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Checking in with my AWAY Bigger Carry-On in green. Use my referral link for $20 off your order (discount reflected in checkout after you set up an account).

For the longest time, I eschewed roller bags. I relied exclusively on my favorite Lo & Sons O.G. tote for weekend trips and Catalina Deluxe duffle (both reviewed here) for anything longer, including two weeks in Thailand and another two in Europe. It was after that last international trip – to London and Paris – that I finally decided I needed to make the switch to a roller bag. Easier on the shoulders and much more sophisticated in form, I’m obsessed with this Away “Bigger Carry-on” that’s lightweight, easy to handle, charges my phone, and fits a surprising amount of stuff.

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Its capacity is a boon, because despite switching from a duffle to a roller bag, one thing has remained non-negotiable in my book – I do not check luggage. First, this saves me worrying about lost luggage, which is something that made me nervous even as a child, when my family trekked back and forth between Thailand and the U.S. every year. Second, in an era of baggage fees and long lines at baggage check, traveling with just a carry-on is simply the most frictionless way to travel.

Here are my five tips on how to pack for your next getaway in just a carry-on suitcase (or duffle).

Plan your outfits in advance

This is something my husband has even started doing, and it’s the key to my whole packing process. Knowing what you’re wearing each day in advance ensures you never over-pack and makes easier to get ready each morning, so you can get out the door faster and enjoy your trip! If you’re a visual person like me, you might even consider sketching it out (it helps, I promise).

Here’s my rough packing guide for up to two weeks away. Pro tip: wear your bulkiest items, like jeans, sneakers, and outwear, en route to save space.

2 dresses or jumpsuits for simple one-piece looks

3 bottoms – leggings, jeans, maxi skirt

6 tops – a mix of t-shirts and blouses

6 pairs of underwear and socks

2 bras – one regular, one strapless

1 set of pajamas or 2 short nighties

3 pairs of shoes

1 cardigan or casual blazer that will go with everything

Expect to do a little hand-washing

Clearly this list doesn’t cover enough for two whole weeks abroad. My trick is that towards the halfway point, I hand-wash things like underwear and silk blouses, letting them air dry, or I send them out to a laundry service. The nominal charge is worth it to be able to travel lightly. If you’re headed somewhere cold, sticking to this pared-down of a packing list can be difficult, but you can do it! I recommend packing cotton tees that can be layered under sweaters (bring just a few, and re-wear throughout the trip). Pack them in a compression bag (see below) and wear your heavy boots and coat during travel to save space.

Use compression bags

These will be your new best friend – I swear by them. They create a suction seal when you push out the air (no need for a bulky vacuum pump), saving you a ton of space, especially with bulky clothing. Simply place your folded clothes inside the compression bag, zip up the top with the included plastic clip, and then roll out the air. It’s so easy but these will truly change the way you pack.

Pack modularly

When you live out of a carry-on suitcase, you want to be able to find and retrieve things easily. I like to use the dust bags that come with shoes and purses to organize everything I pack. My hair straightener and hairbrush go in one bag. My bras, underwear, and socks go in another. It makes it much faster to repack when you move from place to place, when you don’t have to figure out how things fit together in your luggage all over again. Shoes also get packed in dust bags to keep them from getting other things dirty.

Roll select pieces to prevent wrinkles

I’ll lay silk dresses (like the one I’m wearing here) and other things I don’t want to wrinkle on top of one another lengthwise on my ironing board, and then I’ll take the whole pile and roll it up. The rolling creates fewer wrinkles than folding. This bundle goes into its own dust bag (not a compression bag) and even if the materials are delicate, the protected roll can then be wedged between other things. The night before you want to wear something in this bundle, hang it in the bathroom while you take a hot shower, or run the hot water until the room steams up to relax the creases. If the hotel has an ironing board, you can press out any remaining wrinkles.

Finally, make sure you bring as big of a personal bag as you can to fit odds and ends like makeup, snacks, and other purses (I usually pack a crossbody and a clutch inside a larger tote to ensure I have options). Extra points if the personal bag has a sleeve that fits over your roller bag handle, like the aforementioned Lo & Sons O.G. bag.

I’m going to be using all of these tips and then some when I go up to NYC for Fashion Week in February! I may end up wearing two layers of coats on the bus, but by golly I’m going to make it work.

Thinking about an AWAY bag of your own? Use my referral link for $20 off your order (discount reflected in checkout after you set up an account).

Stay tuned on Instagram to see how my packing adventure works out, and subscribe to my email list to make sure you don’t miss out on all the NYFW recap posts I have planned!

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