Let us preface this post with the fact that many of us could improve at packing a carry-on only for even a long weekend trip away on a plane.
As the owners of a high-end fashion consignment store, we are all about fashion, and that doesn’t change on our travels. We like to look cute when we travel and have options at our fingertips, which doesn’t always go hand in hand with traveling light.
But based on the crazy amounts of lost luggage reports we have read about this past holiday season, we are determined to get out winter essentials into a carry-on only for wintery weekend getaways from now on.
The top 3 things that you need to pack your winter carry-on like a pro are
- A Packable Down Jacket – You need one that packs down super small and keeps you warm.
- Packing Cubes – You can’t attempt to pack carry-on only in winter without these incredible space savers. Trust us; they will make your life so much easier.
- A Waist/Crossbody Pack – My pro hack: wear under your heaviest layers onto the plane, and you just bought yourself extra baggage without anyone noticing.
How to Pack Carry-On Only in Winter
THE PACKING STRATEGY
Attempting to pack carry-on only in winter definitely takes a little planning ahead of time. The first step is to take stock of your destination and the activities you’ll be doing there. Is it a city or a more nature-focused locale? Will you spend most of your time outdoors or hopping between buildings in an urban setting?
If you’re visiting a city, you still want to stay warm, but you can get away with fewer functional layers as there’s always a coffee shop around the corner to warm up in.
But here is our carry-on luggage packing strategy based on your Winter Capsule wardrobe for a mix of nature and city weekend trip to a wintery climate.
Winter Capsule Wardrobe Carry-On/Packing Contents:
- Underwear (bring enough for the length of your trip or plan to do laundry)
- 1 daily essential bra
- 1 sports bra (for comfort)
- 1 pair waterproof winter boots (ideal with tread – our favorite brands are Sorel, Keen and Sperry)
- 1 pair of stylish leather boots (one of these pairs of boots will need to be worn on the plane.)
- 1 pair of jeans (best if they’re not your tightest pair so you can fit long underwear underneath)
- 1 set of thermal shirt and lined leggings (for really cold weather)
- 2 tank tops
- 2 t-shirts
- 3-4 long sleeve shirts
- 3 sweaters (we love the oversized cardigan, turtleneck, 1 more stylish sweater)
- 1 heavy duty winter parka (for outdoor travel) or a more stylish wool coat for city travel (wear this on the plane)
- 1 easily packable down jacket
- 2 pairs of hefty wool socks – wool socks are great for wearing with shorter boots
- 1-2 pairs of thinner wool socks to go with leather boots
- Bathing Suit (if there’s a hot tub)
- 1 pair of fingerless gloves (easier for using phone/camera)
- 1 pair of mittens for really cold days
- 1-3 Beanies depending on your preference (we love black, gray and a color hat to mix up looks)
- 1 small bag/purse for daily use when not in transit
- Sunglasses
- 1 pair of pajamas
We are currently accepting your winter consignments; if you have anything from this packing list that you are no longer in love with, please bring it into us.