11 Days in Europe with Just Carry On Luggage—What Worked & What I’d Do Differently

I know it’s not for everybody, but I’m committed to traveling with just carry on bags whenever possible. I’ve been separated from checked luggage twice when traveling in Europe, and once my suitcase was lost for good. So security is my top priority. But also, I value the freedom and independence of it. I don’t want to be weighed down when I’m traveling. And of course carrying on is a big time saver—you can zip through customs without having to wait for your bag or recheck it for connecting flights.

But it does make packing a challenge. And for this trip—11 days in Cork, Ireland and Paris, France—I really struggled. I fretted about the weather, the scene, our itinerary, the local style, and how I wanted to feel on my trip. I packed more than sweaters and sneakers in that bag, I tucked in my hopes and excitement as well. There wasn’t a lot of room for mistakes.

Since Ireland was going to be cooler and country-casual, while Paris would be warm and urban-chic, my wardrobe needed to be versatile. My solution was to pack lots of layers in dark colors with a some pops of pattern and color to break things up. Here’s what I brought:

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• Layers: a light puffer jacket, faux moto jacket and button up cardigan. All black.
• Bottoms: two pair blue jeans, one pair black jeans, nicer black pants and one skirt.
• Tops: a variety of t-shirts and knit tops (6) and a couple camis.
• Athletic wear: leggings, a long sleeve top and sweatshirt.
• Shoes: two pair of sneakers and a pair of ballet flats. (I nixed the booties in the photo above.)
• PJ’s, undies, and socks.
• An umbrella, flat iron, hair brush and compact tri-pod.
• My cosmetics, laptop, kindle, charger, adaptors and water pik (essential!) went in my shoulder bag.

Somehow it all fit into my suitcase with room to spare. Packing cubes are amazing! Here’s a slideshow of most of the outfits I wore on the trip.

I felt pretty good about how I packed, but I would definitely do a few things differently. Most of my outfits were so similar—dark pants, patterned top, cropped black jacket/sweater! I usually love using a color palette, but after 11 days I was heartily sick of wearing black and craved variety. I wish I’d brought a sweater in a brighter color and swapped a pair of pants for another skirt or a casual dress. Next time I’ll mix it up more. Also—rookie error—I forgot to bring a patterned scarf, an absolutely essential travel accessory because it serves as a layering piece as well as adds interest to an outfit.

Still, I’m glad I travelled lightly. I even had room in my suitcase for a couple purchases. If you commit to a carry on, here are a few ways to make the most of what you bring:

• Bring low maintenance items that won’t wrinkle or show stains.
• Save time (and outfits) by dressing once for your whole day—this is a very Parisian practice!
• Find a way to do a load of laundry or some hand washing at your destination.
• You’ll wear things multiple times, so make sure you really like the pieces you bring.
• Pack a couple “special” pieces to shake things up so you don’t feel too constrained.
• Remember, you can’t anticipate everything. You can always buy things (like a scarf) when you’re there.

What do you think? Is it worth all this to avoid checking luggage? I’m sort of obsessed with packing advice, so I’d love to hear yours.

And if you missed it, here’s my first Paris post, full of a bunch of other travel tips that you may find useful on your next vacation.

Tiny Travel Tips, Based on My Trip to Paris