Travelling Europe with a Carry On

When preparing for a trip, there are countless hours of planning and researching before arriving to your destination. Deciding where you are travelling to, where you are staying, what sights you are planning to see, and more.

This summer I travelled to Europe with my best friend and we were gone for 25 days. If packing for a long haul trip wasn't tricky enough... we travelled using only carry-on luggage! I know you are thinking, "that is crazy, why would someone do that?!". Believe me we were thinking the same thing. Let me tell you why we made this decision.

While planning our trip, we realized we were taking many different modes of transportation, including quick turn around flights from country to country. The last thing we wanted was to lose our luggage throughout our travels. So we decided that packing with only the essentials in our carry-on was the best way to go.

I am known to be an overpacker - like I am the one who brings 10 outfits for a two day getaway. I also LOVE my skincare and haircare routines, so that is a must when going on any trip. So needless to say, packing for almost a full month getaway was causing me some anxiety!

In this post I am going to dive into some of my must-have travel essentials that helped me successfully pack for a 20+ day getaway through Europe!

First, the luggage! This is probably the most important part of preparing for any type of trip. For me, luggage should be durable, functional, and if possible, cute! These reasons are why I always go with my trusted Bies luggage and products. I own both the checked luggage (size 26") and the carry-on. These suitcases are incredible! They have all the features you want and more. They come with waterproof compartments, drawstring bags, TSA approved built in lock, and my favourite feature, the built in weight indicator! This was a MUST when stuffing my baggage as full as possible before taking off. Bies luggage also comes in multiple colours to suit anyone's style needs. I personally have the checked luggage in beige and the carry-on in atlas pink.

I will also attach a few similar bags as well you can check out!

For my personal carry-on I also used a very popular Beis item - the Mini Convertible Weekender. I personally have the beige one, but I secretly want all of the colours... This bag is PERFECT for a quick getaway weekend or as a spacious personal carry-on item. One of my favourite features is the separate compartment at the bottom of the bag, this is where I put all my shoes. I could fit my three different sandals (waterproof & regular birks, as well as a "fancy" pair) and runners. The bag itself can fit multiple outfits, books, my iPad, travel documents, and I was able to hook my airplane pillow to the straps as well. The trolly pass through pocket at the back was honestly a life saver while running through the airport and I never had to worry about my bag falling off my suitcase!

I will also attach a few similar bags as well you can check out!

For my second, most important must have, I loved using these packing cubes! Not only did they allow me to optimize my space in my carry-on, but it also allowed me to be organized my entire trip. I knew exactly what items were in each cube, so I did not have take apart my suitcase every time I had an outfit change. These specific ones were also really great because they had the double zipper so you can compress your cubes without needing a vacuum tool. This gave me sooo much more space! I found these ones strong and the zippers were able to take a lot of pulling and tugging without any damage. I think packing cubes are a must for any long trip!

I will also attach a few similar packing cubes as well you can check out!

The last few items I am going to list with a quick description & links. I do consider these "must-haves" but I think they are fairly self-explanatory.

• On The Go Pill Organizer - this was amazing for keeping all my meds like, advil, gravol, & cold pills organized and in one area during my trip. I also loved that I could label each compartment.

• Passport Holder - I love having a passport holder that has compartments for cards, notes, and even a pen (Mine comes with a stylus on the end so I can use it on touch screens in public!). I have the Beis one, but I have also found some great ones on Amazon.

• Cosmetic Bags - You can never have enough small bags when packing! I always ensure I have some waterproof options, as well as regular bags of various sizes. I've used ones from Beis, Amazon, and even Indigo (tip: at Indigo I always look at their pencil cases because they come in various sizes and are really cute!)

• Cross Body Bag - Having a good crossbody bag is so important, especially if you are somewhere that might have pickpockets. They are stylish, but also very practical while exploring! Many stores carry a version of these, including, Aritzia, Beis, Amazon, and of course, Lululemon (which is where mine is from).
  

Similar Product Links:

• Suitcase Dupe (1)

• Suitcase Dupe (2)

• Suitcase Dupe (3)

• The Weekender Dupe (1)

• The Weekender Dupe (2)

• The Weekender Dupe (3)