These are some of the items that go in my carry on, and the personal bags. Most airlines will allow you to take 2 carry on bags, one that fits in the overhead compartment (carry on), the other goes under the seat in front of you (personal). Depending on the airline and your plane ticket, you may or may not get two bags, and you may or may not have pay for your overhead compartment bag. Check your ticket and figure out what you’re allowed and if there is a cost attached. Then figure out your packing accordingly.
Bags I take
I take two carry on bags whenever possible. One is an carry on luggage bag that fits in the over head compartment, the other is a smaller bag (think tote) that fits under the seat in front of me (personal). If your ticket only allows one bag, you need to find out which. Some airline tickets only allow one bag that fits under the seat in front of you (personal bag).
I do use packing cubes for clothing, electronics, and for miscellaneous items. They get used for both luggage and personal bags.
Now a days there are a lot of backpacks that have space for a laptop, clothing, water bottles, electronics – pretty much everything you need in a carry on or personal bag. Backpacks can make great carry on and personal bags.
Packing the personal bag
The personal bag has : Clothing – cashmere sweater, pants, 1 bra, 2 panties, 1 pair socks, jammies, 2-3 tees. Toiletries – tooth brush, tooth paste, floss, hair conditioner (a must for me), sun screen, face moisturizer, eye cream, comb, minimal makeup (optional). Medication – any prescriptions I need (Never Pack These In Your Check Thru Luggage!). Electronics – cell phone, tablet, chargers, maybe camera. Other – head phones, post-it notes, pens, binder clips, snacks, etc.
Most of the toiletries will go in a 1 quart baggie for security. Clothing goes into packing cubes, as do electronics. Pack your bag for how you need the items. If you are most likely to need the electronics and other items during the flight, keep those on top. If you will need your prescriptions, keep those in an easy to reach area. If you plan to change clothes on the flight or shortly after landing, keep that in mind. And pack with these things in mind.
What I wear
Plan what you wear to go in your personal item. The idea is in an emergency you have enough clothes to make it thru 2-4 days, even if you have to hand wash items in a sink. That’s why I take a cashmere sweater, if I had to go to dinner, that over jeans or leggings could easily work. It doesn’t have to be cashmere, but you need to consider it as a working piece – cool weather, dinner, etc.
Which is why you need to think about what you are going to wear. My usual go to is: jeans/yoga pants, tee shirt, jacket, pashmina/scarf, and sneakers or other shoes. Between what I have in personal and what I’m wearing I have clothing for a few days.
One reminder, if you are taking heavy shoes (boots), or taking heavy winter coats, plan to wear them. They take up a lot of room in luggage and make luggage heavy. This is all about planning.
Why?!
Why am I so concerned about my personal item? I know someone who flew from the USA to Rome. Her carry on/personal item was a laptop. No clothes, no toiletries, not even a tooth brush. It took 3 days for her luggage to catch up with us on a cruise. I’ve had times where my check thru bag was delayed and I lived on what was in my carry on. It happens.
What I Don’t Pack
I don’t worry about body soap, shampoo, full makeup, or alarm clocks. Even if you are staying in a hotel for a night, most hotels have shampoo, soap, and body lotion. Use what they have for one night unless you have a REALLY specific reason you can’t. Also, don’t worry about the makeup for one day. If you have to take makeup, keep it to a significant minimum, using mini sizes, and multi use items (lipstick for blush idea), or a small palette. Use your cell phone for an alarm clock, there’s an app for that.
Remember
You have two bags with you. A personal item with the stuff listed above. And you have a carry on piece. Sometimes that carry on piece gets checked because a flight is full, the airline says wrong size, etc. So everything else is in your carry on piece.
| Personal Item | Check thru/Carry on luggage | Wear |
| 1 bra, 2 panties, 1 pair socks, jammies, 2-3 tees, small purse (cell phone, passport, wallet, eye/sun glasses), | 4-5 bras, 6 panties, 2 socks, 2 pairs of shoes, extra jammies, jacket, dress (?), rest of your clothes | pants, tee shirt, jacket, scarf, sneakers |
| medication, 1 qt liquids, tablet/laptop, cords/chargers, makeup palette (maybe), camera (maybe), head phones, snacks | toiletries, makeup, post-it notes, pens, binder clips |
Plan how you take your items. Think emergencies can happen!
update: 07/18/2025