I used to pack a huge carry-on to avoid baggage fees, but a flight attendant friend set me straight

My friend Sarah, who works for a budget airline, saw my giant backpack last month and just laughed. She said, 'Patricia, you're killing your back and you look stressed. Half that stuff is for 'just in case' and you never use it.' She was right. I was hauling around three pairs of shoes and a full toiletry kit for a three-day trip to Austin, just to save the $35 checked bag fee. She told me to try packing just a small personal item, like a big tote bag, and to roll my clothes tight. I tried it for a weekend in Nashville and it was a game changer. I saved that fee, got through the airport way faster, and didn't miss a single thing I left behind. Honestly, it made the whole trip start off less hectic. Has anyone else made the switch to super minimal packing and found it actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

blake_owens10d ago

Totally get the overpacking urge! My own bag looked like I was moving out, not going on vacation. Rolling clothes tight is a total game changer for fitting more in a small space. Felt so much lighter walking through the terminal.

kimblack10d ago

Yeah, the rolling clothes trick is a lifesaver. I saw this travel blog once that said to roll everything, even socks and underwear, and it creates these little tubes that pack tight without wrinkles. Makes unpacking weirdly satisfying too, just unrolling it all into drawers. I still always end up with one extra pair of shoes I don't need though.

joseph_bailey10d ago

Honestly though, is it that big of a deal? It's just clothes in a bag. Sometimes I just stuff things in and it works fine. The whole rolling thing feels like a lot of work for a minor space save. Maybe if you're backpacking for months it matters, but for a regular trip? Not convinced.