Travel essentials: Airplane edition

Picture this: Your flight takes off in three hours meaning boarding begins in two. You still have to go through security and before that even make it to the airport, but before you can be on your way, you inevitably end up frantically shuffling through your bag that’s bursting at the seams while simultaneously racking your brain to make sure all the essentials have been packed and are on your person. We’ve all been there and we’re here to make sure some of that frazzled energy can be eliminated. Every carry-on item you bring on a trip with you should be carefully planned and prepared. Not being able to find or reach something when you need it through the airport is frustrating and adds additional stress to travel taking away from the excitement of the coming days. It doesn’t have to be this way though, by making a checklist the night before and running through it is a valuable habit that can make preparing for takeoff much more seamless. The following Amazon products are top-rated, affordable, and most importantly, reusable investments. 

Passport Holding Charger:

Found on Amazon.

Any opportunity to combine two necessary packing items is helpful, especially when you may need either on the go. We recommend this phone charging passport holder to travel with because it is light, affordable, and so helpful going through airports. Yes, we’re well aware some planes have outlets in the seats but if we’re being honest, how often do they work? To guarantee your device doesn’t die in the middle of your favorite playlist leaving you in silence, bit the bullet and add one of these to your bag.

Eyemask:

Found on Amazon.

Especially when it comes to long flights, an eye mask is a total necessity. We love cooling gel eye masks like this one because they support the face puffiness and soreness that inevitably come with traveling long distances. The goal is to not look like you just got off a plane as much as possible! If sleeping trouble tends to find you on flights, this is also a good option to soothe the mind as well as your tired eyes.

Neck Pillow:

Found on Amazon.

If you are trying to save space, neck pillows can be a pain to bring on the plane, however, they really do make all the difference. Say goodbye to days of neck kinks and cracks. This foldable pillow is a great choice to save room in your carry-on. Not to mention it is memory foam that’s very easily adjustable and sturdy! If you want to get a good nap during a long flight, this pillow is guaranteed as Amazon’s choice product to help you out.

Toiletry Storage:

Found on Amazon.

There are few worse feelings in an airport than having to hand over a new shampoo or serum to TSA because it goes over the liquid limit. Do yourself a favor and buy one of these inexpensive toiletry kits from Amazon. We love the ones where you refill empty bottles with your own products (we’re all in for sustainability), but there are also a number of prearranged toiletry bags as well. In that case, you don’t even have to go through the trouble of remembering to pour in your own products! A trusty checklist though will make either option work flawlessly.

Organizational tool:

Found on Etsy.

Particularly with new travel restrictions and considerations, it is important to bring a few specific things on every flight. Organizing your materials in pouches within your carry-on will make them more accessible and save space! We recommend using a pouch-like one of these to store sanitizing wipes, extra masks, and hand sanitizer. In another pouch, earphones, an eye mask, and any supplements you care to take on the flight are great to store together. This storage solution saves space for books, a neck pillow, a laptop, and whatever else you may need for entertainment onboard.

If you have any other tips and tricks for staying organized when it comes to carry-ons, let us know @theedgemag!