What to Pack on a Trip and the 3 to Never Leave Home Without
3 pieces to pack on Every trip
I have to be a light packer because we fly carry-on bags only.
There are rare travel jaunts I fanaggle a checked bag by B, but they’re too rare to get excited about. And waiting at baggage claim for THE LAST BAG {it’s ours} to drop rivals a sidewalk inch-worm race. Might as well pull up a lawn chair.
So I get creative in our packing skills to travel lighter, but still bring all the shoes I want to wear. These three travel pieces I always and ALWAYS pack first.
AND THEN I go for my shoe closet.
Do you make a checklist before your vacation so you don’t forget anything? Early on when my Littles were little, I’d throw things in a suitcase and roll with it. {Except the snacks - the snacks are your means to survival on an airplane with Littles. They were a means to survival for everyone on that plane.}
{When you forget to pack a swimsuit for a trip to Jamaica, it’s a real bad thang. And pretty positive B thought I did it on purpose for a shopping excuse. In hindsight - BRILLIANT! Scouts honor - I just spaced packing it}
I digress. The three magic pieces to travel bliss?
1/ My Carry All “personal item” is my Tumi Voyageur sliding bag
As the gate agent always reminds us, “You’re allowed one carry-on bag, and one personal item that is stowed under the seat in front of you.” I could totally be a gate agent when I grow up!
Make your carry-on COUNT! This bag is easy to clean, durable, slides over my suitcase handle, and slides smoothly under the seat in front of me. 🙌🏼
Basic black is another Voyageur bag, option. This bag also has RIFD protection, and you can register your bag’s ID tracker so if it’s ever lost, you’ve got a way to find it!
Tumi is a brand that’s beloved for sleek, stylish, durable travel. I bought one of their soft leather briefcases for B about 25 years ago, and he’s still hauling it around for his work trips.
2/ Small BeltBag Purse for day excursions
Tucked inside my Tumi personal item is my smaller personal item. It’s a 2-for-1 secret. When you get to your destination, you don’t want to haul around your carry-on bag + you need your hands free for two things::
coffee
camera {or phone camera}
Other trips I pack a Belt Bag or small crossbody purse for the few things I need, and we’re good to explore {after coffee}. A zippered crossbody stays close to your person, and by wearing it across your shoulder versus just sitting on your shoulder, you’re protected {pickpocket alert!}.
With so many carry-on travelers lately, the airlines are cracking down on the 2 ITEM LIMIT. So make sure your belt bag or crossbody fits inside your carry-on bag before boarding.
How many toiletry items have you watched TSA hurl into that overflowing trash can that sits at security? I’m confident in saying we’ve stocked 5+ bathrooms with all the toiletry items we’ve lost through security when traveling with our Littles.
Not anymore! I like options one and two for the different-colored bottles - not only for their cuteness factor, but when all your liquids are the same color, it just makes sense. I have #2, mainly for the funnel. Ever filled travel bottles?
Who has time to clean up {or waste 😳 Olaplex shampoo} all over your hands!?!?
These containers tuck nicely inside another favorite travel buddy of mine, my never-ending-foldable-stowable-handy-dandy toiletry bag {I have the medium and it fits all my travel goodies}
Easy three {+1} to get you traveling carry-on style!
What is one thing you never leave home without on a trip?
Until next time…Cheers to traveling smoothly through TSA & flying the sunny skies!
XO Andrea 💖
