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10 Suitcase Packing Hacks to Make the Most of Your Carry On

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I love to travel. There’s nothing more exciting than getting on an airplane to as exciting destination. If I’m headed for a weekend getaway, my carry-on suitcase can hold everything I need. I save money on extra baggage and don’t have to wait around at the luggage claim. Plus I don’t have to worry that my suitcase won’t arrive at my destination at the same time as I do.

There’s a lot of useful space in a carry on suitcase. If you know how to pack smart, you can make the most of it. Today I am sharing ten suitcase packing tips to help you make the most of your carry 0n.

 

10 Suitcase Packing Hacks to Make the Most of Your Carry On

1. Roll your Clothes.

Rolled clothing takes up less space than folded clothes. Plus helps reduce wrinkling.

2. If you must bring extra pair of shoes, stick them in a shower cap.

Inexpensive plastic shower caps can protect your suitcase items from dirty shoe bottoms.

3. Travel light. Bring 3 tops for every one bottom.

Pair different tops with the same bottom. This travel packing tip helps you avoid over packing while making the most of your travel wardrobe.

4. Use a daily pill organizer to store jewelry and medications.

Organize jewelry in separate compartments. Eliminate bottle bulk by taking only the amount of pills you need.

5. Use travel size toiletries.

Most full size toiletries can’t be carried on planes anyway. I like to use the mini version of everything from shampoo to toothpaste and deodorant. Save travel size bottles so you can refill them on future trips.

6. Eliminate make-up bag bulk.

Use contact lens cases to bring liquid makeup. Load cotton swabs with a days worth of eye shadow. Store in small plastic baggies.

7. Stuff shoes with socks.

Don’t waste any open space. Stuff empty shoes with socks.

8. Protect hot hairstyling tools with potholders.

This is a genius packing hack! The potholder glove keeps hot styling tools away from your clothing. And you don’t have to wait for hot tools to cool down, which is handy when you have to pack up and leave in a hurry.

9. Bring a pop up hamper and/or large plastic baggies for dirty clothes.

I like to toss dirty clothes into a pop up hamper. I also find it handy to bring along large plastic baggies to keep dirty clothes separate in my carry-on suitcase.

10. Store earbuds and charging cords in eyeglasses case.

My charger and earbuds are much easier to find when I pack them inside an eyeglasses case.

My carry on is part of the Atlantic Ultra Lite 3 Collection. The lightweight 21″ Spinner weighs in at just 7.2 pounds! The actual dimensions are 21 x 14 x 9 (H x L x W). I can tell this piece is designed to be durable enough to last for many, many fun trips!

The main compartment can be expanded up to 2 inches. The thoughtful interior design includes two side mesh pockets for flexible packing, a full size mesh lid compartment to keep items like pressed shirts and pants wrinkle-free, and adjustable hold-down straps that buckle to keep clothes in place.

I especially love the Turquoise color, comfortable carry handles and the exterior pockets that give me a convenient place to store things like my family’s travel documents and reading materials for easy access when I am on the go. The 360-degree Spinners make sure this luggage is easy to roll in any direction. That feature comes in really handy as I find myself running across crowded airports to catch flights.

Do you have any suitcase packing tips and tricks to add to this list? Share them with us in the comments below.


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Comments

  1. Sarah says

    I get my toiletries at the Dollar Store. I travel as a family, and the $1 Store toothpaste is in a 3oz tube. It lasts more than a weeklong trip and is a LOT smaller than bringing the same ounce amount from the mini tubes in the Travel section at Target!

    • Nicole says

      Hi Sarah! Thanks for sharing your tip about buying travel toothpaste at the Dollar Store. I always need the smaller sized toothpaste tubes for our trips and they have to be 3 oz or smaller to carry on the airlines, so this deal is perfect. I should go ahead and stock up so I have them on hand for packing. Happy travels! –Nicole

  2. Lynne says

    I’m a huge fan of packing cubes, or dollar store mesh laundry bags for the rolled clothes, like drawers for your suitcase. Folding plastic bags like a triangle “footballs” keeps them tidy. Bodywash works for handwashing undies,(remember a universal sink stopper) and the square plastic bread bag closers work as clothes pins and take up no space (hang them on the shower curtain to dry). I take one scarf, and then make them my primary souvenir purchases, they take very little room in your suitcase. A larger skarf/sarong is helpful to cover shoulders or use as a “skirt” when touring sites with dress codes, there are more than you may think. Hope these are useful ideas.

    • Nicole says

      Hi Lynne, Thank you for so much for taking the time to share your packing tips. I think they are all awesome and I am definitely going to give the bodywash for laundry tip a try. That is brilliant! I just got my first set of packing cubes, so I need to plan a trip soon so I have an excuse to use them. 🙂 I love the multi-functional scarf/sarong idea as well. Happy travels! –Nicole

  3. Cynthia Tilford says

    Great tips – a couple more from a long time packing light fan. 1) In addition to packing multiple tops for each bottom, try to make sure that everything goes with everything else as much as possible. That way you can change up your outfit without having to change everything if you have a mishap (spill, tear, etc.). Neutral colors dressed up with colorful accessories that don’t take up much room (i.e. scarves, belts) are the best. 2) Pack for the activities you know for sure you’ll be doing, not the ones that could possibly come up. 3) Unless clothing is visibly soiled or stinky , wearing something multiple times before laundering is a good thing. Remember that when you’re traveling, most of the people you see are never going to see you again!

    • Nicole says

      Awesome tips, Cynthia! Thanks for sharing those. I am definitely guilty of packing for “possible” activities that may come up but usually don’t. Love your comments! Have a great week! –Nicole

  4. Marc says

    Very interesting tips. I have been rolling my cloths for years now and I know that not only it saves room in my bag and also keep the cloths pretty wrinkle free.

  5. Eliza Dolkar says

    Thank you for sharing such a useful article. I really liked the way you have shown how to pack small things as jewellery, make up store pills etc. Also how one can pack their clothes… Roll up and keep it will not take much space as well… The whole article is going to help everyone pack their bags as travelling is now something very frequently done by people these days.

  6. Bernadette Mcguire says

    Amazing tips! I have never thought of using contact lens cases for liquid makeup. It is such a great idea. I put my jewellery in my socks. This way you could save space and manage not to break a single earring. I hope I was useful. Best regards!

    • Nicole says

      Hi Bernadette – Thanks for sharing your tip about putting jewelry in your socks. That sounds like a great way to cushion things so they don’t break during travel. Yes, of course that is useful and we are so glad you took the time to tell us about it. Happy travels! Nicole

  10. Wendy says

    Really great tips, love the contact lenses case to store make up and the pill organizer for jewelry. The only tip I have is to roll your clothes, but that was the first one you mentioned lol.

  11. Scarlet says

    My favorite is to bring a plastic bag for dirty clothes. It is so helpful to keep you organized and have dirty clothes separate.

    • Nicole says

      Plastic bags are so handy to have on trips. I totally agree! Great tip for keeping dirty clothes separate in the suitcase. Thanks for sharing!

    • Nicole says

      Thanks, Wendy – that is one of my favorites, too. I don’t like packing my dirty shoes in with my clothes. I found a package of 8 shower caps at our dollar store.