Packing Light for One Bag Travel

Packing light for one bag travel is not difficult.  It just takes a little planning. Here are some tips and tricks I’ve learned – sometimes the hard way – when packing light for one carry on bag travel for a week or more.   It’s easier than you think. It just takes a little bit of planning but you will thank yourself many times over.   

                                                 Invest in a good carry on 

Once you invest in a good carry on bag, do everything possible to avoid checking that bag. You want one bag travel, and only one bag travel.  It can be a challenge for some but totally worth the effort. 

Believe it or not, the only thing you really need for the vast majority of trips is a well-packed carry on.

• Your bag cannot be lost if you check it.
• You’ll save money on potential baggage fees.
• You’ll be less likely to over-pack and you’ll breeze through the airport while others linger at the baggage claim squinting at luggage and looking worried.

To meet most airlines’ requirements for carry on bags, your bag should not be bigger than 22″ tall X 14″ wide X 9″ deep. Check with your airline just to make sure. 

A good way to start is the old adage: Lay out what you think you’ll need then eliminate half. And don’t forget to get rid of all the “just in case” stuff. If you need something while on your trip, you can buy it. 

Organization guru, Marie Kondo never packs more than one week’s worth of clothing in her carry on. If travel is for more than one week, she recommends making time for laundry, but always sticking to the one bag travel rule.   

There are plenty of good carry ons for one bag travel on the market. Here are a couple recommended by frequent travelers.

• Travelpro is a no-nonsense brand that is all about travel.  Their Travelpro softside expandable with spinner wheels is good value. 
• The Travelpro Platinum Magna is high-end with more features and the coolest wheels. 
• For the die-hard Samsonite fans, here’s the Samsonite under seat carry on spinner with USB port. 

When packing light, roll, don’t fold

While I was practicing how to pack light for one bag travel, I discovered the adage, “roll, don’t fold.”  It works! Try it. When you roll your clothes they take up much less room in your suitcase. The bonus is that they wrinkle a lot less than if you folded them. Roll larger items, like pants, and place them at the bottom of your suitcase creating a base. Then place additional items on top of that. 

In my never-ending quest to maximize space in my carry-on, I recently discovered space-saver compression bags. These are bags of thicker plastic where you place your clothing. You then squeeze out the air, zip the bag closed, roll it up and place it in your bag. It is perfect for condensing your clothing virtually doubling the available space in your suitcase.

The only drawback is that you will be tempted to overpack because suddenly you have all this extra space.  There are several brands on the market now, but here is one I liked. 

Shoes: The Enemy of One Bag Travel

Really think about your shoes. They are the bulky culprits that take up lots of space and cause you to overpack when you’re trying to pack light for a single carry on.

Ask yourself:

• Do you have a pair that can do double duty as comfortable walking shoes AND casual evening wear?
• Can your running shoes double as comfortable walking shoes?

The bottom line is, when you’re packing light, strive to pack as few shoes as possible. 

• Keep your shoes from dirtying your clothing by putting them in a shower cap. Any old cap will do. The free shower cap amenities available in some hotels are ideal.
• Put your socks in your shoes. They will fill up the small space that otherwise goes empty.
• Wear your bulkiest clothes and shoes on the plane if weather appropriate.

• Use travel cubes. They will keep your clothes organized and separate when you’re trying to figure out how to pack light for a week or more, and they are always included in my list of travel items I never travel without.  You can put pants/skirts in the larger cubes, tops/shirts in medium cubes and underwear in the smaller one. Having your clothes organized in this way will help you reach what you want quickly and not have to dig all over your suitcase. No need to spend a lot on packing cubes, just about any brand will do the job. If a cube is not completely full, I sometimes fill it up with toiletries in a Ziploc bag. And as long as we’re on the subject of Ziploc bags…

The multi-use magic of Ziploc bags 

Ziploc bags are indispensable on a trip and were a godsend when I was learning how to pack light for one bag travel. They are useful in many ways :

• Store toiletries that may spill. It’s a lot easier to find what you need in a clear bag.  Also easier to run them through airport security.
• Put some laundry detergent into a Ziploc and rinse out your undergarments yourself. Avoid the hotel laundry at all cost and you will probably save a small fortune as a result.
• Keep hunger at bay while traveling by storing favorite snacks in a Ziploc. Airport food is expensive and not very interesting.
• Store your home currency in a Ziploc to keep it separate from the local currency, if you are traveling overseas.  You won’t need your home currency until you get back home anyway.
• Protect stuff you don’t want to get wet: phone, camera, food, important documents if you’re expecting to be at a beach or near water.
• Wet swimsuits, dirty laundry…the list is limited only by your imagination.

(And no, I don’t sell Ziploc bags on the side.)

When I’m thinking about how to pack light for one bag travel,  I envision the number of days I will be out.

What will the weather be and what you will be doing; beach?…upscale restaurants?…long city walks?…hike? If you really only anticipate one day at the beach, don’t bring three swimsuits.

Mix and match for one bag travel 

• Pack mix and match outfits so the same articles can be worn several times on different days.
• Strive for a color scheme that is easy to match and accessorize: black, white, blue. Better yet, pack clothing in different shades of one color only like black, grey or beige and then accessorize with a bright color scarf.

Pack for your destination

It may seem obvious, but it is important to pack for your destination. Research your intended destination. What will the weather be during your stay? Is nightlife and the upmarket restaurant scene casual or will you need fancier clothes? How much time will you spend at the beach? What is the voltage? Will you need an adaptor/converter?  The answers to these questions will give you an indication of what to pack and help you stick to one bag travel. Here is a good example of a packing list for Mexico. 

Final tips for one bag travel

• Pack quick-drying undergarments and wash them out at night. You won’t need to pack as many pieces.
• Have a toiletry bag exclusively for travel.  That way you won’t have to pack and unpack when getting ready for a trip. 
• Place a laminated copy of your passport in your carry on. Learn six reasons why carrying laminated copies of your passport is a great travel tip. 

With a few common-sense packing tips, learning how to pack light for one bag travel is no longer a challenge.

What is your best tip for packing light for one bag travel?

Learn more how to pack light for a week or more for a one-bag travel with these handy guides:

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BTW, if you are getting ready for your trip, make sure to take advantage of these useful, money-saving links to book your trip:

• Research and book your flight with Skyscanner. I have found them to be the best because they list all airlines including the budget ones. You are always sure of having researched all options.
• For car rental around the world, Discover Cars has flexible pickup and drop-off options, I recommend Discover Cars.
• Book your accommodation with Booking.com. I find they have a wide selection and a nice, user-friendly, transparent website.
• Protect your trip and, more importantly, protect yourself with travel insurance. I use Travelinsurance.com and have been very happy with them.
• Looking for a small group tour to unforgettable destinations with top professionals? Intrepid Travel is your choice.
• For more general tours to any destination or attraction, book with Viator. Check them out.
• Need a visa?  Get your visa for all countries with Passport Visa Express.
• Looking for a cool walking tour to explore a city? My favorite walking tours are offered by Take Walks.
• Food and drink tours are the best way to enjoy a city. And Devour Tours are my favorite.
• Looking for a good VPN to protect your security, privacy and freedom online while traveling? Nordvpn is your best option.
• The best and most economical way to stay connected while traveling is with an Airalo eSIM.

I personally use, and can recommend, all the companies listed here and elsewhere on my blog. By booking through these sites, the small commission we earn – at no cost to you – helps us maintain this site so we can continue to offer our readers valuable travel tips and advice.