I’m a huge supporter of travelling light! No matter how long your trip is, I strongly believe that a carry-on is always enough! If you too want to say goodbye to checked bags, keep on reading for the ultimate summer carry-on packing list!!
Which carry-on should i get?
First and foremost, it is important to have a good carry-on suitcase. It makes sense to invest in a good quality suitcase, that will last you many trips.
Opens in the middle
If you can choose, I would recommend getting one that opens in the middle. This will give you two “separate” spaces, which I personally believe makes packing and finding things afterwards a lot easier.
Check the dimensions
Another thing to consider is the size. There are tiny carry-ons, and there are also quite large ones that definitely push the limits of the allowed dimensions. If there is an airline that you use most frequently, I would definitely check their exact allowed dimensions to be on the safe side.
4 wheels
There are suitcases with 2 wheels and with 4 wheels. I would definitely go for the 4 wheel ones, since they are sooooo much easier to move around. If you’re buying in store, move the suitcase around a little (as you would at the airport), to check that the wheels turn smoothly.
Expandable
I can also recommend an expandable carry-on suitcase. If you stuff your suitcase to the max, during your trip you can still expand it to not need to worry about closing it each time you move around. Should you find some amazing souvenirs or want to do some shopping along the way, an expandable suitcase will also give you some extra space to bring things back. Even if you might need to check your bag for that…
Hard or soft shell
This is also a preference. Hard shell carry-ons are a bit more durable in my opinion. On the other hand, soft-shell suitcases tend to be a little lighter in weight. Other than that, choose whatever you like best.
Here are some Samsonite suitcases I would recommend:
What about the weight restriction?
The answer here is: it depends! Since I live in Europe, most of my trips are also centered around Europe. The airlines here veeeery rarely check the weight of your carry on, if it doesn’t already “look” super heavy. If you have a regular sized suitcase, you should be fine. My carry-on is regularly over the allowed 8kg. It’s usually around 11-12kg, and I’ve never had a problem.
The situation might be different in other areas of the world, however! When I was visiting Australia last year, I found that they weigh EVERY SINGLE BAG on EVERY SINGLE FLIGHT! That was crazy to me! But knowing this, I checked my bag beforehand, even though it was “carry-on sized”.
I would highly recommend to do a little bit of google research, to try to find out what the situation is like at your desired destination. You will most likely find many forums already discussing this question.
Either way, I highly recommend to be aware of the official requirements (both weight, size and number of bags), so that you at least know whether you are “breaking” any of these rules in advance.
Let’s get packing: THE LIST
As I’ve mentioned before, I would stick to this list no matter whether your trip is 2 weeks or 2 months long. You really don’t need more clothes and stuff in general than what I will list below. If your trip is longer, just find a laundromat or let your accommodation wash it for you. Nevertheless, I would recommend to take at least 8 days worth of clothes, so that you can go at least one week without washing. Just as you would at home, right?
Clothing
- Min 8 tops (t-shirts, shirts, crop tops, etc…)
- 2 shorts
- 1 long pair of lightweight pants
- Min 8 underpants
- 1 bra
- Min 5 socks (it’s summer, you hopefully won’t need socks anyway…)
- 1 workout or board shorts
- 1 sports bra
- 1 lightweight cover up
- 2 dresses / jumpsuits (one nicer one)
- 1 skirt (optional)
- 2 bikinis / swimsuits
- PJ’s
- Laundry bag
Pro tip: You HAVE to use packing cubes! It will help you fit a lot more stuff, and your suitcase will be a lot more organized. I like to separate my shorts/t-shirts, and then underwear and swimwear in a separate cube.
Shoes
- Sneakers/workout shoes (best to travel with those on you)
- Flip flops
- All-rounder sandals
Tip: You do not need more than these three types of shoes with you, trust me!!! I personally pack all shoes in plastic bags.
Accessories
- 2 microfiber towels (one for showering, one for the beach)
- Water resistant bag / phone case
- Sunglasses (in a protective case)
- Sun hat
- Selfie stick / timer
- Crossbody bag
- Tote bag
TOILETRIES
- Toothbrush
- Concealer
- Waterproof mascara
- Regular mascara
- Make up wipes
- Razor
- Tampons/pads
- Hair ties / clips
- Lip balm
Note: If you’re going to a hot and humid climate, you really DON’T need more make up than this!! You will not use it, trust me, I’ve made that mistake before 🙂
Liquids
- Toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Mini perfume
- Mini shampoo and conditioner
- Mini face cleanser
- Hand sanitizer
- Sunscreen (mini or buy at destination)
- Mosquito spray (mini or buy at destination)
Note: You will most likely need to buy sunscreen and mosquito repellant at you destination anyway, since a travel-sized container will probably not be enough. Depending on the location, it is even advisable to buy the local mosquito repellant, since it is adapted to work specifically for the local sort!
Tech
- Go pro and charger + floating handle for use in the water
- Phone and charger
- Adapter
- Laptop and charger (optional)
- Headphones
- Power bank
Other
- Travel pharmacy (Aspirin, Itinerol, Bioflorin, Buscopan, Strepsils, Hansaplast, Bepanthen, and any other personal medications you take
- Pocket knife (Victorinox): This one you need to handle with caution. I’ve taken my pocket knife to many destinations around the world without issues (e.g. all over Europe and the United States, however I’ve had to hand it over at security in Asia and South Africa). It’s very useful to have though, hence if you can handle losing it I would try to take one. I personally have this one.
- Snacks
- AirTag
- Necessary visas
- Passport
- Wallet
- Driving license
- Glasses
- Travel pillow
- Pen
- Lock (to lock your valuables)
If you’re allowed to take a backpack and a carry-on suitcase, I would probably put everything from the categories “Liquids”, “Tech” and “Other” into the backpack. The actual carry-on would then only hold your shoes and clothes.
That’s it, if you follow this packing list you’re set and ready for your upcoming trip! If you’re looking for other travel related tips, check out this page!