5 items to bring on the plane ALWAYS
In 2018, I went to Amsterdam, The Hague, Cologne, and Dublin. I packed my big ass suitcase with enough clothes for 3 weeks. I found cheap flights from Nashville to Dublin and then decided to get a RyanAir flight from Dublin to Amsterdam to meet my group. During my layover in London, my flight to Dublin was cancelled due to inclement weather coming from the north and the south… Along with having to find an alternate route to my final destination, I also had to deal with the fact that Aer Lingus had lost my luggage… along with thousands of others. It hit me then that I was not prepared at all and I had made a MAJOR mistake when packing my carry-on, which at the time was my backpack only. In my backpack, I had my kindle, 2 harry potter books, my curling iron, my flat iron, my toothbrush and deodorant. It was snowing out and I was wearing knit tennis shoes, leggings, a short sleeve t-shirt, and a sweatshirt… Since then I have realized you don’t need nearly as much stuff as you think (except underwear, always pack like you’re going to have an accident everyday lol) and that there are some things you have to pack that you may not think of.
Now I pack only in a carry-on suitcase and my backpack. So the items below are mainly for those packing carry-on only, but are also some helpful tips for those who check their luggage. All items are hyperlinked to their respective amazon page :)
My number one tried and true item is this TSA approved liquids container from Amazon. It adds some depth to your quart-sized liquids bag mandated by TSA and you can fit SO MUCH. I have an extensive skincare and hair routine and this fits travel size of all of them. Along with nail polish, liquid foundation, primer, etc. It is also super easy to clean. It’s $12 and has multiple color options Don’t forget the 3-1-1 rule when packing your liquids. Liquids must be under 3.4 ounces, fit in 1 quart-sized plastic bag and you are allowed 1 bag per passenger.
Sanitizing wipes!! I have 2: iphone wipes and EO lavender sanitizing wipes. Your phone has over 25,000 bacteria per square inch (a toilet seat 1,200) which makes your phone one of the nastiest things we come in contact with daily. However, there are phone wipes you can buy to help mitigate that! There are plenty of options on Amazon for your phone and I’ve loved them all. Airplanes are also super nasty and flight attendants have often said there isn’t enough time for them to actually clean, only pick up trash. So I use wet wipes or EO lavender sanitizing wipes to wipe down my entire area - tray, seat, buckle, window, armrest, tv, etc. Anything I may come into contact with gets a wipe.
Moisturizer and sunscreen!! Airplanes wreak havoc on your skin, with there only being 30% humidity on flight, your skin is drying up and fast! You’ll see posts about people using facial sprays, but that actually dehydrates your skin more. Use a creme based one and reapply at least once during the flight. I love the Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion because it fits in my TSA bag and it also isn’t oily so it can be applied multiple times without it looking greasy. For sunscreen, I love Elta MD. It’s dermatologist approved and doesn’t feel like normal sunscreen, meaning it is light, not greasy, and even helps with acne and hyperpigmentation. You should wear sunscreen daily, but especially on planes.
Kindle or Book. I am an avid reader and look my physical books; however, for traveling, nothing can beat the portability of a kindle. I have all of my Harry Potter books on my kindle and will often get one or two books on my kindle prior to a trip so I can read during down time. I have the first edition of the Kindle and it has lasted me for almost 8 years with no problems. You can connect your prime account and watch movies and tv shows, download magazines, or surf the web on your kindle. Definitely a worthwhile investment.
Portable Charger. Airports are notorious for having too many people and not enough plugs (or plugs that work, in my experience). Having a portable charger on hand helps with all of this! I charge it the night before and it usually will last me the entirety of my travel day, if not longer. This is also a good thing to have with you in your daily life. No one wants a dead phone!