Travel Checklist | What To Pack When Traveling

While packing for your next vacation, staying organized and knowing what you’ll need while traveling is essential. Packing (while not OVER packing) is a struggle, and most of us as females are constantly working to conquer that vacation packing list.

After almost a full year on the road, I am still trying to master the art of packing and using every inch of space in my bags while choosing the right things to bring when traveling. It’s not easy, but I’m getting better every time!

I’ve traveled for up to three weeks with just a carry on and a personal item. My secret: Have a killer travel checklist, use EVERY space (no matter how small!) and make sure you bring a personal item with a lot of room. You won’t want to leave without those essential travel items. While it’s not foolproof, you can almost always get away with a personal item that’s larger than the airline’s size limit. This is key to packing “light” but still having room for the things you really need.

My nightmare is checking a bag and having it be lost by the airline! Because of this, I always try to maximize the amount of things I can bring on the plane with me. Plus, you’ll want to be able to access a lot of these during the flight, especially for those overnight and 8+ hour journey!

However, sometimes even your carry-on can gets “gate-checked,” due to lack of cabin space or the size and weight of the bags (oops!).

Airlines have different regulations, often depending on the flight distance, and sometimes you won’t be able to bring even the smallest carry-on with you (the worst are those very small propeller planes with only 16 seats or less. These “bush planes” are especially common in Africa: we took them in Tanzania and Kenya).

That’s why, in my opinion, the personal item is the most import bag of all.  No matter what or where, you will always be able to have it by your side!

I make sure to pack mine with things that I know I will need and are fundamental for my trip.

The vacation packing list below shows those items that I think are extremely necessary while traveling, and will be able to fit in a decent sized personal item.

Travel Checklist or Packing List

• Face and body moisturizer

• Eye cream

• Chapstick

• Perfume

• Bottle of water

• Snacks

• Headphones

• Portable charger

• Neck pillow and eye mask

• Bandages and pain relievers

• Personal travel documents

Travel Packing Tips

Remember, all the products in your carry-on/personal item have to follow TSA regulations on sizes!

Moisturizers and perfumes: I normally bring the small version of these products while traveling, especially with the perfume. There’s nothing worse than losing your whole bottle of expensive perfume, or having a TSA agent confiscate it! Most eye creams, and face creams are normally a  small size, and you can usually find a smaller “travel size” bottle of your favorite body moisturizer to bring on trips.

No matter the flight time or airline meal schedule, protein bars and an empty bottle of water (that you can refill after going through TSA)  are always a must for me.

Headphones and portable chargers: These are especially important for entertainment during mid to long flights. Many airlines will give you free headphones in transatlantic flights, but some won’t! They sell them on board but they’re way overpriced and poor quality! If you end up on a dreaded flight with no television screen, having a portable charger to keep your phone/tablet running is a lifesaver.

A neck pillow and eye mask will upgrade your comfort level, especially when traveling for more than 5 hours. Even if you can’t sleep on planes, it can be nice to sit back with your eyes covered while you listen to music or a podcast.

Always be prepared in case of a headache after a long day or a delayed flight! I like to bring a small pack of ibuprofen. Pack extra, the pills are small and you won’t have to worry about finding a pharmacy if you run out!

Don’t forget the absolute essentials in your travel list: your ID, passport and credit cards! I always keep these in a safe place, and once I arrive I often carry around a copy of my passport instead of the real thing. The last thing you want is to lose your passport! The rest is easily replaced, but losing your passport could potentially strand you in a foreign country while struggling to get a new one. Keep the original safe in the hotel room safe and just bring a photocopy for identification purposes.

Besitos from the airport ,

Laura