How to Pack a Carry-on For a Week

Traveling light is always the goal, be it to catch a flight for a business trip or a vacation you’ve been anxiously anticipating. The less you have to lug around through airport terminals and city streets, the better!

While it’s not always possible, we’re going to show you how to pack a carry-on for a week-long adventure. You’ll not only save money on checked baggage fees but you’ll also skip the hassle of baggage altogether. Plus, you’ll stay nimble on your feet as you make your way around.

Just be aware that you’re going to be limited by your luggage to a certain extent. The best advice we’ll offer in our guide on how to pack for a week in a carry-on is to upgrade your carry-on luggage here at Nobl Travel.

Our award-winning designs simplify travel and easily fit a week's worth of clothes - and that’s just the tip of the iceberg for what makes our all-in-one carry-on luggage so special. Enjoy built-in USB charging ports, zipperless designs, TSA-approved locks, and a lifetime warranty!

Can You Pack for 7 Days in a Carry-on?

Before we get into how to pack a carry-on for a week let’s take a step back and help you set your expectations. Can you really pack for 7 days in a carry-on? In some cases, yes. In others, it might be a bit of a stretch.

The truth is, you’re going to need to adopt a minimalist mindset for the week if you want to get by with only a carry-on bag - and perhaps a backpack as your personal item. 

That means you might not have a new outfit every day, or you’ll need to do laundry halfway through the trip. You’ll likely have to compromise on the shoes you bring. You’ll need to invest in travel-sized toiletries, packing cubes, and potential new hard shell luggage.

Even still, the reality of packing a carry-on for a week depends on the type of trip and the time of year. Bulky winter clothing just takes up too much space for this to be feasible in many cases. However, some trips are a perfect occasion to try and get by using only your carry-on:

• Warm-weather destinations: You’ll probably only bring shirts, shorts, and light shoes on these trips and packing a 7-day carry-on is much more feasible.
• Trips with casual or versatile outfits: Formal attire can be just as bulky as winter garments, but if you’re keeping things casual a carry-on is more than enough.
• Shorter stays in one place: A carry-on keeps things simple and efficient if you’re moving frequently around a city or from one town to the next.
• Destinations with laundry access: A washer and dryer mid-trip means you can bring half the clothing you normally would.

A checked bag is really your only option for traveling to cold climates, special events, or trips requiring gear. Don’t worry, though, we have some amazing checked luggage designs in store for you!

But if you can get by with just a carry-on for 7 days, by all means, try it out. The benefits are obvious - less stuff to carry around, money and time saved by skipping checked baggage, and perhaps most importantly, less stress!

So, let’s get into how to pack for a week in a carry-on. 

How to Pack a Carry-on For a Week

It sounds impossible, but packing a carry-on for a 7-day trip is actually easier than it sounds with the right luggage and the right approach. So, start by upgrading your carry-on if you haven’t already.

Choose the Right Carry-on Bag

First and foremost, be aware that different airlines have their own carry-on size limits. Although they’re all in the same ballpark, we’ve seen situations where a carry-on that works with Southwest’s standards does not align with those of United Airlines.

You can rest assured your bag will be ok as long as it’s under 21.5 x 15.5 x 9 inches. The closer you can get to that size without going over the better, as you’ll have more internal space. Other features you might want to consider include:

• Zipperless security to protect your stuff from tampering and break-ins. Even if you’re keeping it near you most of the time, it’s worth it just for peace of mind alone.
• A compression-friendly design helps fit more clothes and other belongings without exceeding limits.
• Smart compartments with a front laptop pocket, a built-in passport sleeve, and a waterproof toiletry section will make organization easier.
• Lightweight construction is essential as a carry-on that’s already heavy limits what you can pack. Plus, you don’t want to be carrying around any extra weight!

A hard-shell carry-on is worth the investment even if you’re not worried about TSA agents throwing it around. However, a soft-shell carry-on certainly has its place, too, as it’s more flexible.

No matter your preferences, set yourself up for success in any of life’s journeys with our aluminum carry-on luggage at Nobl Travel. From collapsible carry-on luggage to standard designs, we’ve got something for every traveler. All our luggage is warrantied for life.

Most importantly, though, our carry-ons are the perfect choice if you’re trying to learn how to pack a carry-on for a week. You can easily fit 5-7 days' worth of stuff for your upcoming trip with 35L of internal space!

This is all thanks to the interior compression system with a clip-in pocketed panel to help you pack as much as possible. Still, though, you’ll need to be creative in planning outfits in advance.

Plan Your Outfits Strategically

The secret to packing light is bringing fewer, more versatile pieces along for the trip. A capsule wardrobe lets you mix and match outfits for multiple occasions. One approach we’ve seen work really well is the 5-4-3-2-1 method:

• 5 Tops: Neutral tones and lightweight fabrics that pair well together.
• 4 Bottoms: Two casual, one dressy, one versatile (jeans, joggers, or shorts).
• 3 Pairs of Shoes: Sneakers for walking, dress shoes for nights out, sandals/slip-ons for casual wear.
• 2 Layering Pieces: A lightweight jacket and a sweater or cardigan.
• 1 Week’s Worth of Underwear and Socks: Moisture-wicking fabrics help reduce bulk.

Try to stick to one color palette to maximize outfit combinations. Neutrals are your best bet - think black, white, navy, beige, etc. It’s a good idea to plan ahead and wear your bulkiest items on travel days so you can keep them out of your bag (jackets, boots, and other layers).

Use Packing Cubes for Organization

Upgrading your luggage is definitely a good starting point, but packing cubes are a powerful investment for those trying to learn how to pack for a week in a carry-on.

These compress your clothing and help you keep everything organized. You could label “night out” clothes and casual attire so you don’t have to search for anything. Or, you could even pack 7 outfits into separate cubes with days of the week on them.

Just be sure you roll clothing before placing it inside the cube to avoid wrinkles and make the most of space. You can use smaller pouches for accessories, chargers, and travel documents. 

Packing Toiletries and Travel Essentials

You need to be careful about packing toiletries since you’re carrying this bag on the plane. That means TSA’s 3-1-1 rule comes into play. All liquids must be in 3.4oz (100ml) bottles, fit in one quart-sized bag, and one bag per traveler is allowed.

Shampoo bars, bar soap, and toothpaste tablets take up less space than their traditional counterparts, so consider these as space-saving alternatives. You can also keep things light with refillable travel bottles so you don’t have to go out and buy travel-sized everything. Just fill up what you need for the week.

Try to get creative with packing multi-use skincare and cosmetics, too. Tinted moisturizer with SPF can replace foundation and sunscreen. As far as your travel essentials go, keep those in an external pocket or your personal item for easy access:

• Passport, boarding pass, and ID
• Headphones and chargers
• Snacks and reusable water bottle
• Travel pillow and eye mask for long flights

Maximizing Space With Efficient Packing Techniques

How you pack determines what you’re able to fit even with a well-structured carry-on bag or suitcase. There are three different approaches you can take when it comes to how to pack a carry-on for a week:

• Layering Method: Shoes and heavier items at the bottom, then packing cubes stacked vertically.
• Nesting Method: Stack smaller items inside shoes or pockets to utilize every inch of space.
• Rolling Clothes: Reduces wrinkles and takes up less room than folding.

Where you place your items in the carry-on matters too, especially for weight distribution as you’re navigating airports. Keep shoes along the suitcases edges to create a stable frame. Your clothes can go inside the little nest you’ve just built.

Smart Packing for Electronics & Travel Documents

Laptops, tablets, and chargers take up valuable space. But you probably can’t get by without them for the week. You need to be strategic about where you put these things. 

Ideally, you’ll have a separate personal item for them - like a backpack or briefcase. If not, here’s some advice on packing your carry-on smartly:

• Store chargers, cables, and accessories in a small pouch to avoid tangling. Separate cords from adapters if you can.
• Keep power banks and adapters accessible. You might need to take them out during security checks or use them at your gate.
• Protect fragile items like camera lenses or external drives by placing them in soft cases and tucking them between clothing layers.
• Important travel documents should be kept in a secure, easy-access pocket.

Make Use of Your Personal Item if You Can!

We know you came here to learn how to pack for a week in a carry-on, but it’s going to be tough if you aren’t bringing a personal item with you as well - unless you’re really onboard with the minimalist lifestyle, of course.

Backpacks, tote bags, briefcases, and even small duffel bags all count as personal items. These just need to be able to fit under the seat in front of you. Whatever approach you take, you can use these in a number of different ways:

• Pack travel essentials (passport, wallet, phone, headphones, chargers, medication, etc.).
• Use it for extra clothing layers (a light sweater or scarf).
• Store a snack, water bottle, and small toiletries for easy access during the flight.
• Stow heavier items in your personal item if your carry-on is full to avoid exceeding airline weight limits (and the fees that come with it).

The goal is to make your travel day as seamless as possible, and a personal item can be your saving grace.

Need More Space? Upgrade to a Checked Bag!

As we said earlier, it’s not always possible to cram everything you need into a single checked bag - even if you’re using your personal item. At a certain point, cold-weather travel, extended trips, or formal occasions make packing in a carry-on more of a hassle than a convenience.

Instead of trying to squeeze everything into a small bag and dealing with wrinkled clothes, overstuffed compartments, or leaving behind essentials you’ll regret not having, it might make sense to just bite the bullet and check a bag.

This empowers you to bring everything you need, and although it might cost a bit more and add some waiting time to your travel itinerary, it could be worth it. Here at Nobl Travel we also have a great selection of aluminum checked luggage and collapsible checked luggage.

Like our carry-ons, these suitcases are carefully crafted from durable materials built to withstand harsh treatment at the airport. Don’t just take our word for it, either - they’re guaranteed for life.

Pack more, stress less - travel smarter with Nobl’s premium checked luggage!

Closing Thoughts on How to Pack For a Week in a Carry-on

That just about does it for our guide on how to pack a carry-on for a week. Although it’s not always possible, it can make trips so much less stressful when you only have one bag to worry about. 

Whether you're relying on packing cubes, layering techniques, or a well-organized personal item, we hope this guide on how to pack for a week in a carry-on has left you feeling confident in your next steps!

So if you haven’t already, set yourself up for packing success with our world-renowned luggage at Nobl Travel. Enjoy security, style, and organization all in one design!