I packed 10 days of work and play clothes into just one carry-on suitcase – but my hack helped me fit four suitcases – The US Sun

Packing for a trip to another country isn’t always a walk in the park—especially when you need 10 days’ worth of clothes and only have carry-on luggage for work.

On a recent trip from New York to London, I had to find a way to get everything I needed across the pond—and I discovered a clever trick.

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

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

I hadn’t paid to check a bag, so I only had the airline’s standard allowance for carry-on luggage and personal items.

So how was I going to fit a long dress into my tiny carry-on luggage and still manage to pack my work clothes and other necessities?

I somehow managed to take everything on my list – including three pairs of shoes, the dress and a laptop – to London, thanks to a clever trick.

THE PACKAGE

To start, I made a packing list weeks in advance, adding to it when I found a must-have item or dress in my closet.

From there, I was able to strategically plan my outfits for each day, writing down what to wear depending on my schedule and planned events.

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

I mostly stuck to the dresses as they were much easier to roll up and cube up than pants and shirts.

In terms of clothes, I packed:

• Seven dresses
• A jumpsuit
• A two-piece skirt set
• Denim jacket
• Three-piece sports set
• Two regattas
• Two pairs of shorts
• Pair of leggings
• A pair of jeans
• A pair of high heels
• A pair of sneakers
• A pair of sandals
• All other necessary clothing

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

So my clothes bag had:

• A floor-length dress
• A pink two-piece suit
• Raincoat

And my personal item – a medium-sized bag – was filled to the brim with toiletries, makeup, snacks, my laptop, and a small purse.

The suitcase-within-a-suitcase trend was strong on this trip, as it usually happens whenever I travel – and that’s how I managed to avoid checking a suitcase.

THE HACK

I knew I needed to travel with my dress in my bag, as it would take up too much space in my suitcase and I wouldn’t be able to fit everything else inside.

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

That’s when I realized my clothes bag was zipped into a backpack-style bag.

Then, by zipping it up to create a bag of its own, I was able to tuck my purse inside to make it look like I only had one suitcase and one personal item.

And it totally worked.

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

As soon as I got through and got to my gate, I knew I had made it without a hitch.

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

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APPRENTICESHIP

My plan was smart, although I had to be sneaky in approaching the counters when I was asked to show my passport.

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

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

Some items, like my jeans and sneakers, got a lot more use than I expected.

I was thrilled with everything I packed, the strategy I used to fit everything into my suitcases, and the trick that made it possible to avoid baggage fees.

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