My Carry On Essentials for Short Flights

I have been living out of a backpack for 17 months now. At this point, packing for a flight has become routine and, although I haven’t yet mastered the art of traveling with only a carry on full time (my washbag is admittedly taking up way too much room in my backpack), I have been doing well with the 15kg weight constraint of some domestic airlines. Today I thought I would share with you all my carry on essentials for a comfortable and productive flight. There are admittedly many more items that I take in the cabin with me, but I usually store them in the overhead. Below are the items I keep handy in my travel carry on essentials and make use of without fail.

My Carry On Essentials

Matt & Nat Vegan Bag

I’m super excited to announce that I have become a blog collaborator on the blog of Matt & Nat, a Canadian vegan bag company I’ve always looked up to. In my monthly posts, I discuss anything and everything pertaining to traveling as a vegan and leading a healthy lifestyle on the road. The company was so gracious to send me a little vegan leather bag which quickly became one of my carry on essentials. I can put all my small items in there along with my passport, boarding pass, money, and phone and wear them safely across my body. I find it super stylish too.

TOMS shoes

This is the second pair of Toms I have gone through since I have been backpacking in Asia. Not only are they lightweight, cute, and easy to dress up or down with everything and anything, they are also super comfortable and keep my toes warm in the freezing cabin! That’s all without mentioning the ethical aspect of them.

Kindle Paperwhite

Call me a grandma, but I often still stare at my Kindle in amazement. A few years ago, my backpack was severely weighed down by just a few books and now I have this wafer-thin gadget that weighs next to nothing and can contain thousands of books. I mean, it’s cool, no? Yes, ok, you can call me a grandma.

Vegan snacks

People are always impressed at the food I manage to smuggle on planes, but the reality is that there aren’t generally many rules on what food you are and aren’t allowed on board unless it’s some weird, exotic, stinky fruit or something liquid – I once passed a Tupperware of oatmeal through security and was told that if it jiggled I wasn’t allowed it – but it didn’t! Yay for congealed overnight oats! Fruits are always good for short flights, and unless I can specifically request a vegan meal, I always pack sandwiches, salads, nuts, vegan bars, etc.

Notebook and pen

I’m trying real hard to get into the habit of writing stuff by hand more, but I’m a self-professed technology addict. I generally have a Moleskin notebook and pen stashed in my bag as a plan B for when my phone had died and I am really inspired – which is often when I’m commuting.

My iPhone

Believe it or not, this is what most of my blog posts are written on. Yes, this is all coming to you from very tiny keys. I can write on the go from anywhere and everywhere and will write mostly during commutes and at the beach. I am not sure if I am exaggerating when I say that my iPhone is pretty much my life: phone, internet, camera, notepad, dictionary, currency converter, social media, newspaper, banking tool, language apps, maps, fitness, and meditation companion. It’s just a necessity.

Fjallraven Kanken

This bag is practical and stylish. And Scandinavian, but that’s a given.

Neck pillow

Over the year, I have gotten into the weird habit of sleeping with a bolster – especially practical when the weather is too hot to hug a man, or if there is no man at all – which in my case, there isn’t. It’s been dubbed my cuddle sausage. Fasten the clip and it’s a neck pillow, unfasten and it’s a cuddle sausage. Such a versatile sausage.

A good moisturizer

We all know that the air on flights in really dehydrating, but which one of us really makes the effort of carrying a moisturizer and using it on their flights? Well, I do. This Cerave moisturizer is cheap enough to use everywhere, so I’ll generally moisturize my face and hands during my flights. If I’m feeling shameless, I’ll do my legs and arms too, ha.

Refillable water bottle

I always try to reduce waste as much as I can, and carrying an empty water bottle and filling it in the bathroom once past security is a great way to reduce single-use plastic waste for any traveler. I love my Nalgene bottle — it’s been through hell and back and is still in amazing condition. Get you one!

What is your carry on essentials for short flights?