How to Pack a Carry-On for a Week

Packing more than a weekend’s worth of items into a carry-on is daunting—how will everything you need possibly fit? Here’s how to pack a carry on for a week like a pro:

Roll with It

When it comes to saving space, a rolling carry-on dominates a duffle. The structure of a rolling suitcase will ensure you don’t overfill your bag and exceed the size limitations.

Plan Your Week

Before you start throwing clothes into your bag, plan out what you’ll be doing during the week. This will dictate your daily outfits, all while and preventing you from packing unnecessary items.

Style Your Outfits

Lay out your outfits to get a visual of what you want to wear. This will help you eliminate extra items and figure out what pieces you can wear more than once. Staples items like jeans and tank tops can be mixed and matched with standout pieces.

Roll Your Clothes

Once you’ve finalized your clothing options, it’s time to pack your carry-on. Rolling your clothes, rather than folding, will maximize space (learn how to roll your clothes here), unless you’re bringing a suit coat, which you should fold.

Once you’ve packed everything (clothes, shoes, toiletries, electronics, etc.), close the bag to make sure it isn’t stuffed. Forcing your bag closed can cause it to break and open.

Helpful Hints:

  • All liquids must be 3.4oz or less and fit into a resealable quart-sized bag.
  • If you must bring more than one pair of shoes, wear a bulkier pair when you travel.
  • Wear your jacket during travel or bring it as your personal item.

Now that you know how to pack a carry on for a week, you may never turn back to checked luggage.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.