It’s Day 3 of the 12 Days of Christmas gifts for your travel lover so let’s talk about being team carry on. That means ONE piece of luggage and a small bag for your trip. Team carry on makes adventures much easier and airlines are less likely to lose your luggage. So, I’m here to help you convert from team check luggage to team carry on!

Packing cubes are going to be your saving grace. I ordered my first set a few years ago and they have transformed my travel packing life! I was able to pack a week’s worth of winter clothes into one carry on and I actually packed too many clothes. I’m such a packing cube fanatic that I’ve encouraged my “cubeless” friends to borrow mine and make their packing life easier. They have become converts.

Get a set that has a variety of sizes which is what you’ll need. I use a cube for each type of clothing and I roll my clothes before I pack them: underwear and regular bras in a cube; shirts in a cube; pants in a cube and rolled running clothes in a cube with running bras and socks. My running clothes are my packing exception because I’ve forgotten items which made running impossible. Now I pack ALL of my running stuff (including head lights, reflectors, caps, gloves, socks, etc.) in the largest cube. I also roll and pack any dresses I’m taking but I’ll wear any jacket I might need.

I’m also team black everything but this set of cubes is a light grey color. I suggest purchasing a lighter color so you can see your items in the dark. Since I invariably book a crack of dawn flight, I need light cubes to pack while it’s still dark and I’m trying not to disturb my hosts. Flying later in the day could also help but who am I kidding? Maybe my next trip will be by train which leaves later in the day.

As per usual, I will receive a microscopic commision if you make a purchase through my Amazon affiliate account but it will NOT affect your cost. So tell me, are you team carry on or nah?