A Peek inside my Carry On

We’re going on vacation! Maine for Thanksgiving, to be precise. We are also planning to take a day trip down to Boston while there, and I am BEYOND excited. While I’m hoping with all my heart that I’ll get to see the tail end of a famous “New England Fall”, my husband, Jon, keeps telling me that it’ll probably be too late in the year for that…but what does he know, he only grew up there.

Along with talk of traveling also comes the dreaded “packing mania”. You know, when you throw everything into a too small suitcase the night before and jet off (if you’re me at least. Any other packing procrastinators out there?). Everything is well and fine until you’re on the plane and realized that you forgot your phone charger, or Tylenol to help ease the pounding headache lurking behind your eyes. Perhaps you were reminded of your forgotten hand sanitizer when your neighbor sneezes all over your arm rest, or your pillow when your neck starts to cramp up as you try to catch a nap. This forgetful person is usually always me. So, TRUST ME when I say you will probably need everything on this list at one point in your travels.

Let’s start off with a quick refresher of what IS allowed in your carry on. >> Liquids are limited to travel size containers that are 3.4 oz. (100 ml) or less per item. These must then be placed into a clear bag for TSA. Thankfully, disposable razors, tweezers, and scissors are permitted (although, scissor blades cannot exceed 4” in length).

Light sweater: I don’t know about you guys, but the past few flights I’ve been on have been really cold. Furthermore, the last airline we were on did not offer free blankets. You had to buy them for $15! So, save yourself some money and grab that cute cardigan out of your closet – you know you look fabulous in it anyways.

A change of clothes: I always pack a spare outfit JUST IN CASE my flight gets canceled or something spills on me. Bonus info: my mom always taught me to roll my clothes (like a burrito) when I pack them, and it saves a lot of room.

Camera: *not pictured* I never go far without my trusty DSLR. I have a Nikon D7000 and it has stuck with me from Scotland to Hawaii and everywhere in between.

Snacks + Water: Guys, I’m always hungry. So, this is a no-brainer for me. Plus, we all know how important it is to hydrate yourself, and I tend to never drink enough water when traveling. In an effort to motivate myself, I picked up this cute water bottle and just refill it on the other side of security.

Medicine + essentials: I keep a small pouch of essentials on hand in case I get a headache, need chapstick, of have an upset stomach from that airport food.

Hand sanitizer: There are TONS of germs on a plane, and the last thing you want to do is get sick on vacation. I love the smell of this hand sanitizer – plus it comes in a spray bottle so you can spritz that arm rest your neighbor sneezed on as well. Score.

Passport case: This is the “little card case that could”. Not only does it hold my passport, but it fits all my important cards plus some cash, AND it’s RFID blocking. It’s so nice to not have to dig through a large wallet/purse to give TSA my ID.

Clear pouch: Something to store all your liquids in so it’s easy to pull out for the TSA check.

Deodorant: This is my favorite brand of deodorant right now. Plus, with long flights and layovers, it’s nice to freshen up every so often.

Toothbrush + toothpaste: *not pictured because I totally forgot and dropped the ball on this one* However, I took this little toothbrush with me to Scotland and it was perfect. I love how compact it is!

Neck pillow: I can’t sleep in the “upright position” very well, so a cozy neck pillow is a must for me.

Phone charger: Since our phones are always with us these days, I always bring my standard charger as well as this portable charger for when I am up in the air and nowhere near an outlet.

Glasses: I primarily wear contacts (blind as a bat over here), but my glasses come in handy when my eyes get tired or dry. Eye wear (be it prescriptive or sunglasses) is definitely a must.

Headphones: Whether they are noise canceling ones to help you sleep or just basic ear buds to listen to music or an audio book – headphones are a must when traveling.

Journal + Pen: I always keep a journal when I’m traveling so I can remember everything we did. Plus, a pen and paper is always good to have on hand.

Reading material: Last but definitely not least, I have to have some sort of reading material. Whether it’s an paper book or my kindle, I love to pass the long hours engrossed in a good book. It makes the flight go by quicker.

So, there you have it! A short…ish list of my essentials for my carry on. Drop a comment and let me know if you have anything you can’t travel without!