How long can a teen survive on the contents of a Ryanair size carry bag (40cm x 20cm x 25cm)

[CellarCaller]

My son is planning to go abroad for the first time in the summer for 5 days and will only have a carry on bag as described.
Can you fit enough in such a bag?
It's in Germany so temperature will be similar to southern England in late August, early September.
Thanks

😅I was actually complaining at your (perceived) snippyness, but fair point 🌹

I have one of those bags. I would say you could fit 5 t-shirts, a pair of shorts and underwear and socks. As others have suggested wear jeans and hoodie/sweatshirt on the plane.

But this is not the usual cabin bag, is the smaller one right ?

5 days in summer? Of course! I've been skiing with a bag that size!

Fitted sandals, toiletries, 8 pairs undies, 4 t-shirts, 3 pairs shorts, 4/5 pairs of socks, sarong, swimmers, book, cards, souvenirs, phone, pack a mac, foldable nylon rucksack (for day trips), water bottle, sweets for a 6' teen last summer for 8-9 days in ryanair sized carry-on bag.
He wore a long pair of trousers and jumper and trainers plus other usual stuff on the plane.

I'd say doable but not great.
If I were him, I wouldn't bring toiletries and would buy them there.
I'd put on as many clothes on me, extra jumper round my waist etc. you can take all of this off as soon as you are on the plane and put in a plastic bag.

I don't think there's anything wrong with throwing a few pairs of pants in the bin. You are presumably already throwing stuff in the bin when you go on holiday? Or are you bringing it all back so another country doesn't have to deal with it?

I go on holiday 4-6 times per year. An extra cabin bag is at least £70 for the return trip. I've never spent more than a fiver on toiletries airside. Saves us hundreds per year, enough to pay for another holiday..

@istoodonlegoagain I like to think I don’t purposely take something on holiday so I can throw it away

My partner and I did three weeks on Vietnam & Cambodia with a bag that size. Half full on way out, slowly grew over the four flights up to Hanoi (sub-7kg for cheap flights) then filled them with a few bits before flying home. Ranger roll clothing, wear one set, wash one set. We did ten days in Malta last year and took a smaller bag with a total of under 1kg! (A target figure!)

@Damnloginpopup wow!

I take and throw away smalls that are one step away from the bin.
They are a tiny drop in the ocean of tourist-created rubbish.
I also buy clothes from the local economy and take home souvenirs in the space created.

My teen managed three nights abroad with no bag at all.
We all got to the airport, I asked him 'where's your bag?' 'what bag?' he replied. So he went away in just the clothes he stood up in. Luckily I had his passport, we didn't trust him to look after it.

For 5 days I would book a case into the hold

I actually found the small baggage allowance quite freeing. Less stuff in The apartment, less to sort through, easy to park for the return journey

I think it’s so she’s warm enough with the 2 layers when she gets there but can take the bulky jeans off! It’s quite cold where she’s going!

This. When the small cabin bag was axed I was worried about how we were going to manage but it's been very freeing, and takes two minutes to pack up at the end. Not to mention it takes five minutes to completely unpack when you get home.

It’s doable, but he’ll need to be intentional about everything he brings, and maybe bring along a few travel detergent sheets to wash things in the sink between wears. There’s no packing ‘just in case’ items with that limit. Compression packing cubes might help as well.

The Onebag subreddit has lots of people who have done this and shares their packing lists. This is one for a four day trip, but is a starting point.

Shampoo or shower gel if provided in the room is all you need to rinse out stuff. They dry overnight in warm weather and on the radiator in cold times. Needs must!

We travel a lot and would never take more than that for 5 days. Just wash things as we need to. It's usually not that hard to find a place to do some laundry. You can fit a fair bit into those bags if you pack carefully.

I've just flown Edinburgh to Malaga on Ryanair.
£60 return if I'd wanted to restrict my change of clothes to a couple of T-shirts and a pair of shorts. The hand luggage bag is really tiny. Smaller than the rucksack I take my laptop to work in.
I went with the extra £60 return to take the small but reasonably sized cabin bag so I've got choice of footwear, jeans, shorts, nightie etc. and my hand luggage had my toiletries and battery charger plus cables.
The small bag size is just about doable if you have a made to measure bag that means you can maximise the space allowed, and booked a place that has washing facilities either within Airbnb/hostel or nearby.
I'm in my 60s and happy to pay that bit extra

The small bag allows you to get off the plane without scrabbling for your case in the luggage compartments, and you don't have to drag a case around, much less stress especially if on your own. I fly to Europe once a month or so and spending money on a suitcase I don't need would be such a waste of money. There's always space for a few new purchases. If I want to bring back a feckton of wine/cheese etc., then I'll pay for the case, mind you!

This made me laugh.
Mine wouldn't survive without phone, charger, portable charger but I guess he could put those in his pockets.

Yes my son packed a weeks worth in a Ryan's Air carry on. He would be wearing shorts and Ts most days, so wore his trainers and jeans and light jacket just in case on time the plane and packed sliders and shorts and Ts. Travel size toiletries.

You make a valid point! I HATE scrabbling around for my bag in the overhead lockers. Also hate dragging around cabin bag and rucksack, as well as paying (at least) 70 quid for the cabin bag.

I'm inspired by some of the posts on here, especially links to packing for a week using the carry on.