Whats_In_My_CarryonI have been doing my share of traveling lately and soon that will double. I seems I will be making regular trips abroad (more details on that soon). One thing that I have learned from the yearly trips abroad and monthly hops around the U.S. is that I am all about comfort. I need things to be right at my fingertips so I have figured out my ultimate carry-on tote and will share the details with you. First of all, I have arranged my bag into three categories: comfort, personal and media. I like everything to be in it’s own little bag. Yes, I am a bag junkie and I will share with you how to make a few of these easy oilcloth and vinyl bags.

Carryon_Comfort_Personal_MediaWe will start by opening the two comfort bags. The oilcloth zipper bag hold my pashmina that I can use as a scarf or blanket for long flights. There is also plenty of room for an eye mask and ear plugs. I keep several pair in a little pouch. The other pouch hold my amazing memory foam neck pillow. Nothing worse that a nodding head when trying to catch a few winks, right? For the full tutorial on how to make the DIY oilcloth zipper bag, see this post.

Carryon_ComfortNow we will move to the personal items. Of course this is as it states, purely personal, so I share with you some of my favorites. I blame my iPhone for my need for reading glasses, because I am sure it has nothing to do with getting older. *wink. Sunglasses are a must when getting off the plane; a pretty passport holder to keep bag claims and airline receipts as well; a wallet for my cards, cash business cards. All of this is packed in the pockets of a sturdy tote.

Carryon_Personal_ToteThis is one of my favorite bags and I will show you how to make the semi-transparent zippered bag in a following post. This is the bag that holds any liquids and I can easily whip out and place onto the belt when going through security. My favorite things to keep with me on a flight are: hand lotion, lipstick, a small mirror, a pack of gum (yes, I covered the box and other items with washi tape), my homemade lip balm and a small bottle of lavender oil. I have an over sensitivity to some smells and airplane fumes of one of the worst for me. I just dab a few drops of this oil under my nose as soon as I sit down in my seat and I am set for takeoff. It also has a delightful calming effect.

Carryon_PersonalThen we have the two media items, one a case and the other another oilcloth zipper bag. The case holds my noise cancellation headphones. This was a gift I gave myself when I won the Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper Contest a few years ago, and let me tell you, they were a great investment. I use them for travel, in the office for Skype calls and sometimes to talk on my cell. In the oilcloth bag (which I will share a DIY tutorial for soon) I carry my Intel Tablet that holds my Audible books, games and music, my iPhone, the cords for each device and most importantly a backup battery pack. There is nothing worse than getting off the plane and hunting for an outlet to charge a phone or tablet.

Carryon_MediaSo there you have it. . . my carry-on favorites and tips. One more tip that I use for both traveling and everyday are my two favorite photo apps. I am a big Instagram user so when I travel I love to tell a little visual story and share behind the scene moments of my day. To edit IG photos, my most used app is Studio Design because sometimes words and overlaid images add just what you need to tell that 3-second story. I am loving that on my Intel Tablets where I can see everything 2x. Easy to add details! My second favorite is VSCOcam, which is like having Lightroom (my photo editing software of choice) on my devices. It allows me to take a photo, edit and enhance in just a few clicks. Both of these are my secrets to great Instagram posts on the go!

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