PACKING
Airlines used to give you a checked bag for free, but now the fees to do so can be absurd. Because of this, so many more people have begun to travel with only carry on bags. The benefits to this are that you don’t have to pay a fee to check a bag and you don’t need to wait for your luggage on the carousel after your flight to pick up. However, these bags are SMALL. If you are anything like me, the toiletry bag takes up half of the carry on suitcase. Luckily, I have learned some tricks on how to fit over ten days worth of clothes and items in this small suitcase. The only time I would recommend checking a bag for domestic travel is if you are skiing or snowboarding and have thick, heavy gear.
The first trick to getting everything in the carry on is to roll up your clothes as small as possible. You can even look up military-style rolling techniques for the most efficient methods. After rolling, I place everything into suitcase organizer bags and sort by clothing type – so all shirts in one bag, all shorts in another, etc. This keeps everything nice and tidy when you are trying to find your outfit for the day.
Another huge tip, going back to the toiletries, is to go through your toiletry bag and leave behind any item that you do not use daily, or do not intend on using. More than likely, you will not need your contour kit or eyeshadow palette, so leave them at home. This frees up so much space in your bag.
AIRPORT
When going abroad, check a bag especially in Europe. If you have a connecting flight in Europe, there is usually security (even though you already went through it in the US). The security line is LONG and SLOW and they have no sense of urgency. If there are more than 3 liquid items, even if they are under 3 fl. oz., your bag will be searched and this takes even longer. For this reason, you should put all toiletries, even make up, in your checked bag. The only thing I had in my carry on that could be considered liquid was a small travel sized tube of toothpaste. Any fluids that you have in your carry on you must take out and have them in a plastic bag when going through security. Just to be safe, I took out my toothpaste. This process is super important to keep in mind if you have a short connecting flight.
WHAT TO WEAR
Comfort over fashion. Always. Especially when it comes to shoes. I made a huge mistake of only bringing my Reebok Club C 85 Vegan sneakers on my trip to Europe, thinking they would suffice. My feet hurt SO BAD after the first day. I ended up having to buy a new pair of sneakers for $80 (that was the cheapest I could find that wouldn’t hurt my feet) halfway through the trip. You will always walk more than you anticipate. As far as regular clothing goes, try to wear solid colors and stay away from something that you would wear in the gym. Many countries do not wear athletic clothes for daily use. You can still be comfortable in a solid tank top and shorts, but the outfit will be cute enough for pictures. Here are some outfit ideas that I have worn:
TRAVEL ITEMS MUST-HAVES
Cross body bags are life savers. I don’t like that backpacks make my back ache, dig into my armpits, and contribute to sweaty pit stains. When your bag is on your back, you are more likely to get pickpocketed. Cross body bags are amazing and you can wear them in the front. They are small, so they don’t get bothersome to carry all day, but have enough space for your stuff.
Cross Body Bag
The bag I used in Europe was just big enough to hold my camera, phone, cards, cash, passport, portable charger, two water bottles, and any small knickknacks I picked up. Here is a picture of mine
Another travel must-have is a portable charger. I recommend a small one that can hold at least one and a half charges. These are relatively cheap and come in handy if you wasted all your battery on pictures, or have a hostel room with no outlet (like I did).
I strongly recommend getting suitcase packing organizers if you are trying to pack a lot of stuff in one suitcase. These are amazing because usually the top is mesh, so you can see what is inside without opening it. This allows you to keep everything so much more organized. You can sort by outfits or by type of clothing item. I got my set for only about $20.
SKYE SIGHTS 
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