Bob,
When we go, Clothes and sandals go in the suitcase. I ALSO pack my large carry-on bag, IN the suitcase. Toiletries, etc. go in the small carry-on and that gets carried on the plane.

Depending on what we end up with, the small carry-on might come home in the suitcase (with the large carry-on being carried on), or it might get carried on, or it might get checked.

The WORST trip (for getting stuff home) was probably about 7-8 years ago. We'd recently started collecting ashtrays, and I THINK this was the trip that started the other "stuff" collecting. There was an antique/collectible show at the Plaza. We bought probably around 20 ashtrays, and a couple decks of cards, a few chips, some matchbooks, etc. About the max that I thought the luggage could hold comfortably. Of course, as we were running around town, I was picking up cards and dice in the gift shops and ashtrays here and there, etc.

We also went to California, stopped at a flea market, and hit the mother lode! We got 30 or 31 trays for $50!!

The final ashtray count, for that trip, was 65!!! PLUS I think around 20-30 decks of cards, and whatever else!! I'm amazed that the suitcases still have their handles!! (yup, we've still got the same ones!) All the cards were in the suitcases, ashtrays were in suitcases, and in carry-ons, and I think a couple were probably in my purse! We gotta be nuts!!!