If you’re traveling on a budget, chances are you don’t have a free checked bag. In the past decade more + more airlines have taken out a free checked bag for economy seats (yes, even on international trips). This is one of the reasons we prioritize airline loyalty (Delta, we love you) + our travel credit cards (again, Delta we love you + Alaska - hometown loyalty) where we can get a free checked bag for us + anyone on our reservation. If you’re looking for ways to travel on a budget or how to travel more frequently, we have you covered (we once saved over $1,000 on a flight to Greece + Google Flights is our favorite past time). If you are traveling on an economy ticket, or on a budget airline like Ryanair, we’re sharing all of our favorite tips for packing using just a carry-on. As self-professed lovers of clothes + fashion, we’ll show you how to pack without compromising style.

before you travel

Plan Your Outfits
- This is where having an itinerary comes in handy. Check your plans to see how many outfits you need for each day - can you transition from day to night without changing? Can you do it with just a new jacket or top? Look at your plans to see how you can maximize what you’re packing. I write out an outfit for each day/event and then actually try on the outfit + take a picture. Extra? Yes. But it also helps me to see if I genuinely like what I’ve styled + allows me to see if I need each individual piece (i.e. when I try on an outfit I may realize that the shoes I already have packed could work just as well). Make sure to check the weather too!
Roll Your Clothes
- One way that we can fit everything we need into a carry-on is by rolling our clothes. It takes up much less space than folding your clothes + it helps keep them wrinkle free. So it’s a win-win. Our only exception? Bulkier clothing items - like sweaters or jackets. Those we fold + is our last item to be placed into our bag.
Prioritize
- Just like we say with money, determine your top few priorities. If you’re traveling with a single carry-on you can’t pack freely in every category. Do you want to prioritize your skincare + leave out an extra pair of shoes? Do you need to bring your laptop for work?
- If you’re traveling with friends chat beforehand to see what can be shared. Things like toothpaste, hairspray, etc. can be shared easily among friends. If you’re the same shoe or clothing size, you can also check to see if you’re open to sharing those items to save room + double your wardrobe. Lauren + I always share shoes when traveling.
Stick to Basics:
- Pick a color scheme when packing + keep the majority of your items basic. It’s easier to mix + match to make a black bodysuit feel new in multiple outfits than it is to do the same with a statement top. The same goes for shoes - depending on the trip think of 3 shoe types: day (sneaker, flat, boot), night (heel or boot), extra (athletic, sandal, etc.) + keep them in a neutral shade or within your color scheme so that the same shoe can be worn each day + work with every outfit.
Luggage:
- Personal Item - We prefer a tote bag for our personal item. It’s more likely that we’ll use it/it will serve a purpose for us during the trip than a backpack will. I have the Madewell Transport tote that has held up for years + many trips. Lauren uses the Cuyana tote with organizer insert - while more expensive, she’s found the quality to be worth the price. Only downside? Ours have no zippers. Madewell does now have a Transport tote with a zipper. The Longchamp Pliage is also a very popular travel tote - it has a zipper + can fold into itself which makes it easy to pack. I’ve had one for years + it’s traveled around the world with me. It’s just now starting to tear slightly at the corners - the good news? They have a great warranty so I can send it in to be repaired.
- Suitcase - I’ve fallen into the millennial marketing scheme of Away + will never go back. I have the Carry-On and Elliot has the Bigger Carry-On. The only reason that I got the carry-on vs the bigger carry-on is because I frequently travel budget airlines when traveling in Europe + they can be such sticklers for size. Regardless of what suitcase you pick, I highly recommend a hard shell as they maintain their shape much better than a soft case does. I love Away specifically for the durability, charger, laundry bag, + compression.
- Weekender - For Christmas I got the Beis Weekender + I’m obsessed. It fits so much. The bottom has a shoe compartment that I’ve used to fit 3 pairs of shoes + extras. The top opens wide so it is easy to pack + see what is in the bag. It also has a laptop sleeve + outer pocket to access items easily.

packing:

Wear Your Heaviest Items:
- No matter where we travel, we always want a sweatshirt of some kind. We generally wear this on the plane as it can be bulky to pack. We’ll leave that out even if it is on our “packing list” and set it aside to wear. If we’re only going away for a week in the winter, we’ll generally just bring 1 coat + we’ll wear that on the plane as well. The only exception to this: I have the TNA Botanie Packable Puffer + will pack that as it gets so small - you can also easily attach it to the strap of your bag! If we’re packing boots or another chunkier shoe, we’ll wear those on the plane as well.
Bags:
- If we want to pack multiple bags (a day + an evening, for example) we pack them within each other + within our personal item. Depending on the size, we’ll then pack our toiletry bag inside of the smallest bag - a Russian nesting doll of bags!
Organization:
- In the last year I’ve started using packing cubes. Hot take: I do not think they save that much space. The reason I love them? Organization! I put all of my pants in one, tops in one, + pjs/bras/underwear in another. Makes it so much easier to find things.
- If you have a suitcase that has straps to compress on one side + a zippered mesh cover on the other, there’s a reason! Soft items (clothes) should be on the compression side - they have the ability to be compressed! Any hard items - shoes, toiletries, etc. should be on the zippered mesh side - they can’t be compressed + putting them on the compression side would be a waste!
- Any bulky items you need to pack - sweaters, blazers, etc. Add in at the end. Get all of your clothes - rolled, packing cubes, however you’re doing it, in first. Then fold the bulkier items + lay them flat across the top.

during travel

Rewear Your Clothes:
- If you’re traveling for 3+ weeks in a carry-on, there’s basically no way you can travel without rewearing at least some of your items. This is why having a packing list - to see where you can rewear items, + packing within a color scheme will be helpful. Need inspiration? Look up capsule wardrobes! I do this all the time for inspo on what basics to pack for a destination.
Take Advantage of a Washing Machine:
- This is crucial if you’re traveling for more than 1 week + plan on rewearing some items multiple times. Most Airbnb’s we’ve stayed in have some access to a washing machine + if you’re staying in a hotel some hotels offer washing services for a small fee (still cheaper than paying $50+ to check a larger bag!). If neither is an option? Try hand washing a few items.
Don’t Go Crazy on Souvenirs:
- Don’t buy so much stuff that you then end up having to also buy an extra bag to bring it all back (although, this is why we love tossing our Longchamp into our bags in the event this happens). Do you truly need to buy all of your coworkers a trinket from your travels? Probably not. We do try to pick up one item on our travels to help us remember our trip, but be smart about it! I, for example, love to pick up a print when she’s traveling. This is perfect because it’s flat so takes up almost no additional space.
Reevaluate:
- When you’re packing up to return home check through your items. Did shoes get really scuffed up? Consider leaving them or donating them. Did you pack an item + then dread the thought of every actually wearing it? Did you pack an item + then realize it doesn’t fit you anymore? Donate it! There’s no point packing it home to then donate it. We’ve done this a few times + it’s helped us to save space.

What are some of your favorite packing tips? Let us know below!