8 Carry-on Packing Tips My Mom Swears by From $5

My mom has traveled the world for 42 years and prides herself on never checking a bag. Whether she’s traveling for work or taking a trip to New York City to visit me, she has nailed packing a carry-on down to a science and can fit 100 items into her compact luggage for a weeklong trip.

With more than four decades of travel experience, she has mastered how to survive long travel days through her own trial and error and has picked up from colleagues along the way. Now, she can easily identify the biggest packing mistakes most travelers make. She shared her personal packing hacks with Travel + Leisure, plus the must-have travel accessories that help her fit everything she needs for a weeklong trip into a carry-on (like her skincare routine, makeup, an extra pair of shoes, and a mini hair straightener). They can all be found at Amazon’s travel store, starting at $6.

My 5 Favorite Mom-approved Packing Essentials

Don’t: Roll your clothes into your suitcase

Instead: Use packing cubes

A handy set of packing cubes, like this set of eight, will help you organize your suitcase by outfit or article of clothing (my mom prefers to do the latter). Plus, you won’t have to dig around and ruin your precious folding just to find a shirt. 

Bonus tip: My mom recommends creating a capsule wardrobe, so you can mix and match a few core pieces into many outfits, which minimizes the amount of clothes you pack. For weeklong summer trips, she sticks to four bottoms, five tops, two dresses, a bathing suit, a sweater, a skirt, two pairs of pajamas, and a pair of underwear for each day. “I can turn that into 20 different outfits,” she said. And if you want to bring any extra layers, she recommends wearing those on the plane.

Don’t: Pack full-size medication bottles

Instead: Bring a pill organizer

Vitamin bottles are bulky, and several will fill up your luggage fast. That’s why my mom stopped packing separate containers and opted for a slim travel pill organizer. It’s small enough to slip into a pocket of your carry-on and has eight slots for your medicine and supplements. If you want to organize it further, you can use the included labels. 

Don’t: Pack multiple pairs of shoes

Instead: Bring a versatile style

Having traveled with family and coworkers for decades, my mom has noticed that one area people always go wrong with packing is shoes. While it’s nice to have options, shoes take up the most space, especially if they’re bulky. She recommends wearing your sneakers or walking shoes on the plane, and packing a flat, versatile option that you can squeeze into the side of your suitcase. One of her favorite pairs is Chaco sandals because the shoes are flexible enough to pack, have arch support, and can easily be paired with shorts, summer dresses, and flowy pants.

Don’t: Bring a portable steamer

Instead: Use wrinkle-release spray

This is one of the most handy tips my mom has passed down to me. Unlike a steamer, Bounce’s spray is tiny enough to go inside your toiletry bag, which saves so much room in your carry-on. It also quickly smooths out any travel clothes that aren’t wrinkle-free, so you can avoid whipping out the hotel iron. All you have to do is spray the wrinkled area and smooth it out with your hands. Plus, the clean scent helps keep your clothes smelling fresh when there isn’t a nearby laundry room. 

Don’t: Pack a traditional makeup bag

Instead: Use a hanging toiletry bag

A hanging toiletry bag gives you the ability to see everything inside without having to dig around and lay everything out on the bathroom counter. This one is made with clear pockets and slots to put your bottles into. The built-in hanger can go over the bathroom door or on a hook, so everything is on display.

Bonus tip: Avoid taking your entire beauty routine with you when you travel—you only need the absolute necessities. For skincare that includes a good cleanser and moisturizer, but if you want to cut down what you pack even more, my mom suggests bringing a tinted moisturizer with SPF.

Don’t: Pack large shampoo and conditioner bottles

Instead: Bring multipurpose hair oil

The only shower toiletry my mom packs is Ouai’s multipurpose hair oil. It acts as a heat protectant, makes her hair “smooth like silk,” and minimizes frizz, which is especially important in tropical climates. If you’re wondering why shampoo and conditioner aren’t on her list, it goes back to her secret to fitting more things into a carry-on. You must reduce the amount of bulky items you pack and use things the hotel provides you, which include hair care items and body wash.  

Don’t: Pack full-size hot tools

Instead: Use a mini-sized hair straightener

Most hotels have a blow dryer, which means you can skip packing your own and use that extra space for more important things, like a packable pair of shoes. For days when she wants to give her hair a soft wave or straighten it, my mom’s go-to is a mini straightener. It’s compact and acts as a three-in-one styler that she said “can make my hair wavy, add a light curl, or just [smooth] some spots.”

Don’t: Bring multiple charging cables

Instead: Use a foldable charging station

My mom has racked up more than 2,000 hotel stays, so she knows that having a lot of outlets is a luxury you don’t have in all rooms. Instead of bringing more than one charging cord, my mom prefers a folding charging station because it gives her three chargers in one, packing-friendly device. It also keeps her phone, smartwatch, and wireless earbuds together, so she doesn’t have to remember where everything’s plugged in and risk forgetting to pack anything.

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