What’s in My Carry On?
We are SO ready for spring break around here! The wait has gone on too long. It really seems as though everyone else has had their break and we still have one week to go. Thankfully, Easter is much earlier next year (April 12th to be exact) so the wait for break from President’s Day to Spring Break will not drag on so long. As I prepare for our upcoming travel, I thought I would share with you my carry-on essentials. These are the items I always pack in my carry-on without fail.
Of course, there won’t be much relaxing this spring break because Cami and I are headed east for college tours. The boys are headed off to Catalina on our boat and then Cole has a trip to D.C. with his school. All of this has me in a frenzy of organizing and pre-planning. I need to pack Cole for both trips before I leave. I need to organize Cami’s and my packing because our college tour trip is bookended by tournaments in Kansas City and Little Rock. (Exciting! Right?)
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I Need a Vacation
Luckily, I travel a lot. I have my core travel items, I always pack and I know exactly what I need in my carry on. The big unknown is the weather. I am praying for no rain but alas the long range forecast is not in our favor. We are so over rain! San Diego has been rained out. It is a good thing because we are no longer in a drought here in CA but we are over it! Also, everywhere we have been this last tournament season, we have encountered rain. So fingers crossed for mild, spring days in Boston and NYC.
Since we are traveling to NYC, I want to look chic. I also want to be comfortable. But that is a topic for another post. Look for my what I packed for NYC post coming soon.
I don’t really have a favorite carry on bag. I usually bring the one that works opposite of the purse I have chosen to use. For example, If I want to bring a tote as my purse then I usually bring a back pack as my carry on. For our upcoming trip, I am planning on using my anello back pack. I plan to bring my Goyard Artois as my purse because it has a zip closure which I feel is safer in the city. I am also bringing my Louis Viutton Ponchette Mettis cross body smaller bag for night.
anello Back Pack
When we visited Paris last year, all the Asian fashionable women had this great backpack. I noticed it so often, I had to hunt it down and check it out. Apparently, the anello bag has been the IT travel bag in Asia for a while. Incidentally, all the women wore it on front of their body. That may be because of the reputation in Paris for pick pockets, which is an issue but if you are observant you can avoid being targeted without having to wear your backpack on your front.
It turns out the anello bag is so popular that there are a ton of fakes. So I am hesitant to provide a link. I purchased mine from a reputable dealer last year. If you like the bag, make sure to do your research especially if you choose to buy on Amazon. anello bags are known for their structured top which allows you to access your items more easily. They often have gold details but I wanted a little more of an understated vibe. So I went with their limited edition all black version.
Louis Vuitton Never Full GM
My other goto carry on bag is the Louis Vuitton Never Full. It fits so much stuff and doubles as a great light weight purse. I have stuffed this thing with so much! My only complaint is the straps are thin, so when it gets heavy with stuff the straps kinda dig in to your shoulders. Still it is one of most used purses. As I said, I am kinda fickle with carry on bags and I happen to keep buying new and different styles. A shout out to Lululemon for always making bags I want to try. I have a hefty collection of totes from Lululemon and they make the perfect travel bag. Right now, I am eyeing the One Trek Mind Tote but my husband will honestly kill me if I buy one more tote bag. I have amassed quite a collection.
What’s in the Bag?
I may be fickle with what bag to bring but I always put the same things in the bag. These are the items I don’t want to be on a plane without and/or they are the items I won’t put in my checked bag.
- Luna Snack Bar Lemon Zest – I always travel with snacks. You never know when your scheduled layover will disappear because of delays preventing you from picking up food on your stop. Also, it is just a mom habit that I will likely never get over. My kids are always hungry, no matter when they last ate.
- Individual Wet Wipes – I wipe down everything on the plane. Also good for bathrooms with the silly blow dryers only. I’m not really a germaphobe, but every new place means new germs. I don’t like getting sick.
- MacBook Air – Now that I’m a blogger (kinda fun to say), I always bring my laptop to write and edit photos along my travels.
- iPad Air – I usually bring my iPad too. I download Netflix shows to watch on the plane. I watched the whole season of the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on my last trip to Tennessee. It made the trip fly by. To be honest, I usually just bring the computer or the iPad. Not both generally.
- Two Pack Pill Organizer Day/Night – I keep all my medications and vitamins with me. I would hate to have my luggage lost and miss taking my pills. Plus this trusty organizer helps me ensure even with crazy travel schedule that I took my pills each day.
- eyebobs Reading Glasses & Case – My reading glasses are so important I have them on here twice. Primarily because, I never travel with just one pair. NEVER!
- Canon EOS 6D Mark II Camera – I upgraded to this camera last year and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! No way, I am packing it in my checked bag!
- Kindle Paperwhite – I read solely on Kindle. I have for years now. I can store thousands of books and it and it takes up so little space. I don’t know why everyone hasn’t made the switch.
- LeSportsac Gabrieele Cosmetic Case Trio – Another thing I am obsessed with is travel organizing bags. I collect them and use them for everything from all my device cords to my hair accessories and make up.
- White & Warren Travel Wrap Cashmere Scarf – This scarf is a must have. I take it with me EVERYWHERE. I had an identical version that I left in an Uber in Chicago last year and I was so excited to find this exact dupe at Shopbop. It is an oversized wrap which is perfect to use for warmth on the plane. I find it coldest on planes headed to warmer destinations so I bring it with me all the time. I have used it as a wrap over a sleeveless dress and as a blanket to add warmth when sleeping.
- Chan Luu Neckerchief Scrunchy – Just in case, my hair has a serious case of bed head from sleeping on the plane.
- Mont Blanc Meistruck Platinum Line Ball Point Pen – Because who wants to be the person scrounging around or looking to borrow a pen when filling out customs documents?
- Carmex Lip Balm – Hands down the best lip balm for dry, chapped lips. And truth be told, I am kinda addicted.
- Mentos Mints – Candy like breath mints. It is The Freshmaker after all.
- Sweet & Low – This is me being honest. I am 100% addicted to iced tea and I have to S&L to sweeten my tea. No other sweetener will cut it. And thanks to the whole Saccharin scare, S&L is not offered most places now. So, I carry my own. It is one of my only vices. So give me a little break. I know it is bad.
- Wolf Caroline Zip Jewelry Case – If I am bringing any expensive jewelry items. I keep them in my carry-on in this handy little travel case.
- Individual Kleenex Packs – Cause you never know when you are going to need one.
- Leather Cosmetic Bag – I always bring my make-up essentials in my carry-on in case of lost luggage or I need a touch up before getting off the plane.
- Slipsilk Pure Silk Sleep Mask – I am pretty narcoleptic on planes and in cars which seems ironic since sleep eludes me often in bed. But for long haul flights, I like a good sleep mask to help me stay asleep.
- Beats Earbuds – So you can listen to Netflix. Honestly, the only ones I can wear for any length of time. They all hurt my ears. These just hurt my ears the least.
- Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion – The altitude is so drying. Drink plenty of water. Use lip balm and use moisturizer. I like Aveeno because it is fragrance free. Nothing bugs me more than someone putting on smelly essential oils, scented lotions or, on one plane, a lady actually sprayed perfume next to me. ? I am allergic to most scents so my irritation is rooted in allergies. We are all trapped in a tiny metal box. Please consider others when dosing up on super smelly scents.
- UGG Ettie Cozy Socks – For warmth. Not for walking around. Put your shoes on to go to the bathroom. Seriously, I see so many people going in barefoot. YUCK!
- Tumi Passport Holder – As of 2020, if you haven’t upgraded your license to the new Real ID, you will need to carry two forms of identification when traveling within the US. Might as well travel in style with a cool passport case. I won’t upgrade mine until my license renews a few years from now.
These are the items I always pack in my carry on bag. My family loves to travel and with the dwindling years left with my children at home, I want to take them as many places as possible. Summer this year is packed with commitments to sports but we are sneaking in a trip to La Paz, Baja and our usual week in Catalina. Look for my posts on these two fabulous locations. Happy Travel Dahlias!
