10 Genius Hacks for Packing Your Carry-On Suitcase

One thing that you may not know about me when it comes to travel is that I don’t like to check a bag. Even with my gold and silver status on multiple airlines (thanks to years of travel), I still prefer to zip past the airport ticket counter and head directly to the security line.

The other benefits to only packing a carry-on is not having to wait on pieces in baggage claim to be delivered or the risk involved with those pieces being misplaced or even worse….lost forever. So, if I can swing it, I’ll go with just a carry-on 90% of the time.

I will admit that taking a carry-on does make packing a bit more challenging, but after years of experience, I have a system down pat. Today I am sharing a few of my favorite carry-on hacks!

1. Glasses case for storage.

With a nice hard shell, a glasses case makes the perfect storage solution for phone cords, small cables, eyeliner, mascara or makeup brushes.

No worries need to worry about them getting bent or busted during transit.

2. Saran wrap for jewelry.

Guys, this is my favorite packing hack and it works beautifully!

I personally use Glad Press ’N Seal Wrap, but you can use regular old saran wrap as well.

Place necklaces or dangly earrings on one sheet, then place another sheet on top and seal.

Your jewelry won’t get tangled and it folds up nicely.

3. Wear bulky items.

Save a ton of room in your carry-on by simply wearing your bulky items instead of packing them.

This goes for jackets, coats, boots or any other garment that takes up valuable real estate in your carry-on. If you’re using a roller carry-on case, you can hang your coat or jacket on the suitcase handle (when extended) to avoid wearing it throughout your travel day.

4. Use packing cubes.

I started using packing cubes a few years ago and never looked back.

These awesome cubes are basically rectangle bags with zippers that you can place folded clothes into and then zip up.

You can store quite a few garments inside of them and zipping them up makes them extremely compact. They also make great drawer liners for hotel rooms!

5. Prescription bottles for storage.

Old prescription bottles dolled up with fun washi tape make great little storage tubes for cotton swabs, bobby pins, tweezers and more.

These items will stay safe, even if bounced around!

6. Three tops for one bottom.

A good rule in deciding how much to pack for a trip is this rule: three tops for every bottom (assuming that you can wear the same bottom with each top).

This rule will save you a ton of room in your carry-on too, so try to stick to it. Simplicity is bliss!

7. Contact cases for storage.

You can store makeup, toothpaste, lotions and creams easily in clean contact cases and they take up much less room than a traditional makeup bag.

I store my loose eyeshadow, face cream and foundation in mine and it’s the perfect size for each.

8. Dryer sheets in carry-on.

Placing a dryer sheet in your carry-on will make all of your bag contents smell fresh once you open it back up!

I personally love using Mrs. Meyer’s natural dryer sheets in my carry-on because they’re not too strong and smell so lovely.

9. Pill organizers for storage.

For small stud earrings, rings or tiny objects, try a pill organizer!

I love having my little earrings divided up so that I don’t have to dig through a bag of them to find the matches.

10. Use shoes as storage.

Shoes typically take up a ton of space in a suitcase/carry-on, so use every inch inside of them to store things!

Place smaller objects inside, like jewelry, small cases, socks, cords, and makeup. Brilliant!

I hope that you’ll pack a carry-on only now by using these tips and tricks! A simply packed bag offers you more time to enjoy your trip or vacation as it should be enjoyed. Less stress to prepare and less stress to pack up on your way home!

Like the tips in this post? Pin the image below!