10 Things You NEED To Have In Your Carry-On

Finally, vacation time has come! Or maybe you’re going on a work trip. Either way, you’re most likely going to have a carry-on with you for some bits and bobs you couldn’t fit into your suitcase. Just make sure that in there you also have these 10 items:

1. Documents

This feels like it goes without saying, but make sure to keep all of the important documents on you at all times. Passports, Boarding Passes, itineraries, etc. You don’t want to be caught without them or realize that you accidentally packed them into your suitcase without realizing, then struggle to find a way to get it back to you so you can fish them out. Put them all in a folder or in a designated pocket so that you’ll know exactly where to find them.

2. Chargers

We live in the age of the device, the world of technology, and you know your phone battery depletes ten times faster when you’re on the verge of unlocking the next level of Toon Blast. Save yourself the gamer rage and keep your phone charger on you at all times. A lot of airports have charging stations now so if you have a long enough charging cord you won’t have to stop fulfilling the requests of the campers on Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.

3. Change of Clothes

Hopefully it never happens, but there’s always the possibility that the airline will lose your suitcase. It’s the risk we all take to be able to travel across the globe in hours instead of months. So you’d rather be safe than sorry and pack a change of clothes into your carry-on just in case. This way if the unthinkable does happen, you aren’t stuck in your travel clothes for however long it takes to either get your suitcase or go to a store to get some new clothes.

4. Notebook and Pens

This is an indulgence to the writer in me, I never travel without some kind of journal and pens. I like to jot down the day’s events so that I can look back on them later. If that’s not your scene then I still recommend that you keep a couple of pens on hand, you always seem to need them at the oddest of times. Or else someone in your company might need one and there you go.

5. Valuables

Like the documents, I feel like this goes without saying but let me just remind you guys. Always keep your valuables on you, don’t put them in your suitcase. Again, your luggage might get lost or someone might take your suitcase by mistake and there go Grandma’s pearls. This actually almost happened to a friend of mine, she didn’t have anything valuable but she and another person on our flight had the same suitcase and the other person took hers by mistake. The only reason the mistake was caught quickly was because the other person reached into a front pocket of their suitcase to pull something out and it wasn’t there. Luckily we hadn’t left yet and this person spotted my friend so they were able to switch suitcases.

6. Snacks

Airplane food is either expensive or gross or both. That’s just a fact. You’re going to get hungry or bored and want something to munch on but the thought of paying five dollars for bag of chips that’s normally a dollar fifty is more than a soul can take. Bring your own snacks. Not only is it cheaper but you’ll be guaranteed something you like.

7. Cosmetics

Look, a lot of the things I’m listing is really just to be safe in the event of a missing suitcase. TV and movies have taught me to fear this possible occurrence. Ladies, the stuff in your make-up and/or skincare routine are pricey or at least it adds up. Keep your cosmetics bag in your carry-on. Where you’re going there’s no guarantee you’ll find your preferred brand or that your favorite shades will be in stock, and you don’t want to spend your precious vacation time trying to shade match. Just keep it with you.

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8. Reading Material

Staring into a screen all of the time isn’t good for your eyes, something about the blue light it emits. So take a book with you or a magazine to occupy yourself while your phone rests and recharges. There’s a whole lot of fiction and nonfiction options out there waiting for you, usually conveniently in the airport stores. I’ve seen on social medias that authors sometimes even secretly sign their books in airports while they’re waiting for their flights. You never know who’s signature you could find. I recommend checking out something in the fantasy genre.

9. Favorite Hand-held Gaming Device

If reading isn’t your speed, then take along your favorite gaming device! Now’s the time, while you’re waiting for your plane to arrive, while you’re in the air, to become the Pokemon Master that you were always meant to be. Or if you want something more high stakes you can set yourself into really overhauling your island on Animal Crossing: New Horizons and get the coveted five star rating that will finally grown you some lilies-of-the-valley. You can even try to overthrow Tom Nook and become overlord of the island, but I’m not sure that’s an official feature…

10. Souvenirs

My last caution in the face of potential luggage catastrophe. Put any and all souvenirs you buy into your carry-on, forget the rest. On the return trip anyway. When you’re home I’m assuming you have more clothes or easier access to cosmetics from your usual shops, but you won’t be able to replace all of those vacation specific magnets. You don’t want to look your little nephews and nieces in their big, expectant eyes and say you have no treasures for them because your suitcase was lost. Don’t let their disappointment haunt you.