One of my best friends, Ariana, made plans to travel to Bali in October of 2016 because she’d found a great deal on a flight. I’d never been to Southeast Asia and lord knows I can’t say no to a good adventure so in the blink of an eye I was on board! We also had a friend that was living in Singapore at the time and being that Singapore is only a two hour flight from Bali we obviously we had to stop there too 🙂
Six different accommodations, four planes, two countries and only one piece of luggage for the trip: my carry-on. Here’s how I did it!
Why?
You might be asking yourself, “Why is it a big deal to check a larger piece of luggage?”
NO LOST LUGGAGE
Have you ever been super excited to get to your vacation destination only to find out that the airline has lost your luggage? If this has happened to you, I’m sorry. If it hasn’t, then I hope it never does. IT SUCKS. Especially if you’re traveling to more than one place because, if they DO find your luggage while you’re still on vacation, how will they know where to send it if you’re changing cities? And will your luggage make it to you in time before you leave? I’m not saying it’s impossible. It has happened, but the chances of something going wrong again are pretty high.
If I don’t check a bag then there’s no risk of lost luggage! I have everything I need with me at all times.
LESS HASSLE
During the two weeks that we were abroad we changed cities nearly every 2-3 days and boarded four different planes. How much fun is it to lug around a giant suitcase? Exactly. It’s not. Also, take into consideration that many foreign countries aren’t filled with smooth sidewalks, elevators and bellhops. It’s a pain in the booty to drag around a 50-pound bag! Even if my carry-on is full I can comfortably pick it up and it’s way easier for me to transport to my next location.
And the airport… It can sometimes it takes an eternity to check your bag and once you arrive at your destination you have to wait for your bag to arrive as well. If you only have a carry-on then your time spent at the airport is that much shorter!
SIMPLICITY
Most of the time when I initially start packing for a getaway I lean towards packing a million “just-in-case’s” of everything. Better to be over prepared than underprepared! But the truth is, with good planning, I can still have a “just-in-case” of the items that are truly necessary and the rest can go. How many times have you packed your suitcase and not worn or used half of the things in there?
Also, it feels go to be a minimalist sometimes! I have just what I need and no more.
~~~
Here’s the thing… To some people bringing a full sized bag isn’t a big deal. In some cases it’s best to check a bag anyway but whenever possible I try my best to only bring a backpack and a carry-on.
So, what did I fit in my cute little carry-on?
Well, Southeast Asia is generally very warm and although the hottest temperatures of the year are not in October, the average temperature during that time is 81 degrees. That means warm weather clothing, which is always small and light!
Clothing list
- 4 Bikinis
- 2 Sarongs
- 5 Dresses
- 8 Shirts & tanks
- 2 Pairs of shorts
- 2 Pairs of leggings
- 1 Pair of bohemian pants
- 2 nightgowns (Yes, I wear nightgowns! I’m a little grandma on the inside!)
- 1 Jacket
- 4 Bralettes
- 14 Pairs of undies
- 5 Pairs of socks
- 1 Pair of sandals
- 1 Pair sneakers (I wore these on the plane)
Toiletries (keep in mind all these items are travel size & below 3 ounces)
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Floss
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Dry shampoo
- Body wash
- Coconut oil
- Face wash
- Razor
- 2 Bottles of sunscreen
Cosmetics
- Concealer
- Face powder
- Contour palette
- Highlight
- Eyebrow pencil
- Mascara
Electronics
- Phone
- Phone charger
- Camera
- Camera charger
- Mophie external
- Mophie external charger
- Gopro
- Gopro charger & accessories
- Adapter
- Converter
Extras
- 8 Protein bars
- Vitamins
- Journal
- Book
Now, you may or may not think this is a lot to fit into a carry-on BUT remember that summer clothes don’t require a lot of space and all of my toiletries were travel sized. Yes, I wore a few things twice. Also, there were some days that I only wore a swimsuit and shorts or a swimsuit with a dress over it because we spent the day by the water.
Side note – swimsuits are easy to wash in the shower 😉 Some soap, water, scrubbing and a little time to hang dry… Tada!
Alongside my carry-on I always take a backpack. I may not need it for clothing but I like to have it for my travel days and as extra room for souvenirs.
~~~
Traveling this way isn’t always possible, but whenever I can this is my preferred way of packing.
The trip is all about the experience and the memories. The things you take with ya are just extras 🙂