I think by now, it is obvious that I love traveling. And, over the years, I have mastered the art of packing. I have learned from experience, stolen tips from people I have traveled with, and have scoured Pinterest for packing hacks. Nothing about this is revolutionary, but these things work well for me and my traveling needs. While I cannot say that I love packing in only a carry-on bag, I can say it is the most practical and cost-effective when it comes to flying domestically and for a relatively short trip. These packing tips are brought to you by an upcoming trip to California that is mostly for business with a small side of fun. What?! It would be impossible not to have some fun when you put six girls together in a new city! So, these are my must-haves, space-saving tricks, and the key to carry-on packing. 1. Airlines can have some funky rules when it comes to size restrictions, definitions of carry-bag bags, and weight limits. I will be flying American Airlines, and lucky for me, they allow the smallest of a standard three-piece luggage set with no weight limit. For those who like traveling with a duffel bag for luggage, I highly suggest the Vera Bradley Weekender bag. When in doubt, check out the parameters required by the airline you will be flying with. As far as locks go, I say they are a no-go. Even if they are TSA approved, it is better to travel without them. Pack them for when your luggage is sitting in an unattended hotel room. 2. The dreaded liquid restriction has forced me to get creative. The 3-1-1 rule means each container has to be 3.4 liquid ounces (or less) in a clear quart-sized bag, and each flyer is limited to carrying only one. In attempts to prevent a leaky mess, I like using a freezer Ziplock bag. The extra thickness of the plastic gives me relief in thinking my chances of potential leaks are not oozing all over in my bag. I never realized how many liquids I use on a daily basis until I have to pare down to fly. I have estimated that the travel-sized shower necessities last about week, so I will be set with just taking one of each, with the exception of conditioner. Since I use such a little amount, it would be a waste of space to take a full bottle, so to give my liquids bag a little extra room, I will be using a contact case and filling both sides with conditioner. This same trick can be used for liquid foundation, eye cream, or just about anything that you know for sure an entire bottle will go unused. I save the contact cases that come with contact solution for this purpose. To make going through security a breeze, put this bag in a place that can be accessed easily. It will have to be taken out for the x-ray check. 3. A caveat to the liquids restriction is that no aerosol cans are allowed, except for hairspray and mousse. The containers still have to be 3.4 liquid ounces or less and fit in the one-quart bag. I traveled once with liquid hairspray and did not like the product in that form. I asked to borrow someone’s hairspray and realized at that point they managed to bring an aerosol form in a carry-on. I have since confirmed this with the TSA list of restrictions and exceptions. 4. When it comes to packing a razor, the thing to know when packing in a carry-on it has to be considered disposable. Meaning, the whole razor can be a throw-away or an interchangeable cartridge with a reusable handle will be approved. Razors that have blades that are placed in one-by-one and screwed in place are not allowed in a carry-on bag. The razor should also have a blade cover when traveling. TSA will thank you! 5. Making strategic decisions in wardrobe choices are key when it comes to ensuring a comfortable week on the go. If there is downfall to my packing strategies, this could be considered a weak area, but there is a method to my madness. I always pack more clothes than I really need, but I can afford this because of my frugalness in other areas of packing. I make sure to travel with clothes that have minimal wrinkling, are lightweight, and not bulky. Packing cubes make this process of keeping clothes neat and tidy in a suitcase super easy. I love my set, and it maximizes limited space by compartmentalizing a suitcase into an organized dream. I am taking business attire for the day and casual/comfy clothes for when we go out for dinner and try to take in as much as we can of Los Angeles on such a time restriction. No one likes ironing, especially while on vacation, so to try to combat this, I am going to pack the day before I leave and pack a few hangers for the hotel to keep fold lines from setting in my clothes. 6. Be smart when it comes to choosing what you will be taking as a personal item if your airline allows additional baggage. I need to be hands free as much as possible, so for this trip, I will be taking a backpack. I also need to take my laptop to work on school assignments on the plane, and this offers the most efficient way of getting my school work and the overflow of travel necessities to my destination. A backpack is not the safest thing to carry because it is easy to neglect being aware of who may be around, but try to be conscious of that and do not put any valuable things or forms of identity in easily-accessible pockets. Obviously, this backpack will not be suited to switch into being used as my purse on this trip. I will be packing a tote purse that will pack flat. Whenever you are allowed a bigger personal item, I think it is beneficial to utilize that extra space. 7. Be realistic with what you think you will use and what you actually will use. Leading up to packing and leaving on this trip, I have played around with what makeup I want to take and what will best serve me for multiple outfits. Thinking about neutrals and classic palettes is going to bring the most bang for their justification of packing and the number of outfits a palette can accommodate. The same thing goes with my hair routine. I already know the hotel does not have a hair dryer (I was shocked!), but I know I have to plan to take a hairdryer I was not originally anticipating it to take up valuable space. Because of this, I am limiting my other hair appliances. I am not going to admit how long I have been stewing on my outfits for this trip. At first, I was all over the place, but then I honed into realizing how many pairs of shoes my first plan of attack was going to require. I quickly changed my strategy and decided to keep within outfits that could either be worn with nude or black shoes. This all ties back to making a minimalistic makeup bag work with each outfit and not feel like I have to take certain products for a single outfit. I know it sounds crazy, but trust me, you want to think about how you need to plan your look from head to toe for each day of the trip. 8. To make the most of every inch of whatever luggage you decide to take, keep similar things together in various containers. It will make locating parts of an outfit easier, and it will not mess up the overall organization. My container of choice is packing cubes/pods. Stick with typically-shaped containers to avoid bulky things taking up unnecessary space. A makeup bag should not be some frilly bag with a weird shape. No one cares how cute these containers are; being practical takes top priority. 9. Another thing I like to do is put each shoe in a twist-tie bag. This serves a two-fold purpose. The bag keeps the rest of my suitcase and its contents clean, and this allows me to stick shoes where they fit and not necessarily together. I use the shoes to keep packing as even as possible. 10. My last tip is up for debate. There are two kinds of people in this world: rollers and folders. I have heard people defend both, but I am on team folders. I can see using this technique when backpacking, but as for me and my carry-on strategy, folding will be my go-to method. As long as I have my packing cubes, folding makes the most sense for the way I like to pack and plan. My goal for this upcoming trip is to stay organized, pack minimally, and make it through security as smoothly as possible. I am eager to pack and put my tips to the test again. Each packing experience is different because every trip is different. In the past, these are the things that have helped me the most, and I hope they help you too. So, the next time you are thinking about checking a bag and paying the extra costs, consider downsizing. Just remember to keep calm and carry-on, literally. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2017
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