You′ve been waiting for Spring Break for weeks. You and your roommates spent five hours on Travelocity finding the cheapest deal, and now you′re headed to Mexico! Olé! You arrive and head to baggage claim, eager to get to the beach. You′re not seeing your bag, though, so you finally get in line at customer service. Oops, turns out your bag is in North Carolina. Apparently it didn′t quite make the connection. Enjoy the 80 degree weather wearing your jeans and North Face.

Okay, granted, this is probably just a worst case scenario. However, given the choice, wouldn′t you want to avoid this predicament all together? I know I do. That′s why, as a frequent traveler, one piece of luggage has become my best friend: The carry-on. I know many girls find it immensely difficult to pack everything for a vacation into a bag 17″l x 12.5″w x 8″h (these are the JetBlue regulations). However, it can be done, and I′m proof. I spent two and a half weeks travelling around Italy with little more than my trusty L.L.Bean rolling carry-on. It′s all about efficient packing.

Don′t get me wrong, I′ve spent many pre-trip minutes wrestling my bulging bag, trying to get that darn zipper closed, so I totally see why people check. But my love of clothing motivates me. I want to be wearing my gorgeous sundresses on vacation, not some tacky two-for-$10 t-shirts that advertise that I′m a tourist. I also have a very strong attachment to my clothing. Once I wear something, it′s like a child to me – I simply cannot imagine being permanently or temporarily parted from it. Perhaps this is why I have difficulty lending my friends anything? Regardless, the idea of my precious clothes sitting in an airport for days makes me very unhappy. Clothes are meant to be enjoyed and photographed in pretty tropical places (with me wearing them)! Hence my immense determination to always fit everything into a carry-on bag.

Before packing, I recommend taking all the clothing you think you want to bring, and separating it into two piles. One pile for things you absolutely must bring, and one for those items that you could theoretically see yourself wearing, but might not really be necessary. For me, the list of necessities includes:

-Two bathing suits (one extra to wear in case the first isn′t dry)
-One cover-up (most hotels don′t appreciate grown women traipsing through their lobbies in string bikinis…that′s only cute when you′re five years old)
-underwear (enough said)
-A couple of cute sundresses (increase your wardrobe by trading with your friends mid-trip)
-One pair of flip-flops (for schlepping to the pool)
-One pair of nicer sandals (for dinner or clubbing)
-Gym clothes and a sports bra (perfect for early morning runs on the beach)
-A pair of sweats and a t-shirt (you need something to sleep in …. Your best friend will not appreciate sharing a bed with you if you catch zzzz′s in the nude)
-Something to wear clubbing at night (if you′re so inclined)

Save space in your suitcase by wearing a pair of jeans and your sneakers. Sure, taking off sneakers costs you an extra thirty seconds at security, but it′s so worth it when you consider how much space they′re not taking up in your tiny bag. Once you′ve packed your necessities, assess the situation. If you have extra space, now′s the time to squeeze in those extra few bikinis, or those awesome jeweled sandals you′ve been dying to wear. Don′t overload your bag though – leave a little extra room. If you′re anything like me, you′ll hit the local shopping and want a place to stow all your souvenirs.

The only down-side to not checking a bag is the limit on the quantity of liquids you can carry on with you. All your liquids must be in containers 3 oz. or less, and you can only bring those that fit into a one quart plastic bag. If you′re really struggling for space, consider the fact that most hotels have small stores with basic hygiene items. If your scented lotion and your toothpaste are fighting for the same spot, bring the one that′s more unique. Perfume and lotion are way more important than Crest vs. Colgate. And, if you don′t really care what type of shampoo or body wash you use, just snag the mini′s provided by the hotel.

Regardless of what you pack, there will probably be items you don′t wear. After each trip, I try to evaluate what I did use and what stayed in my suitcase the entire time. I then make a mental note on how to alter my packing for my next vacation. Whether you wear everything you packed or not, you will still impress all your friends who are stuck dragging giant checked bags. You′ll enjoy the freedom and functionality of the carry on, and like for me, it will soon become the only way you travel.

http://help.jetblue.com/SRVS/CGI-BIN/webisapi.dll?New,Kb=askBlue,case=obj(633)
http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm