Packing Tips For Your Next Vacation

Updated January 21, 2024

Most of the people who know me know that I despise checking bags and travel carry-on whenever possible. Over the last several years, I’ve adopted some practices that help me do just that. Many of these tips are geared towards that goal, although even if you plan to check, these tips can help you save space for those cherished souvenirs to bring home. 

PLAN YOUR OUTFITS AHEAD OF TIME. This might sound a bit overboard, but I’m telling you, it works. I start out by listing each day and what I expect to do each day. Then under each one, I’ll list the entire outfit, including shoes and accessories, that I plan to wear for it. Yes, it does take a bit of time and planning. But every time I have done this, I end up eliminating items that I initially planned on taking because I realized I didn’t need them. 

CHOOSE CLOTHING THAT CAN MIX AND MATCH AND BE LAYERED. Choose pants that can be worn with more than one top, tops that can be worn multiple times, accessories such as scarves to change the look of a re-worn item. Instead of bringing both warm- and cold-weather outfits for those hard-to-plan spring and fall seasons, bring clothing that can be layered. Instead of bulky sweaters, bring tops that a lightweight cardigan or shirt can be thrown over if needed or taken off if not. 

USE PACKING CUBES. This is another one that sounds unnecessary – until you do it for the first time. It is recommended to roll your clothes and pack them in tightly. The cubes also help with organization. You might organize each cube by item (pants in one, tops in another) or by days (ex Venice outfits in one, Rome outfits in another). That second method works especially well if you are taking a land tour where you will be moving to multiple hotels. You can transfer the cubes to your hotel room dresser or closet shelves, making it easy to unpack and repack during travel. 

USE COMPRESSION BAGS. Like cubes, compression bags will allow you to organize your items, but will squeeze even more air out and compress the items within. They are especially good for items you’re not so worried about wrinkling, such as underwear, socks, winter gloves and scarves, dirty clothes, etc. 

PURCHASE A REUSABLE TSA-APPROVED CLEAR BAG FOR YOUR LIQUIDS. You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in your carry-on bag and through the TSA security checkpoint at the airport. Do a search for 'TSA Approved Toiletry Bag' on a shopping site such as Amazon to find reusable bags. They are thicker and sturdier than the quart-sized plastic zippered bag, and I find that they hold more. 

TRANSFER AS MANY TOILETRY ITEMS AS YOU CAN TO 3.4 OZ OR SMALLER CONTAINERS, OR PURCHASE SMALLER VERSIONS OF THE ITEMS YOU USE. Your quart-sized bag is limited to travel-sized containers that are 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item. For things like shampoos, conditioners, cleansers, you should easily be able to fill small containers with what you need. For other items such as toothpaste, liquid foundation, sunscreen, and deodorant, I purchase the travel-sized versions when I can. 

USE A CONTACT LENS CASE FOR MOISTURIZERS. One of my favorite tricks. I use one with two different colors for the tops so I can easily see which side is for daytime moisturizer and which is for nighttime moisturizer. If you’re thinking there’s no way one side of a contacts case will fit what you need, just give it a test run at home and see for yourself.

MEDICATION HAS SPECIAL RULES. It is important to distinguish that TSA regulates what you can bring onto an airplane, but the state or country you are traveling to regulates what can be brought into that destination. TSA will allow you to bring liquid medications larger than 3.4 ounces and they do not need to be in your quart-sized bag as long as you tell the security officer that you have medically necessary liquids before it goes through screening. You may have to go through additional screening including opening the container if asked. TSA does not require medications to be in prescription bottles. The destination you are traveling to may have different rules regarding medications though. Therefore, you as the traveler must do some research and determine what your destination requires for the specific medications you need to carry. If it is something that you must have during travel, don't risk it. Follow the destination rules so you don't risk having it taken away if restricted.

CHECK TSA’s "WHAT CAN I BRING?" PAGE IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT YOU CAN BRING ONBOARD. If there is an item you are not sure if you can fly with, or if it can go into a carry-on bag, TSA has a great resource which allows you to search specific items and discover the applicable rules. In addition, you can ask TSA your specific question directly if you don't find the answer on the site. The information is found on the TSA website here.  

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LAUNDRY SERVICES DURING TRAVEL. Many cruise lines have laundry services available for reasonable costs. If traveling by land, check with your hotels to see if they either have a laundry service available or have a self-service laundry facility. If all else fails, consider washing some items yourself in your room. A new trick I recently learned - Instead of liquid detergent, bring along a few laundry sheets that will dissolve in water in your hotel sink. One less liquid to worry about, and environmentally friendly as well. A small travel clothesline can be helpful too, but you can live without it and just use the hotel room hangers if you need the suitcase space. If you know you are going to be able to wash some items during travel, you’ll need to bring less. 

DON’T FORGET A TRAVEL ADAPTER OR CONVERTER! Most of the items you’ll need to plug in while traveling are already dual voltage and do not need a converter. If unsure about your items, check with the manufacturer whether you need a converter or not. The country you are going to will determine the type of adapter plug you'll need. Type C can be used in most of Europe, but the UK will require Type G. There are also universal adapters that can be modified for use in multiple countries. Think about what it is you will need to plug in – phone, computer, hair dryer, CPAP, etc. - and that will determine how much you need. 

USE A SMALL POUCH THAT FITS IN THE AIRPLANE SEATBACK POCKET FOR ITEMS YOU NEED DURING YOUR FLIGHT. Especially on the longer international flights, you may want to have quick access to things like Kleenex, reading glasses, lotion, etc. Place these items in a small pouch in your carry on bag that you can easily take out of your bag when you board the plane. This will help avoid multiple struggles with your underseat bag or overhead bin to grab items during flight. 

SET ASIDE AN OUTFIT IN AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE PACKING CUBE FOR ARRIVAL DAY. If you have a long international flight, chances are you will arrive at your hotel before your room is ready. You’ll want to get out and start exploring, but will feel a little crummy in the clothes you’ve been traveling in since the day before. Grab that packing cube and do a quick clothing change in the hotel lobby restroom. The hotel staff is used to travelers doing this, and you will feel refreshed. 

OTHER ITEMS TO CONSIDER BRINGING, DEPENDING ON DESTINATION, WEATHER AND INDIVIDUAL NEEDS:

• Small umbrella

• Raincoat

• Waterproof shoes/boots (if known rainy destination, such as Alaska or Ireland)

• Waterproof phone case (if swimming, such as Caribbean)

• Refillable water bottle (fill once you go through TSA screening)

• Hat (sun/ballcap/winter hat)

• Waterproof/wet bag (keep things dry if doing activities such as kayaking or expect to be sightseeing in the rain)

• Ziploc bags (there always seems to be a need and a couple of them won’t take much space)

• Day pack

• Pen (sometimes needed on plane to fill customs forms)

• Portable battery charger

• Printed travel documents (good to have in case you can’t pull up digital versions on phone)

• Extra debit/credit cards carried separately (have a backup in case your primary card isn’t working)

IF YOU DO HAVE TO CHECK A BAG.... 

I get it. Carry-on doesn't work for everyone or in every situation. Sometimes you just have to pack heavier and check the bag. A few things to keep in mind if you do:

• If you are traveling with someone, consider cross-packing - Instead of each person putting their own items in their own bag, each of you put half of your items in each bag. That way, if one is lost, you each at least have half of your stuff instead of one person being completely out of luck.

• Keep any medications or documents you must have in your carry-on bag, not your checked bag. Especially your passport!

• Consider putting a tracker, such as an Apple AirTag, in your suitcase.

No single packing list works for everyone, so you still ultimately need to decide for yourself what you must pack for each trip. But with a little planning and some of these tips, you might find some extra room in your suitcase, and hopefully join Team Carry-On permanently.