How to save space while traveling via air

[islandgirlejfan]

We go carry on and still packed too much for 9 days!  We were on Holland this past cruise.  I almost find it hard to believe that I was ever a serious overpacker at one time!  I will continue the practice after one of our group had her luggage go missing and she was *hoping* it would show up in Curacao.  

I'm finding these days 3 pairs of shoes will do it.  I don't need 5 (yes, I packed 4 and had a pair on)

Marie Kondo folds for the win!  I have a bunch of new sets of compression cubes.  I just don't know what I was thinking (perhaps I wasn't!) but they just don't work well for me.  I graduated from bundling, which while it works, can be a pain in the butt.  

Knits, tanks, thinner material clothing. I also have ExOfficio undies....they dry fairly quick.  

We tried the laundry on HAL as a test for our TA next year.  It's a winner!  I will however be finding my clothespins for the handy clothesline that HAL still believes in.  It's helpful for wet clothing, but it's nice when you don't want to send your good undies out!  I will either cut up sheets or bring a small amount of detergent with me.

I bought medication bags and filled them.  They worked nice!

I don't believe I'm bringing the shampoo any longer.  What I used on the ship worked just fine, even on my dyed whatever the color is now hair!!  

We have done the toothpaste tablets.....big meh.  I'd rather just have a smaller tube of toothpaste.  They are ok in a pinch, but they aren't my thing.  I changed toothbrushes before leaving and packed our old ones.  Pitched them when we were done.  

Make a small first aid kit in an old glass case.  I needed Aleve or something like it for my planters fasciitis.  I brought Tylenol, which does not seem to relieve the pain.  15 dollars later at the ships small assorted items....I found Aleve-YAY, go me!  Put in Imodium, pain reliever, sinus pills, Ny-quil tabs, bandaids, antibiotic cream, anything else you might need.  I learned a valuable lesson on this one.  

I'm working on what I want to take for the TA.  October frightens me because I've lived in Europe.  I'm going to have this figured out though.


 

[clo]

6 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

I’m also bringing some camping gear.

Will the airline let you carry that on? And won't they charge you?

 

[SoloAlaska]

4 hours ago, clo said:

Will the airline let you carry that on? And won't they charge you?

 

I’m bringing a down quilt and sleeping pad which are very small but still figuring out what tent to bring. If the tents I have don’t fit in my carry on I am also considering renting a tent in Alaska. Just not allowed to bring tent pegs so I’ll have to buy new ones in Alaska.

[Truepeacenik]

On 1/17/2024 at 3:04 PM, clo said:

Will the airline let you carry that on? And won't they charge you?

 

Charges will be weight or oversized, and some tents get very small. Especially ultralight ones. I backpack and my base weight (pre food and water) is 27 ish pounds. I’m trying to drop that considerably.

 

Tent poles usually go through no problem, pegs are often a problem. As are hiking pole tips. They can be checked, however and I grumble and grudgingly plan to check those. (Same with paint tubes, which ships don’t allow anyway, so I pack pan watercolors. My 2 ml acrylic is sooooo dangerous. But people can bring lighters.)

[clo]

1 hour ago, Truepeacenik said:

Charges will be weight or oversized, and some tents get very small. Especially ultralight ones. I backpack and my base weight (pre food and water) is 27 ish pounds. I’m trying to drop that considerably.

 

Tent poles usually go through no problem, pegs are often a problem. As are hiking pole tips. They can be checked, however and I grumble and grudgingly plan to check those. (Same with paint tubes, which ships don’t allow anyway, so I pack pan watercolors. My 2 ml acrylic is sooooo dangerous. But people can bring lighters.)

Thank you SO much. I'll be sharing this with our daughter. The whole family are avid skier and just plain outdoors people. PS: Love your "name."

[Truepeacenik]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Thank you SO much. I'll be sharing this with our daughter. The whole family are avid skier and just plain outdoors people. PS: Love your "name."

You are so very welcome. 
 

it’s good to have random knowledge!

[clo]

1 minute ago, Truepeacenik said:

You are so very welcome. 
 

it’s good to have random knowledge!

She's going to Norway in March for a ski trip so might be good info. No need for a tent though on this trip.

[Truepeacenik]

1 minute ago, clo said:

She's going to Norway in March for a ski trip so might be good info. No need for a tent though on this trip.

I’m in Colorado. And I don’t ski.

But, I’d look into rental gear, honestly. 

[clo]

7 minutes ago, Truepeacenik said:

I’m in Colorado. And I don’t ski.

But, I’d look into rental gear, honestly. 

Yeah. I think they usually bring their boots and rent the rest.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Truepeacenik said:

I’m in Colorado. And I don’t ski.

rBut, I’d look into rental gear, honestly. 

Rock climbing? If so, are you familiar with Dirt Bag Diaries?

[Mary229]

With packing only carry on craze you can now almost guarantee a free courtesy carryon check at the airport.   Yes, the carry on thing is officially a craze now - I am calling it😂.  If I am traveling for 6 to 8 weeks I want some variety and comforts.  

[clo]

On 2/10/2024 at 8:45 AM, Mary229 said:

With packing only carry on craze you can now almost guarantee a free courtesy carryon check at the airport.   Yes, the carry on thing is officially a craze now - I am calling it😂.  If I am traveling for 6 to 8 weeks I want some variety and comforts.  

And I want you carry on to fit properly in the bin...if above me. Probably my biggest non-ethical problem.

 

[Mary229]

8 hours ago, clo said:

And I want you carry on to fit properly in the bin...if above me. Probably my biggest non-ethical problem.

 

It has gotten absolutely insane what people call carryon.  There is no enforcement in the US anymore.  Go to Europe and it is a different story.  I always pack to European standards. 

[Keksie]

If they would quit charging for at least one checked bag per person it would help with the overhead bin situation.  Just raise the airfare by $50 per person. 

[SoloAlaska]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

It has gotten absolutely insane what people call carryon.  There is no enforcement in the US anymore.  Go to Europe and it is a different story.  I always pack to European standards. 

People with massive packs that when in the plane take the space of 3 bags drive me nuts.

 

Carry on only isn’t a problem but people are who don’t follow the rules.

[57redbird]

4 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

People with massive packs that when in the plane take the space of 3 bags drive me nuts.

 

Carry on only isn’t a problem but people are who don’t follow the rules.

When we fly to Hawaii my hubby brings his cane (which he does need at times) & claims he needs extra boarding time so he can find space in the overhead bin...I board when it's my turn till our upcoming trip after my spine surgery - I'll see how I feel.

[SoloAlaska]

7 hours ago, 57redbird said:

When we fly to Hawaii my hubby brings his cane (which he does need at times) & claims he needs extra boarding time so he can find space in the overhead bin...I board when it's my turn till our upcoming trip after my spine surgery - I'll see how I feel.

Companions are encouraged to board along with disabled travel partners. My step dad also sometimes needs a cane especially after a flight. That pre boarding for carry on space is gold. 

[Korimako]

Are there no limits on size and weight of cabin baggage in the US?
Our national carrier's weight limit is 7kg and size limited to 118cm (H+W+D) including wheels.

That concentrates the mind wonderfully when packing one's carry-on!!

 

[SoloAlaska]

5 hours ago, Korimako said:

Are there no limits on size and weight of cabin baggage in the US?
Our national carrier's weight limit is 7kg and size limited to 118cm (H+W+D) including wheels.

That concentrates the mind wonderfully when packing one's carry-on!!

 

Limits yes but rarely enforced unfortunately from my experience in the US. I am Canadian and the carry on weight limit is that you have to be able to put it in the overhead bin unassisted which applies to the two largest airlines. The dimension limit is 53x38x23cm including handles and wheels but is not enforced consistently.

[Korimako]

2 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

Limits yes but rarely enforced unfortunately from my experience in the US. I am Canadian and the carry on weight limit is that you have to be able to put it in the overhead bin unassisted which applies to the two largest airlines. The dimension limit is 53x38x23cm including handles and wheels but is not enforced consistently.

You're lucky - ours is checked at check-in. If it's over the limit - weight or size, it has to be paid for and travel as checked baggage. And it costs much more if it has to go as checked baggage at that point, so we all know to stick to the limits. Which is what I meant by concentrating one's mind!!!

[SoloAlaska]

3 minutes ago, Korimako said:

You're lucky - ours is checked at check-in. If it's over the limit - weight or size, it has to be paid for and travel as checked baggage. And it costs much more if it has to go as checked baggage at that point, so we all know to stick to the limits. Which is what I meant by concentrating one's mind!!!

I can’t imagine having to keep it under 7kg being an easy one. I’ve been known to fly with a 16kg carry on when flying on business. Just a rolling hard shell bag alone can easily weigh 2.8kg which would only leave 4.2kg for actual things.

 

This is also part of the reason I don’t take flights within Europe when traveling on business. I’ll fly in from Canada and then take the train from there. My luggage won’t fit the maximums.

[57redbird]

11 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

I can’t imagine having to keep it under 7kg being an easy one. I’ve been known to fly with a 16kg carry on when flying on business. Just a rolling hard shell bag alone can easily weigh 2.8kg which would only leave 4.2kg for actual things.

 

This is also part of the reason I don’t take flights within Europe when traveling on business. I’ll fly in from Canada and then take the train from there. My luggage won’t fit the maximums.

Before there were size limits we bought Victorinox large suitcases....now hubby still uses his but I have a Delsey (which I'll trial next month to Maui).  I'm all about low weight but adequate space.  I think the V weighs 8 lbs empty.

[Kristelle]

I've wondered about these claims of people going on 2 week trips with only carry on and thought I could never manage that.

 

Makes sense now - they are not managing with 7kg limits either. 

[SoloAlaska]

10 minutes ago, Kristelle said:

I've wondered about these claims of people going on 2 week trips with only carry on and thought I could never manage that.

 

Makes sense now - they are not managing with 7kg limits either. 

It still can be done but a lightweight backpack helps. Doing laundry is essential.

[Kristelle]

Yes I'm sure it can if you are one of those people who want to do that.

 

I am not.