Some of you might have immediately gasped at the idea of traveling with a carry-on only or perhaps laughed at the stupid idea. Anything is possible in this world. And yes, it is possible to travel with carry-on only with you. You will be surprised at how easy it is. Many travelers swear by using only a carry-on for their travels, and you can be one master traveler too! It feels lighter, and you don’t have to think about keeping your luggage somewhere safe. There are just so many benefits that sometimes it feels too good to be true.
Benefits of a carry-on only travel
What is so good about travel that includes only a carry-on? Let us dive into some of the benefits of carry-on only travel.
How many times have you weighed the suitcase at home and it always ended up being overweight at the airport? This has happened to the best of us when we end up just reaching the permitted checked-in baggage. Of course, you can bypass that problem by ensuring that your checked-in baggage weighs at least 5 kilos lesser, but it is still a hassle. When you travel with carry-on only, you won’t need to worry about any extra baggage fees.
If you are traveling to developing countries, then you will have a tough time with a lot of luggage. That is if you need to travel by other means of transport such as a taxi, train or bus. When you travel with carry-on only, you are saving yourself a lot of trouble when you need to reach a destination that requires transport where big luggage items are just a headache. So much easier travel awaits with a carry-on.
You don’t have to wait in line for your checked baggage. Sometimes, your bag appears pretty quickly but sometimes it takes so long you think you would have read a book by that time. Having a carry-on bag only, you save yourself the trouble of waiting in line for your checked-in baggage which means you get to save more time in the process and get to leave the airport before the others.
The more luggage you have, the more chances there are of your luggage being lost. Unless you are great at micro-managing at ensuring that you have all the bags without getting distracted for a second. There is a higher probability of your bags being stolen too especially if you are traveling with your family and all of you have lots of luggage. So there will be no fear of losing luggage when you travel with carry-on only.
The more things you have, the more stressing it can be. Mentally and physically. If you carry a lot of stuff, then you will always be thinking about ways to ensure the safety of your bags. This can put unnecessary strain on you. When you minimalize, you don’t need to stress as much. Moreover, if you are required to carry all the luggage then even your health gets affected. Traveling with a carry-on only ensures your body is not slaving away.
Tips for travel with carry-on only
How can you travel with carry-on only? Let us explore some useful tips for taking a carry-on only
Check the requirements
Depending on the airlines that you are flying with, the requirements can be entirely different. You should always check beforehand about what size the carry-on can be. You need to know about what items you can and cannot carry too, so you are clear about what to pack.
Invest in a good carry-on
Once you know about the size requirements, you should start the hunt for the perfect carry-on. Do you like a carry-on with lots of pockets and space? Or do you like a carry-on that has one big space where you can store your stuff?
Pack only the must-haves
When you travel with carry-on only, you have to be smart about what you pack. Leave out ‘just in case’ items and pack the items that you must have. What you take will depend on your trip but take the bare minimum. You should take twice the money you think you need and half the clothing items you think you need.
Laundry is your friend.
Clothes will undoubtedly take the most space, so you want to be sure that you maximize their usage. The best way to do it is to think about how you are going to do the laundry. You can opt to hand wash your clothes.
Pack for a week
Regardless of how long the trip is for, a week or more, you should think about packing for a week. This will take out the unnecessary stress, and you will be able to pack efficiently! Travelers say they have packed for an entire year this way and they have zero regrets.
Think about liquids
When you travel with carry-on only, you need to think about the liquids. The liquid requirements are specified by the airlines, but in some, you cannot carry liquid items. You can always buy liquids after you leave the airport though so skip them if you can. You should ideally keep the liquid items in Ziploc bags.
Pack layers instead of bulk
You should pack layers of clothes that you can strategically use instead of bulky clothing. If you do have something bulky, then wear it so that it is not taking up space in your carry-on and adding weight to it.
Pack light shoes
You should ideally pack one pair of shoes when you travel with carry-on only. Always wear the bulkier shoes so that you are not adding weight to the carry-on bag. If you need special shoes, then think about renting them at the destination.
Be smart about fabrics.
When you are packing, most people think cotton is the best option. But not always. Wool is an excellent choice when you travel since it can keep you cool in summer and warm in winter which is ideal. Moreover, it is easier to manage too.
Double-duty items
Try to think of items that you can use for more than one purpose. Moist wipes can be used as an alternative to you having to wash your face. They can be used for removing makeup too. When you are packing see the items that you are carrying and think about their purpose.
Rethink equipment to carry
Do you need all of those electronic items when you travel with carry-on only? Rethink the equipment that you are thinking of taking with you. Do you need your laptop? Can you carry your iPad instead? Electronics are heavy so think about how much you need for the trip.
No need to drag the huge suitcases or extra bags that seems like you are moving rather than vacationing! You can travel with carry-on only, and you can see it is quite easy. Although carry-ons are best for two weeks of travel, many people have traveled with it for an entire year! So you can make it work too without fear. Try out the tips above, and you will see how much better you feel. When are you thinking of going on your next carry-on only trip and where are you off to?
