How to Pack Light: Five Weeks with a Carry-On!

Packing for any trip–a weekend in wine country, a month in Europe, or something in between used to be second nature for me, but my skills got rusty during the pandemic. What I did and did not bring on my first post-Covid lockdown trips were proof of that!

*Here’s how NOT to pack! What do they have in those big bags? And why?*

I just got back from five weeks in Europe with only a carry-on roller bag and one personal item. If I can do it, so can you. Here’s how to to get organized and travel lightly on your next adventure.

*These are my bags– for a five-week trip to Europe.*

If you’re like me, waiting until the last minute to pack means throwing stuff I don’t need into my bag and not bringing the things I do. Make a list or download one from one of the many online sites that offer them free. Do a “preliminary pack” about a week before you’re leaving and finalize right before you go. This goes for your suitcase and your one allowable “personal item” — mine is a tote that carries a small purse, laptop and essentials like travel documents and medications.

*Light layers took me comfortably from hiking in the Dolomites…*

Check the weather. Unless you’re traveling in the heat of summer or mid-winter cold, you’ll want to pack light layers. On my first international trip since Covid began, we stayed in a castle in Tuscany, went hiking in the Dolomites, wine tasting in Friuli, explored small cities in the Marche, spent time at the seaside in Abruzzo, and revisited the eternal city.

*…to the Adriatic seaside, and lots of places in between.*

The weather was very different in each of these places but by taking layers, my five-week wardrobe fit nicely in my carry- on (thanks to packing cubes) and I had the appropriate clothes for all the weather we encountered.

Don’t check your bag. In the old days I used to drag along a suitcase that was nearly as big as I am. I’m not a tall person, but you get the idea. After a certain British airline lost my luggage on the way to a Mediterranean cruise, I now check a bag only under duress.

*Go carry-on! Don’t give airlines a chance to lose your bag or waste time waiting at the baggage carousel.*

A friend’s luggage was recovered at London’s Heathrow four months after she returned from what should have been a romantic anniversary trip– everything was wet and ruined. Don’t let lost luggage ruin your trip before it even starts.

*Imagine dragging these bags around Rome? I can’t.*

If your flight is cancelled or delayed, your chances of rebooking or going standby are much better if you haven’t checked any luggage. When our flight home from Brussels was cancelled at the end of a busy Easter Week, we got the last seats on the next flight out because we had our bags with us.

*While these aren’t huge bags, she’s got two of them, and a duffel, and a purse. Take at least a third of what you think you’ll need out of your bag– you don’t need it. I promise.*

Pack light! Chances are you’re going to be moving from one destination to another and seeing different people in all of those places. No one will know you’ve worn that outfit five times already. People everywhere dress much more casually than they used to– keep that in mind as you select your travel wardrobe. Choose clothes you’re comfortable in– a trip abroad is not the time to discover your pants are too tight. I often bring a few things that are nearly ready for the donation bin, wear them a few last times and leave them behind– more room for new purchases in my bag!

*Neutrals are always appropriate. Use accessories to change your look.*

Choose neutrals as your base and use accessories for a pop of color. Everything should go together. Remember the 3:1 rule– three tops for every bottom. Lay out whatever you think you need and then put at least one third of it back in the closet. You don’t need it—trust me.

*People dress much more casually than they used to, even in European cities like Rome.*

Pack for no more than a week, no matter how long you’ll be traveling. You can send your laundry out or wash things in the bathroom sink in your hotel. I bring inflatable hangers and a few plastic clothes pins (also good for keeping drapes closed) — and use hotel shampoo as laundry soap. If you’re staying in an apartment with a washer, lucky you! Don’t expect to have a clothes drier in Europe—you’ll likely have a clothesline or drying rack and that’s okay, too.

*Check out their footwear– flats and sneakers. Cobbled streets like these in Seville are more the rule than the exception.*

You do not need five pairs of shoes. Bring comfortable flats that can also go out to dinner, walking shoes or sneakers for daytime, and sandals or flip flops (good as slippers, too) if you’re headed to a sunny locale. Three pairs is plenty and be sure they’re comfortable. Blisters will ruin that romantic Parisian stroll you planned. If you’re hiking or going into wet/snowy weather that’s a different story. Wear your heaviest shoes/boots on the plane. Never bring new shoes and leave those cute heels at home! Streets are often cobbled or uneven in many destinations.

Bring extra prescription medications in case your return is delayed—and these days, it easily could be. Just last week we woke up to a text announcing our flight home later that day from Madrid was cancelled. Keep medication in its original container, or to save room, get pill pouches (tiny plastic bags available at pharmacies), peel off and apply the label from your Rx bottles and you’re set. Never pack medications in your luggage. Ask your doctor for paper copies of any prescriptions you take regularly in case you need to get more abroad.

*Keep passports and other documents, medications and any valuables with you at all times, not in your luggage.*

Leave jewelry at home. Unless you wear it every day, don’t bring it. You don’t want your bling bringing unwanted attention.

*Hotels usually provide shampoo, bath gel, body lotion, soap, etc.– the basics will be waiting for you. No need to pack them.*

They sell toothpaste and shampoo overseas. Don’t bring every toiletry and beauty product you use at home. Stick to travel sizes of the few you must have and buy what you need when you arrive. Remember–those liquids must fit into a quart- sized bag. British Airways’ bag seems a tad smaller to me and you must be able to zip the bag completely closed! Containers must be 3.4 oz. or less, or they’ll be confiscated.

Use your coat as an extra carry on. Fill the pockets with small items (not liquids). Put a second jacket inside the first and put a vest or sweater in the sleeves. Make every pocket count!

*Sunny skies can change in a heartbeat. Pack light layers and an umbrella and you’ll be prepared for anything!*

Take an umbrella and a swimsuit no matter where you’re going. If you unexpectedly find yourself at the seaside or it turns out your hotel has a pool, you don’t want to frantically shop for a swimsuit– a daunting proposition at the best of times. A small, foldable umbrella is great for sun protection as well as the rain that’s bound to fall.

*We wouldn’t have wanted to miss a sunset swim at the Castello Delle Serre in Rapolano.*

Electronics need chargers and converters so be sure to pack enough for all your devices. You may also want to add an international calling/data plan to your mobile phone before you go. Use WhatsApp to stay in touch for free and use free WIFI when you can, though obviously not for sensitive information. You can also get a new SIM card at your destinations but be sure to let friends and family know your new phone number.

Someone recently asked me if they needed converters for their hair dryer and other styling tools. No– because you’re going to leave those things at home. Every hotel and apartment rental I’ve ever stayed in has a hair dryer.

*He’s heading to the gate with just the right amount of carry-on luggage*, *no matter how long the journey.*

The take-aways–Pack light. Leave valuables at home. Keep passports, medications and other hard -to -replace items with you—not in your luggage. Don’t check your bag unless you absolutely have to, and remember, if you forget something, 99 percent of the time there will be stores where you’re going. Ready, set, pack!