How to pack carry-on only, for any length of trip

To pack carry-on only, first check your airline's bag size and weight rules and your security agency's liquids rules, then pack for about a week, plan to wash clothes on the way, wear your bulkiest items on the plane, and choose clothes that all go together. That is the method for a long weekend and for a long journey alike.

A traveller with one bag moves differently. You walk off the plane and out of the airport while others wait at the carousel. You climb the stairs of the old guesthouse without a second thought. You take the small bus instead of the taxi. Packing light is not a sacrifice. It is a kind of freedom, and it starts before you fold a single shirt.

Step one: check the rules for your trip

There is no single carry-on rule. Size limits, weight limits and what counts as a personal item vary from airline to airline, and sometimes between fares on the same airline. Liquids rules are set by the security agency in the country you fly from, such as the TSA in the United States, and they are not the same everywhere.

So before you pack:

• Look up your airline's carry-on and personal item allowance for your exact fare, including any weight limit.
• If your trip involves more than one airline, check each one and pack to the strictest.
• Read the liquids, medicines and batteries guidance on the official security agency website for every country you will fly out of.
• Check entry requirements and travel advice for your destination on official government sources, not forums.

Write the limits down. They are your packing brief.

Step two: pick the right bag

Choose a bag that meets the strictest limit you found, and weigh it empty if your airline has a weight limit. A light bag leaves more of the allowance for what you carry. A backpack suits cobbled streets and stairs; a wheeled case suits smooth floors. Pick for the places you are going, not the airport.

Step three: pack for a week, whatever the length

The secret of long journeys with small bags is that you do not pack for the whole trip. You pack for about a week and wash as you go. A sink, a little soap and a night of drying will refresh most travel clothes.

A sample list for a week in a mild climate:

• Four or five tops.
• Two pairs of trousers, or one pair plus a skirt or shorts.
• Underwear and socks for about five days.
• One warm layer, such as a fleece or a light sweater.
• One light waterproof jacket.
• Sleepwear, which can double as a spare outfit.
• One pair of shoes on your feet and, if needed, one light pair in the bag.

Adjust for the climate and the occasion, but keep the shape: few items, each worn several times.

Step four: choose clothes that work together

Pick two or three colours that all match, so that every top goes with every bottom. Fabrics that dry quickly and do not crease badly earn their place. Leave behind anything that only works with one other item.

Step five: wear the bulk, roll the rest

Wear your heaviest shoes, your jacket and your warmest layer on the plane. Roll soft clothes tightly, or use packing cubes to keep them compressed and sorted. Put shoes in a bag and fill them with socks. Use every corner.

Step six: toiletries and liquids

Liquids are where carry-on travellers most often get stopped. Follow your security agency's current rules on container size and how they must be bagged. Then reduce what you carry:

• Choose solid versions where you can: bar soap, shampoo bars, solid deodorant.
• Decant into small refillable bottles.
• Buy sunscreen and other bulky items at your destination; shops there sell them too.

Keep medicines in your carry-on, in their original packaging where possible, and check both the security rules and your destination's rules on bringing medicines into the country.

Step seven: electronics and documents

Carry one charger and a multi-port plug if you can, plus the plug adapter your destination needs. Airlines generally require spare batteries and power banks to travel in the cabin rather than in checked bags; confirm the details for your airline. Keep your passport, tickets and a copy of each in an easy pocket.

Pack room for respect

Light packing is good for you. Packing thoughtfully is good for the people you visit.

• Learn what is considered appropriate dress where you are going, especially for places of worship. A light scarf or shawl and a pair of long trousers or a long skirt take little space and open many doors.
• Shoes that slip on and off easily help in homes and sacred places where shoes come off at the threshold.
• Learn a greeting and a thank-you in the local language before you arrive.
• Ask before you photograph people.

The guest who has made an effort is received differently from the one who has not.

Before you zip it

Lay everything out, then remove a third. Most of us pack for the traveller we fear we will be, not the one we are. You will rarely miss what you left behind, and whatever you truly need, you can usually find on the road.

And keep a small notebook in the outside pocket. A light bag leaves room for what you will collect along the way.