DOWNSIZING YOUR BELONGINGS

Special clothing and gear fold into smaller areas

Expandable features can provide more room in your carry-on

The combo carry-on splits into a garment bag and upright

(CNN) -- With airlines cracking down on the size of carry-on baggage, flyers are looking for ways to lighten their loads, and travel suppliers are providing the goods to help them.

Airlines are planning to enforce new rules limiting the size of carry-on bags beginning November 1, and companies are selling lighter, smaller goods to help flyers comply.

Travel goods supplier TravelSmith publishes a catalog filled with clothing and gear designed to save space.

"Our belief at TravelSmith is that you can pack for a week and still carry on," said company founder Chuck Slaughter.

The company sells versatile, lightweight clothing that packs smaller: "Packable microfiber raincoats, a black dress that folds into a small compact unit that doesn't need a garment bag... a sweater that packs in half the space of a traditional sweater. These are all ways you can bring everything you want to bring but still fit it in a carry-on bag," Slaughter said.

In addition, luggage companies are designing smaller, more functional carry-on bags.

"(It's) what we call the carry-on combo," said Cameron Schmidt, director of marketing for Samsonite. "It's a very slim, elegantly sized combination of two products... a garment bag that slips very easily overhead and a small upright which slides right underneath the seat."

Larry Lein, executive vice president of Tumi, said his company is developing wheelaway luggage that is smaller and softer, so it can be compressed into an overhead compartment on a plane.

Retractable handles also are becoming popular for luggage because they don't get caught in airline baggage machinery and they don't add extra inches to the size of the bag.

However, most experts say the key to packing the right things in your carry-on baggage is this: Plan ahead so that you don't have to leave anything behind.

Based on a report from CNN's Business and Travel and Beyond. The segment appears weekdays on Early Edition at 7 AM (ET) and on Morning News at 10 AM (ET).