Whether it’s for the holidays or for a fun weekend getaway, most of us have winter travel plans. Airlines continue to charge fees for checking bags, even though wintertime clothes are bulkier than any other season. That said, is it possible to pull off getting winter wear into a carry-on luggage and skip the fees? A few things to consider are how long you are going for and whether your trip includes winter sports/activities. Winter sports and outdoor activities will require “gear,” and gear takes up room in your luggage. However, you could still use some of the tips here to help you save room in your luggage and money in your wallet.

A second consideration is what to bring and how to bring it. Below I’ve listed some of the ways that are key to saving space in your luggage. Many of these have been stated before in other blogs or are known ways to pack a carry-on. Lastly, I wanted to use packing cubes to see if this saved me more space in my 22”rolling carry-on.

*How long is my trip

Thanksgiving and Christmas I typically go to my parents’ house for three days and two nights. I packed this suitcase for four days, just in case I wanted to stay an extra day.

*What to bring

·        Cashmere scarves that can double as a shawl. I usually wear this on the plane since it gets drafty.

·        Layer with thinner undergarments. Silk layers keep you warm under thinner sweaters or shirts. Layering keeps you warm without the bulk of a sweater. My parent’s keep the house at a cool 65 degrees, so layering comes in handy.

·        No bulky sweaters. It’s so tempting to bring your favorite fluffy, comfy sweater that will keep you warm! However, it will take up a lot of room. Alternatively, you could wear your favorite bulky sweater on the plan

·        Wear winter coat on the plane- Consider bringing an ultra-light puffer jacket if you want to stuff it in your carry-on.

·        Create a capsule wardrobe when packing; all pants coordinate with all tops. This may cut back on bringing three pairs of pants versus two pairs, both of which coordinate with all four tops you’ve packed.

·        Travel toiletries. It’s so much easier to pack the regular size bottle of whatever you are using and put it in a large plastic bag. However, this is going to take up more space. Invest in the empty travel bottles that you can find at CVS, Target, or Bed Bath and Beyond.

·        Accessories are key to keeping warm and don’t take up too much space in your luggage.

·        Wear bulky boots on the plane

*How to bring your clothes

I’ve traveled a lot and have adopted a rolling technique to maximize the space in my luggage. Lately I’ve been reading (and watching videos) on using packing cubes. Some of the travel bloggers rave about using packing cubes. The travel blogger, Travel Fashion Girl, has even created her own brand of packing cubes called Compass Rose. These cubes intrigued a seasoned traveler like myself; could they really save more space than MY travel rolling skills? To put my skills up against the packing cube technique,  I ordered the Compass Rose packing cubes from Amazon for about $35.

I first created a list of items I was going to need for a four-day trip.

·        4 sweaters

·        4 pants

·        1 dress

·        1 pair of tights

·        4 pairs of underwear

·        1 pair of pajamas

·        2 pairs of socks

·        1 workout outfit (yoga pants and top)

·        1 pair of tennis shoes

Second, I separated my clothes by what I thought I wanted to pack together (all pants together, all sweaters together, etc.). I also wanted to know how long it would take to pack this way versus just rolling, so I timed myself. Once I was done packing using the cubes and adding my travel toiletries and running shoes. Here were my four takeaways:

·        Packing cubes didn’t save any more room than rolling. In fact, I found that I had more room to add a few more small pieces when I rolled. Cubes provide a very defined space, so clothes don’t move within your suitcase. Rolling allows you to squeeze just a little bit more between your clothes.   

·        Rolling allows your clothes to keep from getting wrinkled. In order to pack using packing cubes, you essentially must roll and then “stuff” your clothes into the cube. I’m not sure whether this increases wrinkling but be mindful of the potential.

·        Using the cubes took more time to pack, but it wasn’t significantly more time than rolling.

·        Rolling and using the cubes provide the same amount of organization. The cubes are numbered, which is a nice feature. However, I found that I couldn’t stuff all pants into one cube, or all my sweaters in number “3” cube. I had to split up my piles of clothes to fit into all the cubes. Stuffing items where they fit means that I have to remember which cube contains which garment. When using the rolling technique, you can actually see where things are located.  

Whether you chose to roll or use packing cubes, it is impressive how much you can fit into a 22” suitcase. Shoes are still the bulkiest part of travel. If you can get a pair of boots or shoes you can wear with each outfit, that will save you some space. Happy Travels!