What's in my Carry-on?

When traveling, it’s important that you can pack everything you need, and easily have access to it. That is why, when possible, I try not to check a bag.  

It’s certainly in your best interest to pack a carry-on instead of checking a bag. It’s cheaper, your luggage is less likely to be lost, you’ll have everything you need with you at all times, and it’ll save you time.

Yes, packing is important. And you also need to know how to do it. Which is probably why the questions I get the most deal with packing. One of them is, “what’s in your bag?” ​

I've decided to answer that question in this post. So without further ado, the following is everything I can fit in my carry-on(s):

​Electronics

• Zik headphones
• Backup (apple) headphones
• Cell phone charger
• Portable battery
• iWatch charger
• Selfie stick

​Clothing

• Five or six pair of underwear - my personal favorites for traveling are Duluth Trading Buck Naked, and ExOfficio.
• Four or five pairs of socks - my feet sweat, so I like socks that can keep my feet dry. Moisture wicking socks like Darn Tough variety are really good at that. If you’re looking for more formal socks that can do the same thing, something like these from Croft and Barrow are a great option.
• Shoes - depends on when/where, but most of the time I pack a pair of Chucks along with something else.
• Sandals
  
• Hoodie - not only does it have the ability to keep you warm, it can act as a pillow on the plane too.
• Two pair of jeans (and/or shorts - depending on the time of year and where I'm going)
• One hat
• Rain jacket
• Five or six t-shirts
• One or two button down shirts​​

Toiletries

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Floss
• Mouthwash
• Deodorant
• Lotion
• Q-tips
• Chapstick

Medicine

• Ibuprofen
• Zicam
• Tylenol
• Neosporin 

Miscellaneous
​

• Lens cleaner
• Stain remover
• Febreze spray
• Extra pair of glasses
• Sunglasses
• Passport (if going out of the country)
• A copy or two of my passport
• Empty packing cube for dirty clothes

​
Bottom line

Yes, all of this fits into my carry-on bags. If you pack right, you can comfortably fit a lot of stuff in 'em. And I’ve recently learned that if you combine a couple techniques, like packing cubes and rolling, it makes your packing that much better!

However, taking a carry-on or two isn't without its flaws. The most annoying thing to me, is not being able to bring certain things with you because of TSA rules and regulations (I’m talking things like small pocket knives that are probably less dangerous than most toe clippers).

Pro tip: if I’m going somewhere that requires nice clothing, I typically wear the dress shoes on the flight. The reason I do this is because, typically, they take up a little bit more space than my other shoes. For example, Chucks can get pretty flat. Stiffer dress shoes? Not so much.


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