If the words holiday travel make your blood pressure rise just a little, you’re not alone. Between flight delays, unpredictable weather, packed airports, and the constant worry of forgetting something important, it’s no wonder traveling this time of year feels stressful.
👉🏻 But here’s the truth: with the right plan (and a few smart habits), holiday travel can actually be calm, simple, and heck, even enjoyable! I’m serious.
After four years of full-time carry-on travel (across dozens of flights, train rides, and road trips) I’ve learned how to make every trip lighter, smoother, and way less stressful. And today, I’m sharing my best holiday travel tips to help you do the same.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this post:
✅ How to simplify before you even start packing
✅ My 5–4–3–2–1 formula for packing light (without overthinking it)
✅ The easiest way to make travel days stress-free
So take a deep breath, grab a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa), and let’s get into my best holiday travel packing tips to make this season feel a whole lot lighter.
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Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
These stress-free holiday travel tips will help you pack smarter, stay organized, and feel confident the entire way to your destination!
1️⃣ Simplify Before You Even Start Packing
The calmest trips always start before the suitcase comes out. One of the best holiday travel tips I can share is to simplify everything you can ahead of time. Here’s how to make your holiday packing smoother from the start:
✅ Make a quick master list:
Before you even pull clothes from your closet, jot down the essentials you can’t forget. Like chargers, medication, gifts, travel documents, and toiletries. Keep this list in your Notes app or print it out so you can reuse it next time.
This tiny step takes five minutes but saves hours of “Did I pack that?” panic later.
✅ Keep a travel drawer ready year-round:
If you travel often (or even just during the holidays), keep your must-haves in one spot. Things like your toiletry bag, adapters, travel-size containers and jewelry organizer. That way, when it’s time to pack, you can grab everything in one go.
✅ Choose your color palette early:
This is one of my go-to carry-on travel tips: pick a color palette before you start choosing clothes. Stick to 3-4 main colors (like black, cream, and camel, or navy, white, and olive). When everything coordinates, you can mix and match endlessly. This translates to fewer clothes and more outfit options.
👉🏻 Also read: how to choose your travel color palette.
✅ Ship gifts ahead of time (or get creative):
If you’re flying, don’t fill your suitcase with presents. Shipping gifts directly to your destination (or ordering online for local pickup) can save a ton of space. If that’s not possible, pack gifts unwrapped and bring small reusable bags or ribbons to dress them up once you arrive.
✅ Embrace “done” over “perfect”:
This might be the most underrated holiday travel tip of all: don’t aim for a flawless trip. Aim for an easier one. You’ll enjoy your travels (and the people you’re with) so much more when you’re not overthinking every detail.
Simplifying is the secret to stress-free holiday travel. Every minute you spend organizing now gives you more time later to actually enjoy the trip.
2️⃣ Pack With Peace of Mind (Not Panic)
Packing doesn’t have to feel like a last-minute math problem. Most of the stress comes from not knowing how much is enough.
After years of living out of a 20-inch carry-on, here’s what I’ve learned: You don’t need more space. You need a system.
Start with this simple holiday packing formula I use for every trip (works for anywhere between 8-10 days)
✅ The 5–4–3–2–1 Rule (Holiday Edition)
This is one of my favorite holiday travel tips because it works for almost any type of trip. Whether you’re flying to visit family somewhere cold or spending the holidays somewhere warm. (just replace sweaters with summer tops and pants for shorts/skirts)
Here’s the breakdown:
- 5 tops – Mix cozy sweaters, lightweight knits, or festive blouses you can layer.
- 4 bottoms – A pair of jeans, dress pants, casual trousers, and something comfy (like leggings or joggers for lounging or travel).
- 3 pairs of shoes – If you’re traveling light, make it two. Think: leather sneakers or loafers + ankle boots or dressy flats.
- 2 dresses (or jumpsuits) – One casual, one you can dress up for special occasions or holiday dinners.
- 1 outer layer – Your warmest piece (coat, puffer, or leather jacket). Wear it on the plane.
If all your tops match all your bottoms, that’s 20 outfits right there (5×4). Plus, you also have dresses and layers to mix and match. And if you’ll have washer access? You’re all set!
✅ Pick your “anchor” outfit first:
Instead of starting with random favorites, start with the outfits that matter most. For holiday travel, that’s usually the actual Holiday event or dinner looks. The moments you’ll want to feel your best.
Once you’ve picked those, build around them. The rest of your wardrobe should support those anchor pieces, not compete with them.
For example:
If your holiday dinner outfit is a midi skirt and a sparkly knit top, bring pieces that can remix those items — a turtleneck to wear the skirt for daytime, or jeans to dress down the top for brunch.
🎄 For more Holiday outfit ideas, check out this blog post!
✅ Think in outfit math, not individual pieces
When you know how many combinations you can make, packing feels easier.
If 5 tops × 4 bottoms = 20 possible outfits, and you’re traveling for a week, you already have more than enough.
This mindset shift takes away the pressure to bring more because you see how far a small stack of clothes actually goes.
✅ Keep your toiletries small and simple:
Your toiletry bag can make or break your space. Stick to the basics — skincare, shampoo, and basic makeup items you’ll actually use. Use refillable containers for shampoo and lotion, and keep them ready to go in your travel drawer all year.
Multitaskers are your best friend. My Primally Pure antioxidant balm doubles as moisturizer, night balm and eye cream, which means fewer products and less weight in your bag.
🎯 Also read: how to simplify your toiletry bag
✅ Bonus: Don’t skip loungewear!
Here’s one thing most people forget when packing light for the holidays: downtime clothes.
You’ll want one outfit that’s cozy but still cute enough to wear if guests drop by. Something like: a knit set or your favorite leggings + a crewneck sweater.
That’s it. You don’t need “extras.” You just need to plan with purpose.
🧳 Want to make packing stress-free? I’ll send you a customized packing list for your trip!
Simply answer these 2 questions about your trip and I’ll send you a customized packing list! It’s that easy. (spring & summer trips only)
The best part? I’ve tried and tested these packing lists 👇🏼
3️⃣ Make Travel Days Feel Easier By Traveling Carry-on Only!
One of the most important holiday travel tips I can give you is this: travel with a carry-on only. It’s the simplest way to save time, skip stress, and stay in control of your trip.
When you have everything with you, you don’t have to worry about lost luggage, long baggage lines, or delays that separate you from your stuff. You land, grab your bag, and go straight to the fun part. That’s what true stress-free holiday travel feels like.
To make carry-on travel work, wear your bulkiest pieces on the plane. Your coat, boots, and warmest sweater should be on you, not in your suitcase. I usually wear comfy joggers, a soft top, a cozy sweater, sneakers and my warmest jacket. It keeps me comfortable and saves a lot of space.
Your personal item should also make your life easier. Bring one that fits your essentials — toiletries, snacks, charger, water bottle, and a pashmina that can double as a blanket. These small comforts make travel days smoother and more enjoyable.
Once you try traveling carry-on only, you’ll never go back. You’ll move faster, feel calmer, and actually enjoy the trip instead of worrying about what’s missing.
🧳 How to find the best carry-on for your travel needs?
🎯 Also read:
- My favorite wrinkle free travel clothing
- How to organize your personal item for long travel days
- What to pack for cold weather travel
Holiday travel might never be perfectly smooth and that’s okay. The goal isn’t to control every detail, it’s to make space for the moments that matter most.
When you pack light, plan ahead, and give yourself permission to keep things simple, everything about the journey feels easier. You move through airports with less stress, you unpack faster, and you actually have the energy to enjoy where you’re going.
So this season, focus less on what’s in your suitcase and more on who’s waiting for you at the other end.
You’ve got this. Happy Holidays! ✨
XO,
Aimara
About the Author:
Hi, I’m Aimara 👋🏻 I’ve been traveling full-time since 2021 with nothing but a 20-inch carry-on suitcase (yes, really!). After four years of living this way, I’ve learned how to pack light, create outfits that actually work in real life, and skip the stress that usually comes with travel.
Through my blog Ways of Style, I share everything I’ve learned to help women travel light and in style — from practical packing strategies and capsule wardrobe ideas to seasonal outfit inspiration and product reviews that make life on the road easier.
If you enjoyed these holiday travel tips, you’ll love my other travel and style guides ⬇️
- A minimalist fall travel packing list using the 54321 method
- The 7 best travel accessories for women
- 5 items women always forget before a trip!
- What is travel friendly skincare, and why it matters
- The 15 best travel essentials for women
Did you learn anything from my best Holiday travel tips? Share it on Pinterest!
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