Can you pack for a week using just a carry on?

Could you pack for a weeks vacation in just a 22" carry on

  • Yes, definitely!

  • No way, jose!!!!

  • Maybe?


Results are only viewable after voting.
I know I could do it but my wife couldn't do it. How much do you need to pack for 10 days of shirts, shorts socks and underwear? I did a carryon all the time going for business and I had slacks and business shirts to pack.

Airlines are being horrible now, we are driving this year.
 
I just want to say that I am completely impressed with you minimalistic packers! I'm always afraid of going over the weight limit with my bag. :sad1:

Ha, I agree! I suppose I could really do this, if I tried REALLY hard. However, the 3-1-1 rule for liquid would probably do me in.
 
My goal is to pack for a 10 day Disney trip using ONLY my carry-on and my personal item!

DH and I are going to Mexico for a week in July, so that will be my test-run for the carry-on luggage only approach!

Here's my plan:

* Keep make-up to the minimum, i.e. powder, lipgloss and eyeliner

* Travel sized bottles of my favorite toiletries, multi-purpose where possible; I have a bottle of lotion from a perfume set that DD gave me - that will take care of scent and moisturizing
* 4 pants - white, khaki, brown + one dark skirt that I can dress up with a nice top for the evening if necessary
* 6 tops in coordinating colours - majority of clothes are quick-drying (dri-fit tops, board shorts); hand wash and hang in the room to dry overnight
* Maybe, one summer dress
* Travel in a pair of dark jeans, just in case I need them
* Travel in sneakers & pack one pair of go-with-everything sandals, one pair of gold sandals for evening
* Undies, socks etc - I only wear the "invisible" ankle socks that don't take up much room; bras with detachable straps to convert to strapless bras for tanks, camis etc. My mom's theory re: undies - wash as you go and you'll only need three - one on, one off (clean and dry, of course) and one in the wash. I probably won't cut it so close though!!
* 2 swim suits (learned a trick from the teen DD's last year - swimsuits dry quickly when squeezed out in towel and left to dry on the A/C unit!)
* Phone & camera charger


If I've forgotten anything, it'll give me an excuse for some retail therapy!


Where in Mexico are you going? Have you been before?

The reason I ask is my husband and I have made 25 plus trips to about 10 different locations in Mexico and I think you may be bringing too much :eek:

4 pairs of pants plus jeans? I wore 1 pair of slacks and 1 sundress and 1 pair of drerssier shorts/capri type pants ONLY for dinner (too hot...to confining...too everything)

2 pairs of shorts and a "gauze-y" dress or skirt is all you will need during the day besides swimsuits. I actually bring 4 swimsuits though because I consider them my "fashion" during the day and don't like to be in the same suit every day for ONLY that reason (strange, I know) :rolleyes1

I bring 4 daytime tank type tops (that can also be worn in the evening with jewelry or a wrap) and 3 dressier tops.

Undies.....:rolleyes1 depend on the "type" of vacation :rolleyes1 :rotfl2:
If we are bringing the kids or its a period week or feel a little more relaxed or are staying at a more "rural" (ahhem - local :rolleyes1 ) experience type place - which we do A LOT then I bring panties that are destined to be upgraded shortly and throw away after wearing! If its muchas romanticas then I do the "on,off,wash" method :dance3:

But alas....since you are travelling in July...... your trip may have already transpired! We are going to Zihuatanejo in August! Hope you have/had a wonderful trip!
 
Maybe that's the key! We 'Big, Fluffy' people have much bigger clothes that take up more space. Hmm! That might be an incentive to lose weight!:rotfl:

I know I am an overpacker, but my weakness isn't really clothes. It's the other stuff (OTC medications, toiletries, foot care products (if my feet ain't happy, no one is happy:upsidedow ), shoes, lots of sunscreen, etc). I said clothes aren't my problem, but if I'm traveling in hot weather I do like to change clothes twice a day. We usually go back to the room after lunch, take a bath and get cooled off. I then hate to put dirty clothes back on. I am also a very light sleeper that can't sleep without noise, so always carry a white noise machine. I have to have that thing. My clothes would stay home before the white noise machine would.


Can't live without the white noise machine myself! :rolleyes1 I bought a travel one from sharper image that has 2 time zones 12 sounds a temp readout and even plays mp3s thru the speaker! All in the size of 2 decks of cards for I think it was $30
 

Is it actually possible to 'reuse' (without washing) clothing during a Florida summer? :laundy:

I'm armed with a bottle of Febreeze for my September trip if it is! Can I use it on my shorts and tops after a hot and humid day at the parks and 'smell presentable' the next day? :snooty:

We usually travel at Thanksgiving time and do wear our things a couple of times before washing. (Personal items get washed out after one wearing.)

I live in Florida.......I "reuse" :rolleyes1 I don't "THINK" I stink.....:rotfl2:
 
Ha, I agree! I suppose I could really do this, if I tried REALLY hard. However, the 3-1-1 rule for liquid would probably do me in.

I routinely bring ahemmm 3 (she whispers) ziplocks through security (over the past 15 trips) and have NEVER been asked why more than one baggie :cool1: If the screeners are giving others a hard time I will divide my baggies between 2 bins. They have better things to do than count ziplocks! :banana:
 
Where in Mexico are you going? Have you been before?

The reason I ask is my husband and I have made 25 plus trips to about 10 different locations in Mexico and I think you may be bringing too much :eek:

4 pairs of pants plus jeans? I wore 1 pair of slacks and 1 sundress and 1 pair of drerssier shorts/capri type pants ONLY for dinner (too hot...to confining...too everything)

2 pairs of shorts and a "gauze-y" dress or skirt is all you will need during the day besides swimsuits. I actually bring 4 swimsuits though because I consider them my "fashion" during the day and don't like to be in the same suit every day for ONLY that reason (strange, I know) :rolleyes1

I bring 4 daytime tank type tops (that can also be worn in the evening with jewelry or a wrap) and 3 dressier tops.

Undies.....:rolleyes1 depend on the "type" of vacation :rolleyes1 :rotfl2:
If we are bringing the kids or its a period week or feel a little more relaxed or are staying at a more "rural" (ahhem - local :rolleyes1 ) experience type place - which we do A LOT then I bring panties that are destined to be upgraded shortly and throw away after wearing! If its muchas romanticas then I do the "on,off,wash" method :dance3:

But alas....since you are travelling in July...... your trip may have already transpired! We are going to Zihuatanejo in August! Hope you have/had a wonderful trip!

We leave tomorrow (July 21). Most of the week will be spent in Ticul + 2 days in Cancun on the way back home.

It's a missions trip involving some messy and/or sweaty work. I've packed a few clothes that I consider "trashables" and I will be dumping them when I'm finished with them in Ticul. We'll be doing the tourist thing in our 2 days in Cancun.

On a strictly vacation trip, I'd pack fewer items but they would be quick-drying materials. I'd normally handwash and hang in the shower. However, I'll have "roommates" and it might not be practical/ desirable for me to have my laundry hanging all over the place!

Will let everyone know in a week's time if my carry-on plan was successful!
 
We leave tomorrow (July 21). Most of the week will be spent in Ticul + 2 days in Cancun on the way back home.

It's a missions trip involving some messy and/or sweaty work. I've packed a few clothes that I consider "trashables" and I will be dumping them when I'm finished with them in Ticul. We'll be doing the tourist thing in our 2 days in Cancun.

On a strictly vacation trip, I'd pack fewer items but they would be quick-drying materials. I'd normally handwash and hang in the shower. However, I'll have "roommates" and it might not be practical/ desirable for me to have my laundry hanging all over the place!

Will let everyone know in a week's time if my carry-on plan was successful!


Well since you leave tomorrow it's probably too late for this suggestion, but when I went to Guatemala I went to REI and bought a few Coolmax T-Shirts. You can wash them and in about an hour they are dry. Sometimes if it's hot Ill just wear it wet unil it drys
 
Just got back from my Mexico trip yesterday! We had a wonderful time!

Here's the final list of what I packed:

  1. 6 pants (3 quick drying)
  2. 5 pairs of socks - "invisible" ankle socks
  3. 18 pairs of undies
  4. 5 bras
  5. Shoes - one pair brown, one pair gold sandals (never wore them), one pair sneakers (travelled in them)
  6. One skirt for dinner/ church
  7. 10 tops
  8. One hoodie
  9. One pair jeans (travelled in them)
  10. null

I kept the toiletries down to the minimum

The dri-fit/ board shorts worked well; I hand washed them in the sink and hung them to dry overnight.

I wish I had packed more dri-fit shirts though - it was a pain to stockpile sweaty t-shirts! I also wished I had packed more bras & socks - ran out of both!

I discarded three shirts, one pants and a few socks to make room for souvenirs!
 
I voted yes b/c we've done it in the past but it was a PITA. I guess it's b/c our carry ons don't have wheels (they hook onto the handle of our big wheeled bags) and our kids were too little to really help out. It was a pain to lug all thru the airport and at the gate. Also it was before the liquids ban.
I can fit all 4 of our clothes into 1 large wheeled suitcase (checked.) Toiltetries in a carry on size which we also check cuz I like full size bottles. We check a 2nd carryon with misc. stuff. Collapsible cooler, swim goggles for kids, microwave popcorn, trial size laundry detergent, etc.
We have a TS condo with a washer/dryer. I pack 2-3 outfits per person (shirt, shorts, socks, undies) and 1-2 nightgowns/pj's pp. If there's a good chance of it being chilly (Oct-March) I pack 1 pr long pants pp.

Approx every other day when we get back from the parks, I toss in a load before we head to the pool. Toss in dryer when we go to sleep. Fold and put away in am while I have my morning coffee. I'm usually the 1st one up so this works well.

I don't wear make up. I bring 1 bottle of sunblock and a travel size of moisturizer. We all share 1 shampoo but bring kids their toothpaste. I try to estimate 1 weeks worth and as our trip gets closer, put aside that bottle so I can toss it out at the end of our trip. Dh and boys share a brush and I have 2 (1 flat, 1 round) I'm not a big hair stylin' type. I shower/blow dry every morning but it's always a bad hair day in FL, sweaty and usually just put in a pony tail by midafternoon. Esp. after a few times on SpM. Dh and I both hate to shave (2x each for the week max) so we share 1 razor and 1 travel size shave gel. We toss this before we leave too.

I'm not "into" shoes. I just bring a good pair of running sneakers (need good support, even on hottest days), flip flops for the pool and that's it. I usually wear the sneakers on the plane to lighten the bag but on our recent trip out west I wore the flip flops for easy on/off going thru security and liked it.

I don't bring robes, slippers, towels (why on Earth would you bring all this crap from home??!!) Esp. towels!! They are supplied there. :confused3

All we carry on the plane now is a backpack with 2 port. dvd players, 2 PSP's, 2 Nintendo DS's, and dh's iPod. 4 ear-bud type headphones. Also all paperwork.
We check 1 large, 2 small bags. We could probably get by with 1 large, 1 small but then the big bag would go overweight, esp. when cruising cuz then there's beach shoes, snorkel gear, etc. (For cruising we bring 2 big bags, 2 small and 2 garment bags though we didn't use a lot of it. I ended up doing laundry on the ship cuz it was right across the hall from our cabin and I couldn't stand it piling up in that tiny room.)
If I run into a situation that I need something, I stop at the Walgreen's on our way to the parks. no biggie. It's not like we're moving to Mars. :laughing:
 
DH and I went to Maui last year and only used a carry each and we are planning on doing the same thing on our trip to WDW in April. We are staying off site so it helps having a washer and dryer especially with our messy DS.

I figure we will be there for a week so whats the point in getting a bunch of travel sized shampoo/conditioner so we will just buy that there and anything else we may need like deodorant . Other than clothes, my hair straightener, make up, and my son's stuffed dog, will pack toothbrush/paste, tylenol, bandaids, neosporin, travel wipes, ziplock bags, and a tide to go pen. The camera will go in my purse. I have learned to pack light because I don't want to go through the nightmare of lost luggage.
 
I think the key to being successful is having a good tote bag to go along with your carry on. I just traveled for four days and had plenty of space in my small hard shell carry on. Since I was doing shopping I took a Timbuk2 tote bag that can hold quite a bit. The people I traveled with were amazed at how much I was able to pack, post shopping, into my small carry on and tote bag.

Now, if I was traveling with my children I am not sure whether this would work. We are flying Southwest to Disney so I am not going to be concerned! However, even when traveling with my kids I tend to be a minimalist. I don't take a lot of "just in case we need this" type of things. It doesn't go unless I know we have to have it.

Lisa
 
As a single traveler I have done a week out of one bag and will again, especially with the baggage fees. I used a "Rick Steves Convertible Carry-On" bag for a trip to Costa Rica and had more than enough room for cloths and miscellaneous items for a week. I did travle with scuba gear, however, and it did have it's own bag. For Disney though, I'll do the carry-on for a week come December. If you travel with kids or gear I'd say it's difficult to just carry-on unless the kids are big enough to haul their own bag.

A couple sites I have posted somewhere before...I look at them from time to time to get inspired to "travel light"! :goodvibes

http://www.onebag.com/
http://www.travelite.org/
 
We always just bring 1 carry on per person for an 8 day trip. We do this in Disney and Caribbean, cruise, etc... but this time it looks like we only need 1 carry on in total for the 2 of us!

Anyway... this year going to Disney is my Mom and I. She is so excited about going she went out and bought all new clothes and when I was at her house the other day she gave me her stuff in a bag and asked me to put it in a suitcase for her. (she doesn't have a suitcase because she never goes anywhere and we have a bunch)...

anyway... I put all her stuff in (2 shirts for every day + 1 pr. of shorts daily, etc) and it only took up 1/2 of the carry on suitcase. :banana: Then I started pulling some clothes that I would want to take and all our stuff fits into a small carry on suitcase. Although I am still thinking we'll each bring one so that we can go...shopping:cool1:
 
I spent ten days in Italy with just a 20-inch carry-on. This was in the fall so I even had to take a jacket. And I am a plus-size lady.
 
We are packing for Zihuatanejo (we leave next week!) I'm pretty good at the carry on thing after 25 plus trips to Mexico~not including other more local holidays :banana:

I AM interesten in the yahoo carry on only group though.....can't seem to find it. Anyone know more??:confused3
 
Lots of our Members don't even need a carry on. They just leave everything with us and have it waiting for them at their resort when they check in.

John
 
Sure, I could do it if I don't want to bring anything back.

Remember you are limited to how much liquid ( shampoo, liquid makeup, etc ) That you can bring on.
 
Rick Steves has a lot of good ideas on packing light. Check out his website http://www.ricksteves.com/

My kids and I take his travel videos out of the library frequently. He has one on travel tips which includes packing. He packs lighter than we do. I have to have a clean T and unders every day. Pants and shorts may get another go.

We have always travelled with just carry ons: one small wheeled suitcase and one backpack per person. Even with little kids.
 















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