Our Top Carry-On Packing Tips

There’s little we love more than a jaunt out-of-town, whether for a weekend at the beach or a week in Paris or London. All of the airplane carry-on restrictions in recent years have been cramping our packing style, though – it’s hard enough to fit all our shoes and outfits in one bag, and we hate having to check a weekender just because of our hair products. Which is why we’ve compiled a collection of our favorite packing tips to help you be efficient, stylish, and not have to check a bag on your next trip.

1. Pick Your Bag
The most important part of packing is the bag; without the right bag, clever tricks only go so far. If you’re just going for a couple days, we’d opt for a classic shoulder bag like this sturdy Bric’s piece or this gorgeous leather Claire Chase duffel. This expandable Tumi roller might make it harder for you to find overhead bin space (and you might even have to gate-check), but it might be beautiful enough to be worth it.


2. Only the Essentials
Your mom probably told you this more than once, but we have to echo her: Lay out everything you want to take on the trip; then only bring half of it. Even if you’re going for three weeks and plan to check a bag, you’ll have a chance to do laundry. If you’re just going for three days, you don’t need enough clothes for nine.

3. Roll Your Clothes
Not only does rolling your clothes help them fit in smaller spaces (and more of them), but it helps keep them from getting too wrinkled, and definitely helps prevent the hard creases you get from regular folding.


4. Circumvent the No-Liquids Rule
No, we’re not suggesting that you just bring all the liquids you want in your carry-on. Rather, even many of our favorite designer toiletries and hair products offer travel-sized versions; if you can’t find what you’re looking for, any pharmacy sells small bottles into which you can decant. If you don’t even want to deal with those, plan to stay at a hotel (or with friends) with quality in-room toiletries.

Need a new bag? You’re in luck! This week we’re featuring some of the best brands in luggage — Tumi, Victorinox, Nicole Miller, and more — with our Luggage Week series. Bon voyage!