How to Travel With Only a Carry-On

It's finally here! So I've been planning this post for about 2 weeks now... I have tried to pack my carry-on suitcase so that it can hold as much as possible. Tomorrow, I'm going on a week-long trip to my cottage. We spend the majority (if not all) of our time on the beach, so I want to make sure I have everything I need to spend my whole day at the beach.

To start, this is the carry-on I will be using (20" Heys Portal Smart Luggage in Burgundy).
I bought this at Sears for 55% off, so I'm really happy about that! This suitcase has four wheels, a laptop compartment, and a zipper divider.

The main thing I was looking for when I was searching for a new suitcase was a divider that zippered completely shut so I could separate my clothes from other things! When packing a carry-on, it's really important to make a list of everything you need. That way it's harder to forget things or over-pack. I like to put everything I'm packing on my bed so that I can see everything that needs to go in the suitcase. I started off with one pair of jeans, and three pairs of shorts:



I also added a thin, small beach towel (I already have some at my cottage) just in case. Most people say to roll your clothes, which is true for some things, but not bulky items like jeans and towels. So I lay them flat in the bottom of my suitcase to pad the bottom. I like putting thick, tough clothing on the bottom, and more delicate clothing on the top.

As you can see, I put the jeans and towel in flat on the bottom, and laid my shorts on the top. Next, I have two coverups, 7 shirts, 2 tanks, PJs, and a sweater.

I put the sweater on top of the shorts, then rolled everything else a tight as possible. If you have clothing that are cut in an A-line, make sure to fold the ends in to make your clothing more rectangular before rolling. This makes it easier to roll, and the roll won't be as long and skinny!

Next, I folded a dress and a scarf, and laid them on the top. I then secured the straps.



For the pockets of the divider, I folded my underwear and socks, and placed them in the top zippered pouch. My swim suits went in the bottom pouch.

For the small zippered pouch on the side of the suitcase (shown in the bottom of the picture above), I put my goggles so I can swim some laps along the coast for a bit of exercise.



I put my bras in the laptop compartment because I am not bringing my laptop, and it is a very secure pouch. I balled up some tissue and stuck in under the bras so they don't lose their shape.

For my shoes, I put my black sandals, and my hiking boots in a Lulu Lemon Athletics bag. You can use any plastic bag for your shoes, but I really like these types of bags.

For my toiletries, I put my non-liquids in the toiletry kit I got for $5 at my local grocery store.

I'm bringing a hair brush, a tooth brush, a hair clip, some hair elastics and pins, a travel brow comb, some bandages, a razor (some flights won't allow it, but you can always bring the razor handle and buy cartridges when you arrive at your destination), some Dove soap (I'm only taking this; body wash and facial cleanser take up too much room. Dove works well for both!), my Nivea deodorant and sun lip balm, and my Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me (has SPF 20!). I also added some stud earrings in a small Ziploc bag, and put them in as well.



For liquids, I'm taking some Off bug spray (for the evenings), my waterproof CoverGirl exact eyelights mascara, my CoverGirl liquid concealer, Vichy sun lotion, some Bath & Body Works moisturizer, which I put in an old Proactiv bottle, some travel shampoo and conditioner from Herbal Essences, Crest toothpaste, some Proactiv oil-free face moisturizer (which I put in a travel pot), and my CoverGirl BB cream (also in a travel pot).

I was able to fit it all in a plastic Ziploc bag, so I know it is under the maximum amount. Also, all bottles are under 3.4 ounces, so I'll be fine going through security with this.

Back to my suitcase packing, I put the shoe bag and toiletry kit on top of the laptop pouch (no liquids yet!). I zippered up the divider and was able to close the suitcase no problem! There was even a bit more room left, so I was really impressed.

For my 'personal item', I am putting everything in a beach bag. It's much bigger than a purse, and can easily hold things like my sunhat! Even for non-beach trips, I carry my personal items in a tote. I even put my purse inside it! That way if I buy anything, I have lots of room.

There's my navy/white beach bag! I'm putting in my RayBans (with case), my wallet, my fast flats makeup pouch, a Ziploc full of chargers, my Ziploc of liquids, my Kobo e-reader, my phone, my iPod, my iPad, and a sunhat!

My fast flat makeup pouch will hold a pack of gum (ALWAYS), my Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss, and a compact mirror. Usually I keep the one I bought in Paris in my makeup pouch, but this one is less delicate, so I won't need to worry about breaking it or sand scratching it.

And it all fits perfectly!

Hope you like my packing tricks! They apply to most types of travelling, and I really can put a weeks worth of stuff in a carry-on. Also, for trips that require more makeup, half of my toiletry kit was still empty when I packed it. I'm not worried!

I'll by doing another packing blog post later in August to show you how I pack for a wedding! I'll probably use the same size suitcase, but I'll most likely check it so I can bring more liquids.

If you have any questions, concerns, comments, or requests, feel free to Tweet me @PennilessBlog or email me at pennilessbeauty@gmail.com

Have a nice day!