How I Managed One Week in London With Just a Carry-on
- Jennifer DeWitt
- 6 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Once upon a time, I was a chronic overpacker.
I’d convince myself I needed options, backups, “just in case” outfits, and shoes for every possible scenario. Then I’d pay $35 each way to check a bag I’d inevitably overpacked. That all changed when an airline employee told me (gravely), “Never check a bag,” after I did, in fact check a bag which was subsequently missing for about 24 hours.
For my trip to London last month, I stuck to my preferred packing method: one carry-on, one personal item, one week of outfits.
What I Packed
4 sweaters
3 blouses
4 pairs of pants
2 coats
3 hats
3 scarves
1 pair of boots
4 pairs of sneakers
Twenty-four items total, and I wore my heaviest coat and boots on the plane to save space in my carry-on suitcase.
The Strategy: A Tight Color Palette
Here’s what made it work: I stuck to five colors. Navy, camel, brown, bright red, and yellow-green. All colors in my Spring seasonal palette, which meant everything coordinated without me even having to think about it.
I didn’t pack brown and black accessories. Just brown, because black isn’t in my Spring season. That alone cut my packing in half! Before I left, I created Canva mockups of every planned outfit and tried them on at home. I knew exactly what I was packing and why. Here are the day-by-day looks:
I even had two additional looks (probably more if I’d needed) planned just in case!
What Happened in London
One tiny bump in the road: the weather didn’t cooperate with my plan. I’d packed a coat for arctic conditions when London was sitting pretty at 50 degrees. I ended up buying a lighter jacket at Liberty London on day one. (Not that I needed a reason to shop; as I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, I collect clothing like other people collect rare coins.)
But the beauty of working within a cohesive color palette meant I could easily pivot. The new jacket worked with everything I’d brought because everything already worked together. I mixed pieces I hadn’t originally planned and still looked pulled together. I never repeated an outfit. I never felt limited. And - the best part - I never wished I’d packed more.
The Right Carry-Ons
For a long time, I was under the misconception that you could bring a carry-on piece of luggage and a small personal item like a handbag, book sack, or tote bag. However, that all changed when I stumbled upon the most amazing tote bag on Amazon.
While all of my clothing went into my carry-on suitcase, everything else (including shoes, scarves, hats, pajamas, and toiletries) went in here. This bag is roomy enough that I can even toss my crossbody and the book I read on the plane inside before boarding to avoid any TSA confusion.
The Real Benefit of Seasonal Color Analysis
Now that I know my best colors, packing for this trip and getting dressed every day was easy, and I felt confident in every outfit (even the ones I switched up while getting dressed).
When you know your colors and stick to them, packing and getting dressed become easy and joyful instead of stressful. You don’t need backups and “just in case” items because everything in your suitcase is already a backup for everything else.
You can see all the outfits in this reel I shared on Instagram, and I’ve linked every item I packed on my ShopMy page HERE.
Carry-on only. One week. Twenty-four items. It’s possible, with the right color palette and the right luggage!
Ready to make your closet work for you? Schedule a discovery call with me HERE!