Carry-On Only Pointers Please

[rowan1813]

One piece of advice leftover from being in Girl Scouts and having to travel lightly; roll your clothing instead of folding them. If you fold them and then roll them into little tube like things, you will actually have more room to fit everything. If it gets wrinkled, take it out when you get to the hotel, shake it out, and then depending on what you want to do, fold it in the drawers or hang in up in the closet. Make sure that you use every inch of space on your carry-on; you can fit in a lot when you pack things very tightly. I have never worried about weight with carryons and in all of my years of flying (both domestically and internationally) I have never had my carry-on searched at security. I have had my larger carry-on taken at the gate, "checked", but it is always there when I disembark, so I bypass those horrible fees. (I can't believe what its up to now; $25, even $35 now for some airlines.)

 

[DTFVolunteer]

Hubby and I just got back from a 5 night trip (four full days) to DLR using only carryons - words of wisdom (haven't read the whole thread so sorry for any repeats):

1. Leave room for souveniers or limit yourself to small ones (pins and smashed pennies work well for this)

2. We brought two books that didn't even get picked up once we got there, an electronic device that didn't get turned on. Bring ONE distraction (ie book or electronic device) and leave the rest at home - by the time you get back to the hotel after a day in the parks, you're too pooped to do anything but sleep.

3. Put your ziplock baggie with liquid stuff in an easy to access place - the airport security will want it out of the bag to go through the x ray thingy.

4. If you are planning on doing carry on's both ways, don't waste space on a foldable bag - you can always get a neat bag at Disney to fill as a carryon and check your existing bag. We took two and didn't use either one. Considered throwing away one for the extra space, but got them crammed in.

5. (This is a secret that I'm iffy on sharing but whatever!) When I go on vacations, I use it as an opportunity to clean out my underwear drawer - I pack the rattiest/ugliest underwear I have and rather than bringing it home, I toss it - clears space in my underwear drawer for nice new stuff, and cuts down on dirty laundry smell on things I pack in the bag and laundry when I get home.

A

 

[fairycat]

Hubby and I just got back from a 5 night trip (four full days) to DLR using only carryons - words of wisdom (haven't read the whole thread so sorry for any repeats):

1. Leave room for souveniers or limit yourself to small ones (pins and smashed pennies work well for this)

2. We brought two books that didn't even get picked up once we got there, an electronic device that didn't get turned on. Bring ONE distraction (ie book or electronic device) and leave the rest at home - by the time you get back to the hotel after a day in the parks, you're too pooped to do anything but sleep.

3. Put your ziplock baggie with liquid stuff in an easy to access place - the airport security will want it out of the bag to go through the x ray thingy.

4. If you are planning on doing carry on's both ways, don't waste space on a foldable bag - you can always get a neat bag at Disney to fill as a carryon and check your existing bag. We took two and didn't use either one. Considered throwing away one for the extra space, but got them crammed in.

5. (This is a secret that I'm iffy on sharing but whatever!) When I go on vacations, I use it as an opportunity to clean out my underwear drawer - I pack the rattiest/ugliest underwear I have and rather than bringing it home, I toss it - clears space in my underwear drawer for nice new stuff, and cuts down on dirty laundry smell on things I pack in the bag and laundry when I get home.
A

This is the funniest and best advice ever. But what do the maids think I might have to try this one

 

[kikiq]

5. (This is a secret that I'm iffy on sharing but whatever!) When I go on vacations, I use it as an opportunity to clean out my underwear drawer - I pack the rattiest/ugliest underwear I have and rather than bringing it home, I toss it - clears space in my underwear drawer for nice new stuff, and cuts down on dirty laundry smell on things I pack in the bag and laundry when I get home.
A

OMG, I do the very same thing. And shhhh, don't tell my DH, but I bring a few of his oldies also. Going I roll underwear and stuff them in the nooks and crannies. On the way home, I stuff small souvenirs in the nooks and crannies.