Erin recently set off on an action-packed adventure across Vietnam and China in only a carry-on suitcase. She dives into everything she packed in her actual roller bag in this post. But we wanted to touch on an equally as important piece of the packing puzzle…the personal item! Strategic packing is not just about choosing what to bring and fitting it in your carry-on, but about maximizing every available inch of space in your personal item as well. Whether you’re jet-setting across continents or planning a weekend getaway, how and what you pack in your personal item can make all the difference. Let’s dive into some of Erin’s savvy packing tips and how she packed her personal item bag with all of the important essentials.
If you’re looking for even more packing tips, find Erin’s top 12 here.
How To Pack a Personal Item
First, you’ll need to pick a personal item that works well with your carry-on suitcase, offers plenty of space, and is functional. And if you can find one that’s stylish and matches your carry-on…that’s a big win! Erin purchased this Béis convertible weekender bag for her trip and loved that she was able to pack so much into it and that it perfectly matched her roller bag.
This cool tote bag has an adjustable shoulder strap, exterior pockets (a must!), and a padded compartment for your laptop. It also has a separate, removable bottom compartment for shoes, toiletries, or dirty laundry. The slide-through sleeve fits over the back of your suitcase handle so you don’t have to worry about it toppling off. It’s spacious and lightweight but Erin did share that you should avoid overstuffing it as she ended up having issues with the zipper when she added too many items.
What’s In The Bag?
While having the right personal item is important, what goes into that bag to keep it all organized is equally as important. Having these organizational pieces will make everything seamlessly fit into your bag and easier to find while in-flight and traveling between each location. First up we’ll tackle the makeup and toiletry bag…
Makeup & Toiletries Bag
This bag opens up all the way, making it super easy to see and find all of your makeup and toiletries. We’re sharing most of the items Erin included in this bag below but as a reminder, purchasing travel-sized toiletries and makeup products for a trip saves SO much space!
Makeup Brush Case
This sleek silicone makeup brush case takes up very little space and can also be used for beauty products, small electronics, etc. We linked what Erin had in this case below.
Clear Cosmetic Case
This clear, TSA-approved case makes it easy to see all of your liquids and it has a convenient mirror inside. We’ve included everything Erin packed in this case below.
Travel Essentials Pouch
This medium-sized pouch was where Erin put anything she knew she would need during the flight…think headphones, eye mask, medications, etc. We linked more of those items below.
Camera & Tech Bag
We don’t have photos of it, but Erin put her small tech bag in the bottom compartment of her personal item along with a pair of shoes, brush, and a few smaller items she could slip in. Again, taking advantage of every inch of your personal item is a must! This bag is where Erin stored her camera, camera batteries, and any additional tech she didn’t need during the flight.
Interior Pocket Items
The Béis bag has so many convenient interior pockets. Erin used those pockets to store things she knew she wanted easy access to like her iPad, hand sanitizer wipes, hand sanitizer spray, a water bottle, and passport/wallet.
Interested in more of Erin’s travel must-haves? Check out this post next. And let us know in the comments below about YOUR travel favorites!
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Does the Beis personal bag fit under the seat easily on airplane?
It sure does, Rita! It was a perfect fit. Thanks for reading. ~Team Busbee
There seem to be several liquids outside the clear TSA bag (several in the makeup bag, sanitizer, etc.). I may have missed it, but I also didn’t notice any toothpaste. Did you fly out of the U.S.? If so, did you perhaps buy some items after security? Did TSA screeners just not notice? The liquid limitation is my biggest challenge with carry-ons so articles like this would feel less like click bait in the future if the team could share strategies that actually comply with standards.
Hi Lucy! Yes, Erin did fly out of the US and she left the hand sanitizer out of her clear bag but didn’t have any issues and it wasn’t flagged at security. As for the liquids in the makeup bag, she did end up moving those over to the clear bag before heading to the airport! As long as all your liquids are under 3.4oz and fit into a 1 quart-sized bag, you should be all set! Remember that balms, cream sticks (like her contour stick and blush), etc. don’t count as liquids and are a great workaround to the liquid limitations! Her Radius toothpaste is included the clear bag and we linked it here for you in case you missed it. https://rstyle.me/+9ZJm6E3AXK56qOxqlNrj4Q Apologies that you felt this post wasn’t as helpful as we’d hoped, but please let us know if you have any additional questions and we would be happy to answer those! ~Team Busbee