Coordinating travel logistics is stressful enough without worrying about lost bags. If your checked bag is lost or stolen, you might be scrambling for basics like toiletries, makeup, and brushes.
Long haul flyers will also find it helpful to plan their carry-on carefully. By hour six or seven on a plane, you might want a quick refresh, or a few things to help make your layover more comfortable.
Don’t pack your carry-on without these essentials:
Travel-Size Liquids
Since you don’t have a checked bag, packing TSA-compliant liquid products is essential. Each container of liquids—including gels and aerosols—must be 3.4 ounces or smaller, and all the products must fit in one resealable quart-sized bag. This rule applies to toiletries like toothpaste and moisturizing creams and makeup like lip gloss and mascara.
Prescriptions and Medicine
Always pack prescriptions and medicine in your carry-on so you aren’t out of luck if your checked luggage gets lost. Bring extra doses of medication in case of travel delays, and keep everything organized in your bag so you can grab them and go. In addition to prescriptions, essentials like ibuprofen and anti-nausea medicines can also be helpful.
Adapters and Converters
Prepare for international getaways by bringing adapters and converters in your carry-on. While you can typically purchase these items at your destination, options might be scarce or overpriced. Have adapters and converters readily accessible so you can start enjoying your trip without missing a beat.
Compression Socks
Wearing compression socks on long flights will make a significant difference. Sitting in a cramped position for hours can be incredibly uncomfortable because your legs lack proper circulation.
Compression socks provide a light pressure that promotes blood flow, minimizing swelling and the likelihood of blood clots. Consider adding a pair to your carry-on before your next airplane ride.
Eyeglasses Case
Protect your glasses or sunshades by keeping them in a case in your carry-on. Leaving your eyeglasses loose in your bag can break, scratch, or bend them.
It’s also easy to misplace glasses when your hands are full while traveling. Packing your eyeglasses in a case will prevent them from being lost or damaged during your flight.
Power Bank
Bring along a power bank to keep all your electronics at full battery. This tech gadget isn’t just helpful—it’s potentially life-saving.
Sure, it can be annoying if your headphones or tablet die, leaving you without entertainment for your journey. However, getting stranded somewhere unfamiliar with a dead phone and no options to navigate or communicate with others can be dangerous.
Packing Cubes
Packing cube sets are a must-have for organizing your carry-on. They help you maximize space by compressing clothes and letting you neatly pack them in your bag.
You’ll be amazed by how much more you can fit in your carry-on luggage when you use packing cubes. Pick up multiple cube sizes to accommodate different clothes, such as undergarments, pants, and shirts.
Waterproof Toiletry Bag
There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination and discovering your mouthwash or perfume spilled on all your belongings. Due to pressure changes, it’s common for liquid products to leak when you fly.
Pack all your toiletries in a waterproof bag to avoid unnecessary frustration. Plastic storage bags will also do the job in a pinch.
Travel Pillow
You might be surprised by how handy inflatable travel pillows can be. Of course, they’ll help you sleep better if you’re stuck on a bus, plane, or train for several hours.
If you position them correctly, inflatable pillows can alleviate pressure in your head, neck, or back. Once you travel with one, you’ll never travel without one again.
Reusable Water Bottle
Stay hydrated, save money, and help the environment by tossing a reusable water bottle in your carry-on. Drinking enough water is essential to staying healthy while traveling, and keeping a water bottle on hand makes it easy to refill. Repurchasing single-use water bottles can get expensive and create extra waste.
Layerable Clothing
The key to traveling with only a carry-on bag is bringing clothes you can layer to accommodate different weather conditions. Avoid bulky, heavy items that take up a lot of room in your luggage. Instead, stick to light pieces you can pair together or wear alone for greater versatility.
Headphones
A pair of headphones can drastically improve your travel experience. Most headphones are compact, making them easy to throw in your carry-on.
Listening to music, audiobooks, podcasts, or watching shows and movies without disturbing your fellow travelers will make the time fly. If your audio devices are wireless, remember to pack a charger.
Lotion
Hand and body lotion can be a lifesaver on long travel days. Flying can dehydrate you, leaving your skin itchy, dry, and cracked. A small bottle of lotion takes up hardly any space and can instantly rejuvenate you.
Tech Case
Invest in a tech case to keep all your travel gadgets tidy. Keeping up with small tech accessories and untangling wires can be stressful. Storing all your tech-related items in one compact pouch or case makes traveling much easier and more enjoyable.
Dirty Bag
A dedicated dirty bag for clothes or shoes is an excellent addition to your travel setup. If you don’t have access to laundry services during your trip, you can stretch your clothing options by separating the pieces you’ve already worn from the clean ones. A dirty bag also comes in handy to prevent sandy or muddy shoes from soiling your fresh laundry.
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Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
