I have noticed throughout my life that whenever I secretly judge something, it always comes back to haunt me. I’m not talking about things I judge loudly, like not returning a shopping cart, but things I silently think that I will never do myself. I have long since abandoned such thoughts about parenting in particular, because I have learned that all I have to do to curse myself is to think I would NEVER let my kid do that or similar, and the thing happens.
One thing I have silently judged for as long as I can remember is people who travel with only carryon luggage; not the people with slim and light bags, but the people who take the maximum size possible and then jam that suitcase into the overhead compartment, leaving no room and no little inconvenience for the people around them. For god’s sake, I would think, meanly and with great resentment as I was forced to squash my tiny bag under the seat in front of me, Just pay the $25 and be done with it.
Well, here we are, in the summer of 2022, and the resounding chorus from anyone who has travelled is that a) their luggage got lost and was never found, b) their luggage was lost but was returned to them on the last day of vacation, rendering it essentially useless, and c) they waited for an hour to get their luggage at the airport terminal, while exhausted and already late due to a delayed flight. C is the Best Case Scenario.
My husband and I just got back yesterday from a long-anticipated trip to Mexico. We had a family vacation there planned in March of 2020, which turned into – after vaccines became available and we were so optimistic for the future – one for March of 2022, which would have coincided with both our 20th anniversary and our older son’s 18th birthday. We cancelled that trip in January 2022, what with everything going on, and it was lucky we did, as my son tested positive for Covid the day before we would have been due to leave. We decided to turn it into a vacation for just the two of us, and I have much to tell you about. First, though, luggage.
I am a notorious overpacker. For one thing, we have the kind of credit card that gives free checked luggage with every flight, which exposes my just pay the $25 thought process as privileged and tone-deaf. In any case, even before the free luggage benefit, I’ve never given it a second thought. Six black tank tops? Why not! Five pairs of shoes? Sure! When we travel by car, we take my minivan, which is generally stuffed full. But I will tell you this: the only thing that makes me feel more anxious than travelling without a giant suitcase full of my favourite things from home is LOSING that giant suitcase full of my favourite things from home. Therefore, given all the Lost Luggage Drama that has been a trademark of this summer’s travel, and with a lot of encouragement and tips from my friend Janet (HI JANET) I was determined that I could do it. I could do it! I could! I could go Carryon Only. Here’s how a terrible, spoiled overpacker ate her own words and went to Mexico with only a carryon suitcase and a smile.
Nicole’s Favourite Things: The Carryon Only Edition
Hold Me Closer, Tiny Toiletry Bottles
The biggest thing holding me back from taking only a carryon is, of course, toiletries. It will not surprise anyone to know that I use a wide variety of liquid-form toiletries and hair products on a daily basis, and, of course, that is something that is very restricted in carryon luggage.
Aside from the fact that I have an environmental issue with those tiny plastic bottles of toiletries, they seem to be following in the footsteps of lemon juice and popcorn, in that they are very hard to find right now. I don’t know what the Trial and Travel section looks like in your local drugstore, but I have visited a few in the past month and mine are largely empty swaths of space, interspersed with the occasional basket containing tiny bottles of Pert Plus and mouthwash, a few brands of tiny toothpaste, and, strangely, mini-spray-deodorants.
Janet clued me in to companies that sell little refillable bottles for exactly these purposes, and so of course I bought a few sets. I even found one that had little tiny SPRAY bottles, so I could fill them with my hair products. I did buy couple of tiny toothpastes, because what are you going to do, but most of my other products I just squeezed into the little bottles. Sunscreen was the biggest challenge but my favourite Ultra Sheer Neutrogena sunscreen is in a smallish bottle anyway, and I figured we could probably just buy sunscreen, if push came to shove.
My husband is a person who can travel with almost no toiletries; he’s happy to use whatever the hotel or resort supplies, which feels like a risky business to me, but which also meant that he could take a few of my things in his luggage.
I couldn’t decide between the pretty little silicone bottles or the ones with the case, so I got both. But check out the labels that came with them:
Are we bringing our own sauces with us? If so, it’s good that there is a label for it; we would hate to confuse a condiment with a body wash, and vice versa.
Waterproof Mascaras and the Wipes That Love Them
I don’t wear waterproof mascara very often, but it’s a must in Mexico, what with the humidity and the swimming. I recently bought the waterproof version of Maybelline’s Great Lash mascara in a fit of nostalgia; I used that mascara exclusively in my junior high years entirely due to an article in Sassy magazine about the Fancy Hollywood Makeup Artists who swore by it. You know what, it is a really good mascara; there is a lot of bang for the buck here.
When I use waterproof mascara at home I use a liquid remover with a microfibre cloth, but that seemed like a ridiculous waste of liquid packing space, so I decided to buy makeup remover wipes. I know! I know. They are environmentally terrible, but this is a special occasion and I promise I won’t do it again. It is well documented that I love Neutrogena everything, and so I bought these wipes and gave them a trial run before I left. They do the job perfectly; not a trace of mascara was left on my lashes, and no irritation around the eye area either.
Gleaming The Packing Cubes
My friend Kim (HI KIM), who travels a lot, mentioned packing cubes in a Facebook post as being “life-changing,” and so of course I investigated, and bought myself a set in a very pretty blue. Kim was RIGHT. Such a simple thing and yet it kept my little suitcase perfectly organized; I don’t tend to unpack when we are in vacation, choosing instead to literally live out of my suitcase, and these cubes made it so easy to find what I needed each day. Swimsuits in one cube! Dresses in another! Underwear in a third!
Plus, the set came with a dirty laundry bag and a little makeup bag, which I used for my very-pared-down-for-the-trip makeup items.
Compression Digression
If you have known me for any length of time, you know all about my circulation issues. If you’re new, hi! Welcome! Also, I have circulation issues! These issues crested into “the worst case of varicose veins I have ever seen on such a young woman,” as the surgeon who stripped them back in 2011 said; that stripping should have been the end of it, but I am a special flower who has developed new ones, to the alarm of my current physician. Too long, didn’t read; I wear compression stockings or calf sleeves a lot, but particularly when travelling to ward off blood clots and, I guess, death. The compression stockings I wear for flying are pretty hard-core; they take significant effort to put on and take off, and they look exactly like something my grandma would wear. Thick, “nude” stockings, what could be more stylish?
My husband: You can barely tell you’re wearing them!
Me: silently wonders if my husband is losing his vision.
The ones I wore for the flight to Mexico were thigh-high, as opposed to my full-on pantyhose stockings, which I wore on the way back, because I wanted to be able to easily (or, “easily”) peel them off in the airport bathroom to shove into my bag when we got to our destination. Wearing a skirt meant this was easy to do, and as a bonus the skirt also hides the invariable bulge at the top of the stocking. Vanity should have no place in this situation but it does.
Canadian friends: I have found it to be a terrible pain to buy medical grade stockings here. If you want anything more than light grade knee-highs, a prescription is needed, which I have, but then it’s a matter of getting measured at a pharmacy, and ordering them, and it’s just a pain. Easier and cheaper – even given the exchange rate – is ordering them from the US; I like this website.
Kindle The Reading Fire
I am going to preface this by admitting that I used to say I would NEVER use an e-reader, never. I like books! I like pages! My husband bought a Kindle back in 2012, and it has sat unused for the past several years in a drawer. Last year, a very lovely friend (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) sent me her very wonderful manuscript to beta-read, and the best way for me to read it was on an e-reader. It turns out that, like many other things I said I would never enjoy, I really liked reading that way. Don’t get me wrong: I still much prefer paper books. But with limited luggage and also reading outside with sunglasses as opposed to reading glasses, the old Kindle (with large font) was just the ticket. I loved how I could load it up, and pop it into my bag.
The only problem is that a ten-year-old piece of technology is very SLOW when it comes to uploads. I think if we are going to travel more I am going to put a new Kindle on my Christmas list.
Safety, Measurements
When flying, there are so many safety measures in place, and those two words made me think of the two posts that I read this month that really stayed with me, but in very different ways.
Erin (HI ERIN) wrote an incredible piece about the meaning of safety in childhood, drawing on her own experiences, and it is very powerful and moving. I found myself holding my breath while reading, and reminding myself to breathe through the difficult parts.
As I thought about people, myself included now, I guess, shoving their carryon luggage in the overhead compartments and maximizing every last inch of space, this hilarious post about the meaning of an inch popped into my head. I think we can ALL relate.
I have so much to talk to you about! The flight! The trip! The books I read! The leaving of my teenage children to their own devices for five days! But those things will have to wait, as I have much to do to catch up on life! Soon. I promise! xo
Can’t wait to hear all about it… That last picture–OMG.
It was so beautiful, Maya!
I haven’t flown anywhere since fall of 2019, but I used to always pay the fee to have my luggage taken care of by the airline. I could drag my luggage around the airport and get it on a plane, but it is one of the few times I splurge. Somehow, if I ever go on vacation again, I suspect I’ll still pay the feel. Cause I’m worth it!
Ally, you ARE worth it!!! I have to say though, I was pretty happy to not have to wait for any luggage. It was tricky with toiletries, but I am happy I made it work!
YOU’RE BACK! Hooray! This was thoroughly entertaining, especially to me, an inveterate overpacker. I love your little reusable containers. So cute! And the labels! The SAUCE labels are for me, I just know it. (Okay, I love sriracha with all my heart and soul, and have been known to put a bottle of hot sauce in my purse to take to restaurants where I know I will need hot sauce but do not like the available options, but I have yet to travel anywhere significant with my own hot sauce.)
You make compression stockings look good. I have a pair (I wore them to Europe a few years ago) and they are so ugly. Why? Why does something so uncomfortable and difficult to put on ALSO have to be so hideous?
I cannot wait to hear all about the trip itself — and how the boys fared! Did they stay BY THEMSELVES?
I actually thought of you when I saw the “sauce” labels! I thought “Suzanne might want that for her sriracha!” The boys did stay by themselves and they did GREAT!
That Great Lash mascara in bright pink is STILL TO THIS DAY my daily mascara mostly because my MIL told me to buy it once and my MIL was never wrong about anything. I also have special snowflake eyes and every makeup remover I’ve ever tried has caused me great tears and red eyes and I regularly use Neutrogena wipes (Mother Earth is very mad at me), so I felt like that whole section was dedicated to how old skool my current makeup routine is.
I can’t wait to hear all about your trip!
Great Lash is great! I have tried many mascaras over my lifetime, and I think inexpensive, drugstore Maybelline makes the best ones!
I nearly always carry-on, even when I had status w/ Delta and could check a bag for free. For me it was always about being able to walk off the plane and get the heck out of the airport! Exceptions to this is when we travel with our kids (I check one bag with everything for me and my 2 boys – my husband always carries on) and when we went to Mexico because I knew we’d need a lot of sunscreen. We didn’t check bags when we went to a friend’s wedding in Jamaica and the sunscreen options were awful and expensive. I’m high maintenance about sunscreen, though, like I really don’t like to use chemical sunscreen. So we will probably check a bag for our December Mexico trip but it’s a direct flight and I will have things in my carry on in case my luggage gets lost.
You are making me think I need to try packing cubes, though. I never have before but they are intriguing! I am very very good at not overpacking when I’m only packing for myself. But with young kids, I have to overpack for them since they can go through multiple outfits in a day. Hence the reason I check a bag – plus I can not handle schlepping a suitcase through an airport on top of corralling the kids. My husband always brings a pretty small duffle bag that he can sling over his shoulder. Lucky duck, and he also packs significantly less than me but never runs out of things. It’s a mystery. He also typically packs the morning of a trip whereas I am packed 1-2 days ahead depending on the type of trip!
I LOVE my kindle. I have the paperwhite and have used the heck out of it. I loved it before kids and I love it even more since having kids since it’s easy to read in the dark while nursing. I have the kindle ap on my phone and since I always have an ebook going, I always have a book to read if I am waiting somewhere like a doctor’s office, etc. I like physical books, too, in theory but then I have to go to the library to get them which is surprisingly tricky to do with our schedules.
Lisa, 100% the best thing about it is just walking off the plane and going. I looked at all the people waiting for their luggage – at Cabo, we had to take a shuttle from the plane, across the tarmac, to the actual terminal, and all I could think of is “how long will the luggage take to arrive?” Because it probably took at least 15 minutes to be shuttled to the terminal. I hear you about sunscreen; I took a couple of small bottles and that was enough for the two of us, but with little kids I don’t think I could have done it either. I think you need to try packing cubes, they are genius. I love how organized they are!
I cannot wait to hear every last detail of your trip! The hubs and I have not had a solo trip since before the pandemic and we need to change that. I bet the boys had a blast with the house to themselves and I also bet that my crew would love some Home Alone time.
I’ve been Team Check It in the past because I’m never sure if it’s OK to bring my razor and stuff like that on the plane but we’ve had a few delays with baggage so I’d like to try joining Team Carry On.
Team Kindle 4 Life!!! Because you never know when you might need to take your book on the road and I know that I can always fit a kindle in my purse.
My husband and I have had a few nights away here and there, but our last solo trip for more than one night was in 2017! The boys did have a great time by themselves and hey, the house was not only still standing, it was clean when I got home!
When my mom flew cross-country for our beach week she brought only a carry-on. We brought sheets and towels for her, since we were driving, but she kept having to ask people for hair gel and other things she didn’t bring. I understand why she did it, though.
Looking forward to hearing more about your trip.
The toiletries are the trickiest part of carryon! I think if we were going away for longer I would just buy toiletries at my destination.
Hello, Special Flower. Welcome back. Your compression stockings paragraph killed me. You are a hoot. So glad you got to go to Mexico and I can’t wait for the next installment.
I’ve heard about flights being cancelled, but had NOT heard of the luggage debacle. Yikes. I am very capable of bringing the bare minimum, but I prefer to have options in my wardrobe – particularly because of the chilly factor brought on by air condoning. Brrr.
I am a book person too, but I can imagine how easy the Kindle can be.
The luggage thing has been awful – here, anyway. I know so many people whose luggage was lost and some still hasn’t been found, MONTHS later!!
I’m laughing so hard at “sauce” – particularly since everything else is obviously a toiletry. I can’t wait to hear about your trip! I am also team packing cube and I’m happy you’ve discovered their wonders. I kind of love packing because I take it as a personal challenge to be as minimal as possible. When my 10-day trip to India was canceled the day before the pandemic was a thing (still crying), I had packed everything in a backpack. And not like a hiking backpack, a regular size 28L backpack. Even though I missed out on the trip, I still have that wonderful memory to look back on.
If you’re not married to a Kindle, check out the Kobo e-readers. I have one and I like it better than the Kindle. It’s owned by the same company that owns Libby/Overdrive, so you can check out books from your library directly on the e-readers; or check them out on your phone and they automatically show up there.
Wow, Sarah, A BACKPACK!!! I am so sorry your trip got cancelled, how sad is that. I bet you had been looking forward to it forever too. But I admire you so much – a regular backpack for ten days, whoooooaaaa.
I flew this summer for the first time in a few years, and made myself do it all carry-on because I was afraid they would lose my bag. I am definitely a why-not-bring-it packer by preference, but to walk off the plane and right out of the airport, and no worrying, made it worth it. It sure was a challenge to pack, though!
It was a challenge for me too, but so worth it!
In my home (with two young boys) we refer to any unguent, lotion, or salve, basically anything you rub on your skin, as “sauce.”
Lolololol I love that so much!!!
First, I am SO happy you finally got your trip! Second, I have thought about being a carry on person only for about a second – the thought of short me trying to wrangle that bag into the overhead compartment is just mortifying to even contemplate. Maybe if my husband (as if) or my son was with me but not if it’s just me – which was usually the case when I flew. Third, if you have a newer tablet (or even your laptop) you can download the Kindle app and read from there – that means one less device to keep up with (and one less device to get rid of when it inevitably becomes obsolete).
Cannot wait to hear about everything!
Ha, that reminds me – when I read about the carryon luggage requirements for airplanes, one of the things they say is that you need to be able to put the luggage in the overhead compartment UNASSISTED. Now, I did see a lot of people getting assistance from others, but I thought that was kind of funny. I don’t think about it much because I’m fairly tall, I can see how it would be a problem for you.
My iPad is even older than the Kindle!
Ha ha… well, I was That Person on my two trips this summer- I took my large-ish carryon on the plane, but it backfired on me- one of the flights was so full, they ran out of room in the overheads and I ended up having to check it at the gate, NOOOOOO!!! It got to my destination, but seriously, who wants to check luggage these days?
And, yes- I know those compression stockings well. I had to wear them during my second pregnancy. Yes, here you can just waltz into a medical supply store and buy them. I don’t understand why you would need a prescription- it’s not like people are going to buy them recklessly if they don’t really need them. And I love your husband’s comment- my husband would probably say the exact same thing. Do they really not see?????????
NOOOOOOO FOILED!!!!
I never understood the prescription thing. This isn’t an opioid. It’s a COMPRESSION STOCKING. Who is buying compression stockings if they aren’t wearing them?
Well first of all, thank you so much once again for your recommendation of my piece. I’m verklempt.
Second, I can’t WAIT to hear/see about Mexico!
Third, not to be rude but I noticed your stockings in the first photo and was like “Is Nicole wearing stockings?” Not that you looked hideous (adorable as uszh—how to spell the shortening of “usual”?) but I’m saying your husband’s eyes are going or his generous loving kindness is on the rise.
“sauce”!!!! Lol. it’s no coincidence that it’s the last one, right? The company went with those sticker templates and needed one more item to fill the column. But sauce? 😂
Lololol right? The stockings are OBVIOUS!!! Love is blind?
Your piece was SO good Erin!
Oh, and Nicole–I hadn’t realized how many times your trip had been canceled prior to your actually going on it! That must have been so tough every time. Hope you enjoyed the heck out of it when you were able to go!
And I thought of your “sauce” label 😂 when I heard about Rihanna’s ketchup makeup on the radio: https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/lifestyle/rihanna-fenty-beauty-mschf-ketchup-makeup-buy-online-1234581448/
OMG Maya, that is TOO funny!
The “sauce” label was so hilarious; and, btw, the silicone bottles are so cute! <3 I hope you enjoyed your trip!
I sure did, Alondra! The sauce cracked me up too!
This was so entertaining, Nicole! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and even laughed out loud several times. How nice that you were finally able to get away on your trip. I can’t wait to hear all about it!
Thanks Michelle! I’ll definitely be blogging about it!
That’s impressive that you made it to Mexico with a carry-on. I’d have a hard time flying overseas without a suitcase (but mainly because I want to bring ALL THE THINGS back with me LOL)… I forget that you can also ‘wash’ things when you’re at your destination and if you know your closet well, you can really pack stuff that can be work in different combinations! I gotta keep that in mind for the future.
I love packing cubes, btw. They make organizing things so much easier.
You should definitely invest in some of the fun runner’s compression socks, they have such fun patterns (unless you need the ones that really go up to your butt, I think most are just knee-high)…
I do have those socks for running, but for flying I need the hard-core full-length ones. Sadly, they do NOT come in fun patterns!
I’m so happy you finally got to Mexico and I can’t wait to hear all about it!
I LOVE my packing cubes; they make it easier to find things and for me just having anything organized makes me giddy.
I too have issues packing in a carryon and it’s mostly because of my toiletries/makeup.
Right? I knew you’d understand, Suz!
We used to refer to tanning oil as barbecue sauce, so…?
I am also an unrepentant overpacker and my husband’s airline status means we get free baggage as well, and we haven’t had to fly in the current circumstances, but now that I’m thinking of it, minimalist packing could be a fun challenge. I already have the little plastic bottles because even while road tripping, my regular array of stuff is too bulky.
So glad you finally got to do your trip. We got to do Bluesfest and two musicals this summer that we paid for over two years ago, so it was fun and also felt free!
Overpacking sisters! But I was so stressed at the thought of losing my luggage that I took on the challenge, and to be honest, it was so nice to not have to wait for luggage!
I almost never carry on luggage. I get very anxious about having to stuff my bag into the overhead bins and what if there is no room??? And then getting it OUT of the overhead bin is something I spend the whole flight worrying about. Lolz. It’s easier for me to just check a bag and not have to worry about it. I guess my tune will change if an airline ever loses my luggage!
Packing cubes FTW! I cannot travel without mine now!
Oh, and as for doing stuff that may not be super environmentally friendly, I guess I’m of the mind that I’m not a huge corporation that is causing the climate crisis so WHATEVER. I can do my part to be environmentally cautious, of course, but buying one bag of makeup wipes for a trip is not the reason the glaciers are melting. 🙂
Well, and that’s the thing – there is limited room in those overhead compartments! You should see what people try to shove up there.
I mean, you’re right about the environmental thing. We are just tiny drops in a giant bucket, so I guess I won’t stress too much about my wipes!
I can totally identify with secret judging of what others do, backfiring. So many times….
With the luggage mess these days we use carry on mostly. We recently took 15 of the family to Portugal for 2 weeks and managed to get everyone to use carry on only! It is so nice not to have to wait for luggage. The big problem is skin care & other toiletries. I have also resorted to non-environmental wipes for makeup remover so that’s one less product to worry about. I love the little spray bottles though – I even use one at home for my toner. It goes a lot further as none ends up on your fingers or a cotton pad.
I started using an ereader when we started going on trips of a month or more. I now love it all the time – my old eyes don’t need to find a bright lamp and it’s so much lighter than a hard cover book so easier on my (old) often sore neck. I originally got a Kindle but was unable to access Canadian libraries with it; the librarian suggested I get a Kobo instead and it works great. Maybe that’s changed by now, but I know you are a heavy library user.
Two weeks! That will be my next goal. We have a (hopefully won’t get cancelled) vacation planned next year and I think it’s 10 days. BUT I believe we have laundry abilities so that will help.
My friend also suggested a Kobo for the library access! Thanks for letting me know – that’s really a useful tip!
OK, you’ve convinced me that packing cubes are the way to go. I’ve resisted til now but seeing yours and reading your endorsement tipped me over the edge. 🙂
They just are so great for keeping things organized!