Packing for One Month in a Carry On

This post is more about what I learned, rather than how I packed. It was an essential conversation to be had as there were some mistakes I would like to not make again and, before I get too negative, there were some things I found to be perfect. One good thing about my prior familiarity with capsule wardrobes was that I had already worked with some of my clothes and had used them in previous capsules, that made the process of assembling outfits very efficient.

My Successes

After laying out all of the clothes, I rolled them into the Eagle Creek packing cubes I had bought for just the purpose.

I did end up buying two of their cube sets. The primary reason for the purchase was the fact that I knew I would be using them in my future travels, and my husband will also be making use of them. I have been a constant victim of folded clothes in a large suit case that end up becoming a mishmash of patterns by the end of the stay. The packing cubes made everything simple, streamlined, and controlled. I could flip my carry on from one side to the next and find which cube contained my scarfs and which contained my tops and bottoms.

My essentials were organized as such:

Toiletry bag – that I could hang in the bathroom and have everything accessible for showering purposes as well as small packets of laundry detergent for every week.
A large cube for scarves and undershirts
Small cubes for under scarves and undergarments
Slippers (a month of stay in a hotel room needed some protection against my barefoot-at-home habit) + charging cables
A simple black abaya to put on over my pajamas should the need arises (especially during fajr prayer time)
Large packing cubes for tops and bottoms
Medium cube for pajamas and leggings
A pack of wipes

With this method, not only for packing, but also during my stay, I was able to keep my items organized in chest drawers, while maximizing space and leaving plenty of room for my roommate to unpack her belongings.

Needless to say, there are some things that were to be used daily and disposed of. Those things, like shaving cream and certain feminine care products, arrived in a neatly packed Amazon box directly to the hotel room. I ordered them beforehand and allowed myself the convenience of their 2-day guaranteed shipping. It was a headache I was happy to avoid.

In the toiletry department, I discovered some new methods. One of my top concerns was taking my oil based cleanser+moisturizer and sunscreen (I use Living Libations religiously). Previously, it had leaked into my ziplock bag or my method of choice included Saran Wrap and tape that eventually became a soggy, goopy mess. And then this glorious solution popped into my mind: Essential Oils Eye Dropper Glass Bottles.

Affordable, simple, under 3-oz for the carry-on limit and hassle free, this allowed me to carry my products without any special tape and a wrap concoction. There were absolutely no leaks. Since all of the bottles looked the same, I tried multiple methods to differentiate them for my needs. I scribbled onto them with a sharpie, a simple “S” and “C”, and in case that would not work, I grabbed onto my washi collection and labeled them accordingly. My concern was that washi would slip off due to it being exposed to accidental oil run offs, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it stayed perfectly. They are still happily sitting on my shelf to take with me on my next travel.

My Lessons

1. I skimped out on some essentail toiletry items. Because my shampoo (from Living Libations, of course) stated that there is no need for a conditioner, I opted to leave it at home. What a mistake! My hair were not a sight to be loved most of the month. Although they were not as frizzy as they would have been if I was using conventional products, they did not highlight their full potential and seemed a little difficult to work with for the brief moments I was without my scarf. I definitely needed a conditioner and it was dearly missed.

2. Perfectly packed before-the-trip suitcase means there is absolutely no room for any additional items that I may want to bring back home with me. To be fair, I did not anticipate needing to bring back anything as it was an intensive language course filled with full-day lesson plans. Boy was I wrong! The binder from the course itself, a whopping 4″ beauty, was a sight to behold. I had to sacrifice a few things in my purse in order to fit that bugger in (my slippers, you were missed, and then replaced). In addition, the two ceramic and glass items that I had purchased from WalMart to make the hotel room stay comfortable also led me to sacrifice one of my clutches which I keep in my bag to hold various items.

3. Speaking of my purse, since it was all meant to be a carry-on adventure, everything was full to the brim. Everything was heavy, too heavy at times, to lug around from one terminal to the next. The 360 rotation wheels on the luggage were a Godsend as they made the trekking a lot easier than it would have been. Because my purse was not affixed on top of the luggage, it had a tendency to fall down at random times. Not to mention, planes ran out of room in the overhead compartment fairly quickly because no one wants to pay their ghastly fees. That led to my carry on bag being taken into cargo, which I had to pick up afterwards, and carry to my next destination.

4. Lastly, and probably one of the most strong lessons, was the capsule wardrobe. I took too little clothes. I did not expect myself to feel that way, but after a month of working with same outfits, everything became less exciting. A few more outfits, or a few more items, would have made things a little less boring. Some of those items are hiding from my view and did not make it to my current capsule.

I hope my success and lessons help you in your future adventures.

– S