How to Travel With Only Hand Luggage
Wanting to save money whilst travelling? One of the main ways you can do this is travelling with only hand luggage
Airlines these days often stipulate an extra charge for a suitcase to go in the hold. Often as much as £30-£55 for one case one way.
Although your ticket and flight may be as little as £30, it could cost you £140 if you want a suitcase too. When Ed and I travel, it’s with hand luggage only. I am always surprised at how much you could take in a small hand luggage size suitcase or backpack.
Check Airport Policy
Since tourist attacks in the 2000s, you are limited with the liquids you can take on the plane.
I never read anywhere but at our local airport, the policy was that all the 100ml bottles had to fit in 1 sandwich bag. Therefore couldn’t fit 10 bottles in.
We, therefore, on that occasion had a bit of a problem going through security as it didn’t matter how many bottles but they had to fit in one sandwich bag that could be sealed.
So check individual airport policies first
Putting Your Luggage in the Hold for Free
It's becoming more and more popular to travel with hand luggage only due to extortionate costs for hold luggage. Which is easily more than your actual flight sometimes. And in the plane, there are only so many lockers above the seats.
It often isn’t very well known but just before you board the plane airlines are taking your luggage and then putting it in the hold for free if there are too many people with hand luggage or even if they think your bag is a little big
This saves you from waiting at the baggage drop off and paying for an extra bag
Choice of Luggage Bag
Seems like an obvious question, but what are you using to pack your stuff in?
Different airlines and companies have different stipulations for the size of luggage that is accepted as hand luggage. Either a small suitcase (around 21L) or a backpack
The backpack we find is very open to interpretation to whether it is considered hand luggage or not. It isn't considered normal luggage so may have to go through extra checks
Anything above 50L isn't usually within the measurements provided. However, we find a lot of people slipped through the net with whether it is considered hand luggage and honestly is worth the risk
Liquid Bottles
I did a lot of reading before travelling by hand luggage only. To be honest, though, I couldn't find many bloggers who had written about it. Across the majority of airlines, they stipulated up to ten 100ml bottles per person
You may think 10 bottles is quite a lot, but you would be surprised how easy 10 bottles mount up. Sun cream, after sun, makeup, contact lens solution, it mounts up very quickly!
There is also a lot of these items you can buy once you’ve reached your destination! Taking up even less space and what your taking, could even be cheaper at your destination
Not Taking Unnecessary Items
This is a constant battle with yourself. What to take, what not to take. How long is your trip. How much clothes do you need for that amount of time. When may you be able to wash anything? So many thoughts
But you always end up taking so much stuff you don’t need. There is also a lot of items you can buy once you’re on your travels.
Why not leave space in your luggage to collect items? New, original clothes from exotic destinations you’ve travelled too?
Plan to wash clothes in certain parts of your trip. A washing machine is the obvious choice, however you can always wash things in an apartment in a sink or even in the shower if you’re stuck!
Ed and I are continuously trying to cut down our possessions and what is actually necessary. When planning for your trip, thoroughly think about whether that item is entirely necessary
Towels
Beach Towels
Before we go away any where hot, I always used to buy a new beach towel. However, once you’ve used one, I used to think they went weird after you wash them, and it's always nice to buy something new. But it’s purely out of habit, it’s probably perception I think it went weird because in more recent wears I use the same towel again and again and its just fine. My own perception at the time
Every supermarket and shop abroad sells beach towels for the same price or cheaper than at home. They also take up a fair amount of space in your hand luggage suitcase when travelling with hand luggage only.
Space that could be used to take more clothes and prevent having to spend that extra money paying for hold luggage.
Microfibre Towels
Travelling with a backpack? Or need to take a towel to dry yourself after a shower, or a swim in a river? Microfibre towels dry you super quick and dries itself in seconds too! You can get them in varied sizes, and roll up into its own little bag
Shoes and Heavy Clothing
Whilst some airlines say its 10kg for hand luggage others just state size of hand luggage. While travelling we rarely have our hand luggage measured or weighed, but on occasion, we have! Especially if you haven’t checked in online.
We've previously also used our large backpacks which were just fine. Airlines don't tell you, but if there are too many people with hand luggage, they will put your bag in the hold for free.
Heavy shoes such as wedges or big sandals are weighty as well as they take up a lot of space. I would suggest if you’re wanting to take heavier shoes or clothing then wear them to travel in, then you’re taking up much less space in your small suitcase too.
When wearing our walking books we always travel in them. They are our most comfortable shoes but also big. In hot countries, I'm not too fussed about heels or anything, but if you are, wear them on the plane!
Underwear
I’m not sure about other countries, but in Britain, it seems to be a running joke that when travelling somewhere for 7 days, you’ll take about 10 pairs of underwear. Meaning an extra 3 pairs.
It's quite funny when you think really, have you ever weed or pooed yourself at home? Then why would you do it abroad? (obviously, I can't vouch for everyone).
It was Ed that pointed it out and it was quite hilarious that everyone does it all of the time. If you’re wearing a bikini or swimsuit all day, you won’t even wear underwear for that long amount of time. Easy space to save when your travelling with hand luggage only.
You can also wash items where ever your staying, in local laundrettes or even the sink or shower!
Fortunately, underwear doesn’t actually take up much room, so a few extra pairs I suppose won’t make an awful lot of difference
Other Clothing
How much clothing do you actually need?
When Ed and I travelled around mainland Europe for 3 weeks we took 10 days worth of clothing and this was still too much
10 tops, about 5 pairs of trousers, 2 pairs of shoes and 10 sets of underwear. After the trip, we said we wouldn't take as much as that as it was still too much
We had to carry out backpacks around sometimes and we would much rather wear things again, and carry less items so our bags are smaller and lighter
I would put what you want to take in a pile and generally cut it down by half. Then you probably have what you need
Packing Your Clothes
Rolling Your Clothes
We heard a lot about rolling your clothes when packing from different people over the years but we were never entirely sure of doing it. But once we’d done it, we will never go back to just laying it all on top of each other (if not using packing cubes!).
Suitcases have indents where the handles are and by rolling your clothes you can fit them into smaller gaps. By doing this you can therefore, take more clothes!
Packing Cubes
When travelling with our backpacks, we only ever use packing cubes. I never fully believed in them before I used them.
They are small zippy bags to store your clothes in. We use 4-5 of them. 1 for tops, 1 for trousers, 1 for underwear and socks, 1 for dirty clothes and 1 usually for electrical cables.
When travelling it is easier to pull out a packing cube, take out a nicely folded top, and put the packing cube back away. This way, you don't have to rummage through a big bag, disturbing all of your clothes and making everything creased.
One of the smallest bags I have taken on a trip was a small hand luggage case for a weeks trip to Majorca. I used to always take a 22kg suitcase when travelling anywhere. But now I just find it totally unnecessary.
The amount of stuff you can buy there and the amount of clothes you can fit into a suitcase or backpack appropriate for hand luggage is a lot more than you may think.
I always manage to take everything I need and still end up taking more
For a week away trip in a small suitcase I managed to pack:
3 pairs of shoes
7 tops
4/5 pairs of shorts
A dress
3 bikinis
Makeup
Underwear,
A hat
Bumbag
6 bottles
Travel plugs and more!
I think there is a lot of anxiety surrounding packing, and whether you’re taking enough or what you need. But if you didn't , would it really be the end of the world? Make it more of exploring your destination by shopping and exploring the cities in search for your items
We couldn’t imagine ever going back to packing a huge suitcase for a smallish trip. Everything is harder to carry and just makes the experience worse, as well as saving money for not paying for those extortionate extra costs
