Can I do a month long trip with just a carry-on?
 

Hi everyone,

Trip details

I am starting a month-long trip at the end of the week hitting five continents over a span of four weeks - mainly hitting corporate meetings & conferences. Because I will be taking 18 flights during that time, I am trying to avoid checking bags (30 min wait * 18, no thank you).

The coldest part of the trip will be 49F (9C) and the hottest part of the trip will be 80F (27C).

What I am packing (for a carry-on)
- 7 work dresses
- 3 casual dresses
- 1 black blazer for a more formal occasion
- 2 neutral color cardigans
- 2 t-shirts
- 1 jeans
- 2 flats - one black, one nude color
- 1 sandals
- 1 gym outfit (mainly hotel gyms)
- 1 sneakers
- 1 bathing suit (mainly hotel pools)
- 5 bras & underwear
- 4 socks
- 1 crossbody
- 1 clutch
- makeup bag that fits in 3-1-1
- 1 large kate spade tote that can be used to move stuffs in between cities, and used as a day-to-day purse.
- 1 surface pro

Plan of action
- laundry once a week
- stick with dresses when possible to minimize space
.......

Any advice on my list of items / how to pack for a long trip in a most effective way?

I would add 2 scarves and cut down on 2-3 dresses. Scarves for variety AND warmth as needed, I tend to wear bland neutrals and accessorize with scarves (also one of the few souvenirs I'll shop for when traveling ;-)

My personal choice would also be a slim black pant over a jean - more flexible to dress up or down, depending on fabric, usually dry more quickly than denim if it rains or you do hotel sink laundry.

Also, while I sleep naked at home, I hate to do that when I'm in a hotel traveling alone. I usually bring 2 sets of gym clothes and alternate them as lounge/sleepwear and gym wear, washing each on alternate nights. You might not want lounge/sleepwear, but I like to have something flexible. Another alternative would be a comfortable knit pant I could fly in (but still look nicer than "sweatpants") and lounge/sleep in hotel in. I don't like traveling in jeans or dresses, though.

Have fun!

I'm having trouble imaging 10 dresses fitting a bag small enough to be a carry-on, let alone the rest of the stuff. Unfortunately I can imagine what that 1 set of gym clothes would smell like, I do laundry for a teenage boy. And only 5 sets of underwear when you're doing laundry once a week?

Thank you everyone for your feedback

I am
1) cutting down # of dresses to 5 total
2) increasing # of undies
3) bring a pencil skirt + 3 tops that would go with it
4) added 1 scarf.
5) added one sleep shirt

When I was working and used to do this sort of thing, I never checked bags and did a lot of (hotel) laundry on the road. To cut my packing list down to the absolute bare minimum, I would plan out an outfit for every single day of the trip and also plan precisely when I was going to do laundry. In this planning I'd consider likely weather on each day, what I'd be doing on each day (meetings? flight? weekend sightseeing? long car ride? etc.), whom I would be with so they wouldn't necessarily see me wearing the same clothes over and over, and when I could send in some laundry. Hotels charge by the piece, so if you want to get one item cleaned at a time, you can do that--although you can only do laundry if you're in a hotel for two nights in a row, and some hotels don't have laundry service on Sundays.

Your updated packing list seems good to me although I would cut down on the bras...on a trip like this I'd bring two and just wear them more than once. I'd also think about your outfits for non-work days when you may be sightseeing or whatever. For meetings, my standard M.O. was to bring work clothes that would all match with each other and then bring just one pair of pumps that would go with everything--I had a "brown shoe" ensemble, a "navy shoe" ensemble, a "black shoe" ensemble, and a "bone shoe" ensemble :D The absolute hardest thing was jamming my sneakers in the bag, because they're bulky...I am one of those people that never wears sneakers except for running/working out, so I wouldn't wear them for the flight.

What happened when the unexpected happens, like your colleague knocking over his coffee cup and it ending up in your lap?

When I have to pack the bare minimum, usually because I'm on Amtrak and will be carrying/rolling the bag long distances, I always include the outfits for the schedule + 1 "just in case" extra.

Also, only 2 bras for a month wouldn't work for me. Mine are hand wash, air dry, so sending them out for laundering them isn't a problem, but they do need at least 24 hours to air dry, especially the all cotton ones.

Travel lint roller & small fine mist spray bottle to extend the time between laundering separates which you aren't wearing to the gym. The temperature range is mostly cool enough to avoid sweating so you could re-wear items if you need to go more than 7/8 days between laundry.

You've never once had a spill, smudge or stain while traveling? Brushed up against something dirty or sticky?

It must be some bargain with the devil for that kind of luck. :cool:

2 years ago, I went to a conference in Orlando - was gone 4 nights. I packed 2 bras. One BROKE on the first day of the conference. Fortunately, the other bra was nude so I could wear it with all the tops I had packed (I usually pack one nude, one black). I am not an easy-to-find size, even had I been close to one of the shopping malls in Orlando, there's no certainty I would have been able to find a new bra. So I'm a little paranoid about bras. Esp if I'm overseas. I can't find ANYTHING in my size in Asia except a scarf ;-)

I try to pack light, I plan to do laundry when I travel - but for certain necessities I cannot replace while traveling, I might insist on a little redundancy. Also I don't tend to bring white shirts...... :-)

5 Weeks, 4 Continents
 

I did five weeks, four continents carry-on a few years back. It included a five day conference where I presented twice, a banquet and a formal dinner. As I'm 5'8", size 24 and take a size 10 shoe you should be able to do it ;)

The answer for me was the choice of fabrics, they had to wash in the room and dry overnight - wicking supplex or nylon mesh for most tops and bottoms, a fine merino long sleeve jumper and cardigan for the colder bit, two unstructured jackets, one reversible, with a reversible skirt to match and for the banquet one long jersey dress that afterwards took me to restaurants if clean, or became my nightdress for the couple of days after I had worn it. Silky narrow black slacks and top with discreet sparkles served for the dinner, as well as for more formal restaurants and theatre. Strappy purple sandals that I can walk miles in went with them.

I also had a short black dress that could double as a jacket or tunic over pants, straight and wide-leg pants, half a dozen tops (4 short sleeves, 2 with 3/4 sleeves), light leather slip on flats that did for sightseeing, travelling and the gym, leggings that did triple value for layering in the cold, gym and sleepwear and three camisoles for layering, sleeping and gym. Jewelled thongs (flip-flops) rounded out my footwear.

I also had a purple pashmina and a gauzy print sarong, that serves as a wrap, scarf or to go to the pool. Six pairs of light microfibre knickers, two wired but not moulded or padded bras ( plus the pull on nylon I travelled and exercised in) and one pair of fine merino and one pair nylon sox were sufficient undies.

Temps were 4C to 38C (40F to 100F), but it was mostly temperate to hot. For a similar trip with much cool weather I added a pair of ankle boots and swapped in a second merino long sleeve, t-shirt and cami.

Spend maybe 10, maybe 30 minutes waiting for a bag, or hours repeatedly doing hand laundry and wondering how long it will take to dry? Sleep in a dirty dress for a couple nights? :eek:

There has never been a time when I've regretted checking a bag. It really isn't that a big a deal, and you don't get an express pass to heaven for traveling carry-on only.

Stuff to consider.. will you be in a place more than 2 nights so you can get laundry back before you leave. If you are doing it yourself will it dry in time?

after a month you're going to hate everything in your case.

With neuromotor problems I can't stand around for half an hour waiting for bags, and with my choice of fabrics I don't have to wonder if stuff will dry overnight.

Washing a few items doesn't take me half an hour, I do it in my evening shower when I wash the day's grime off myself and it takes perhaps an extra five minutes. Wrapping the wet stuff in a towel and treading on it leaves it damp, then hang where there is a bit of air flow and it will dry in 3-5 hours. I have two blow up coat hangers and a folding skirt hanger in my kit, and my folding umbrella can be pressed into service as an airing rack in a pinch. Hairdriers are great for waistband elastic and bra underwiring, but I only needed to do this once, in a very humid pre-thunderstorm Boothbay.


I don't have any problem reusing a dress in private that has only been worn for a couple of hours in a sedate manner, but your tastes may be too exquisite for this expedient. Hotels with laundries in New York, Maine and Paris meant I could do a "proper wash" at about ten day intervals. Very large ziplock bags Kept any potentially smelly tops or pants away from my clean stuff the couple of times I needed to wait for a more suitable time or place (shower over bath is ideal for washing jackets, pants, dresses and skirts).

I have arthritis in my hips and spine, so I find a bench and sit down if it takes more than few minutes for the bag. Most airports do have benches, and the much acclaimed "30 minutes" for the bags is usually under 10, even in Philadelphia which is notoriously slow with bags.

My "tastes may be too exquisite" - I love it! Sounds right out of Jane Austen.

I generally think of myself as having a fondness for cleanliness. Shower before bed, bed clothing worn only to bed (as per my allergist's recommendations) and clean sheets. Improves the quality of my sleep.

Just got back from a trip and packed with only a carry on. I agree with the poster above that said it really makes a difference what the fabric is because rolling really helped.I found that I actually took too much. I washed 2 times. I have a disability so decided to dump 3 items that I was going to donate anyway. Ordered the fast dry undies via amazon and they were probably the most comfortable I have ever worn. Safe travels.

Thank you everyone! Here's my 1/3 status report (my trip got a bit shorter).

0 laundry for now - but probably do one early next week.



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Saturday!

If you're on Facebook, check out Travel Fashion Girls. They're obsessed with carry-on only travel and have lots of info about capsule wardrobes and what to bring where.

I have done every trip I have ever taken with just carry on. Recently, that has included a month in China and Japan and last year, a month that included Hawaii, the eastern US, Paris for a week, where I needed dressy clothes, a safari in Africa and a week in London.

So absolutely doable. The key is quick drying lingerie (Ex Officio was awesome, especially in Africa, as it dries in no time) and separates that coordinate. I used a grey Merino wool long wrap sweater (like this but in grey http://www.backpacking-united.com/ca...p-cognac-black) that worked with any kind of outfit, dressy or casual, a super-packable shell raincoat, wore my heaviest shoes and packed the dressier ones and bought toiletries as I went.

You're doing great, OP! I am loving all of the ideas in this thread. Let's keep it rolling, so to speak . . .

Fun tread, OP. Thanks for starting it!

I had a problem with checked suitcases going to continents I've never visited so I switched to carry on only. Most trips last 3 weeks.

I take cotton sports bras for comfort. 3 because they take awhile to dry.

Panties are all well used except one pair which I wear on the plane home. The rest are discarded during the trip. I take 4-5 total, washing as I go.

For tops, I love Liberty of London blouses from Tilley Endurables. Pretty, dry quickly, pima cotton, wrinkle resistant. I once ran into a gal wearing the same blouse and skirt outfit as me on a tram in New Orleans where it is bloody hot 10 months of the year. Fun encounter :-)

Loose silk leggings double as pajama bottoms and an underlay for pants if weather is cooler than anticipated. Silk dries very quickly. 2 old T shirts work for gym and nightwear. They are tossed before returning home.

I no longer travel for business so I take navy silk or rayon tank top, lace tunic top, and silk or rayon pants for evening wear. Lace and silk take very little room in a suitcase and all are hand washable. Silk for cool weather, rayon for warm.

For accessories, I take 1-2 nice natural fiber scarves that are pretty but I have grown tired of them. I leave them for the maid at the end of the trip.

Some hotels hate guests to hand wash clothes in bathroom sink so they don't provide a drain stopper. I keep my yellow kitchen plastic gloves for this purpose. I cut the largest piece I can from the palm grip area and take that, discarding at end of trip.

For odor elimination at home and when traveling, I love Ona Pro. It is an organic, biodegradable odor neutralizer made with turpines and essential oils. It's like Febreeze Microbial but far better.

For travel, I spray some liquid Ona on paper towels and put them in a baggie. When traveling, I put a half-towel in the suitcase with my clothes. Some of the oils are acidic so I don't put them directly on my clothes. If the hotel room is musty, I'll put out a half towel in the room if it's too cold to open the window. Clears the air quickly.

I buy it locally. I just found it on Amazon:

Your packing light seems to be working out so far. Good job!

Good job!
 

Looking Good!
 

Looking Good :)

Recently I was talking to somebody who worked as a hotel housekeeper while in college and got her take on the "leave your junk 'for the maid' " notion. She trashed the idea completely. Her points were:

1. unless you leave a note on the stuff clearly stating "this is for the maid" they're supposed to turn it in to the lost and found
2. you shouldn't assume the maid wants stuff you're ready to throw out
3. the maid may have no desire or use for what you leave behind
4. giving used clothing directly to the maid suggests the guest was too cheap or too mean to tip and puts them in an embarrassing position
5. she wasn't too keen on the term "maid"

You look very cute and appropriately dressed for a variety of occasions. Congratulations.

Part 2!
 

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Can't believe I am wrapping up this trip just with one carry-on.

This part of trip was a bit chillier.

Lovely! And well done, you.

Fantastic job!! Would love your debrief when you're back home and caught up - what worked, what didn't, what would you do differently next time?

I am back now!

Definitely pack more warm stuffs lol. My packing didn't include clothes to be worn in temperatures under 50F/10C, and three-week-out weather forecast failed me in London. It forecasted 70F+ temperature for the days I was there, but it ended up being 40s!

I always include a fine merino cardigan, jumper (sweater) and a pashmina to cope with unexpected cold spells. Wear the cardi and pashmina until you are through checkin, then put them in your carry-on if weight is a consideration. Similarly for cold I still include a short or three-quarter-sleeve top, though fine merino is OK to about 30C (abt 85F). Also it only weighs a few ounces, doesn't get stinky and dries in a flash.

Very well done, you.

You might want to a take a look at Uniqlo's collarless down jackets. Here's the short one from Fall/Winter 2017 https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/women-u...own-collection They are pretty thin as it is meant to be a layering piece with snaps to make a v-neck so it fits as a no-show layer under some jackets. It may fit under your blazer and would work out for cold flights or seated near the emergency exit.

This was fantastic -- thank you for the daily pics of your outfits! You looked great, and appropriately dressed, which isn't always easy to accomplish.

Love your outfits, looks like you had a fantastic time on your trip!

I surely did :)

Now one that I am having later this year is a bit more complicated:

Duration: 3 weeks
Max temp: 100+F
Min temp: 10-20F
Countries covering: Spain, Israel, Singapore, Australia, China, Korea, Japan

Hey i did a trip that went from -15ºC to +35ºC, was also 3 weeks and I did it with just a carry on. I packed light long sleeves, jeans, leggings, dresses, tshirts, shorts, boots, sandals, a couple cardigans, a swimsuit and a jacket. It is definitely doable! I did hit up a consignment shop when I needed an extra thing or two.

I am trying to see if Uniqlo has any elite status for those who are going to be purchasing lots of heat tech tights :) (priority check-out line?, lounge access?)

Extra luggage allowance? ;) Gift of branded packing cube that doubles as a delicates washing net when you purchase $75 of heat tech or airism?