc. Also, blow dryers here are commonly found in the places you may end up staying, or one can be purchased for fairly cheap in a local shop! If there is anything needed that is very specific, make sure to bring that because brands/product standards aren’t the same in many countries.
- Get a great backpack
My backpack has changed the game for my travels so far! I have this one from Osprey, and I love it. It fully unzips and can be accessed from the top or the front. This makes packing it to the brim and grabbing things out of the top super easy.
- Pick a clothing scheme
Most of the clothes I brought can be mixed and matched with each other to optimize time between washing clothes. I brought mainly basics! Also, pro tip- bring at least two outfits that go past your knees to wear into cathedrals to avoid being denied permission or having to wear a little poncho provided by the church!
- No “What if” items
This mainly applied to shoes for me. I brought five pairs of shoes including the ones I wore on the plane, and I have only worn four of them. The pair I haven’t worn are tennis shoes, which I brought because I thought “What if we go hiking or I want to work out?” The tennis shoes take up so much room in my backpack and I haven’t even touched them the entire time. This rule applies to other items besides shoes, and I think it can be really helpful! If you have to say “What if I need this for….,” don’t bring it! If it ends up being something you want later on, there is a chance you can buy it for a decent price wherever you are.
- Plan for the return trip
One thing my teachers really recommend is bringing older items you needed to get rid of anyways. If there are any socks, underwear, undershirts, scarves, etc. you have been wanting to get rid of, bring those and throw them away or donate them when you leave. There are dozens of organizations in tourist hotspots that are looking for donations of people clearing out their suitcases.
Since I did not check my bag on the way there (mainly so there was no chance of my luggage getting lost), I stuck in a foldable duffle bag that fit right in the side of my suitcase. When I get ready for the return trip, I am going to check my carry on sized suitcase and bring that small duffle as my carry on. I am not worried about my luggage getting delayed/lost on the way home, because I will be in a better position to work with the airline on getting it back once I am in Tennessee. Always plan for the size and weight of the souvenirs/shopping you will be bringing home!
That’s it! Six tips for packing as much as possible into a carry on. What really helped me is having the ability to buy items once I got here, which isn’t the case for shorter trips!
