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Years ago, I managed to pack for a 2 week international trip in a carry-on, and I haven't checked a bag since! I was tired of carrying around heavy bags and dealing with delayed and/or lost bags, and now I am carry-on obsessed! In this post, I provide packing tips along with photos showing how I packed for a recent 12-day trip to Oman and UAE in a carry-on roller suitcase and a small duffel that fits under the seat.
Always check your airline's carry-on size and weight restrictions beforehand, but I have not run into any issues with the bags I use flying United and other Star Alliance airlines.
PACKING LIST
What I wore on the plane: tennis shoes, black jeans, grey breathable/athletic t-shirt (love these athletic-style tops for long travel days!), lightweight black jacket, baseball cap, scarf. I try to wear bulkier items on the plane, but also want to make sure I am comfortable on the long flight. I always wear a scarf for extra warmth and a hat to cover my hair in case I sleep on the plane :)
What I packed:
1 crossbody handbag (inside, I pack: a wallet, sunglasses, and prescription medications, phone charger, etc.). I often use a larger wallet that fits a passport, and can also double as a small clutch for a nice dinner.
1 pair of heels (FYI - I don't usually pack heels on long trips because they take up so much space, but I specifically wanted a pair on this trip)
2 pairs of nicer flat sandals
1 pair of casual flat sandals - I love Toms or Rothy's
1 pair of flip flops - TKEES are my favorite
1 pair of casual flat shoes
1 pair of water shoes (specific to a hike/swim activity on this trip - I don't have these anymore, but they are super flat and easy to pack)
1 lightweight drawstring bag - I like to use these as a backpack on short hikes as well as a pool or beach bag
1 pair of flowy black pants
1 pair of black leggings
1 black short sleeve midi dress - nicer for dinners
3 long kaftan dresses - used one as a pool/beach cover up
2 long sleeve maxi dresses
1 long black tunic
1 beige lightweight flowy cardigan
1 long-sleeve blouse
4 versatile t shirts / layering tanks in black and white colors
1 pair of extra sunglasses
1 roll-up packable straw visor - such a great find and easy to pack!
1 scarf
1 swimsuit
Undergarments
1 tablet
1 pair of noise-cancelling headphones (mine are old, but I have my eyes on these).
PACKING PHOTO TUTORIAL
I will start by showing how I pack my carry-on roller suitcase. Ignore how scratched up it is, it has gotten A LOT of use, but I love it so much, I have no plans to replace it any time soon. Dimensions for this roller are approximately 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches, and it also has an option to expand a few inches if you would like to buy goods on your trip and check the bag on the way home. This exact suitcase is no longer available but Samsonite has a similar option here in the black 20-inch carry-on size.
The left side of this suitcase is a bit more shallow than the right, so I really just pack one thick layer. In the below picture, I have packed (from the top):
Sunglasses
Bag with undergarments
Packable straw visor - such a great find and easy to pack!
1 black swimsuit
2 white layering tanks/t-shirts
2 black layering tanks/t-shirts
Hairbrush
Makeup bag
Other non-liquid toiletries in plastic bags
Flat iron
The right side of this suitcase is deeper, so I can pack multiple layers. Layer one (pictured below - from the top), includes:
2 long sleeve maxi dresses
2 kaftan-style dresses
1 pair of heels (I hate looking at how much space these are taking up! This is why I usually don't bring heels)
1 pair of black casual flat shoes - I love Toms or Rothy's
2 pairs of flat leather sandals
1 pair of leather flip flops - TKEES are my favorite
In the second layer, I added a pair of black leggings and a pair of black flowy pants, which I folded flat and packed over my shoes:
The complete second layer includes:
1 pair of black leggings
1 pair of black flowy pants
1 black "nicer" dress for dinners
1 long black tunic
1 patterned blouse
1 beige lightweight cardigan
Lastly, I laid the flat black drawstring bag on top (which takes up very little space). And that's it! My carry-on roller suitcase is ready to go:
Next, I will pack the small duffle that I put under my seat. This is the Tumi Colina Duffel, which I LOVE, but there is limited availability as it is from a previous season. Here is another option of a similar size and style (although slightly larger). Depending on the trip, I may use a Tumi backpack instead of this bag.
In this bag, I always pack an extra outfit (including an extra pair of shoes) just so it's handy in case I am forced to check a bag on a connecting flight due to plane size, or if I am waiting for a bag to be delivered to the hotel room and want to change. Other items I include are a handbag, personal electronics, and my liquids bag. Here's what I packed for this specific trip:
1 scarf
1 crossbody handbag (inside: wallet/small clutch, sunglasses, prescription medications, phone charger, etc.) Note: I usually wrap this in a dust bag to protect the leather
Liquids bag
1 pair of sandals
1 kaftan-style black dress
1 tablet
1 pair of noise-cancelling headphones (mine are old, but I have my eyes on these).
Not pictured: I usually take a small plastic bag with travel-sized over the counter medications such as Advil and Benadryl as well
And that's it! Ready for the airport!
CARRY-ON PACKING TIPS
Think through your planned activities well ahead of time - Make sure you have something to wear for the main activities you have planned. Only bring things that are comfortable and that you know you like wearing so you don't need to bring lots of options. The one great thing about not having many options, is you spend very little time getting dressed and can maximize your time abroad!
Pack neutral-colored versatile pieces - This makes it easy to re-wear certain pieces and mix and match to create different outfits. I like to bring a colorful scarf to change up an outfit as well. If it is a beach trip, I usually pack a few brightly colored dresses but outside of that, I stick to neutral colors. Versatile pieces such as a simple black dress are great since you can dress them up or down.
Re-wear / wash clothes on your trip - I often re-wear jeans and dresses. Also, I always bring 1-2 travel packets of laundry detergent and will wash items in the bathroom sink or tub at the hotel. If I don't feel like doing that, I'll use the laundry services at the hotel instead.
Find non-liquid options so you have enough room for liquid essentials - For instance, I bring bug spray wipes and face wash wipes instead on the liquid versions. I buy 1 oz. plastic containers and fill them with my essentials if the travel size containers are too bulky. I also bring a small amount of liquid sunscreen + a powder sunscreen but buy a larger bottle at our destination if needed.
Be ok with leaving certain things at home - I do not bring my full skincare routine (facewash, moisturizer and sunscreen are the critical items for me so that's what I bring). I generally leave heels at home and opt for smart, versatile flats instead. The simple, everyday jewelry pieces I wear on the plane are usually the only jewelry I bring. Just remember - your trip is only a short period of time, and you can always buy things when you are there if you decide you really need them.