My lack of large suitcases confounds many people when I travel for extended periods, not just touring, but fitting in lots of workouts. When I was searching for how to pack a carry-on for two weeks in Europe, no one seemed to mention workout gear at all…which made me think I was aiming to do the impossible.
Not knowing the meaning of that word and knowing I needed to pack light to manage the multiple city tour, I set out to solve the puzzle.
Keys to the puzzle:
A. I am ok with reusing things for different outfits.
B. I am ok with reusing workout gear if needed and dry.
C. Workout gear can be smushed around {technical packing term}
D. I’ve learned the art of compact packing.
How to Pack for 10 Days With Just a Carry-On
The biggest key to ditching your checked baggage is to utilize the all space available in your carry-on. If you’re the type of person who shoves everything into the bag and prays it will close, you’ll need to adjust your strategy a bit.
How you fold things and the order in which you put them into the bag can make a huge difference. Follow this process and I promise you’ll fit more into your carry-on than you think you can.
Step 1: Use the Grooves
In your bag there are usually grooves from the handles coming in to the suitcase. Start by filling those with small items like sports bras, bras, underwear, swimsuits, socks, etc. Roll them up or ball them up and lay them into the grooves in a row so you use up all that extra space.
The grooves are also a great place for your hairbrush and flat iron or curling iron, if you can’t live without those.
Step 2: Lay it Out or Roll it
For years I have been rolling my clothes because I was told that worked best, but after the last few trips I read that laying clothes out completely was better.
Results: rolling works best for summer packing because you can make things smaller. Laying things out works best for winter packing because you can press down and then fill in open spaces.
If you have space saver bags (compression bags), you can layer your sweaters and other winter items and then compress them with the vacuum sealer.
Just make sure your bag doesn’t get so heavy that you struggle to lift it into the overhead bin by yourself. Flight attendants are not required to help you lift your bag and are often told not to, as this can be an injury hazard.
Step 3: Fill in Extra Space
You will still wind up with room around the edges, so start filling those spaces with shirts that are now rolled. If you have breakable items like a camera or shaker cup (yes I brought my protein powder) lift up a few things and nestle it in the middle for added protection.
Step 4: Travel Size It
Travel sized items are your friend. And they’re worth the extra money spent if you don’t have to pay that extra baggage fee for a checked bag.
If you travel often or if your fancy shampoo and conditioner doesn’t come in travel size from the drugstore, you can purchase some travel-sized containers that can be used over and over again. Just squeeze a little bit of product from your full-sized container into the smaller ones, and you’ve already saved a ton of space.
And if you aren’t picky about the products you use, most hotels (and many AirBnBs) provide travel sized shampoos, conditioners, and body wash.
Bonus: If you use up all your travel sized toiletries, now you have extra space to bring home a souvenir!
Step 5: Add Shoes Last
The final item to add is shoes. I often wear my running shoes when traveling, and then I only need to pack 1 nice pair of shoes to get me through a trip. The last time we went to Europe, I was attempting to not spend the entire trip in my running gear, so I brought 2 nice flip flops and a pair of Toms.
Checkout my list of best walking shoes, to ensure you can see alllll the sites.
Other Packing Tips for Traveling With Only a Carry-On
Use Packing Cubes
If you have a lot of small clothing items that you’re rolling, you can use packing cubes to keep them organized and save space. I highly recommend this set. They’re cheap, there are plenty of sizes to fit your needs, and they’re a great way to keep your dirty clothes separated from your unworn items, too.
If you’re using packing cubes, follow the same steps above; utilize the space in the grooves first, then layer the packing cubes on top.
Utilize the 5-4-3-2-1 Rule
What is the 5 4 3 2 1 packing method? It’s the idea that you can travel for an entire vacation with just the following essentials:
- 5 pairs of underwear and socks
- 4 tops
- 3 bottoms
- 2 pairs of shoes (remember, you’re wearing your workout shoes to the airport)
- 1 hat
This won’t meet everyone’s needs, but it’s a good method to use as a guide for your next trip.
Decide What You Can Live Without
Okay over-packers, take a big deep breath. Now take about half the items you laid out and get rid of them. Seriously. You need way less than you think you need. Here are some common items you can probably live without if you need to save space:
- hair dryer: most hotels have them in the room
- heels: unless you’re going to a destination wedding or have another fancy event, you likely won’t wear the multiple pairs of heels you were planning to pack
- camera: most smartphones these days have fabulous cameras. Unless you’re a professional photographer, leave the bulky camera at home.
- makeup: when I travel, I pair down my makeup routine and often take only some BB cream or tinted sunscreen, a lip/eye/cheek stick like this Milk cheek and lip stick, and some mascara
- multiple pairs of jeans: denim is heavy…pack one pair and re-wear it a few times
- lots of books: if you’re an avid reader, you probably always travel with a book, but they can take up a lot of space. Consider using an e-reader instead.
This list isn’t exhaustive, and what you really need and don’t really need will vary from person to person. But if you find yourself asking “Should I take this with me?” you can probably live without it.
Wear Layers to Save Space
Airports and airplanes can get cold. Consider wearing a light jacket or layering up to save space. Have a bulky hoodie you want to bring? Wear it on travel day and tie it around your waist if you get warm.
Utilize Your Additional Personal Item
Most airlines (unless you’re flying a discount airline like Spirit or Frontier) allow one piece of carry-on luggage as well as one personal item. I recommend bringing a tote bag or backpack as your personal item. If you also have a small purse or belt bag, you can shove it down inside your backpack so it doesn’t count as an additional item.
You can put a water bottle in one side pocket and a pair of sandals or flip flops in the other side pocket without taking up extra room inside the backpack.
If you’re planning a long trip, like a 10-day trip to Europe, keep some personal hygiene items handy in your backpack so you can freshen up in the middle of those long flights. This includes thing like:
- travel-sized deodorant, toothpaste, and a toothbrush
- an eye mask and ear plugs, if you plan to sleep
- your e-reader
- a reusable water bottle so you don’t have to bother the FAs every time you need more than a small cup of water
Plan to Do Laundry at Your Destination
If you have the ability to do laundry at your destination, it can significantly cut down on the number of outfits you have to bring. Many AirBnBs and VRBOs have washing machines, and most nice hotels offer laundry service.
If neither of those will be an option, bring a travel sized pouch of laundry detergent or a few laundry pods and do laundry in the sink, their air-dry your clothing.
Don’t Forget About TSA Regulations & Airline Baggage Restrictions
These days, you never know what you’re going to get when it comes to airport security. It seems that some airports are more relaxed, while others (I’m looking at you, Heathrow!) are super strict.
So it’s always best to err on the side of caution and make sure you’re following common TSA/airline rules:
- Make sure any liquids in your carry-on bag are 3 oz or less and fit into one quart-sized plastic bag.
- Try to avoid packing anything in powder form. (So leave your protein powder at home and opt for natural sources of protein if you’re traveling for a race or plan to have a hard workout.) While not against the rules, it will likely get you flagged for additional screenings, which are a hassle and take up a lot of time.
- Make sure to check the size restrictions for your carry-on suitcase. They vary slightly by airline and if your bag is too big, you may end up paying extra in baggage fees if you have to check it.
How to Pack For a Destination Race With Just a Carry-On
If you’re traveling for a destination race, most of the tips above will still apply, but you may need to adjust your outfits a bit or make some extra room for for your gear.
Here are a few additional things to keep in mind when packing for a destination race:
- Shoes: Again, it’s okay to wear your running shoes on travel day to save some space. If you’re planning to sightsee after your race, pack comfortable shoes. Trust me, you’ll want them.
- Hydration Packs: Many races don’t allow hydration packs, and almost all races have plenty of water stations. Consider leaving your hydration pack at home and using a smaller hydration belt instead.
- Wardrobe: You all know the drill…don’t pack/wear anything new for race day. Stick with items you already know you’re comfortable with.
- Merino Wool: Merino wool is your friend. It’s moisture-wicking, and it’s self-cleansing, which means you can get away with wearing an item several times without needing to wash it. Consider merino wool for your running socks, underwear (no, they’re not itchy, and no, they won’t make you hot), or base layers.
Traveling for a marathon and need more tips? Check out these 6 unexpected marathon travel tips to make sure you have the best race day possible.
10 Day Europe Trip Packing List
I’ve been asked many times what to pack for a 10 day trip to Europe, so I thought I’d share my own packing list to give you an idea of where to get started.
Thanks up to J’s Everyday Fashion for doing a little TV make over with me right before I left. It inspired me to break out of my running gear.
Bottoms (dress em up or down):
- Long striped maxi skirt
- mid length skirt {converts to dress}
- Jean skirt
- Khaki shorts
- Skinny jeans
- Black leggings {worn on plane}
Tops (my goal is items that can layer):
- 2 Long sleeve thin tops that could be layered if needed
- Gray cardigan wrap
- Mutli-colored cardigan
- Navy blue tank, white and black tanks also very versatile
- Tunic or flowy tops
- Black and white dress
- Gold/Beige short sleeve shirt
Accessories/Other:
- Gray Tom’s
- Reef dressy Flip flops
- Reef casual flip flop
- PJ’s
- White pull over
- Scarf
- Hat/Headbands
- Underwear, bra, socks
- Swim suit
- Umbrella
- Small purse (or small backpack)
- Computer
- Book
- Chargers, adapters
- Make up/toiletries
15 minimum Outfit Possibilities
- Jeans with t-shirt and gray cardigan on flight
- Long skirt/purple shirt
- Long skirt with cardigan as a wrap shirt.
- mid-length skirt navy tank
- mid-length skirt as dress with swim suit
- Jean skirt with beige top and scarf or multi-colored cardigan
- Jean skirt with green tank
- Khaki shorts with Chambray top
- Khaki shorts with navy top and cardigan
- Skinny jeans with flowy top
- Skinny jeans with green top and white pull over
- Skinny jeans with chambray top and scarf
- Jeans with beige top and multi-colored cardigan {flight home}
- Black and white dress with swim suit
- Black and white dress with white tank
Workout Gear
- 3 pairs of running shorts
- 3 dry fit shirts
- 4 sports bras
- 1 pair compression tights (recovery)
- 1 pair compression socks (great on the plane to prevent feet swelling)
- 1 pair black running tights
- 1 pair running shoes (worn on plane)
- 10 packets protein powder
- Protein bars
- Garmin, HR monitor
- Running headphones
- Body glide
All right there you have it! I managed 8 runs and different outfits each day with this packing list. I still had enough room to bring home a couple new pieces of clothing and without my luggage feeling like a million pounds.
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