Ditch Baggage Claim With These Carry-On-Only Packing Essentials

There’s nothing more annoying than arriving at a destination only to realize you left something essential at home, whether out of necessity or out of convenience. While obvious things like phone, camera, wallet, passport, likely won’t slip your mind when packing, what about those other products we always seem to remember too late?

As a full-time traveler, I’ve learned a whole lot of valuable lessons in packing—the hard way. Here’s my tried and true products that make non-stop travel infinitely more enjoyable.

I am a massive advocate of not checking a bag. I have had my luggage destroyed by airlines, I once had to physically fly back to Manila to retrieve a suitcase, and I have had my bag lost, only to receive it several days later. Not to mention, airlines have seriously jacked up the price of checked bags (I was recently quoted $200 for a checked bag via Turkish Airlines from Tbilisi, Georgia to Cape Town, South Africa).

After all these mishaps, I made it a point to invest in a high-quality carry-on, not one of the cheap ones I used to buy on the streets of Naples and New York City. That’s where the Monos Expandable Carry-On comes in. I love this bag for several reasons. The 360-degree rotating wheels make dragging it through the cobblestone streets a bit less daunting. The zipper also allows you  to physically expand the case if you pick up a few extra souvenirs. Of course, the best perk is, I never get questioned on its size by airline staff and have successfully been able to bring it as a carry-on since the day I purchased it.

You might wonder how on earth only bringing a carry-on is possible for a longer trip. I first began using compression bags on a trip throughout Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye, and Jordan, because I had to pack more layers and modest clothing than, say, my beachy getaways to Barbados and Dominica. I was amazed by how much I was able to squeeze into just two compression bags, and I’ve sworn by them ever since as a way to pack appropriate clothing across several climates. I continue to impress both myself and my peers by just how much fits in a suitcase thanks to these bags.

Pro tip: If you are traveling to more than one destination, pack for each destination in a separate bag.

My head spins when I learn people don’t travel with a power bank. I travel primarily alone, and while I stay aware of my surroundings so I can navigate a foreign city or town regardless of cell service, it’s always a good idea to have some extra juice for your phone. A power bank ensures you can continue to snap photos of your vacation, stay in touch with family and friends, and use apps  to navigate back to your hotel, hostel, or next destination. You’ll also need to travel with the right power adapter, since outlets are different all around the globe. The only place I’ve had an issue with my universal power adapter, which is the standard model across the board, was in Argentina.

I learned the hard way just how addicted I am to coffee when in Cambodia. I got a coffee from my hostel and it tasted like sugar water, and left me seriously under-caffeinated prior to my sunrise tour of Angkor Wat. This lesson continued to haunt me when I headed to Mexico’s Chichen Itza early in the morning years later, and didn’t have access to coffee because nothing was open yet. Since then, always I travel with instant coffee packs and/or my Yeti Rambler French Press. The Yeti makes quality coffee on the fly, but for days I don’t feel like carrying it around, some instant coffee packs in my purse do the trick. It might sound extreme, but not having access to things like coffee, things we don’t typically think twice about when at home, can seriously affect your mood when you’re already jetlagged.

I have to take a lot of high-quality photos and videos for work projects. That’s why I invested in a small, portable flat light to take better pictures, especially in dark settings. Now, the caveat is, if you’re in a tiny dimly lit wine bar in Bratislava, do you really want to be whipping out your bright light? No, of course not, so be mindful of your surroundings when using it. This light also serves as a flashlight, one I used on a night hike in Madagascar, and conveniently attaches right to your phone. It’s compact, way brighter than the flashlight on your phone, offers different warmth settings, and the battery on it lasts for ages.

I always travel with a tripod, and as a solo traveler, I can often be found using it to take pictures. If you are to set up a tripod in unfamiliar territories, it is absolutely crucial to be hyper aware of your surroundings, as it can easily make you look like a tourist, and therefore, a target. I only set it up if there are no or few people around, or if I can get the shot  quickly without turning my back to it. I also have a smaller smartphone tripod cell holder. I use this to take pictures at restaurants, or sometimes even inconspicuously set it up on a ledge or a bench to get some photos that way.

More and more countries are banning plastic bags, and while you probably remember to bring a reusable bag to the grocery store, it’s unlikely you’d pack one for a trip. The other day, I walked to a grocery store in Trieste, Italy and realized I didn’t bring my reusable bag. Think of all of the things you will buy: souvenirs, maybe some new clothes, some fun snacks from the local market. A reusable bag can also dub as a beach bag. They take up very little space and it simply won’t hurt to bring one. Baggu makes a ton of eye-catching patterns and sizes that smoosh down smaller than a pack of pocket tissues.

I was on a road trip in Italy with some friends, and a woman in our group whipped out this mini massage gun. “Anyone want to use this?” she asked. Having been driving on some bumpy roads, I thought I’d give it a go. You don’t realize how sore and stiff travel can make you until you use a massage gun, because after only 10-15 minutes, I was online buying one for myself. The Hyperice Hypervolt Go2 is a gamechanger, especially for long-haul flights and more adventurous travel. It’s my personal favorite way to get my circulation going after those strenuous travel days.

The only non-physical product on this list, is arguably the most important one: traveling without insurance is simply foolish. Whether it’s a frustrating mishap like a flight delay, or something much more serious, like needing to go to the hospital or doctor, travel insurance is a gamechanger. I use two forms of travel insurance: when I book flights, hotels, trains, or any type of travel with my Chase Sapphire Reserve, I am automatically eligible for the travel insurance. However, because I travel a lot for work, I’m not always paying for my own flights and hotels, so I also have Allianz Travel Insurance, specifically the Professional Travelers Program. I recently was able to make a claim after my luggage got destroyed on a flight back from Seattle, easing the pain ever so slightly.