The carry-on list we actually use

We travel carry-on only, even for a month. People assume that means roughing it, but the opposite is true: the freedom of never waiting at a baggage belt, never losing a bag, and walking off a plane straight into the city is worth every bit of the discipline it takes. Here's the list that survived a hundred trips and countless ruthless culls.

The one rule that governs everything

Pack for a week, not for a trip. Laundry exists everywhere on earth, and doing a wash mid-trip costs less than the excess baggage fee you'd otherwise pay. Once you accept that a week's clothes will carry you through a month, the bag shrinks dramatically. Every item also has to earn its place by working in at least two outfits — if it only goes with one thing, it stays home.

• Roll clothes, don't fold — it saves space and creases less.
• Pick a tight colour palette so everything mixes.
• Merino wool layers: they resist odour and can be worn many times between washes.
• One pair of versatile shoes you can walk all day in; a packable second pair only if truly needed.

The luxuries we never skip

Minimalism isn't about suffering. A few small things punch far above their weight and we never leave them behind. Good merino socks, because warm dry feet fix most travel misery. A packable down jacket that crushes to the size of a fist and handles everything from plane air-con to a mountain evening. A universal adapter. And a refillable water bottle, which pays for itself by the second day.

If you can't comfortably carry your bag up three flights of stairs and run for a train with it, it's too heavy.

The toiletry trap

This is where carry-on attempts usually die. The liquids limit is real, but it's also generous once you stop carrying full-size everything. Decant into small bottles, buy basics like shampoo at your destination, and remember that most accommodation provides the essentials. A solid bar shampoo sidesteps the liquid rules entirely and lasts months.

Tech, kept light

A phone, a slim power bank, the chargers you actually need, and — if you must — a tablet or light laptop. We stopped carrying a separate camera once phone cameras got good enough; one fewer thing to charge, insure and worry about. Cable clutter is the enemy, so a small pouch keeps it all in one place.

The first carry-on-only trip feels like a leap. By the third, checking a bag feels faintly absurd. Start with one short trip, resist the urge to pack the "just in case" pile, and you'll wonder why you ever waited at a carousel.