Traveling with hand luggage – how to learn how to travel with a minimum of things and not use a suitcase.
When buying inexpensive tickets for 25-50 Euros, remember that this price has one big limitation: a cheap ticket does not include luggage – only small hand luggage.
I tell you how I travel with a small backpack, what I must take with me and what I don’t need at all, how I pack things in a small backpack for a short trip.
Dimensions of free hand luggage
Each airline has its own requirements for the size and weight of small hand luggage. Manufacturers of backpacks and suitcases do not always keep up with the changes in these requirements – there is always an insignificant difference of several centimeters on each side. Often, air handlers or airline representatives do not pay attention to this difference. However, they can still check the volumes on a special frame if the dimensions significantly exceed the requirements. Sometimes passengers have to pay extra for a much larger bag or suitcase (not all carriers allow you to pack a suitcase as a small carry-on).
Dimensions of free hand luggage of locomotives (suitcases with handles and wheels):
| Airline | Type of hand luggage | Size of small hand luggage, cm | Maximum weight, kg |
| Ryanair | Bag or backpack | 40x25x20 | No restrictions |
| Wizz Air | Bag or backpack | 40x30x20 | 10 |
| easyJet | Bag, or backpack, or suitcase | 45x36x20 | 15 |
| Vueling | Bag or backpack | 40x20x30 | No restrictions |
What to pack in a small backpack and what to leave at home
I have my own main rule: don’t take anything unnecessary. Before I decide what I need on the road, I try to imagine several situations where I will wear the things I have decided to take on my trip.
Clothing
I take only multifunctional things on my trips according to the weather forecast. In cold weather, jeans are suitable for any ghost – you can walk around the city in them, and even go to the theater if you want (nowadays, this is much easier to see). An oversized sweatshirt will protect you from the cold, and the hood is always there if you need to wear a hat. A warm long sleeve T-shirt – if you need to wear something under your sweatshirt to keep you even warmer. In the summer, everything is generally simpler – light dresses, shorts, pants, you can take a thin palanquin just in case it gets a little cooler.
Linen is based on hand washing and line drying: two or three sets are enough. In summer it dries quickly, in winter hang it on the radiator or towel rail in the bathroom.
I put on heavy and bulky things whenever possible: I put on boots, a jacket, a sweater, a down vest whenever possible. If necessary, you can take off the excess on the plane.
Tip: buy a small 10-liter folding backpack made of raincoat – I bought it in Decathlon. It costs a penny and weighs almost nothing. You can put the things you took off on the plane in it. Or after the flight, distribute what you put in your pockets before boarding the plane.
It is also convenient to walk around the city with it, buy food in the supermarket with it. Not only a scarf and a water bottle will fit in it, but even a small laptop with a diameter of 13″ (tested – I carry my laptop like this if I need to work in a cafe or if I can’t leave it at the hostel.
Hygiene and cosmetics
I take hygiene products and cosmetics in samples and small bottles. I try not to take even the allowed volume of 100 ml with me – it’s better to pour the shampoo and gel into a smaller container, calculating the number of times you will go to the shower.
Dry shampoo and hair balm are great for traveling – they will last for many trips because they are very economical and take up almost no space. Samples of your favorite cream or cleanser don’t take up much space in your luggage either.
I also try to read in advance in the description of the hotel I plan to book whether the room has shower gel and shampoo, towel, toothpaste, and hairdryer. If so, you don’t need to put it all in your bag.
Instead of an umbrella, it’s a raincoat that folds into a small bag. And instead of a huge terry towel, there’s a microfiber travel towel.
I always take an empty plastic bottle with me. Alternatively, you can buy a flexible bottle for all your future travels. In many European cities, tap water is available for drinking, as well as at airports. You can always get free water, and if necessary, squeeze an empty bottle. So I took water in the Camino – The drinking fountains in Spain have clean water. In Paris and Rome, you can also drink water from street taps and fountains without worrying about your health.
How to pack a small backpack to fit everything
Once you have decided on your belongings, you need to pack them properly.
Put the most necessary things closer to the top of the backpack or bag. And put the most unnecessary or heavy and bulky things, such as an extra pair of shoes, at the bottom of your backpack.
Another skill is to put one thing into another. For example, you can put socks and a raincoat in your spare sneakers to fill the empty space.
Try not to use extra balls – they take up more space. Checked! Pack only shoes in the balls so that they do not stain other things. There is also a separate laundry bag.
It’s better to put your laptop on the back side, so it’s protected from bumps and takes up little space.
It is better to put the hygiene bag in an outer pocket or on the top of a backpack. During aviation security, you will be asked to put out all your liquids anyway, so you don’t have to put out all your other belongings first to get them.
Pack things compactly: roll them up instead of folding them like you used to do at home. Things in a roll take up less space and are much easier to slide into small voids. Plus, they won’t wrinkle and you won’t have to look for an iron. It is enough to hang them on hangers so that they hang before putting them on.
What happens if you take more than the airline requires?
There are a lot of memes on the Internet about how to carry as many things as possible in a small bag on an airplane. Don’t abuse the requirements of air carriers – if they find fault with you, you may not be able to catch the plane at all and not fly anywhere. Or you’ll have to pay at the airport for the extra baggage (which is many times more expensive than online).
Another issue is unbanned life hacks. For example, instead of a handbag, I use a banana bag that I carry on my belt or over my shoulder. It’s easy to put on under a jacket, and it can hold documents, money, a phone and headphones, a small cream, the medicines you need on the plane, and some other small items.
If you’re traveling with an inflatable pillow to make it more comfortable to sleep sitting up, inflate it and hang it around your neck so it doesn’t take up space in your backpack.
When purchasing goods in Duty-free, find out in advance whether the airline allows you to carry them as an extra piece of baggage. If not, buy small items, preferably those that can fit in a coat or jacket pocket.
Traveler’s packing list
Make sure nothing is left out with a handy checklist:
Things you need
- Passport
- Boarding passes (paper or downloaded to your phone)
- Foreign cash
- Credit/bank cards
- Paper maps or maps downloaded to the phone/directions and route indicated in them
- Electronic directory, downloaded to the phone
- First aid kit
- Travel insurance policy – paper or downloaded to your phone
- Belt pouch for money, cards and documents
- Backpack
- Small combination lock for use in hostels
Electronics
- Camera and charger (if you use one)
- Mobile phone and charger
- Tablet and charger – I take a laptop because I work on the road
- Headphones
- Adapters (see below)
- Headlamp (buy new batteries)
- Waterproof document bag
- Backup hard disk as needed
Clothing
- Lightweight jacket
- Waterproof raincoat
- Fleece or sweatshirt
- Casual shirts, long-sleeved T-shirts
- Lingerie
- T-shirts
- Pants for walking or trekking
- Leggings
- Shorts
- Skirt for walking (I take it to the sea)
- Dresses (for relaxation instead of trekking pants)
- Sandals/sandals
- Vietnamese in the shower
- Sneakers/comfortable shoes
- Belt for pants, skirt
- Thin, trekking socks
- Clothes for sleeping (I have the same leggings and T-shirt)
- Hat/sun hat
- Swimsuit
- Sarong/shawl/buff.
- Quick-drying towel
Cosmetics
- Sunscreen
- Body lotion/moisturizer
- Insect and mosquito repellent
- Deodorant
- SPF lip balm
- Razor and shaving cream
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Soap/body wash
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Comb
- Disposable wipes
- Hygienic products
- File/nippers
- Tweezers
- Bug spray (advised to have it if you spend the night in hostels)
- Laundry kit: travel detergent, braided clothesline, clothespins
- Hand sanitizer
- Dental floss
- Earplugs – ear plugs
- Sunglasses
Miscellaneous (optional and necessary)
- Painkillers
- Glasses
- Contact lenses and solution
- Book
- Waterproof watch
- Beach towel
- Perfume
- Water bottle
- Sleeping bag
- Travel pillow under the neck
- Sewing kit
- Bowl/cup/spoon
Pros and cons of traveling with small hand luggage
Traveling with small carry-on luggage is all about consciousness and planning. In order to avoid paying extra for luggage or an extra suitcase, which often costs the same amount as a plane ticket, you’ll have to think carefully about what you really need to take with you on your trip, plan your travel style and entertainment.
Pros:
Such travel gives you more freedom of movement. With a small backpack, you can arrive in a new city early in the morning and walk around freely, without waiting for hotel check-in time or looking for luggage storage. The same goes if the flight is late in the evening and there is simply no place to leave your things.
If you’re flying between Schengen countries, or even within the same country, you don’t have to stand in line at the check-in desk to check your luggage and documents. Without luggage, you can download an electronic boarding document to your phone and immediately go to the aviation security area and then board.
Cons:
Of course, there are also disadvantages to traveling with small carry-on luggage: it’s hard to travel from summer to winter – you need to take warm clothes, but you can’t wear them when you’re warm (you can get heatstroke). Or if you are going to a ski resort or plan to go on a mountain hike, small carry-on luggage will not be enough.
Conclusions:
With a small backpack, it’s ideal to fly somewhere for two or three days in one or more European cities. You probably won’t need many things to walk around the city. And if you have a spontaneous shopping trip, you can buy additional carry-on baggage or luggage. Most airlines allow this option to be done online a few hours before check-in – at the airport, it will cost much more.
Useful links for travel planning:
Car rental – cheap car rental options in Ukraine Rentalcars.com.
Hotels – I traditionally book on Booking.com.
Do not save on health insurance – it is convenient to buy it online on the portal EKTA.
What else to read:
- Omio ticketing service gives a 10 Euro discount
- 49€-Ticket – a new travel card in Germany (information updated on 2024)
- Transportation in Turkey – the best options for traveling around the country
