Are you a carry-on-only person? In this era of pay-to-check baggage fees–and serious restrictions on what you can bring into the cabin of an airplane–more and more people are moving in this direction.
Mike still prefers to check his suitcase, his rationale being that he won’t have to drag it around the airport during a layover. I prefer to keep everything with me, when I can, just for peace of mind. (For a longer trip, that isn’t always possible.) But, of course, when I’m traveling carry-on only, I’m traveling light.
Today I’m going to talk about how to pack the perfection carry-on bag–the “personal item” you’re allowed, in addition to your carry-on luggage. In another post, I’ll offer some tips for packing your carry-on suitcase.
The bag itself
My favorite carry-on bag came in a Stitch Fix. It’s no longer available, but it’s similar to this tote. I like it for several reasons: it’s vegan leather (a fancy way of saying vinyl), which means you can just wipe it clean. Also, no external pockets. I like the sleek look of a bag without flaps and zippers. And I prefer a strap long enough to hang over my shoulder, keeping my hands free.
A carry-on with one large internal compartment, rather than several smaller ones, makes it easy to find what you’re looking for. However, make sure your tote has internal side pockets: one for your cell phone, one large enough for travel documents, and one for smaller items you want to locate quickly, like hotel key cards.
Whatever carry-on bag you choose, make sure it’s washable and not too big. Large bags encourage you to over-pack; also, they’re heavy and awkward to carry. Choose a bag that accommodates what you need and leaves just a little room to spare. (Too much room and you won’t hesitate to fill it with new purchases.)
Essential items for your carry-on bag
In my post about avoiding travel disasters, I mentioned the importance of carrying a small pharmacy. What that includes will depend on your specific needs, but mine always includes Dramamine, Advil, Tums, moisturizing eye drops, Rescue Remedy Pastilles, a few Band-aids, and a set of contact lenses. I usually wear my glasses when I’m flying, since the air on a plane is very dry. Never pack your glasses or contacts in a checked bag. Break your glasses, but have no contacts? You’re out of luck. Eyes get painfully dry, but you don’t have your glasses? Again, out of luck. Keep these things with you at all times.
It’s also a good idea to have paper copies of all your travel documents: your passport (if you’re traveling internationally), your flight itinerary, hotel reservations, digital ticket receipts, etc. While many of these things can be saved on your phone, having hard copies provides security in the event that your telephone service is interrupted–or your phone gets lost or stolen. All these pieces of paper go into a simple manila file folder in my carry-on.
Personal items
This category includes things that make you feel better while you’re traveling, even if they’re not absolutely essential. For me, personal items include a small tube of hand lotion (that dry cabin air again), breath mints, foam earplugs, and a refillable water bottle. Remember that you won’t be allowed to take more than 3 ounces of any liquid through security–pack a collapsible bottle, then fill it once you’re in the terminal. When you arrive at your destination, collapse the bottle again. It takes up virtually no space in your bag.
A foam travel pillow is also nice, for an overnight flight. Airline pillows are thin and, let’s just be honest, less than hygienic.
Electronics and Entertainment
For a typical flight of 2 to 4 hours, I pack only my phone, Kindle, and a pair of earbuds. If you aren’t a reader, you might swap the Kindle for a portable Blu-ray player or tablet computer–or, just rely on your phone.
Check the airline’s website to see if your plane includes personal entertainment centers that let you watch your choice of movies and TV shows (sometimes for a fee.) If so, packing light becomes that much easier.
“Just in case” items
In this category are the things I pack in the event of a particular situation: in case I get cold on the plane, in case my luggage gets lost in transit, etc. However, try to limit your planning ahead to those disasters that actually have a good chance of occurring.
A large scarf (like this one) can serve several purposes. It works as a throw blanket if you get cold on the plane; it also serves as an evening wrap after you’ve arrived, and as an accessory for many different outfits. If you’re traveling to a country with strict modesty standards for women, it helps you keep your head and shoulders covered. Choose a neutral color to get the most use out of scarves when you’re traveling. I typically take two, one in taupe and the other in gray. (You can always pack a third to use as a colorful accessory. Scarves are lightweight and take up very little room.)
A pair of cozy socks will come in handy if your feet get cold. That tends to happen to me on longer flights.
A pair of clean underwear will help you feel fresh if your luggage gets lost.
If you’re taking a road trip, all these packing tips are still relevant. Think of them as what you’ll need to take with you inside the cabin of your car. Road trips tend to encourage over-packing too, since you aren’t limited by checked baggage fees or the size of your suitcase–but traveling light makes both the trip itself, and the cleanup afterward, more manageable.
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