If you follow along on instagram, you’re probably all too familiar with my airport #ootd shots haha. Since we travel so frequently, I get questions all the time about what I think of my Away suitcase or what size I have or what’s the best carry on bag, etc. Because this past year has been filled with SO many trips, I’ve gotten pretty good at packing TBH haha and found a few items that are my travel must-haves no matter what trip I’m going on. So I wanted to share some of those with y’all today so they could become regulars for you as well! All of the items I’m sharing with y’all today make traveling so much easier and more enjoyable!
Click on any image in the collage below to shop!
Cashmere Travel Wrap Scarf | Tumi Cosmetic Case | Similar Longchamp Leather Tote | Away Medium Suitcase | Kopari Natural Deodorant | Similar Travel Organizer | Portable Charger | Wet Brush | Bluetooth Headphones | Summer Fridays Mask | Silk Sleep Mask | Tumi Nylon Backpack | RX Bar | Rebecca Minkoff Makeup Bag | Away Bigger Carry On | Mesh Pouches (Large + Small)
I could honestly write a novel about each one of the items in the collage above. But, I’ll try to keep this relatively short and sweet so I don’t bore you guys haha. First, let’s talk about my Away suitcases because I get questions about these ALL the time. So, I have the ‘medium‘ (this is a bag you have to check) and the ‘bigger carry on‘ (this is a bag you carry on haha). I have cycled through at least 5 different brands of suitcases and Away is my first choice, hands down. The quality of these bags is amazing. They are so well-made and hold SO MUCH STUFF. Even the ‘bigger carry on’ can hold a surprising amount of things and work for long weekend trips, or even a week trip depending on what type of packer you are. (The bag below is the ‘medium’).
So, here are some of the questions I get about my Away suitcases:
- How do you keep them clean? My suitcases definitely have scuffs and marks on them. But, it doesn’t really bother me haha it’s a suitcase and IMO that’s kind of unavoidable. You can however just wipe them off with a wet rag after your trip, which helps keep the appearance up. But, they will get scuff marks on them. Doesn’t bother me though!
- Do you ever have an issue fitting the bigger carry on in the overhead bin? No! This has never been an issue for me. I’ve carried this bag on both on domestic and international flights and I’ve never had that problem.
- Has the battery pack in the bag ever been an issue with TSA? I’ve personally never had an issue with this, or had a TSA agent say anything about that. But, the battery pack is ejectable so you can take it out before your trip if you’re worried about that!
- How is the quality on the Away suitcases? Are they worth the price? The quality is amazing and their customer service is even better. If for whatever reason your suitcase does break or have an issue, Away’s customer service will take the best care of you. But, I’ve never had a quality issue with my suitcases! Michael and I both love our Away bags.
Now that I’ve covered luggage, let’s move on to my favorite ‘personal items’ for a plane. I got this Tumi Nylon Backpack about a year ago and it’s become such a staple for me. I first put it on my wishlist after a Europe trip with my mom. She had a Tumi and raved about it and I couldn’t believe how much stuff it held. I was also so jealous that she could go through the airport hands free. So, Michael got me this one for my birthday and I’m obsessed! First of all, I love carrying a backpack at the airport because your hands free and it saves your shoulder from carrying all that weight. Second, I love that this backpack is Nylon and you can just wipe it off, so it never looks dirty. This is also a great travel backpack because it keeps your stuff so organized! There’s a compartment for your laptop, along with several other pouches so your stuff doesn’t just fall to the bottom of a black hole. The quality if this backpack is amazing and I know tons of people who have had their Tumi’s for years and years and they’re still in perfect condition.
So, since discovering my Tumi, I thought ‘never again will I carry a tote at the airport’. And then…I found this Longchamp Leather Tote (similar tote + more color options here). First off, let me say, this bag seems crazy expensive and I totally get that. I snagged it while it was on the Nordstrom sale and I still kind of cringed at the price. But, since purchasing this bag in July, I’ve carried it at least 30 times already (no exaggeration). I’ve heard from tons of mommas too that this will be great with a baby. I love it for traveling for a few reasons:
- It zips! I hate carrying a tote at the airport or putting a tote through security that doesn’t zip. For some reason this is a make or break it in my mind
- It holds SO MUCH STUFF. This tote can hold my laptop, my makeup bag, snacks, lipstick bag, and tons of other things. It reminds me of Mary Poppins bag because no matter how much stuff I put in there, there is still room for more haha.
- Leather. The silky/supple leather material on this bag is gorgeous and also makes it really easy to keep clean. I got it in the light tan color and it still looks brand new because you can just wipe it off.
- Versatile! I love using this as my ‘personal item’ on a plane, because I always end up carrying it during my trip as well! You can easily wear this everyday with jeans or even a work outfit. (On the other hand, when I bring my Tumi backpack, I only use that on my travel days).
I totally get if this bag isn’t in your budget right now. But, if you’re in the market to splurge on a new tote that will be perfect for work or travel or mom life…this one is honestly worth every penny.
Since this tote does hold so much stuff…I swear by these Dagne Dover pouches to keep me organized. I have them in a few different sizes and I use them for things like protein bars, my airpods, phone cords, my jade roller (yes I jade roll on the plane if it’s a long flight haha), and other things that you don’t want to lose in the bottom of a big bag. I also have one small pouch that I keep receipts in if we are on a trip for business!
I recently splurged on this cashmere travel wrap scarf during the Shopbop sale and holy cow, I totally understand the hype behind it now. First of all, whether you’re traveling or not, this is just a great scarf. It’s classic, great quality, goes with everything, and SO soft. It’s perfect for travel though because it can double as a blanket on the plane if it’s cold, or you can use it as a pillow! I also have a neck pillow I’ll bring if it’s a super long flight…but honestly this scarf is so much easier and works really well for me.
Other travel favorites:
Like I said, I could go on and on about all of the other items in the collage but I’ll try not to make y’all read a novel here. But if you have questions about any of the other products, feel free to leave your questions in the comments below! Thanks for reading!
a few more of my fave travel posts:
xo Lauren
