Travelers around the world are flying from here to there for weddings, vacations, reunions and more this summer. If you do decide to fly, there is one thing you simply cannot forget to bring on the airplane with you: your carry-on.
In a time when checking bags can cost you an “arm and a leg”, it is important to maximize the luggage space you are using. Whether you are packing a carry-on and a checked bag, or just flying with what you can carry, here are five things everyone’s carry-on needs.
1. Prescription Medicine
This seems like a no-brainer, but these medicines are forgotten more often than not when traveling. It is important to keep these medications in your carry-on just in case your checked luggage would happen to go missing.
One other thing to keep in mind when you are traveling is the potential to run out of a prescription while traveling. If this is a concern for you, the written prescription is another good thing to put in your carry-on so that you can refill your prescription while away from home.
2. Paperback Book
There are plenty of reasons to take a paperback book along with you when you travel, but here are three of my favorites that I have heard during my travels:
-Paperback books are cheap – If you are not a magazine reader, and you don’t enjoy doing crossword puzzles or word searches, paperback books can be some of the cheapest entertainment during a long flight.
-Paperback books are flexible – You may like to impress other travelers by bringing a hardcover book on a plane with you, but in a limited space carry-on, flexibility is the key. A paperback book can be “adjusted” to fit in tight spaces.
-Who’s going to steal a paperback book? – With all of the tablets, smartphones, and other technology in abundance for travelers, a paperback will be the last thing a thief is looking to pilfer…unless they REALLY want to read the same book as you.
3. Change of Underwear
When it comes right down to it, traveling by airplane is not always the most reliable form of transportation, and just because you get to a destination does not mean your luggage will do the same. No one wants to be stranded in an unfamiliar destination without a change of clothes. A quick change of clothes can be refreshing after a long flight or a relief if your bags miss the flight!
4. Toiletries
No, you are not allowed to bring the family-sized bottles of liquids on airplanes anymore, but it is still important to have your toiletries with you on the plane. Similar to having a change of underwear, sometimes it is nice to be able to “wash up” a bit after a long flight. Having your appropriately-sized bottles (no more than 3.4 oz) allows you to wash up when you arrive, while avoiding the tedious process of finding these items when you arrive.
5. Chargers/Adaptors
Chances are that you will bring two or more technological devices with you during you trip that will need to be charged after use. Although many airports are incorporating charging stations throughout their concourses, it can be nice to have your own charger for a quick 10 minute refresh before or after your flight.
If you are traveling out of the country, it is also important to note whether or not you will need adaptors for electrical output. You may need to bring an adaptor along for your chargers, hair dryers, irons, or other items depending on the electrical output. To see what type of adaptor you will need for foreign travel, click here.