The Pillowcase Travel Hack I Wish I Knew Sooner
- Traveling with just a carry-on can save money, make you feel like a minimalist, and is completely doable for trips under 14 days.
Traveling light can be hard for a lot of people, especially if you're going on a longer trip. With airlines charging an arm and a leg for checked luggage, the fear of losing your bags on a long journey, and the extra wait at baggage claim–traveling with just a carry-on has many perks. The issue is, can you really pack everything you need in such a small suitcase?
The suitcases I lived out of on my year long Broadway Tour
I have visited over 40 countries, have spent a year of my life living out of suitcases on a Broadway tour, and have lived in small crew cabins as an entertainer on cruise ships . I've truly been through it all, and I am a strong believer in traveling with just a carry-on if it's possible. I love that it saves me money and makes me feel like a minimalist, and I have found it completely doable for any trip that is under 14 days.
One issue I have personally come across, however, is that when I'm traveling during the colder months, fitting everything I need can be a bit more difficult. Luckily, I have a hack for you that will completely save you from having to purchase that extra bag at the airport.
Related: I'm a Carry-on Only Traveler—This 3-3-3 Outfit Method Changed the Way I Pack
Pack Your Extra Clothing Inside A Pillowcase
In a TikTok with over 1 million likes and thousands of shares, creator Lanadoma shares a video of herself trying out the airport pillow hack. Now, you may be wondering, what on earth is the airport pillow hack? Well, people on social media discovered that most airlines allow you to board the airplane with your own pillow as well as your carry-on. The thing is–they don't need to know what your pillow is filled with.
In the TikTok video, Lanadoma is shown traveling through the airport with her pillow, and she successfully boards the plane with that along with her carry-on. At the end of the video, she shows herself at her hotel, unzipping the pillowcase. She then empties out the contents, revealing that she filled her pillowcase with excess clothing that wouldn't fit in her carry-on.
One of the best uses for this method is to pack your pillow with fluffy, lightweight clothing. For example, if you folded three to four sweaters and packed it inside the pillow, it would still be comfortable and usable as a pillow itself, and it would also save you a ton of room in your carry-on by not having the sweaters take up excess room.
Related: The Sneaky Money-Saving Hotel Hack I Wish I Knew Sooner
Another Trick For Bringing Extra Clothing
While I haven't tried the pillowcase hack yet myself, there is one hack that I've done quite a few times and have found success with. This is a great option for anyone who just needs a little extra room in their carry-on, but not an entire pillowcase worth. I like to take a neck pillow, remove the memory foam insert, and fill it with extra clothing.
I've found that the best items to fit inside the neck pillow are smaller things like socks, scarves, undergarments and t-shirts. I simply roll each item up and stuff them into the neck pillow. It can sometimes turn out a little lumpy, but I've never had a problem getting onto the airplane with it. Plus, it still adds comfort to my trip and works just as well as the foam insert that comes with neck pillows.
As someone who has had to get quite creative with fitting everything I need into just my carry-on and personal item, hacks like these can end up saving the day. Just make sure to not overstuff either the pillow or neck pillow–as this could draw attention to you and the airline may question it. Be smart, pack strategically, and you'll be just fine!
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This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
