#carry-on-travel

#carry-on-travel

Since finding it nearly two years ago, my mini weekender has become my go-to personal item, accompanying me on journeys across the world on two-week trips to India, Ireland, home to Rome, and more. Seriously, I might need to get it a passport of its own. Don't let the word "mini" fool you - it packs quite the punch when it comes to organizational capacity.

While this answer typically varies from person to person, one internet theory posits that you only need 15 minutes to make your flight-and travelers are now risking their seats to put it to the test. The premise of TikTok's now-viral Airport Theory is simple: You should be able to walk right up to your gate at boarding time within 15 minutes of your arrival at the airport.

As a parent to two young kids, traveling can be exhausting, and lugging around excess baggage is the last thing I want. So, this summer, my husband and I decided to try only packing carry-ons - three backpacks, two small suitcases, one weekender bag, and one laptop bag - for our family's monthlong vacation to the UK. We navigated rainstorms in London, cooler nights in Cambridge, heatwaves, and the occasional delayed train, but never once felt as though we underpacked.