The carry-on packing guide I actually use
A minimal carry-on system built around packing cubes, one pair of shoes doing double duty, and laundry every 4-5 days rather than packing for every day of the trip.
I used to overpack every trip. This is the system that fixed it.
The core rule
Pack for 4-5 days, plan to do laundry, regardless of trip length. This alone cuts most people’s luggage in half.
What actually goes in the bag
Packing cubes by category (tops, bottoms, underwear), one pair of versatile shoes, and a compression bag for dirty laundry so it doesn’t mix with clean clothes.
Once your bag is sorted, see the best travel apps for digital nomads or how much a month of travel actually costs.