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5+1 Tricks to save on preparing your hand luggage: Travel without paying for an extra suitcase
Ryanair was the precursor and we all got half-angryWhat is this about not being able to carry my hand luggage suitcase? How do they expect them to carry only a small backpack? What a nuisance when it's almost worth more caror add a suitcase to the flight.
As I said, the first one was Ryanair, and I didn't criticize it.carThat's because it's their business model; basic flights and charging for any extra amenities, a deal which is already useful for me and has also taught me (or almost forced me) to learn to travel lighter.. Now other airlines have joined in to create this basic fare, such as Vueling, EasyJet the hungarian Wizz and many others so It is increasingly important to learn to travel with a backpack.
- 1. Make a minimalist toiletry bag
- 2. Use packing cubes
- 3. Plan your outfits in advance
- 4. Take advantage of the nooks and crannies
- 5. Choose carefully what clothes to wear on the day of the flight
- 6. Extra tip! If you can't get everything to fit, try this
- What backpack to buy to fly with low-cost companies?
These 5+1 tricks to save space in your hand luggage can also be appliedcar Perfect for a longer vacation and flying with just hand luggage, without paying for baggage.car a big one.
1. Make a minimalist toiletry bag
Here, as in any baggage, there is something that is often said and it is very true, If you have space you fill it, so better not to have and opt for small toiletry bags.
You may need a lot of different things, but not a lot of them. So buy little bottles of different sizes like these, You will find them in any store. This way you save space and weight.
If not, I also recommend trying to use more solid cosmetics such as shampoo, gel bar, easy cleanser... the options are increasing and for most trips it is the most comfortable and sustainable. In this post You can see the details of everything that was in our toiletry bag for 6 months traveling, honestly we didn't miss anything.
2. Use packing cubes
Discovering them for me was the panacea! Order and space reduction, the perfect combination. Packing Cubes are organizers that compress clothes. There are only organizers, but I recommend the ones that compress, more versatile and useful for backpacking, such as these from Amazon that are like the ones we have.
How do we organize them?
To small backpacks We each carry a large packing cube with everything inside that fits perfectly in the backpack. In addition to another vacuum to put dirty clothes.
For large backpacks The ideal is to have at least a pack of 3 (small, medium, large). For example, I usually make bottoms and dresses in the large size, t-shirts in the medium size, underwear along with bikinis or other small things in the smallest size. Sometimes I carry as an extra another medium packing cube with sports clothes and a large one to store all the dirty clothes. Here You can see everything we carried in our backpack to travel through Latin America for 6 months.
3. Plan your outfits in advance
A simple but effective trick is have an idea of what you are going to wear each day to avoid putting things left and right that you end up not using. Do this little exercise of choosing clothes beforehand.
If you are short on space, another “trick” is to opt for basic outfits in which you can reuse pieces such as jeans or make sure that the jacket and scarf you choose goes with everything you are wearing.
4. Take advantage of the nooks and crannies
What I usually do is put the packing cube and toiletry bag in the backpack nowtake advantage of the gaps left in the corners or above for small things , the carPack a few small bottles that didn't fit in your toiletry bag, some flip-flops, or a tote bag. It doesn't matter if it looks "messy" or messy because these are usually one-hotel getaways. If you have more than one accommodation, don't worry, thanks to packing cubes, repacking your backpack is very quick.
5. Choose carefully what clothes to wear on the day of the flight
Dressing on the day of the flight is the most important thing It may sound obvious, but... It's the key! When you pack your backpack, remember to leave everything that takes up the most space and weighs for the day of the flight. For example, long jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt while you keep light clothing, sandals... If it's cold, choose to carry as much warmth as you can on or in your hand, no one will say anything to you for carrying a scarf and a couple of jackets in your hand, and on the other hand, if you put it in the backpack with just that you would fill it up. .
6. Extra tip! If you can't get everything to fit, try this
The cushion trick, maybe it sounds crazy, but it works. I haven't tried it, but I know several people who have and haven't had any problems. The famous cushion trick It consists of taking a not very large cushion cover and filling it with clothes.
Just as you can carry the typical neck pillow, it is also allowed on flights to carry a normal pillow. The ideal is that you don't use this technique and carry everything in your backpack, but if you find yourself in a hurry, remember that this somewhat rogue possibility exists, and it works!
For winter climates there is also a good little trick that we use to Iceland and we count on this Instagram reel.
What backpack to buy to fly with low-cost companies?
To meet airline requirements the maximum size would be about 30 liters, officially 40x20x25cm. If you fill the backpack to the full, it is very likely that you will go a little over the measurements. However, according to my experience and that of other travelers, They never cause a problem while you are carrying a backpack. (and of course, don't go overboard with being a giant). So rest assured, you can take advantage of every last millimeter.
The choice is very personal, but I recommend the following:
➜Decathlon pro backpack The basic one from Decathlon is the one we took with us as a second backpack on our 6-month trip through Latin America and we also used it to do the Camino de Santiago and many other getaways through Europe like Amsterdam.
What backpack to choose?
Whichever one you buy, I recommend you look at the following to choose your carry-on backpack:
1. That it has some exterior and interior pocket to organize small things easily.
2. Mesh grilles on the sides, it allows you to put something in case it doesn't fit inside and it is a good place to store your reusable bottle. Some only have ropes, I prefer it to have a flexible mesh.
3. Rope on top or mesh itself to hold, it will be especially good for hanging a jacket when you don't want to wear it.
4. Let it be as flexible as possible, especially those that have a very rigid and super padded back, they take away from the interior space of the backpack and make it look bigger. They may be more comfortable, but you are not going to do the Camino de Santiago, it is only to the airport and get to the accommodation.
With these 5+1 tricks for traveling alone with a backpack, you won't have to pay for carry-on luggage and you can use those €30 - €40 per person to eat delicious food or use it to buy the next flight.
And of course If you have any other recommendations, do not hesitate to leave it in the comments so that other travelers can read it. Thank you!
