St Agni’s Lara Fells is never without layers and a pile of samples – but is still searching for the perfect travel chess set.

After more than 150 nights on the road in 2025, I can tell you one thing: Overpacking isn’t about space. It’s about uncertainty. I know this because I’ve tried just about every packing hack out there.

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As baggage fees climb, these fashion-approved packing tricks can help travelers fit their entire summer vacation into a single carry-on.

The last time I packed for a trip was for a three-day vacation in Connecticut. Wanting my luggage to be as lightweight as possible, I crammed everything—winter clothes, a book, a bag of toiletries, my ...