It's time to start seriously packing for my international trip, instead of just heaping a bunch of stuff in a pile and saying I'll get to it. This is generally, how I pack. I gather all the things I know I'm taking and shove it in my carry-on, to be sorted and organized before I actually pack. I work off a packing list and then go through it once again when I sort everything and put them into packing cubes, my toiletry bag, or wherever it goes.
.jpg "How to Pack Your Personal Item for International Trips")
We started with a fun post about packing my snack bag, because that's a big part of what goes into my personal item. So, what else is in there? Let's look!
I'll be on the plane for a total of 12 hours - Portland to Chicago and Chicago to Paris. I'll try to get sleep on the second leg of my trip, because I want to get my body on Paris time as quickly as possible, so as not to deal with jet lag. I will stay up to eat dinner and breakfast, if it's served, but other than that, sleeping 5 hours or so will give me the energy boost I need to spend the next whole day sightseeing when we arrive at 9am.
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I hate digging around in my bag for things I want to use or do on my flight, especially when there is hardly any room to do so in economy. This is when I use Airplane Pockets to keep those things right in front of me. They slip over your seatback tray, giving you a cover for that surface, and also give you multiple pockets, so you can organize your things like your water bottle, meds, snacks, book, and electronics without having to put things in the (sometimes miniscule) dirty seat pocket. If you feel like you need more space for your knees, check out the Serenity Tray Organizer. I have that and use it as well.
I don't want to get to my destination with a terrible back and neck. This is why I will take the best travel pillow that works for me. FaceCradle works like a massage table. You attach it to the headrest behind you and lean into it, taking the stress off your back and allowing you to rest you neck instead of your head flopping around and your neck being at some odd angle, because it has no support. I've had people tell me that they'd rather be in pain than carry this thing around, and, I guess good for them, but I've also had flight attendants want to know where I got it, because it works so well.
I always carry snacks, and generally carry them in a Stasher Bag, because it can be used for so many different things. (This is the one shown in this picture and my snack post.) I also always take along a reusable water bottle, because I can fill it with ice in the morning and have a cold drink all day, or carry my coffee with me. It keeps water bottles out of landfills and saves money.
I find that I'm always cold on the plane and it makes it real hard to sleep if your shoulders or feet are freezing. Gravel gifted me this awesome lightweight blanket and I'm excited to actually use it on a trip. It feels like a puffy jacket, but without the puffiness. You can wear it like a giant bib (snap it behind your neck and hide behind it) or just like a regular blanket. It has foot pockets, so you can go socks-only and keep your feet off the floor and hidden from your neighbor. This will also be good for when I'm chilling at the hotel and need a second layer.
Obviously, I want to keep our passports safe and in one place. This holder also has card slots, where I am keeping our Global Entry cards and my Priority Pass. This is made for must one passport, but it holds two. It is also RFID-blocking, so no one is going to steal your info. If you purchase through Travelon's website, you can use my code SHEREENTRAVELS20%
Random Necessities
I like to be comfortable, obviously, so I'm also bringing an eye mask and some regular masks, because I also don't want to get sick. The plane air is very drying, so aside from the usual lotion and lip balm, I'm also bringing a moisturizing facial mist. I've got this one from GlowRecipe, but if you want a more affordable option, try the travel size Beekman Milk Shake.
I'm also looking to drift off to sleep easily and without feeling gross and groggy when I wake up, so I'm bringing along some Dream Water sleep packets. You just add to a glass of water and it's pretty tasty, then you find that sleep is a lot easier to achieve. The gummies are also really good and I like the liquid version, but they aren't very travel-friendly.
Entertainment
I'm not a person who just stares at the seat in front of me for hours, thinking thoughts or whatever. I'm not sure who enjoys that, but it's not me. With many hours of sitting in my seat ahead of me, I need to fill some of that time not sleeping. So, I am bringing a book, some games, this phone holder from Perilogics, so I don't have to hold my phone in my hand if I want to watch something. You can also attach it to a table, your carry-on handle, and other things.
My nonprofit is doing a craft show in November, and we are selling some new things, including magical-themed bracelets, so I thought this might be a good time to get some of those done. I picked two styles and put together a little craft pack to make them. I can listen to a podcast while I string beads. I purchased these organizers for beads, and while they are smaller than I'd like, they are the perfect size for sticking in my carry-on. I am taking one for small beads and then a small zipper bag with larger charms, tiny scissors, and string. And this all fits into another Stasher bag. I also purchased this DIY bag that can be used to corral my items on my tray table and keep things from jumping onto the floor.
Miscellaneous
Last, but not least, I have things that I always bring, my laptop, sunglasses (not shown), some biodegradable bags for keeping trash in one spot (sometimes you end up with wet trash and it's nice to have a place to put it), and change. I keep all my non-US change/bills at the end of a trip in a specific spot at home. I happened to end up with 6+ Euros from my last France trip, and this should be good for any toll roads we encounter on our drive to Normandy or for public toilets.
You can get this gorgeous Cascade Tote from Portland Gear. This will be my first trip with it, but I also have their standard Cascade Backpack and I love it. I paid for my first Cascade Backpack, but was gifted a second and this tote for this trip.
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