What's in Your Carry On

Since I go to different places pretty often, I’ve learned a lot of things not only about traveling but also about packing my stuff wisely. Because of this, I usually get asked for tips and what I put inside my carry on for both short and long hauls. So for today’s episode, I want to share with you the things that are always present in my backpack or handbag.

Hello, and welcome to The Traveling Introvert. Today I want to talk about my carry on luggage. So, this came up because I talked about delays and also I've talked about being short and I don't generally track my luggage. And so, one of the questions someone asked was, "Okay, so what do you keep in your carry on for short haul and awful long haul travel?a and is it the same thing?"

And so for me, it very much isn't. For my short haul travel, I have a backpack. I don't carry a roller suitcase, I just have a backpack and maybe a handbag. But. The must things I have to have are some kind of bar, nuts, whatever is might, like a Nutri-Grain bar or a Clif bar, whatever it might be. Simply because you never know when you're going to be delayed and there are times when I've definitely been just stuck on a tarmac for a couple of hours. Which, isn't great, but it's better than, you know, anything bad happening. But at the same time, they can't feed you and if they do feed you it'll be pretzels or cookies or what have you. So, making sure you just always have a bar or two stashed somewhere is really good.

I also do tend to have chocolate stashed somewhere in my bag just because it makes you feel better.

All right, next this is water or water and any kind of electrolyte type drink. So, Powerade, Gatorade, anything like that.

I also have my noise canceling headphones. I will have all my sort of tech equipment so my mouse, my chargers, my power cords, anything like that will be with me, but that I keep in a separate stuff sack or what people would call a small bag so that if I ever have to take out my electronics for TSA or anything of that nature, it's all in one place. Instead of them having to go through my entire bag pulling out wires everywhere or misplacing stuff and not having it all in one place, I just tend to have a little bag, one of those e-bag things that has all of my electronics in.

And, so I'm just talking about my carry on right now, I'm not [inaudible 00:02:21]. So, it's definitely got my noise canceling headphones in, my laptop. I have a coloring book, there's a small version of a coloring book that I'm currently carrying around with me with about six pencils. What I realized is if I carry my entire pencil case in my carry on luggage, the scanners don't like it and they generally have to go through my bag, so I've stopped taking my entire pencil case and not I take six. If I'm somewhere and I have my entire pencil case in my checked luggage.

Then, the other things that I tend to have are clothes. I have a set of clothes to change. It will be sort of like underwear, socks, a Tshirt maybe, not necessarily bottoms but definitely something that if I reach to wherever I'm reaching, if I want to sleep, I'll just shower and put on a Tshirt and sleep. I say put on a Tshirt because I like to be warm, so I always have a change of clothes.

Also, because I check my bag, if something happens and I have to stay in a hotel if I'm delayed, having a change of clothes can make a huge difference in how good you feel about the whole situation.

Along with that is I have a small carry on toiletries bag and so this will have toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, that's kind of it. That's how small it is. Again, it's also just to freshen up maybe while traveling. Ah, wet wipes are also good but also in case you get delayed, at least you have a way to brush your teeth that's familiar to you. Yes, you might get a kit from the airline but normally they're sort of throwaway kits and I've definitely had kits where the toothbrush disintegrates in your mouth and it's a terrible feeling. So, not only is your mouth not feeling clean, but you've got bits of toothbrush in your mouth.

And that's the main things or the main gear. Anything maybe ... Something warm I'd also keep there, so I always tend to travel with a scarf but also a hoodie of some description. And those are things that I keep in my carry on luggage. I also have a disposable water bottle. Not disposable. I should say a refillable water bottle. I keep that with me as well. Never can have too much water.

So that is in my carry on and if you look at my handbag, I have tissues, wet wipes, any kind of medication, headphones, non noise cancel ones that just are little ear bud type things, my phone, business cards, I have a specific thing that I use to carry my passport and tickets and all that sort of information, SIM cards. What else is in my handbag? My Kindle. My shawl, for example, and any kind of little things, little sweets, anything to chew on, mints and that sort of a thing.

So, those're the things that I keep in my carry on. What do you keep? I would love to know. Please email me at janice@thecareerintrovert.com. I look forward to hearing from you, helping you with your career and your business, along with your introversion.