As we peek into the possibility of safely traveling, we are also back to the dreaded packing process… my least favorite part of any trip! My daughter and I both have a habit of overpacking, which is less than ideal when confined to relatively limited luggage space. However, with the correct checklist, luggage, and packing techniques, the packing process can be made much easier.
Carry-On Bags
Before diving into what kind of items go into my carry-on, let’s talk bags. I typically check most of my luggage, so my carry on is designed to get me through the travel day itself rather than the entirety of the trip. Because of this, I’ve found that tote-style bags offer the most functionality and ease of access while traveling. The perfect carry-on bag for me is one that has plenty of room, comfortable straps, and different compartments for ease in organizing!
My MUST Carry-On’s
After years of traveling for work, a fair number of my checked luggage has been lost. I have since learned from those events and cannot stress enough how important this travel tip is. Keep your jewelry and medicine in your carry-on bag. Essentially anything you wouldn’t want to lose or live without should make it into your carry on, as it minimizes the chances of losing something valuable. There are so many amazing travel sized jewelry compartments that take up minimal carry-on space, while also allowing the peace of mind of keeping your valuables close to you. Traveling with any medications in your carry on is another piece of advice that is critical. One of my favorite recent finds is this incredible medicine organizer from Amazon. Not only is it a great way to organize and keep track of your morning and evening medications, but the individual pill compartments are housed in a durable and compact case. Finding a medicine organizer that can fit in your carry-on with ease allows minimized risk and added organization!
What goes into my carry-on?
As the woman of the house, I feel like my carry-on bag quickly accumulates different items my family hurriedly throws in, thus becoming the ‘community carry on’, in a sense. To keep everything organized, I like to separate some things into smaller pouches within the bag. For example, I always pack electronic chargers in my Mark and Graham Fillmore Vegan Leather Pouch… it is the perfect size and an amazing way to avoid clutter in my carry on!
Hygiene Items
My carry on also includes a small toiletry bag filled with different items (under 3.5 ounces, of course) to help keep safe and fresh during flights. To ensure the safety of passengers and crew amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the protocol for airline sanitation is more extensive than ever. However, I like to pack a few extra items to take my airplane hygiene one step further! My designated “sanitation bag” is the Mark & Graham canvas zipper pouch, and in it you will find items such as:
In addition to these sanitation items, I also pack beauty and toiletry items in my carry on. The beauty items are great for refreshing yourself after a long day of traveling and flying. Hygiene items on the other hand, are somewhat of a safety net in the event of delayed flights, long flights and last-minute hotel stays.
Beauty
- Hair: mini hairbrush, extra hair ties, dry shampoo
- Skin: Lip balm, lotion, sunscreen, rosewater spray
- Toiletries Clear Pouch
- Face wash, travel sized toothbrush/toothpaste, deodorant
Checked Luggage
Over the years, I have found that writing out a trip itinerary with daily plans, excursions, meals, and the weather forecast is extremely helpful in making the packing process more simplistic. Focusing your checklist on the day-to-day activities minimizes the potential of packing more outfits than actually needed, subsequently saving luggage space. Additionally, there are countless luggage organization sets on the market right now, which are great ways to ensure that every item has its own place in your luggage.
I hope you have a fabulous Weekend! Are any of you gearing up to travel soon? Let me know where in the comments below! I love hearing from each of you! Oh! Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for weekly inspiration and even some amazing recipes.
Keep staying fabulous friends!
XO- Tiffany Blackmon
Photography by: Audrie Dollins || All product selections, reviews, and styling are my own
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