Today's email is going to feel a little different from what I usually send you, and I want to tell you why upfront.

Most weeks I'm in your inbox showing you outfits, sharing packing tricks, getting you excited about your next trip. And I love that for us.

But every once in a while, I want to put the styling tips on pause and have a more honest, behind the scenes conversation with you.

Today is one of those days.

Because here's what I've been thinking about a lot lately:

I know some of you have been reading my emails for a while and still haven't tried traveling carry-on only. And I want you to know I see you. I'm not judging. I actually completely get it.

Maybe you've thought about it and decided it's not your thing (which is totally valid).

Maybe you've tried, felt overwhelmed and gave up halfway through.

Maybe you're curious, but the idea makes your stomach drop because you don't even know where to start.

Or maybe you've been quietly wondering if I'm one of those bloggers who makes everything look easier than it actually is 😅.

So today I want to be really honest with you: carry-on travel feels hard at first.

Yes, even for me. Yes, after almost 5 years of doing it full time. It's not easy to pack for 6 months at a time in a carry-on.

There's a version of this lifestyle that gets sold online (you know, the dreamy "look how light I'm packing!" reel) and then there's the real version. And today I want to talk about the real version.

So let's get into it.

1️⃣ The first downside? Your brain HATES it.

Packing light is the uncomfortable option. Your brain wants the safety net. It wants the "just in case" sweater, the second pair of jeans, the third dress you'll never wear. Anything unfamiliar feels risky, and packing less is unfamiliar to most of us.

So when you sit down to pack a carry-on for the first time, your brain will absolutely try to convince you it's not possible. That you'll forget something important. That you'll regret it. That everyone else clearly needs more, so why don't you?

What does this mean for you in real life? It means the first few times you try to pack carry-on only, it will feel WRONG. Not because you're doing it wrong, but because your brain is screaming.

That's normal and it passes. You just have to rip off the bandaid.

2️⃣ You actually have to carry it.

Nobody talks about this part enough. A carry-on is heavier than people think. And lifting it into the overhead bin when you're tired, jet lagged, or short (hi, I'm 5'4") is not glamorous.

I'll be honest with you. The first year we traveled full time, my husband carried my giant heavy suitcase for me. And I felt terrible every single time. I'd watch him struggling and think this is so unfair to him because he also had his own bag. But I also didn't know how to pack any lighter. I was stuck.

Learning to pack a manageable carry-on wasn't just about saving money on checked bag fees. It was about not making someone else carry the weight of my indecision.

What's ironic is that he still carries my carry-on LOL (he's 6'4" and much stronger than me, so I guess that makes sense). But now it's because he's sweet, not because I packed a mini fridge.

3️⃣ The third downside? Sometimes the airline checks it for you anyway.

Budget airlines are sneaky. Full overhead bins on packed flights are real. Sometimes you do everything right and they still gate-check your bag. Frustrating? Yes. End of the world? No.

And here's where I want to tell you something I don't think I've ever said in this newsletter:

I sometimes check my carry-on.

Yep. When it's an easy flight, smaller plane or we're filming a video for our channel. I check it. And I sleep just fine.

⭐️ Now for the real upsides (because they ARE real):

When your bag is with you, you skip baggage claim. You don't have that 30 minute pit-in-your-stomach moment wondering if your suitcase made the connection. You walk off the plane and you're already going somewhere fun.

And the times your bag DOES get lost? You realize how much that one experience changes the way you travel forever. (If you've been there, you know)

You also have all your belonging with you, at all times! Spilled coffee and need to change? No problem. Want to wash your face, brush your teeth and apply your entire skincare routine after a long flight? Got it.

There's a real peace of mind on having everything with you.

But hear me out...

❌ Carry-on vs. checked is not really the point. (shocking, I know)

The point is packing only what you'll actually use.

The real reason I pack light has very little to do with the size of my bag. It's because I move around a LOT. Buses, trains, budget airlines in Europe, tuk-tuks in Sri Lanka, apartments with no elevators, cobblestone streets that eat expensive suitcase wheels for breakfast.

When I'm hauling 50 pounds of clothes I'm never going to wear, all of that becomes brutal. I'm exhausted, sweaty and cranky before I even get to the hotel. So I learned to pack less, and suddenly the trip got easier in 100 small ways I didn't expect.

What I really built over these last years is a smarter relationship with my suitcase. And that has nothing to do with the bag itself, and everything to do with what goes inside it.

Which brings me to the last thing I want to leave you with today:

So much of the packing overwhelm comes from the "what if I forget something?!" spiral.

But after almost 5 years of this, I can tell you: you will figure it out. You can trust yourself.

👚 Need to wear the same top more than twice? You can rinse it in the sink or use the washer at your accommodation.

🧣 Weather changed? Layer what you have.

☔️ Started raining more than expected? Buy an umbrella and leave it behind.

🧴 Ran out of shampoo? There's a pharmacy, convenience store or supermarket pretty much anywhere in the world.

You are way more resourceful than your packing anxiety wants you to believe.

(I'll dig into this next Sunday, with an email about how I problem solve on the road and the real "what ifs" that have actually happened to me in the last 5 years. Keep an eye out for it)

And whether you travel with carry-on or check a bag, the goal is the same: opening your suitcase at your destination and loving everything you brought, instead of feeling buried under the chaos of stuff you grabbed "just in case."

The "carry-on" part is just a tool, not a personality trait.

Whether your bag is 20 inches or 28 inches, you can:

✅ Only pack what you'll use.

✅ Only pack things that go together.

✅ Only pack things you actually feel good wearing.

That's it. That's the whole game.

Now I want to hear from you.

Hit reply and tell me: are you team carry-on, team checked bag, or somewhere in between? And what's the hardest part of packing for YOU right now?

I read and answer every single email, and your answers literally shape what I write next. I always want this space to be useful for you.

Thanks for reading 💜 Hope you found some encouragement in today's email.

XO,

Aimara