How to keep calm and (only pack) carry-on

LUGGING a heavy case through the airport isn’t the most relaxing way to start a holiday. Here’s some help on packing light for your next trip away.

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“WHEN preparing to travel,” New York Times journalist Susan Heller Anderson famously said, “lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.”

While that’s sound advice when it comes to most holidays, packing light for one of those mid-range trips can be tricky. When it’s less than a month but more than a weekend you can easily talk yourself into taking a lot more than you’ll need.

Since minimalism is definitely having a moment, and extra luggage costs are at an all-time high, we spoke to four experts about how to ditch the suitcase and just take carry-on for your next expedition.

WHY AM I DOING THIS?

Darwin Smith, travelling musician

“The single best reason for only taking carry on is not waiting in line for check-in,” says Darwin, who travels throughout the states and internationally for much of the year with his band Darwin Deez. “Do you know how it feels to walk past a line of sixty sweaty, frustrated, fellow passengers with the boarding pass you already secured by checking in online stored safely in your phone? Amazing. It feels amazing.”

Add to that the knowledge that the only person who can lose your luggage is you, the money you save on checked luggage and being able to remove the headache of having to chase and check your extra bags for connecting flights.

“Another really nice reason to pack light is being able to make use of long stopovers,” Smith continues, “nine hours when you have to do the luggage-dance is not going to give you time to get out and explore. But when it’s just you and your carry-on, you suddenly have the opportunity to see more than the airport of your stop-over city.”  

Then you get to skip the horrors of baggage claim, plus travelling this way removes all sorts of awkwardness when it comes to waiting around for check-in times at hotels too.

FIND THE RIGHT BAG

Nick Barr, co-owner and manager of La Galigo Liveaboard

Nick Barr, who makes up to two trips between his Bali-based dive boat and his home in Australia every month, says “packing light means being mindful of every single thing you take, starting with your bag. A well designed bag will help you remain organised through the duration of your trip. A carry bag or backpack will always be preferable to one with rollers for freedom of movement.”

When choosing your bag he also recommends that you check that it has an adjustable torso length and well padded shoulder straps. For the serious traveller, he says a hip belt transfer to move the weight of the bag to your hips will come in handy in the long run.

SERIOUSLY, JUST TAKE WHAT YOU NEED

Hannah Salisbury, travel agent for Flight Centre

“When you’re committing to minimalist packing you need to banish the phrase ‘just in case’ from your vocabulary,” says Hannah. Even big packers know that you never end up wearing most of the clothes you think you will.

You need to be pragmatic; two pairs of shoes including whatever pair is on your feet when you board the plane. Multi-use items like sarongs, which can be worn as a scarf, and used as a towel, pillowcase or picnic blanket.

Hannah says: “Lay out everything you intend to take before you pack and scrutinise every item. Is it easy to wash and dry? How often have you worn it in the past six months?”

When it comes to make-up, decant foundations and moisturisers into travel-friendly bottles, take no more than two eyeshadows then blend them, and go for a good tinted lip gloss rather than a mess of lipsticks and blushes.   

TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF YOUR PERSONAL ITEM ALLOWANCES

Zaia Rosita, model and brand ambassador

Few people travel as much as models and they are forced to get crafty, says Zaia.

“You’re usually able to squeeze in a bit more with the ‘extra personal item’ allowed on most flights. Check online when you book your flight what the policy is. More times than not there’s an allowance for an extra carry-on tote that you can use to store your immediate need-to-haves.”

Magazines, electronic devices, wallet, pens and other little bits and pieces can all be herded into your daypack as a personal item, while still looking compact.

“If you’re flying an airline that doesn’t allow online check-in or insists on weighing carry-on, you’re going to have to expect to be a little warm at check-in,” Zaia warns. “Load up your pockets, including the pockets of the jacket you’re carrying through.”  

Travelling with carry-on only doesn’t mean depriving yourself. It’s actually the complete opposite. Light travel means you can keep better eye on the things you do choose to take, while also giving you freedom to explore the world unencumbered.

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Originally published as How to keep calm and (only pack) carry-on