Over the years I've honed my hand luggage packing to the point where I now don't even need to go through the big palaver of pulling down my hand luggage case from the overhead bin above, just to get my hands on a magazine or snack. If you saw my Why Packing Cubes Are A Game Changer blog post, you'll know that I definitely enjoy packing a bit more than your average person. And because of that I have some tips to share. And today's blog post is dedicated to my hand luggage personal item.
It's also been a while since I did the OG blog/YouTube staple that is a 'what's in my bag' post. So I thought that I would combine the two to let you see what I take with me on holiday. I used this exact bag to do four flights on my trip to New York (blog post here) and Miami (blog post here) this year and also used it on two five hour train journeys last week.
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So here's my current hand luggage personal item and what's in it right now;
A reversible tote bag
Now, this one pick can totally revolutionise your whole packing game, particularly if you're doing hand luggage only. This tote bag from Accessorize is actually three bags in one. So it immediately saves you from taking two other additional bags with you in your case. And it's such a great hand luggage personal item pick.
I use the snake print to jazz up casual everyday looks, whereas the plain black side allows me to match it to all manner of different prints, colours and patterns. Whether it's a day at the beach, the mall or schlepping everything through the airport, I've got a feeling that I might have finally nailed my travel bag choice this year. There's also the bonus of the attached pouch. It can be used as a clutch bag or a place to keep your passport, phone, etc. safe.
A seat pocket organiser
When I saw the Beis In-Flight Organizer, I couldn't believe that someone else hadn't thought of it before now. And I was pretty devastated when it sold out whilst I was in the US. It is now finally back in stock on Revolve though. So I might just need to place an order. My Glossier pink pouch might not have a flap that allows me to hang it over the seat pocket. But it contains all the little essentials that I'll need during my flight. They're also the essentials that I really don't want to forget about or leave in the seat pocket when I land.
In my pouch you'll find:
Earphones (an absolute must on any flight!)
A pen (to fill out any custom forms)
Wipes (to give the screen, table and armrests a clean before getting too comfortable - have you seen Naomi Campbell's take on this?!)
An earphone splitter (if you and whoever you're traveling with want to watch something on your phone or tablet)
A lip balm (my absolute favourite is the Sugar Dream tinted one from Fresh)
You can also keep your passport and boarding passes, etc. in this pouch. Or do what I do and use a travel document wallet or folder.
A travel document holder
One of my best buys of recent years is this travel document holder from Paperchase. It was that handy that even my Mum bought one ready for our trip to the US this year. You can keep your passport, boarding passes and any other important airport docs all together. And it's a lot trickier to set this down and forget about it than it is your passport on its own.
Flight socks
DVT and blood clots aren't something to take lightly. And after my Dad got one out of the blue earlier this year, I feel like it's even more important for me to remind people to wear these. The pair that I got from John Lewis are also pretty thick, which in turn protects your feet and ankles from what can often be rather cold temperatures on board the plane as well.
A reusable bottle
This canteen from Corkcicle will save me from topping up both when I'm at the airport and when I'm on holiday. As we visited the beach and spent quite a bit of time in the Floridian sunshine, staying hydrated was absolutely vital for us. And having this reusable bottle made having water with us at all times so much easier than having to run into Duane Reade or the local supermarket several times a day.
TOP TIP: You can ask restaurants both here in the UK and abroad, as well as on the plane itself, to top up your bottle for you for free. If they serve food, by law, they are required to provide free tap/drinking water.
A pair of sunglasses
Packing both pairs of sunglasses you brought with you in your checked luggage is a mistake you only make once, if you're me. I immediately regretted it when I stepped out of the airport into the sun and had to spend over an hour squinting and covering my eyes whilst trying to navigate us to our accommodation.
So now I always pack a pair of sunglasses in my hand luggage personal item. That way I can put them on as soon as I step out of the airport, into what should hopefully be a sunny destination.
My current pair are the Marc Jacobs MARC 376/S*, which were kindly gifted to me by Sunglasses Shop. If you're thinking of treating yourself to a new pair of shades; Sunglasses Shop are giving you 20% off sitewide with the code ELLIS20. This code lasts until September 15th so plenty of time to treat yourself to a new pair this Summer.
A book that I'm actually excited to read
For years I've taken books that have been gathering dust on my bookshelf, with the best of intentions to read them. But because they've been sat on my shelf, I'm not usually excited about cracking them open, often feeling like it's more of a chore than something to enjoy. This year I've got a few books to choose from that I cannot wait to read! What would you read first out of The Woman in the Window, Daisy Jones and The Six or Normal People?
HOLIDAY BOOK INSPIRATION
To see some of my top Summer reads for 2019, be sure to check out this blog post.
All the snacks
And last but not least, all of the snacks. I tend to stock up on sweets and crisps, etc. before I head to the airport. But you can always go down the healthier route and pack some food that's a bit better for you than a big bag of Haribos. Hehe.
What are must haves for you when you're flying or travelling for hours? Is there anything missing from my carry on bag? And do you have any packing tips that you swear by?
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