30 Successful Pack Light Tips: Tried and Tested, Many Times

With these 30 pack light tips, you will have more than enough reasons to leave large suitcases behind and breathe. Best of all – we tested them and they work.

Check-in luggage is yesterday’s news.

As a full-time traveling family of five, we travel quite a lot. Check in bags add both to the cost and the packing anxiety. We have already made fools of ourselves to make sure these tips work (yes, my family loves me that much), so I can now confidently write about them. These are tried, tested and very creative.

Here is our very own Sophie modeling one of our tips:

No one cares what your bags weigh at security. You just need to pass through check-in, and then, again, at the gate (but we have never had problems at the gate, once we cleared check-in).

The 30 pack light tips, no fluff.

For those who don’t have time to read the entire super fun and entertaining blog, below are the tips:

Easy	Creative	Genius
Make a list.	Forget hard carry-on, get a backpack.	Pockets rule.
Lay out everything.	Mesh laundry bags, not packing cubes.	Leggings for everyone.
Roll, don’t fold.	Instead of a capsule wardrobe – go colorful.	Put on a hat.
Wear the heavy.	Dress in at least 5 layers.	Buy stackable mini containers.
Pack no-iron clothes.	Do not pack laundry detergent.	Reuse a skirt, pants, shorts.
Buy 2in1 cosmetics.	Briefs instead of boxers, guys.	3 ways to use a pillow case.
Weigh both bags.	Buy a bigger bag, but do not fill.	Buy a large airport logo bag.
Wrap and stuff.	A comb combs hair as well as a brush.	Noone weighs large chips bags.
Plan for a day-bag.	Take a wide-opening, large, dark bottle.	Wear your large headphones.
Take your Kindle.	Ask the hotel front desk for all toiletries.	Turn paper into PDF’s.

Easy pack light tips

Below are 10 of the 30 ideas for traveling carry-on style. They are easy and work, which is why many have them on their list.

1. Make a list and read it.

Making a list ahead of time, can save you from randomly stuffing clothes and belongings into your travel bag. The list does not take a long time, and honestly, I have long ago given up trying to write down every single item we pack.

If traveling with kids, the list becomes that much more of a chore.

Instead of itemizing every bras and sock, make a list of items you must not forget. Everything else is replaceable and can be purchased elsewhere, if needed.

Here is an example of a Do Not Forget List:

• Passports / ID cards
• Cell phone / Laptop chargers
• Prescription pills
• Prescription glasses
• Document originals
• Husband and Kids

2. Lay everything out.

Another tip you may find elsewhere, which makes lots of sense.

When you take clothes, gadgets and cosmetics and stuff them into a bag, it is easy to forget what you pack. It also does not really look like a lot.

Take everything you plan to bring and lay it down. It’s quite a lot, isn’t it? Now, go through each individual item and ask yourself, “Can I buy it elsewhere, if I forget it?”

You will be surprised at how many of the items are really not necessary at all.

3. Roll, don’t fold.

Rolling your clothes makes them easy to pack tightly and keeps them from wrinkling.

Want an even better rolling tip – roll an entire outfit together, so that if you must change quickly, you don’t have to rummage to find everything.

4. Wear the heavy ones.

Jeans, hiking boots, fleece jacket, jean shorts – plan to travel in these. Regardless of the destination weather. Airports and planes are always airconditioned, you will not be too hot.

Besides, I do not like traveling in shorts and bare feet – airports are dirty. So, in our family, trips happen in long pants and socks (even if we are wearing sandals).

5. Pack no-iron clothes.

I love cotton and wool, and I hate synthetic fabrics.

However, cotton and wool are a pain to wash and dry. Cotton also takes more space and may require ironing. To be honest, I cannot remember the last time I used an iron. This traveling lifestyle of ours has forced me to change a few likes of my own.

Synthetic fabrics are particularly handy, if traveling to cold destinations as well, because long underwear, leggings and windbreakers are light and keep us warm.

6. Buy 2in1 cosmetics.

Shampoo and conditioner in one is probably the easiest example I can think of. As I do not wear makeup, it is hard for me to give advice on that one.

But wait! Sophie does.

Here is what our teen daughter has to offer when it comes to packing light make-up (she has tons of it too!)

• “Use a shiny, sheer lipstick as a blush and eye shadow – it adds a bit of highlight and sparkle”
• “Mascara can be used as mascara and brow gel”
• “For brushes, get a smaller blending brush, which you can use in multiple ways. Buy a double-sided brush.”
• “Use a darker, smaller eye shadow pallet, which you can use as an eye liner, eye shadow, fake freckles (?), etc.”
• “Do not take your lighter foundation, if you go to a warmer place, because you will tan. Just buy a cheap one once you arrive and tan.”

7. Weigh both bags together!

Most people worry about the carry-on bag only. The personal item is rarely factored into the equation.

Unfortunately, many low-cost airlines will require the weight of both carry-on AND personal item together to not exceed 7kg. I have seen only one airline, which allows 10kg. Everywhere else is 7kg.

We have never had issues with longer trans-continental and transatlantic flights, but smaller carriers are stricter, so that is where you must be creative.

Read on for the super creative genius pack light tips below.

8. Wrap and stuff.

No hollow items may be packed. Everything that is hollow must be stuffed with something else.

On the flipside, if you must transport something fragile, scrap the case, it takes up space. Wrap it in clothes, stuff it in socks, or slip inside eye glasses case, depending on the size and the shape.

9. Plan for a day-bag.

You will most likely end up leaving your carry-on in the hotel/hostel/Airbnb. What will you carry around?

Ideally, your personal item will turn into your day-bag, so choose wisely. Can it fit a hat, a water bottle, sunscreen, and a snack? Are you going to be comfortable clutching it during the entire day of walking around, or do you prefer to carry it as backpack, or across?

When the kids were young and I carried all kinds of gear with us, I abandoned the over-the-shoulder bag. And never looked back. I need both my hands free at all times.

Besides, it is harder to steal a bag, when it is carried across the chest, or as a backpack (in the front, on a busy street).

10. Take your Kindle, or don’t.

This is a hard one for me. I do not like reading on Kindle. I prefer to read a paper book, when I read.

However, with three homeschoolers, we always need to have access to books. Textbooks are all online, or as PDF’s.

Free read books are all on Kindle and we usually download them from the local library.

We have successfully found used books stores in every country we have visited. If staying a bit longer, you can even join the local library as a visitor and check out books. We have done that too. For the love of paper.

Creative pack light tips.

This is where things get more interesting. Everyone has a slight tweak to their packing hacks. Below are ours, which have been tried and tested and work.

They can be a bit controversial, because others might suggest exactly the opposite. Just do what works best for you. As long as you are able to hop on the plane and enjoy the ride – that’s what matters.

11. Forget hard carry-on, get a backpack.

Unless you only roll your carry-on in the airport and at the mall, hard-shell carry-on luggage is quite pointless.

Here is why backpacks are better:

• You can take a backpack everywhere – no terrain is off limits.
• A good backpack will be easy on your back, helping your posture and balance.
• Backpacks can be twisted, turned and squished to fit into the metal carry-on molds at airports.
• Backpacks weigh less than a hard carry-on.
• You can lean and sleep on a backpack, if needed.
• You can hang and add all kinds of things, if used for hiking.
• It is a lot easier to run to your gate with a backpack on, rather than roll a small suitcase.
• They just look cooler, admit it.

12. Instead of a capsule wardrobe – go colorful.

I have to admit – photos of capsule wardrobes make me want to create one. They are super cute and make perfect sense. For life at home, where our walk-in closets do not.

However, on the road, buying items to create a capsule wardrobe is not quite saving money. Unless you end up in a thrift store.

The problem I have observed with most capsule wardrobes, is that they do use lots of single colors and pastels. While beige khakis look great on a picture, spilling coffee on them in Vienna might mean 4 out of the 6 outfits are out.

So what do you do?

Relax and choose colorful patterns. And do not care too much about the coordination. Colors and patterns do not show stains as much and do not attract heat the way black and brown does.

13. Mesh laundry bags, not packing cubes.

I keep reading about packing cubes. I think I will change this once I become an affiliate for these. So, before I do, take advantage of this honest opinion and do not spend your money of packing cubes.

Instead, buy small mesh laundry bags. They have zippers and are super light. I think we bought ours at Walmart.

Mesh laundry bags have multiple uses, once you are at your destinations. Here are a few:

• Use them to wash small and delicate items, duh.
• Use them as packing cubes.
• Hang them in your hotel/hostel and put your toiletries inside. Mesh allows water to evaporate faster.
• Hang one and keep fresh fruit inside, the mesh allows ventilation.
• Unlike plastic bags, they are reusable.

14. Dress in at least 5 layers.

7kg is not enough.

That number has not been revised since the pre-laptop times. Noone can travel carry-on only and have BOTH the carry-on bag AND the personal item weigh fewer than 7kg. It is not possible.

So, you must beat the system, because it simply does not make sense in our day and age.

It is a bit harder for guys, but you must think at least 4-5 layers of clothing to go through check-in, as well as at the gate, possibly.

Once you pass check-in, take off everything extra and wait for your next flight in whatever outfit you want.

The video at the beginning of the post shows exactly what Sophie wore on our way to SE Asia. Oh, and we repeated the outfit and added on, for our Air Asia flight!

15. Do not pack laundry detergent.

There is a laundromat in every country, city, even smaller towns. You can do a simple Google search and find options. There are detergents everywhere in the world, unless you are out camping in the wilderness.

US hotels usually have a coin-operated washer and dryer.

Smaller towns in foreign countries have people you can find at local markets, who will do your laundry. We have done everything – from self-serve coin in Thailand, to Main Street drying by Mrs. Lydia, in the Dominican Republic.

What I have not done, since the invention of the washer, is hand-washing. I hate hand-washing. We installed a tiny washer on our boat, when we live aboard and sailed around, it was that important for me.

16. Briefs instead of boxers, guys.

Apart from the fact that it makes no sense to be wearing two pairs of shorts, packing boxers to travel is a bad idea. They take more space and take longer to dry, if line-drying.

So, when you pack your underwear, keep that in mind – every gram counts.

17. Buy a bigger bag, but do not fill.

I have read the opposite piece of advice and I disagree.

As long as your backpack is somewhat around the dimensions allowed for carry-on luggage (56cmx36cmx23cm), you can squeeze and squish it a bit to fit inside the frame.

The thing is, not every bag is checked and weighed. Especially during busy check-in times, the check-in desk agent will weigh some bags and skip others.

Guess what – a larger emptier bag looks lighter and smaller, than an overstuffed smaller bag. Overweight is in the eye of the beholder.

18. A comb combs hair as well as a brush.

It might sound like nit-picking, but once you add this one thing, and that other gadget, the bag fills quickly.

Combs are flat, light and can comb hair. That should do the trick, right?

19. Take a wide-opening, large, dark bottle.

Why carry an empty bottle to the airport – and large too? It will take up space, it will add weight, it will be in the way. Isn’t it better to skip the bottle and buy smaller, plastic ones once you arrive? How about a collapsible one?

Taking an empty, dark water bottle along, on the trip can have the following benefits:

• The secret – fill it with heavy items (chargers) and carry it.
• The Obvious – fill it with water, once you pass “security”.
• The Also Obvious – take it on land trips, once you arrive and reuse.
• The useful – Stuff it with clothes and pack in your bag.
• The more useful – put your fragile items and souvenirs inside.
• If you cannot find a dark bottle, put it in a dark sleeve.

20. Ask the hotel front desk for all toiletries.

All US hotels we have been in, and we have been in many, many times, offer all the basic items you may need. If traveling within the US and staying at a hotel, you should be able to get: toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant (some), sawing kit, body lotion, soap, shampoo and conditioner.

Hotels abroad are a bit less generous with their offerings, unless you visit a more luxury / all-inclusive one.

In any case, if it’s too heavy to carry, leave behind. Worst case – run to the local shop and buy it once you arrive.

Genius pack light tips

Wait to see what these amazing tips can do for your light travels! Again, these are hacks and tips just to clear check-in and/or the gate.

21. Pockets rule.

Pockets can be stuffed with chargers, cables, passports, kindles – if it is heavy, put it in a pocket. Noone checks pockets.

Once you clear check in, empty all of your pockets, because you will need to do so to pass through security. Keep all the “pockets” gear in a pocket in your backpack, so you can quickly grab them, if needed at the gate.

22. Reuse a skirt, pants, shorts.

Skirts are the best piece of clothing ever invented.

A skirt can be a skirt, a dress, a scarf. It is easy to put over pants (I wore three) for a lighter carry-on.

For guys, if you prefer not to wear a skirt, you can get one of those pants with unzip bottom legs, which can turn into shorts. This is especially handy, if you are leaving to a warmer destination.

23. Leggings for everyone.

Leggings are super versatile. They can be worn under pants and skirts, as an extra layer. They can be worn under shorts, lighter dresses, or skirts.

I have seen more guys than I can count wear leggings under gym shorts – so take advantage of leggings. They are easy to pack and light.

24. Buy a large airport logo bag.

This trick was shared by a friend of mine. We have not used it, but she has, multiple times, with a very picky low-cost airline.

What you do is buy a piece of gum (or another cheap item), at the airport, and ask for a large plastic bag with the airport logo on it. You know, the ones people carry around with liquor and perfume bottles.

Once you pass security, you can offload extra luggage in the bag, so it is not filling up your pockets. This hack works great for avoiding drama at the game, when many low-cost airlines double-check the luggage.

Just like with the dark water bottle, no one will ask to see what’s inside the airport bag – it is probably things you bought at the airport. These don’t count towards your carry-on.

25. Put on a hat.

Do not overfill the backpack, because it really needs to look half-empty, remember?

Wear your hat. A nice sun hat, while you are wearing a winter jacket – who cares! Just wear it, or put it around your neck by the straps.

26. Buy stackable tiny containers.

You can fill these with anything – earrings, pills, creams and lotions, diamonds.

What I like about the stackable ones, is that they are not all lost in the backpack, the bottom of one, become the top of the next one down. They are super light too.

27. Pack a pillow case.

Buy a nice, cotton pillowcase and use it as a:

• Cover for a pillow at your hostel
• Pillow, stuffed with your clothes
• Towel – a hand/face towel (hence the cotton, for better absorbancy)
• Laundry bag
• Clothes bag
• Halloween candy (we did, when we decided to spend Halloween away)

28. No one weighs large chips bags.

OK, this one is a bit more desperate, I agree.

But if you are really, really pressed for space, buy a large bag of chips, eat the chips. Put whatever items you need in a plastic bag (so they don’t get greasy), fold and close the bag and carry it around with you.

29. Wear your large headphones.

They are big and bulky gaming headphones. I am not a gamer. I found them with a mistaken price tag, for $9.99, so I had to buy them. Now I cannot part with them.

I have to have my large, bulky headphones. They are extremely comfortable, useful, fragile and bulky.

So, I wear them.

Anything that is on you, while at the check-in, will not count against you. If you have something else, which is bulky and they tell you never to bring, figure out how to wear it.

30. Turn paper into PDF’s.

Anything that you do not need in its original form can be turned into a PDF. I use an app called Genius Scan, and I love it.

Genius Scan – PDF Scanner App on the App Store

Once I have PDF’s, I email them to myself, in case I cannot reach the ones on my phone, or it is damaged somehow.

Also, our families in US and Bulgaria have copies and various originals, in case we need access to them. They are all in folders, so that our loved ones don’t have to spend hours finding them.

I always carry the kids’ birth certificates as originals, as well as copies of our marriage licenses. When you cross borders and passports expire, they come in handy.

Traveling with family

In addition to the tips mentioned above, here are a few more tips, if you are traveling as a group, or with your family:

• Share a charger – buy one with two USB ports, to reduce the weight.
• If traveling with smaller children, put some of your bulkier items in their bags (just pass through the check in, they don’t have to carry it).
• Bring one toothpaste, sunscreen, lotion, etc., to share.
• Bring one large water bottle and a few plastic cups, if everyone does not need a bottle.
• Take a small stack of loose paper, rather than notebooks.
• Join local homeschooling groups and buy/sell winter gear once you arrive – it is done a lot!
• Utilize second-hand shops – they are great for cheap outfits, especially seasonal.

What about all of the school supplies?

I have an entire post, dedicated to hacks and ideas for traveling, while world schooling, including how to lighten the load. Here is a link to it, below:

World Schooling is Affordable and we’re Still Doing it in 2023

Why travel light? Benefits of packing light

Here is a comparison table for the benefits of traveling with check-in, versus carry-on only. Yes, it is very subjective and makes a lot of sense.

Carry-on Only Benefits	Check-in Luggage Benefits
It is cheaper	You can bring more stuff
Alleviate packing anxiety
You do not have to worry about lost luggage
Sleep on your backpack and don’t worry about someone stealing it.
All-terrain friendly
No need for bigger car/taxi, if traveling as a family
Easy to change and alter flights and travel plans change
A lot more flying options
Helps concentrate on experiences, rather than souvenirs
You don’t need elevators
Leave your carry-on a bit lighter and go shopping
Leave the airport faster, no need to wait for your luggage.

Pin it, it’s useful.

More Useful Posts