Traveling around the world? Across the country? Or maybe just up North for the weekend? Regardless of where I’m going, I’m the girl who has 3/4 makeup bags full of accessories and Knick knacks just in case! I don’t necessarily keep only makeup in those girly zip up cases that I buy!
I’m not a huge travel bug but when I get the chance to do it, I’m always excited and up for the trip! While traveling is fun, along with traveling comes packing and that to me is an organized, chaotic mess of it’s own fun. I start packing for a trip like 2 weeks before my flight. I need to do something to keep me excited! My favourite thing to organize is my carry on because there are so many things I need to make sure I have ready in case of an emergency, and I don’t mean in case the plane comes crashing down. I mean incase they lose my luggage, and i’m stranded in a different country or province without clothes and my essentials. There would be nothing I’d hate more than to land and find out that my stuff will not be with me and I’m stuck in the same clothes I’ve been wearing for who knows how many hours. I’ve decided to put together a list of MY favourite carry-on items that I think every one, or at least every girl, should have!
First and foremost. I enjoy carry-on back packs. They’re comfortable to have on you while you’re wearing it and everything is secure and standing up. As far as security goes, yes it is on your back but if you’re like me, you’d be best to get or use a small luggage lock with a combo so no one can come up behind you and get into your carry-on. However. That’s also why I have a small side satchel purse that holds my valuables like my phone, passport and wallet. Back packs cancel out having to carry a purse or “hockey bag” sized carry-on in just 1 shoulder.
Toiletries:
I like to make sure I can freshen up when I need to, so I like to keep a travel sized tooth brush and tooth paste with me at all times. Sometimes gum doesn’t work, so even just a quick brush on the plane to keep my breath minty fresh as well as not having delicious in flight food stuck in my teeth.
Now ladies…You all should understand when I say, sometimes, after sitting in a hot environment or being stuffed and bumped around through airports and flights, sometimes we just need to feel fresh….every where…. That’s why I bring my trusty Always “ladies wipes” with me. Especially for our uncomfortable times of the month…I hate having my period when I’m at home, let alone out in public on an uncomfortable 5 hour flight. Especially if you don’t get to check into your hotel or accommodations for a few hours, and you can’t shower, these wipes come in real handy, and I’m not just talking about down under…I’m talking armpits too! TMI?….oh well… Real life people..
Medications:
Besides my usual prescription drugs I like to also make sure I’m freshly stocked up on things like gravol, Aleve or Advil. I get migraines like they’re going out of style and I usually have Advil with me at all times in case I get a migraine while I’m out and about which also means I get nauseous easily with that migraine. I’m a walking medics hazard.
Lip Chap & Hand Cream
It’s so important to have hydration on your skin and lips while your thousands of feet in the air. I feel like every time I fly my lips get so dry and chapped from the air difference in the plane than down here on land. Not to mention when I’m nervous (and yes I get nervous when I fly) I pick my lips when they’re bare so I try to always make sure there’s something on my lips! wether it’s chap or gloss, something needs to be keeping my lips hydrated and moist (ew I hate that word). My favourite lip care products right now are the Blistex “Soft & Lush” lip chap, and the Bath and Body Works “My night time” lip serum.
Speaking of dry air…My skin totally feels the crummy dry air up there! So my best friend Vaseline and I go hand in hand….get it….vaseline….hand in hand?…okay next…. I love the small bottles of their Intensive care hand cream lotion because it fits in every purse I own. However, when it comes to your liquid and lotion sizes for carry-on acceptance, you may need to check that at the door and hide some in a smaller “acceptable” carry on bottle.
Eye Drops & Glass Wipes:
This might not apply to many people, but specifically, for me and my intense allergies and dry eyes (I’m broken) I always carry my prescription eye drops on me. Now of course, any eye drops work for most people with dry irritated eyes, but again, because I’m broken, my doctor prescribed me my own special steroid drop… Broken…I swear…ANYWAY, eye drops are a great thing to have on you when you’re traveling through different cities, provinces or even countries. Every place has different air, and I know how stupid that sounds but it is true! Air quality is a thing and it is a thing that can change rapidly.
I also wear glasses, and prescription sun glasses, and the best thing about wearing glasses is they are SO stylish to each unique person and their personality. I truthfully think that a pair of glasses says a ton about a person. But of course…with glasses comes finger prints and dirt and sometimes my own makeup, that piles up on my glass lenses. I keep a few cleaning wipes with me just to spruce them up here and there. Sun glasses too!
A Good book:
There really isn’t much explanation needed for this one. I love to read. Reading passes time and distracts my mind from what ever is going on around me. I always pack a book with me for those times that I get sick and bored of the on flight “entertainment” and sometimes, depending on who you fly with, there might not even be any entertainment on flight.
A Laptop, iPad/Tablet:
I was reading up on the Air Canada website and some of their larger charter planes have in flight entertainment but not on those tv screens at the back of every seat, no sir, now you can download an app powered by Air Canada, to your mobile device or tablet that gives you hundreds of tv show, and movie options to watch at the “comfort” of your flight seat. It’s also a great reason to do some work or blogging (in my case) on the flight. I know that people say “don’t be stuck on your device for so long” but come on…. what else do you expect me to do on a 5 hour flight at 8:00AM?…
A camera:
Something other than your cell phone … it makes me a little angry that colleges now have courses called “iphoneography” because the quality of your phone will never compare to the quality of a DSLR. But that’s a whole different topic of blog discussion. I love bringing my camera with a small lens in my carry on for 2 reasons.
1) protection. The idea of having my expensive dslr in my luggage being tossed around under the plane and around the airport, just SCREAMS “damage”.
2) I don’t want to miss ANYTHING. Now yes. My iPhone does wonders for not wanting to miss anything but, and this might be because I’m a photographer, the idea of having an amazing photo of the mountains as I fly into Vancouver, in such great quality, makes me so happy. So keeping it in my carry on gives me that opportunity to snap whatever I can, at whatever moment! Easy access!
Extra Clothes:
For 2 main reasons …
1) my luggage being lost. I always pack an extra pair of panties, socks, tights/leggings, and typically just a plain t-shirt. I roll them up together and put them at the bottom of my bag so my camera sits on top (extra protection) and they’re out of the way if I need to be in and out of my carry-on for whatever reason. If my luggage gets lost then I at least have some sort of fresh clothing.
2) to change depending on the weather and where I’m going. Coming from Canada in the winter and going to a warm tropical destination and being stuck in jeans and a long sweater and sweating your butt off, is NOT comfortable. But neither is freezing when you expect warm weather and it’s cool and breezy. So on top of what I pack and roll up in my carry-on, I always bring a sweater with me to either hold in my hands at the airport or stuff in my bag!
Head phones/Ear Buds:
I’m not sure I need to explain why I have these, ha ha. However. I cannot live without entertainment. And by that I mean music. I would be lost without music. So. For the obvious reasons. I have earbuds or head phones to block out the flight and let in the lyrically soothing songs on my phone!
Makeup:
Because again….if my suitcase gets lost, and I still get to my destination, I wanna know that I have at least mascara and coverup on hand to make me look a little less zombiefied from my flight. I like knowing I’ve got the basics. Concealer, mascara, and eyelash curler, a beauty sponge, lipgloss/stick and eyeliner. It all fits in a small makeup bag and that can sit on top of all of your stuff in your carryon.
Well. There you have it! My most important things that I keep in my carry-on to make sure my flight is as easy going and free feeling as it can be! If you have any tips or tricks of your own, let me know in the comments below!
Life of Liiv Xo
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