Here is a list of goodies that I always have in my carry-on when I travel out of the country. Yes, I do have this much stuff in one bag! Sure, Dan makes fun of me for bringing everything but the kitchen sink, but you know what? He always comes to me when he needs something. Yeah, that’s right…who’s the smart packer now!? You’ll be so thankful for all these little necessitates, they make traveling that much easier and enjoyable. I promise that you’ll use all of them! OK here we go.
1.KIND Dark Chocolate Nuts Sea Salt Bars
I love these! All of the KIND bars are healthy + tasty = A rare combination
2. Hat This is my attempt at being somewhat fashionable. I like bringing a hat or beanie for the plane because they’re great for hiding your smooshed sleepy face or blocking the overhead lights.
3.Colored PencilsFor doodling when you get bored. It’s a fun way to pass the time.
4.Travel Umbrella Any compact umbrella will do the trick. They come in handy when it’s raining at your destination. To save space, research the weather before you leave and pack it in your checked luggage if sunny skies are in your immediate future.
5.Michael Kors Chronograph Watch My all time favorite watch — pretty and waterproof! Perfect for traveling if you plan on leaving your phone at home and need a reliable watch to keep track of time.
6.Solar Calculator + Notebook Features 120 lined pages and a solar-powered calculator. *Now this isn’t something that you’ll need on the plane, but I use it daily to figure currency exchanges and our budget while out and about. So I thought it would be best to add it to the list.
7.Eos Smooth Sphere Lip salve Sweet Mint This lip salve is the best. I feels so good on your lips and has an amazing mentholated cooling sensation. Your lips will stays moisturized for hours.
8.Ear Plugs{for sleeping} I bring these EVERY WHERE! Dan is a loud snorer so I wear them nightly…but they’re also great for when you need to sleep on the plane and cancel out all that noise.
9.Travel Toothbrush & Toothpaste Sometimes it’s refreshing to brush your teeth mid-flight. Remember to bring some water with you…don’t use the bathroom sink water in the plane!
10.Dogeared St. Christopher Necklace The Patron St. of Travel. It reminds me to say my prayers for travel blessings and protection. I have a cool story about this…A long time ago I was in the Doctors office getting shots for a trip to Egypt. My Mother was worried about all the commotion in the Middle East and she didn’t feel that I should go. Just as she was telling me this, a shiny object caught my eye on the floor of the waiting room. It was a necklace and on the back of it was inscribed, “A Guardian Angel is Watching Over You”. We both took it as a sign that I should go. To this day I wear that necklace every time I travel. I even stuck it in my shoe when I walked down the aisle on our wedding day.
11.Stainless Hot or Cold Thermos I like to fill this up after the security check. It’s also convenient for backpacking. You can have a hot or cold drink throughout the day.
12.Headphone Splitter This is the best idea…credit goes to Dan on this one. We only have one iPad, so we plug the splitter in so we can both watch movies or listen to music without bothering our neighbors or taking turns. Genius.
13.Wallet Well this is an obvious one…you’d be surprised how many times I’ve forgotten it. Now I write it down on my packing check list.
14.Gold Makeup Pouch. It’s nice to have a makeup touch-up when you’re feeling a little frumpy. All that stale plane air and cramped seating can take a toll on you. I like to bring the basics…face lotion and powder, lipstick and mascara. *Make sure that your liquid make-up sizes adhere to TSA regulations.
15.Anti-Bacterial Hand SanitizerBath & Bodyworks has a fabulous selection of mini hand sanitizers that smell soooo good. I get a few of them and stick one in my carry-on and the rest in my checked luggage.
16.Travel Brush,Hairbands & Bobby PinsMy hair gets crazy knotted on long flights…so this is one of my biggies.
17.Voltage Converter Ya need to get this! It’s very important if you’re traveling abroad and need to use electrical outlets. Get a pack that has a complete world set…that way you can research your outlet fitting before you go and take the one(s) you’ll need.
18.Face & Hand WipesI don’t go anywhere without them! Life savers {especially if you’re traveling with babes}!
19.Lavanila Fragrance {Small Roller} A mini roller of perfume or a sample spray is a real treat to bring along. Make sure the it’s small enough for TSA regulations.
20.Kai MoisturizerThis stuff smells so wonderful! I get compliments on it every time I wear it. A small lotion is always a good idea to bring on the plane…skin can get really dry on a long flight.
21.Chimes Ginger Chews Candy Ginger chews are good for settling stomachs and fighting off nausea while flying.
22.Small Note PadIncase you need to jot down a quick note.
23.Glasses I’m blind without them.
24.Pen For filling out customs forms and other important stuff.
25.iPad & Earbuds I love, love, love the iPad! We can play games on it, read books, watch movies, listen to music and for a small fee most airlines will hook you up with Wi-Fi. It’s beyond great and so useful when you’re on the plane or exploring a new country. Dan and I took it with us to Europe and stopped at cafes and McDonalds when we needed directions or to book a hotel and buy tickets to museums so we didn’t have to wait in line. It’s also useful for storing pictures when your SD card fills up in your camera. *Remember to bring your charger and an adapter.
26.Ritter ChocolateI am addicted to these German chocolates. Dan and I tried a new one almost everyday when we were in Berlin. They have marvelous options like White chocolate with hazelnuts, cocoa mousse, butter biscuit, marzipan, praline, peppermint, apricot brandy etc. They are all amazing. You can buy them here in the US too! I’ve seen them at Trader Joes and Ralphs.
27.BYRON & Brown Leather Passport Cover My cousin got me a pretty leather passport cover for Christmas when I was young…she loved traveling and has passed the bug onto me. I use it to keep my passport clean and safe from torn pages and folds. Remember to bring your Drivers License too! It’s smart to bring an extra form of ID and photo copies of each {to put in your checked bags}.
28.Scarf Believe it or not, I find the a scarf to be one of the most versatile travel accessories. It’s my take on The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy {a towel is the most useful thing in the universe}. I use it as a cover-up when I sleep on the plane, a hand-towel when I can’t find anything else, a blanket when I get cold, a head scarf to keep my hair back, a tie for my bag etc. the possibilities are endless.
29.Trident Tropical Twistor Orbit Gum It’s nice to have fresh breath and it’s also a good icebreaker for meeting new friends. “You want a piece?” “Oh sure thanks. Now let me tell you my life story.” 😉 I really like Tridents Tropical Twist. It tastes so good and I swear you can smell that wonderful gum from a mile away… everyone will want some.
30.Mighty Leaf Vanilla Bean TeaBecause it’s a beautiful thing to relax with your favorite cup of tea.
31.Journal I keep a travel journal and write about the things we’ve done/seen together. It’s mostly little notes and bullet points of places or moments that I don’t want to forget {the things we ate in Italy or the name of our funny tour guide or a recipe from Positano…}
32.Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18.0-Megapixel DSLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens I’ve had my camera for about 2 years now and I absolutely love it. I highly recommend it!
33.Levi’s Waxed Canvas Backpack A mid-sized canvas backpack or shoulder purse is perfect for a carry-on. I can fit all these goodies in it and then roll it up when I need to put it in my backpacking backpack or suitcase. I would suggest bringing a smaller, more formal purse as well for days when you can leave your big items at the hotel.
*Not pictured –> I always wear a jacket on the plane and pack an extra outfit just incase our luggage gets lost! And when I travel with little people, I bring coloring books, small puzzles, easy/clean crafts and lots of snacks to keep them happy and occupied.
This is a wonderful list. I can't think of anything I would add.
Thanks Loribeth! I'm glad you like it!