My “carry-on Only” attempt for a family vacation
I Nailed the Outfits and Blew It on Shampoo: Our Carry-On Only Challenge
It started as a family challenge. Twelve days, three countries, carry-on only. Boston to Dublin to Edinburgh to London and back. No checked bags, no excuses.
The boys crushed it. I mean genuinely, teenage boys, carry-on only, zero complaints. We may not have had clean underwear the entire time but they don’t really care. I was impressed until we got to the airport and discovered that my thirteen year old, James, had used his remaining bag space to pack his Xbox. No adapter. No plan for the voltage situation. Didn't stop him from trying. Steve nearly lost it at the check-in counter. I was too impressed to be annoyed.
So yes. The boys nailed the challenge. Their mother did not.
The Part I Got Right
Clothing-wise, I executed. I built a tight palette, black, white denim, beige, everything mixed, nothing wasted. Layers for the kind of weather you get moving through Ireland and Scotland in summer, which is unpredictable on a good day. My Lululemon Always Effortless jacket was the MVP of the entire trip. Black, packable, worked for a rainy Edinburgh morning and a London evening without missing a beat also had a hood to pull over my eyes while I grabbed a quick nap on the Harry Potter train my husband insisted we take. I've linked it on my ShopMy page along with the full capsule if you want the complete breakdown.
I never felt underpacked. I never stood in front of my bag frustrated. Getting dressed was easy every single day. That part I'd do exactly the same and I have since used that trip to edit my wardrobe and things I buy.
The Part I Did Not Get Right
Toiletries.
Somewhere in my planning I decided that clothing was where people go wrong and toiletries basically didn't count. This is incorrect. I realized I’m very loyal to the things that make my hairy shiny and keep my skin looking young and they don’t always make travel size options. Duplicates of things I cannot explain appeared in my bags. Hair products for weather scenarios that never happened. At one point my toiletry bag weighed more than my shoes and I was still convinced I was winning the challenge.
I was not winning the challenge.
The Edinburgh Save
The boys needed something slightly dressier mid-trip so we made a quick stop at Zara in the St. James Quarter in Edinburgh. Worth noting, this is one of the nicest Zara stores I've ever been in. If you find yourself there, go. We found what we needed in twenty minutes and moved on.
How It Actually Ended
About three days before we left I made an executive decision and switched to my full size suitcase. And honestly? Best call I made. We needed the room for souvenirs anyway. The challenge was a good idea in theory and the boys should be proud of themselves. James and his Xbox included.
What I'd Actually Do Differently
The capsule wardrobe approach works. I'm not changing that. The ShopMy “12 Days in Europe” page has everything I brought and what I'd bring again and a few suggestions I’d add this year.
The toiletries though. One of everything. Travel size or don't bring it. And remember that Dublin, Edinburgh, and London all have pharmacies. This is not a wilderness survival situation.
The Honest Bottom Line
Carry-on only for twelve days is doable. The clothing part is a solvable problem if you commit to a palette and stop packing for every possible version of yourself. The toiletries part requires a level of discipline I have not yet achieved. And if you have a thirteen year old, check the bag BEFORE you leave for the airport. Won’t make that mistake twice.
MY 12 DAY CAPSULE SUGGESTIONS