How I Packed for 10 Days in Italy with Just a Carry-On

When I first told my husband we could do carry-on only for our 10-day trip to Italy, he laughed. He knows how much I love clothes and options—and he was convinced it would be impossible. But my stubbornness kicked in.

For more than four years I have had my best colors and clothing style dialed in thanks to House of Colour. It’s made shopping for clothes so much easier because when I buy something I know I’ll love it for years to come. At this point, my entire closet has basically turned into a capsule wardrobe—everything mixes and matches effortlessly. I knew I could apply the same approach to packing for Italy.

The first step was choosing a handful of colors from my seasonal palette. I started with cream as a neutral base and added pops of red, yellow, and blue. Gold accessories and a brown purse easily tied everything together, making my suitcase feel cohesive.

You can find links to all items here.

So how did I decide what pieces to pack? I started by making a list of what we’d be doing each day. Was it a full day of touring with little shade? Would we be visiting a church where I’d need to cover my shoulders? After a beach day, would I want to change into something different for dinner?

Next, I thought about how many times I’d feel comfortable rewearing each item—once, twice, maybe even three times? That helped narrow down the number of pieces I actually needed.

Overall, I loved how my outfits turned out. If I could go back and tweak anything, I probably would’ve added one more top for variety. I could have packed one less dress—since I never ended up rewearing any of them, and I easily could have. I was glad I brought two swimsuits so I didn’t have to put on a wet one, but I didn’t really need the extra cover-up. I didn’t end up wearing the blazer, but I was still happy I brought it just in case the evenings turned cool.

Carry On Travel Links Here

Once both my husband’s and my outfits were finalized, it was time to pack. Compression bags are my favorite—they truly save so much space. This was the first time I used a vacuum-sealed bag, and it worked great for my underwear and socks. That said, I probably could have used an additional compression bag for those instead.

De-potting your skincare and beauty products is a must for saving space. I used these 10 ml bottles for everything—from serums to foundation to liquid highlighter. Airless pump containers were perfect for sunscreen. You won’t believe how much space you’ll save and they don’t leak.

We were able to fit everything into our two personal items and two carryon suitcases. I love this large BEIS weekender bag because the bottom section fully zips off. On the way there, I didn’t use the bottom compartment—I just tucked it inside the main part of the bag, which made it less bulky and easier to slide under the seat in front of me. On the way home, I used that bottom section, plus a small blue foldable bag for purchases (let’s be honest—I definitely didn’t pack things as neatly coming back).

Our carry-on suitcases have zipper extenders, but we didn’t use them. It's so much easier to fit them into smaller overhead compartments when they're not expanded. We even managed to pack two travel pillows and a few extras into the backpack. Many airlines are getting stricter and won’t allow neck pillows or small purses in addition to your personal item and carry-on. They’ll make you fit everything into one of your bags—so plan ahead!

Overall, my first carry-on-only trip was a huge success! I absolutely plan to stick with this method for future travel. It helped me resist the urge to pack endless options, and I loved not coming home to piles and piles of laundry.

What do you think—ready to try carry-on only?