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I crammed 10 days of outfits into a carry-on – but hack helped me sneak 4 bags

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I crammed 10 days of outfits into a carry-on – but hack helped me sneak 4 bags

PACKING for a trip to another country isn’t always a walk in the park – especially when you need 10 days of outfits and only have a carry-on to work with.

On a recent trip from New York to London, I had to find a way to get everything I needed across the pond – and came up with a clever hack.

On a recent trip from New York to London, I had a normal-sized carry-on suitcase and a personal item to work withCredit: The US Sun
My luggage for the trip consisted of a standard carry-on suitcase, an accompanying tote bag, and a garment bagCredit: The US Sun

My luggage for the trip consisted of a standard carry-on suitcase, an accompanying tote bag, and a garment bag.

But I was packing for a variety of adventures, including work and a wedding, which complicated matters.

I hadn’t paid to check a bag, so I was relying only on the airline’s standard carry-on and personal item allowance.

So how was I going to fit a floor-length gown into my tiny carry-on and still manage to fit my work outfits and other necessities?

Somehow I managed to get everything on my list – including three pairs of shoes, the gown, and a laptop – over to London, thanks to a clever hack.

THE PACKING HAUL

For starters, I made a packing list weeks in advance, adding to it when I came across a must-bring item or dress in my closet.

From there, I was able to strategically plan outfits for each day, making notes of what to wear when depending on my schedule and planned events.

This also helped me avoid overpacking as I scheduled my itinerary and largely knew what activities to expect during my stay.

I mostly stuck to dresses, as they were much easier to roll up and sort into packing cubes than pants and shirts.

Clothing-wise, I packed into my suitcase:

How to avoid overpacking your suitcase

  • Seven dresses
  • One jumpsuit
  • A two-piece skirt set
  • Denim jacket
  • Three-piece athleisure set
  • Two tank tops
  • Two pairs of shorts
  • Pair of leggings
  • One pair of jeans
  • One pair of heels
  • One pair of sneakers
  • One pair of sandals
  • All other necessary garments

The other side of my suitcase held accessories, including a curling iron, a tote bag for work, a fascinator, a notebook, and some toiletries.

Then, my garment bag had:

  • One floor-length gown
  • A two-piece pink suit
  • Raincoat

And my personal item – a medium-sized tote – was stuffed to the brim with toiletries, make-up, snacks, my laptop, and a small purse.

The bag-within-a-bag trend was strong this trip, as it usually is whenever I travel – and which is how I managed to avoid checking a suitcase.

How big can my carry-on suitcase be?

While the TSA doesn’t have set rules pertaining to carry-on luggage, the FAA has said most airlines abide by a maximum size carry-on bag of 45 linear inches (the total of the height, width, and depth of the bag combined). But airlines can also set their own restrictions on both carry-on and personal items.

  • American Airlines: 22 x 14 x 9 inches (carry-on) & 18 x 14 x 8 inches (personal item)
  • Delta: 22 x 14 x 9 inches (carry-on) & no dimensions for personal item, but has to fit under the seat in front of you
  • United: 22 x 14 x 9 inches (carry-on) & 17 x 10 x 9 inches (personal item)
  • JetBlue: 22 x 14 x 9 inches (carry-on) & 17 x 13 x 8 inches (personal item)
  • Southwest: 24 x 16 x 10 inches (carry-on) & no dimensions for personal item, but has to fit under the seat in front of you
  • THE HACK

    I knew I needed to travel with my gown in my garment bag, as it was going to take up too much room in my suitcase and I wouldn’t have been able to fit everything else in.

    But naturally, I was panicked at the thought of having that in addition to my suitcase and tote bag, knowing I was only allowed two items.

    That’s when I realized my garment bag zipped all the way around into a duffle-style bag.

    So by zipping it up to create a bag of its own, I was able to tuck my tote inside to have it appear as though I only had a suitcase and a personal item.

    And it totally worked.

    I arrived at the airport and went straight to security, as I didn’t need to check a bag.

    Once I got through and arrived at my gate, I knew I’d made it without issue.

    The same plan worked for my return flight – even when I was summoned to the airline’s check-in desk before security for a passport check, I made it through with my oversized personal item unscathed.

    Relying on packing cubes to sort outfits made the process easierCredit: The US Sun
    I put all my clothes on one side of my suitcase and shoes, toiletries, and other accessories on the otherCredit: The US Sun

    TAKEAWAYS

    My plan was clever, though I had to be sneaky in approaching the counters when summoned to show my passport.

    I did wind up having to gate-check my carry-on for the flight to London – but the fact that I didn’t have to pay to do so was a huge win.

    Overall, I managed to wear everything once except for one dress and the two-piece skirt set.

    Some items, like my jeans and sneakers, saw way more use than I was anticipating.

    I was thrilled with everything I packed, the strategy I used to cram it all into my bags, and the hack that made it possible to avoid bag fees.

    My gown made it to London without issue in my garment bagCredit: The US Sun
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