Carry-On Essentials

I like to think of myself as a pretty organized packer.  I make lists, I pack ahead of time, and I have a straight forward system for the morning of the trip to pack up my last minute items.  I always strive to only pack carry-on when flying, due to my impatience with baggage claim and fear of having luggage lost.  However, when I’m forced to check a bag, there are a few things that absolutely need to be in my carry-on for the flight.  I’m a pretty low-maintenance traveler, but I do get a little cranky if I forget to pack any of the following items:

1. Make-Up Remover Wipes: I absolutely need these for every trip.  I always feel so greasy after a flight, and it makes me feel infinitely better to be able to wash my face.  These wipes are an easy way to freshen up without much hassle.  I prefer Simple Brand, but any kind will do.

2. A Good Read(s): I refuse to travel without a book to keep me company. And while I love actual paper books more than I love electronic ones, my iPad is more space-friendly when I travel.  I tend to burn through books with that much time on my hands so my iPad allows me to bring back-ups without bringing an extra carry-on full of paperbacks (yes, it’s happened before).

3. A Scarf: It really is one of the more versatile and useful things you can bring with you on a flight. You can accessorize with it, use it as a blanket, put it up as a makeshift curtain between you and your seat mate…whatever you want.  I like wearing a scarf on the plane because it jazzes up my usual travel outfit of leggings and an over-sized t-shirt.

4. Concealer: Like I said, I’m not all that high-maintenance, but I do prefer to step into a new city with the confidence of having hidden under-eye circles and pimples. I like to have a good concealer on hand to handle these problem areas, which somehow always seem to worsen after a flight.  I prefer Benefit Erase Paste, but again, any brand will do.

5. Empty Water Bottle: I think this is a pretty well-known airport hack, but it’s definitely worth over-mentioning. Bringing an empty water bottle in your carry-on allows you to take it past security and fill it up by your gate to avoid overpaying for an airport bottle of water.  The water fountain is free, people, take advantage of it!  I won’t bore you about the importance of staying hydrated while traveling, so just think about it on your own.

What are your carry on essentials? Do you have any baggage/airport hacks you stand by?

P.S.- Things that didn’t quite make the cut: headphones (an obvious choice), ZZquil (only necessary for the really long trips), snacks (another obvious choice, for me anyways), Notebook/pencils (duh) and Nivea Crème (no need for more emphasis on the importance of hydration).

P.P.S- The products are linked for your convenience, not for my benefit. 🙂