Whether you are a minimalist traveler who plans on visiting all the continents with only a carry-on or you’re a more laid back person who likes to take occasional flights, you know how important a carry-on is. If you can throw anything you want in your checked-in luggage without a single worry, the carry-on should be carefully packed with essential things that can help you during the flight as well as a few days after it in case your luggage gets lost. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of 5 things that have to find their place in your carry-on.
Travel plug adaptor
No matter how experienced of a traveler you are, there has been at least one situation when you haven’t checked the type of plug used in a country before your arrival and ended up running across the airport trying to buy any (extremely overpriced) adaptor that you could find. To avoid these unpleasant situations, we recommend getting a universal travel adaptor that would help you charge your devices no matter where you are. To avoid getting scammed and paying three times the price in a store at the airport, get one from Amazon before your trip.
Cardigan
A warm woolen cardigan is an absolute must for traveling, especially during autumn and spring when the weather is unpredictable. We recommend getting an Irish cardigan, not only because of its beautiful knit patterns, but also because it is made of 100% merino wool, the beloved fabric of many experienced travelers. I found Keily’s Irish Dance to have a great selection of trendy and arm cardigans https://www.keilys.com/irish-apparel/irish-cardigans/. In warmer countries you can wear an Irish cardigan as a jacket, while in colder regions it can make an excellent extra layer that would insulate the temperature better thanks to merino wool. Bonus tip: always wear the bulkier items (in this case, the cardigan) on the plane, especially when flying with low-cost airlines that tend to overcharge for any extra bags.
Portable charger
A power bank should always find its place in your carry-on, even if you’re flying a short domestic flight and you think that in less than two hours you’ll arrive at your destination. You never know for how long your flight might be delayed or if there’s anything that might happen to your checked-in luggage and we all know that phones tend to die in the worst moments; this is when a portable charger can be a real life-savior. Make sure to get one that has a big capacity, such as 20 000 mAh that can help you charge your phone multiple times.
Headphones/earphones
If you’re one of those people who can’t fall asleep on the plane no matter how long you have to fly and prefer to listen to music or podcasts instead, a high-quality pair of headphones should be indispensable from your carry-on. You can choose either headphones if you want to block any noise, or earphones if you’re looking for a smaller and more practical device that won’t take up so much space. It might seem like the wireless Bluetooth headphones are the best choice, but you’d be surprised to find out how many travelers prefer the wired ones because they don’t require charging and don’t unexpectedly die on you.
Lotion
It is a well-known fact that flying makes your skin dry and dehydrated because of the low level of humidity inside the plane, and if you’re flying often or preparing for a long flight, a lotion such as a hand cream is essential to have in your carry-on. If you’re not sure which one to get, look for ones that have glycolic acid, vitamins, and oils such as coconut oil or shea butter, because they will keep your hands moisturized and prevent dehydration. However, be careful: a hand lotion is considered to be a liquid so you might want to keep that in mind when packing your other toiletries.