Packing 2 Weeks of Vacation into a Carry-On

Three years ago I was so proud of myself for packing only a mid-sized suitcase and a carry-on bag for a 16 day tour of South America, with room to spare for souvenirs.  This time I'm heading off to Mongolia and China for some time on horseback and hiking for 2 weeks.  I can't imagine putting a suitcase on the back of a pack horse, let alone lugging around more than 2 bags.  Which is why this time I decided to buy a single 55-litre backpack and take one day bag.  Plus I don't want my luggage being checked and possibly delayed to start the vacay, so I feel safer with a carry-on.  I have all I need, the trick is now to edit and compact.

Baggalini tote and Gregory backpack

Space Bags
They're my best friend.  They should be your best friend.  Easily picked up at BB&B and bring a coupon! Shirts in one bag, pants/skirts in the other.  Nine shirts for 2 weeks, banking on changing clothes at least 2-3x a day.  One pair of jeans, 1 dress, and 2 pairs of shorts.  Undergarments in another bag.  You can fit about 6 shirts in a single medium bag.  Fold (don't roll), put in bag on the floor, kneel on it, seal it, then fold the entire bag in half and kneel on it again, therefore letting the rest of the air out of the valves.

Do laundry halfway through the trip.  If your hotel/hostel doesn't have laundry service, either take it to a laundry service or I tend to wash my items in the bathroom sink.  Two small bungee cords can act as a clothesline and binder clips as clothespins, and I throw those in my accessories catch-all bag.

The trick to packing only half of what you need: MONOCHROMATIC.  Pack blacks, whites, greys, or pack earthtones.  This way you can easily interchange outfits and minimize the number of shoes you bring (I  know, I know, I once brought 14 pairs on one cruise... before I learned how to slim down).

On the Plane
Wearing hiking shoes onto the plane will save space inside you luggage (and in weight!).  I slipped a pair of flip-flops into a small bag inside my handbag so slip into these once on the plane (and taking a pair of ankle socks to sleep in).

Wearing linen pants, tee, and hoodie to be comfy for a 14-hour flight, plus now I don't have to squeeze a hoodie and another pair of pants into the bag.  If your cabin class doesn't come with an amenities kit, then pick up a couple disposable toothbrushes at the pharmacy to freshen up when you land.  For immediate access to things I may need the most during the flight, I pack my favorite multi-pocket bag with earplugs, headphones, eye mask, Tylenol, Tums, eye drops, tissues, iPad/iPhone cord, passport, in-flight Rxs, wallet, socks, and disposable toothbrushes.  The little loop on the end lets me hang it on the tray table clip on the seat in front of me, or tuck into the seat back pocket.  Loving Flight 001 for their clever packing accessories.

Flight 001 in-flight accessories bag

This goes into my day pack, which is a durable tote-turned-backpack from Baggalini.  This bag will also include paper copies of travel plans, camera equipment, flip-flops, and a scarf.  Always bring a scarf/wrap.

Toiletries
You don't need to pack your entire medicine cabinet.  But if you're susceptible to picking up illnesses, pack some basics and you can refill at your destination.  Don't pack the whole container; put pills into plastic baggies, label them, then roll up.  Keep all medications inside a single pack.  Target has good $1 accessory bags in their travel items section in-store.  Bring liqui-gels if possible instead of the full liquid versions of some medications so they don't take up space in your single allowable 3oz/1qt liquids bag.  If you're carrying prescription meds, ask the pharmacist to put them into small bottles, if possible, but keep them in their original pill case with the Rx attached because you may need to justify to some Customs officer why you're carrying them, especially if you have to carry needles or other medical devices.

Label everything that's not in its original packaging

On my ganeral must-carry list: Imodium, Tums, Zyrtec/Claritin, Tylenol, Gas-X, Zithromyacin, DayQuil, Benadryl (for allergies or cold), bug spray, Benadryl stick (for bug bites).  In a separate bag I keep a first aid kit: band-aids, moleskin, alcohol wipes, and if you have any special emergency items (EpiPens, inhalers, etc).   I like keeping the sample sizes of toothpaste that I get from visits to the dentist to repurpose for traveling. One more pack could carry jewelry and hair accessories, and another carry makeup.  But where to put all these small bags?

I love my Swiss Army toiletry bag to keep everything together.  Keep all the small bags in here, along with a small comb or folding brush, razor, toothbrush and paste, and when you arrive, unroll it and hang in the restroom.  If you're freshening up at the airport, this is easy to hang by the sink in most cases.

Swiss Army toiletry bag keeps it all together

You can also reduce your toiletries: Shampoo can double as laundry detergent.  Conditioner can double as shaving cream.  PLEASE don't bring the entire shampoo bottle.  Grab sample sizes from the store.  There are sample sizes available for nearly everything you'll need: hairspray, deodorant, shamp/cond, lotion, etc.

Keep it simple, sample size everything

Balance Your Bag

It's like Tetris

For some leftover items like chargers, power adapters, a little bag works to keep these getting lost inside your luggage.  Put the heaviest items at the bottom or lower portion of your bag so it doesn't tip over when you stand it up.  If you're packing a backpack, as you pack it, try it on.  If it's pulling to one side, reorganize to put the heaviest weight down the center.  I'm also bringing fabric shopping bag in case I fill that up with souvenirs and want to check my bag on the way back.  If you plan on doing a lot of shopping, haggle for a cheap small bag to check for your return flight.