Jul 16, 2024 3 min read

How to Travel for a Month with Only a Carry-On Bag

Traveling for a month with only a carry-on bag might seem like a sci-fi scenario. Especially if you tend to take your entire wardrobe, all your cosmetics, perfumes, and accessories on vacation.

Travel for a Month with Only a Carry-On Bag

With a bit of organization, combining clothing pieces that ensure outfits for every moment of the day and efficient packing methods, you can travel for a month with only a carry-on bag.

I have compiled a list of 10 clothing items that I take with me:

  1. Underwear Pack enough underwear for a week, along with two sports bras. Personally, I prefer sports bras. They are much more comfortable, take up less space, and can be worn under a low-cut top.

If you think this might be too little, I'll tell you that I also pack a small bag of detergent. Or I buy it there.

  1. Bodysuits One with long sleeves, one with short sleeves. One of the most versatile pieces in my wardrobe is the bodysuit. Ever since I discovered it, I've loved it and never leave it behind. Especially since I was diagnosed with a herniated disc and even a slight breeze can send me to the emergency room. An opaque bodysuit can be worn on its own, as a top, or combined with a shirt, jacket, or cardigan.
  2. T-Shirts, Tank Tops, Tops Two of each. These are versatile pieces that, in various combinations, can be worn at the beach, on a hike, for lunch, and even for a not-so-fancy dinner.
  3. Pants I confess that I feel much better in pants than in a skirt or dress. They are much more practical when you walk a lot and use public transportation. I always have three pairs: shorts, capris, and long pants. Depending on the season I travel, I take linen pants or jeans. It's true that a woman's wardrobe shouldn't be without an elegant skirt or dress. But in my travel bag, they have neither time nor place, as the poet said.
  4. Long-Sleeve Shirts and Blouses Two of each, both elegant and casual. Even in summer, in the evening by the sea, on the ferry, or even in the airport, I sometimes feel the need for something warmer. An elegant shirt with a pair of jeans also saves me on a special evening.
  5. Flip-Flops, Sneakers, Sandals, Ballet Flats The biggest mistakes I've made while traveling are related to inappropriate footwear. Many times in the summer, I've limited myself to flip-flops and sandals. Sometimes, in the evening, I felt my feet freezing. And when I had to hop over some rocks on the way to the beach, wearing flip-flops, I gave a new definition to extreme sports. Since then, a pair of sneakers like New Balance are a must-have.
  6. Cardigan/Jacket/Hoodie The weather can be quite changeable, and at sea, the wind blows much more fiercely than on land. Thus, depending on the season I travel, spring, summer, fall, one of these saves me.
  7. Swimsuit At least two, preferably one-piece. A mix of a two-piece and a one-piece works too. The idea is to always have a dry one. Once, the air was so humid that they wouldn't dry from one day to the next.
  8. Sun Hat, Scarves Besides the protection they offer, they can be very chic accessories. A scarf over a swimsuit, a wide-brimmed hat, and a pair of sunglasses transform you from a tourist into a spectacular appearance. Additionally, tied around the neck, on the hips, over the shoulders, or even rolled as a turban, scarves are an accessory I never part with.
  9. Backpack, Wallet-Purse I've noticed that large bags that can fit even the owner if she tries hard enough are still in fashion. I don't like them much because I tend to fill them with unnecessary things. And since airlines change their baggage policies almost as often as we change our underwear, I don't want to pay for a handbag the price of checked luggage. Like with clothing, where layers are key, I always have a small backpack and a wallet-purse. These are enough to carry my documents, money, phone (which replaces the camera), two pairs of glasses, and a few small items.

What do you pack to travel for a month with only a carry-on bag?

I look forward to your answer in a comment.

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