Blogmas Day 9- Five Tips to Packing an Optimal Carry-on
/So many airlines these days charge extra fees for a checked bags so budget conscious travelers like myself are forced to only use a carry on luggage instead. Plus, there's always the worry that the airline will lose your luggage (this has sadly happened to me before) or you'll have to wait forever for your bag to come out on the luggage carousel. But there are two main downsides to only using a carry on: needing more space (especially because the clothing for winter destinations tend to be thicker) and needing more than 3 oz worth of liquids (lotion, contact solution, etc...). I’ve compiled this list of tips I’ve learned over the years to help with these carry on luggage concerns.
1. Roll your clothes up instead of folding them - This helps save a lot of space in your suitcase because it essentially makes your clothes as tiny as possible. Packing in an organized manner will free up unseen space so instead of throwing clothes into your luggage, roll and stack your clothes up and squish them together as much as possible.
2. Wear your thickest clothes and your heaviest shoes on the plane - If it is 80 degrees where you live, but you are heading to a wintery destination, still physically wear or hold your coats and sneakers. These items will take up the most room in your luggage and you want them out of it so you can add in other important items like mittens or scarves. Suffering in your heavy coat for a short while will be worth it!
3. Use Olay’s Daily Facial Cloths to wash your face and remove makeup instead of liquid alternatives - If your makeup remover does not fit in the 3 oz liquid limitation rule, then pack these facial cloths in your makeup bag to help cleanse your face after a long plane ride or on your vacation. It can do double duty as a makeup remover as well. The cloths are basically sheets of cotton paper that turn into foamy soap after wetting.
4. Scoop your irreplaceable lotion into empty contact solution cases for plane use - If you just can't find your favorite body lotion or facial lotion in a travel size container, then simply scoop out some of your lotion into a contact case and you'll be able to continue using it. This is a trick I learned from the beauty YouTuber, Michelle Phan, and its worked like a charm for me. It's how I keep my skin from drying out on the plane.
5. Use a soft case instead of a hard shell luggage - Soft cases expand more than hard cases and are usually much lighter. If you happen to fly on an airline that weighs carry on bags (Porter Airlines, China Southern), you will want your actual suitcase to be as light as possible so you can pack more. Also, a hard case packed to the max won't let you stuff that extra neck pillow or that comfy sweater in there!
Happy packing! And most importantly, Happy traveling!
