Featured

Hacks for Packing your Entire Luggage in one Carry-On Backpack

2 days ago by Felicia Liu

I usually only pack a carry-on luggage when going on any vacation, but this time I had to go extremely light with just a standard backpack for a 5-day vacation to Vancouver. I flew with Flair Airlines, which is Canada’s low budget airline, so I was only allowed one personal item.

Read here for my experience flying with Flair Airlines from Toronto to Vancouver in October 2019.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when trying to travel light.

What do your accommodations already provide?

Most hotels will have shampoo, conditioner, body wash, mouthwash, and a toothbrush/toothpaste set available for all guests free of charge. Check with your host to see what is provided so you don’t need to pack it with you.

What are your essentials?

Before we get into clothes, skin care, accessories, and other miscellaneous, let’s first narrow down what is actually essential.

  • ID, cash, debit/credit card
  • Passport (not required for domestic Canadian travel, but brought just in case)
  • Cellphone, camera, earphones, portable charger, charging cables, & wall plug
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Hair brush, hair elastic
  • Glasses & contact lenses
  • Pen

What can you downsize?

If I’m only travelling for a few days, I try to pack only sample-sized versions of make-up, make-up remover, and lotion. Instead of bringing your entire bottle of lotion or face cream, transfer it into smaller bottles or sample containers. Whenever I ask for a sample of lotion or make-up remover from Sephora, I keep the mini container it comes in (warning: these are extremely flimsy, so you might need to tape it shut to avoid any explosion or leakage). You can also get travel-sized containers from your local dollar store (or just about anywhere).

I recommend using make-up remover wipes when travelling so you don’t have to make space in your bag of liquids. Instead of bringing the whole pack, bring only the amount of wipes you’ll need (+1 extra for emergencies) in a resealable mini Ziploc or plastic jewelry pouch.

I’m a big fan of Sephora samples, so I always add the free foundation samples that come with every purchase. Each sample is good for about 2 days’ worth of foundation, so I only pack 2 or 3 of those for a short trip instead of bringing my entire foundation or concealer bottle.

Bring only a few ibuprofen, allergy, or motion sickness pills in a tissue or small baggie instead of the whole bottle. 

What clothing articles can you re-use?

Pack your most versatile and most basic articles of clothing. There are a hundred YouTube videos of people styling the same 3 articles of clothing a hundred different ways. My basics are:

  • White shirt
  • Blue jeans
  • Black leggings
  • White shoes
  • Sweater or blazer
  • A shirt to wear or tie around your waist

I also love oversized shirts and tank tops because you can tie them up, tuck them in, or let them flow. So you could potentially have 3 different styles with 1 oversized shirt.

Pack your statement pieces only if you have room. 

What can be disposed of while there?

Have a pair of socks that you’ve been meaning to finally throw out? Leggings getting too faded and worn out? Worn and almost torn sandals?

I love shopping while on vacation so I always need to leave a little bit of room in my luggage. I try to find articles of clothing that I can toss on my last day there (usually old socks, shirts, and sometimes shoes). Not only clothing, but also any sample and regular-sized containers that I packed my liquids in.

What’s the most efficient way of packing a backpack?

  • Invest in packing cubes. These not only save space in your backpack or suitcase, but also keep all your stuff organized. I purchased mine from Amazon here for $9 and the 3 different cube sizes fit perfectly like a puzzle in my carry-on suitcase.
  • Roll up socks and underwear, and tuck them into any shoes you’re packing.
  • Wear what you can on the plane. It’s probably a good idea to layer on flights anyways because planes are always freezing cold!
  • Bring an empty water bottle that has a built in latch, or attach a carabiner so you can simply attach it to the outside of your backpack (on a shoulder strap) without having it take up space inside your bag.
  • If you need to bring a purse, bring one that is easily collapsible or foldable that can slide inside your backpack.

Let me know below if you have any other packing hacks!