Pack the Ultimate Carry On

Efficiency is key if you travel often

Efficiency is my key to sanity when my travel schedule is crazy.  I love quick 24-48 hour trips whether it’s a getaway with my husband or a shoot outside of Georgia.  My carry-on is my LIFE, even when I’m not traveling; I never unpack it!  Here are 5 ways to efficiently pack the ultimate carry on:

•  Organize with bags in a bag. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started sweating trying to find headphones at the bottom of my bag or have to ask to borrow a pen heading into customs or forget a phone charger.  I’m OVER that.  I’ve solved the problem by organizing similar things into separate smaller bags, then I simply have to put the smaller bags in whichever carry on is going with me. I don’t have loose, stress-inducing cords and small items floating around my bag, and I never forget essentials (except that one time I forgot my wallet.) I’ve been obsessed with this three-compartment bag from Target. I carry it every day, and it’s perfect for all my little bags, laptop, and personal essentials.  Don’t worry, I give you the full breakdown below. 

•  Have a set of necessities specifically for travel that never get unpacked. How many times have you forgotten a phone charger, run out of battery in public, or needed chapstick? I have a bag dedicated to all the little things that often get left in the madness but are necessary for smooth travel:

the essentials

a phone charger, external phone charger, ear buds, chapstick, a pen, napkins, hand sanitizer, perfume, a hair tie, cash for unexpected tips, food (because duh), and immune booster. 

• I never have to worry about remembering those things because they never leave the bag!  The same applies for my toiletries. The bag stays stocked with travel sized items and has everything I could possibly need; I have everything from shampoo, to teeth whitening strips, to bobby pins. I don’t even think about anything from my bathroom (which I ALWAYS forgot something before) because, you guessed it, I keep it packed for grab and go.   When I get home, the entire bag (once restocked) goes right back into the closet. 

• TRIPLE CHECK for your wallet. All of this is useless if you show up to the airport sans ID…which I have done…multiple times. 

• If you’re like me and travel with a bunch of gear, there are cords, chargers, hard drives, and memory cards er’rywhere! Of course, I have a bag dedicated to those things! All business/photography necessary items go in one bag; already organized to take on a trip, to the office, or to a wedding. 

• Keep a comfy change of clothes for those just in case moments.  I have yoga pants and a comfy tee rolled up in the bottom of my bag.  I usually wear running shoes when I’m traveling (you can totally dress them up–my UltraBoosts keep me trendy and comfy). I like to have an extra change of clothes in case I’m checking luggage and it goes MIA, or I want to change after a long day (or overnight) of travel.

I hope you enjoy some stress free flying soon–an ultimate carry on definitely helps! Happy traveling!