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I’ve travelled to almost 90 countries, and I travel for a living – which means I’ve learned the hard way how to pack. Over the years, I’ve dragged overweight suitcases through airports, waited at endless baggage carousels, and dealt with more lost luggage than I’d like to admit.
That’s why learning to travel with hand luggage only completely changed the way I move through the world. Trips became lighter, faster, and far less stressful and I actually started enjoying the journey, not just the destination.
When you pack light:
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You skip baggage claim and leave the airport faster
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You avoid checked-bag fees that quickly add up
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You stress less about delays or lost luggage
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You move easily between flights, trains and road trips
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You pack smarter and use everything you bring
Below are my travel-tested packing tips, shaped by years on the road, to help you master the hand-luggage-only approach and travel with more ease.
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Start with the Right Hand Luggage
Choosing the right suitcase is a travel game-changer. A bag that’s lightweight, durable and fits cabin rules will save you stress and often money on flights. My trusty Samsonite suitcase is 10 years old now, and still going strong. It slides easily into overhead bins and has room for everything I need, even for week-long trips.
Build a Travel-Friendly Capsule Wardrobe
Packing light isn’t about packing less, it’s about packing better. That’s where a capsule wardrobe comes in.
A capsule wardrobe is simply a small collection of clothes that all work together. Every piece can be worn with multiple others, which means you get far more outfits from far fewer items. For travel, it’s a game-changer. Instead of packing “just in case” outfits that never leave the suitcase, you pack pieces you’ll actually wear – and rewear – in different ways.
Before I pack anything, I plan what I’m realistically going to wear based on where I’m going, what I’m doing, and the weather. I think in terms of activities, not days. That might look like:
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Walking and sightseeing
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One or two nicer dinners
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Travel days
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Outdoor or active days
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Relaxed downtime
Once I know that, I build outfits around those moments, rather than packing random extras “just in case”.
Choose a colour palette first
This is the key step most people skip. Pick two or three core colours, plus one neutral. That way, everything mixes and matches without effort.
Some easy travel-friendly colour combinations:
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Black + white + beige (timeless and easy to dress up or down)
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Navy + grey + cream (great for city trips)
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Beige + olive + white (perfect for warm climates)
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Black + denim + one accent colour (like red, green or tan)
Once you’ve chosen your palette, stick to it. If an item doesn’t work with at least two other pieces in your suitcase, it doesn’t come.
Think in outfits, not individual items
Instead of packing five tops and hoping for the best, I mentally build outfits:
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This top works with these trousers and that skirt
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This dress works during the day with trainers and at night with sandals
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This layer works over everything
That’s how a couple of tops, one pair of trousers and a dress suddenly turn into multiple looks, without adding weight or bulk.
Plan for activities, not aesthetics
A capsule wardrobe should support your trip, not slow you down. Be honest with yourself:
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Will you actually wear heels on cobbled streets?
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Do you really need three “nice” outfits for one dinner?
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Are you doing more walking than you think?
When you plan around real activities, rather than idealised versions of your trip, you end up packing lighter and feeling more comfortable.
Rewearing is the secret (and no one notices)
This is worth saying: rewearing clothes on holiday is normal. When pieces are versatile and well-chosen, no one notices, and you travel with far less stress. Accessories, layers and shoes do the heavy lifting instead.
This capsule wardrobe mindset is exactly why my hand-luggage-only trips actually work. Fewer clothes, more options, and zero outfit regret.
Get Obsessed with Packing Cubes
If you haven’t tried packing cubes yet, they’re worth every penny — and then some. They:
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Organise your luggage into categories
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Maximise every inch of space
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Help keep clothes neat and easy to find
But the real game-changer? Compression packing cubes — the kind with an extra zip that squeezes everything down once you’ve packed it.
I always roll my clothes, place them into the cube, then zip the compression layer shut. It instantly flattens everything and frees up more space than you’d expect — which is exactly how hand-luggage-only trips become realistic, not aspirational.
What I love most is how much calmer unpacking feels. Instead of rummaging through your suitcase, you just lift out a cube and know exactly what’s inside.
👉 These are the compression packing cubes I use and recommend – they’re lightweight, durable, and the extra zip makes a noticeable difference when space is tight.
A small tip that makes a big difference
Label your cubes. A bit of tape or a luggage tag marked tops, bottoms, workout or evening means you don’t even need to open them to find what you’re looking for – especially helpful if you’re moving between hotels or living out of your suitcase.
Once you start travelling with packing cubes, you’ll wonder how you ever packed without them.
Beat Wrinkles with Simple Tricks
Travelling light often means fewer clothes – but your outfits still need to look good. A small bottle of crease release spray is one item I can’t leave home without. My clothes emerge from those packing cubes with serious wrinkles. So the secret hack is to hang up my clothes as soon as I arrive, then give them a quick spritz with the crease release spray, smooth down the material with the back of my hand and you’re pretty much ready to go.
I buy the standard size crease release spray (because it’s cheaper) and decant it into smaller travel sized spray bottles.
Laundry Sheets are Travel Magic
One key to travelling hand luggage only, especially on longer trips, is laundry on the go. A few travel laundry sheets tucked into your bag let you wash lightweight clothes in sinks, bathtubs or laundromats. They’re flat, lightweight, and instantly expand your packing options.
I never take off without them.
Wear Bulky Items on the Plane
This one is pretty obvious, but if you’re tempted to pack a heavy jacket, big boots, or chunky trainers, wear them instead on travel days. That saves precious suitcase space without leaving you cold or uncomfortable in transit.
Think “What Will I Really Use?”
I’ve learned the hard way that most of what we pack never gets worn. When you travel with hand luggage only, you have to be more honest about your needs – and that’s a good thing. You start to choose quality over quantity, and honestly, you feel freer for it.
My Hand Luggage Only Checklist
To make this even easier, I’ve created a Packing Light Cheat Sheet that walks you through exactly what to pack for different types of trips – from city breaks to beach escapes to multi-destination adventures.
👉 Get your free Packing Light Cheat Sheet here →
It includes:
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A carry-on packing formula
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Toiletry and laundry breakdowns
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Exact item counts and space-saving tricks
