IF YOU’RE ONLY TAKING A CARRY-ON FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP (AND THE THOUGHT IS MAKING YOU NERVOUS SWEAT), THESE 30 THINGS WILL HELP
1. A neat little packing checklist notepad perfect for all you fellow overpackers who want to be sure you don't forget anything at home in your haste to fit everything into a carry-on. Think of it as your new cheat sheet!
Promising review: "I hate packing. I mean, I really hate packing! I am always afraid I am going to forget something and the entire ordeal is a stressful one for me. Since I have to travel to many of my cases, this is a real problem for me. Not anymore...someone brilliant made these pads. This is a game changer for me. No more guessing if I forgot my underwear, everything I need is on this list." —Dr. Oceanfront
Get it from Amazon for $7+ (available in three styles).
2. A carry-on case designed to fit under your seat comfortably. Sure, you might be lucky enough to have plenty of room in the overhead bin, but there's just something really humbling about having to fight your way out of your row and into the aisle just for everyone behind you to watch you have a wrestling match with your carry-on. We're leaving those days behind thanks to this genius invention.
Promising review: "This works out so well for me. I’m a flight attendant, and I’ve had an infinite amount of day trips over the summer. I got tired of carrying around my regular TravelPro spinner, so I finally ordered this. SOOOOO MUCH BETTER FOR ME. It’s light, has enough pockets, and can easily fit under a seat if needed. The ONLY picky thing I can think of is how loud it sounds going across rough concrete. The wheels aren’t as silent as others, but that won’t stop me from buying another in the future." —Kayla T
Get it from Amazon for $48+ (available in three colors).
3. A set of compression organizers for keeping clothing and undergarments neat and orderly in your carry-on, which may even leave you enough room to get that extra souvenir you probably wouldn't have had room for if you didn't own these babies.
Promising reviews: "These bags are amazing! Everything fits, and the compression keeps everything in order and leaves space for last-minute additions. No more emptying the suitcase and looking for an item. So easy and organized. My travel life just became 100% easier! Highly recommend them." —LYNN vT
Get a pack of six from Amazon for $38.98+ (available in a variety of colors and as a pack of two or four).
4. And a shoe bag that can hold up to three pairs of footwear. Think of how much less clunky it'll be to place this compact cube in your bag than having to make space for three separate pairs of shoes. Don't even get me started on sand or dirt from the bottom of your shoes getting over all of your other belongings!!!
Promising review: "You can totally fit three pairs of shoes in this! (Size 6.5 female shoe, fit heels, wedges, and sandals.) I bought two and will absolutely be buying more for my husband. 10/10 would recommend! I travel frequently, and I always overpack; this helped cut down space and stress immensely!" —Taylor
Get it from Amazon for $22.99 (available in nine colors and patterns).
5. A set of Tide sink packs if you have a goal to pack less clothes and re-wear more of the items you're bringing. These will make it so simple to do so. No washing machine required!
Each pack comes with three packets. And, because they *are* liquid, they'll easily slide into the side of your toiletries bag.
Promising review: "Game changer for travel! We were gone for two weeks, and I was able to wash all the clothes I had packed! Helped with using only a carry-on for the trip and kept my clothes fresh and clean! So easy to use and smelled nice! Will never travel without them again!" —Kristy
Get nine packs from Amazon for $7.60 (available in three scents and various sizes).
6. A mini flat iron for anyone who knows the struggle of packing hot tools in a bag with very limited space. This handy gadget is smol, efficient, and just perfect for your travel needs.
It also comes with a heat-resistant pouch for easy carrying!
Promising review: "100% recommend. Used this plugged into an adapter during my birthday trip to Paris this past week. I was skeptical at first when I saw the size, but it really was a game changer. It worked just as well as my CHI straightener that I typically use. It was cheap enough that if it didn’t work then it wouldn’t be a huge loss, but it worked great and I was very impressed! I have shoulder length fine/medium hair and this straightener got it silky straight in no time!" —David Gonzalez
Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in three colors).
7. Or a 2-in-1 hot tool if you often find yourself having to choose between a flat iron and a curling iron when packing and ultimately end up regretting whichever one you bring after a few days into the trip. Now you can bring BOTH without having to make room for two tools. Genius!
Promising review: "I really like this curler and flat iron. It heats up fast and cools fast, and the travel bag is perfect, with the inside protected from the heat. The size is great, and the end of the iron has a place for fingers not to burn. Very much worth the price to have a flat iron and curling in one." —Karen Galligan
Get it from Amazon for $44.99.
8. A chic reversible tote bag (so it's like buying two bags for the price of one) that's just perfect for holding the personal items you'll need on the plane. It also features a detachable zippered pouch that's perfect for holding things you'll need close by at the airport, like your wallet, identification, and boarding pass (if you prefer a physical copy over mobile).
Promising review: "I bought this bag for a trip I recently took and am extremely pleased with it. The versatility of being reversible (dark to light) was a plus, getting two for the price of one. It is soft and supple and holds a ton of stuff! My 13" laptop/tablet fit perfectly, and there was still room for a lot of other travel stuff. The magnet that holds the flaps together was strong, too. I would definitely purchase this product again and will use it on future trips!" —LadyThor
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in 23 colors).
9. And if your personal item/purse is filled to the brim with the things that you didn't have room for in your carry-on, this purse organizer will help make that packed handbag feel more manageable. Trust me, you'll be grateful you have this when you make it to the security checkpoint and need to quickly find your ID without holding up the entire line.
Promising review: "I have always purchased handbags with lots of pockets and sections because I hate having to dig around trying to find something in the gaping hole of purses with no sections. But I have passed up so many cute bags because of this, and I was frustrated with having to do so. I purchased this medium-sized organizer, and I couldn't be happier!! It is very well-made, and it has so many great pockets to organize everything I need. THE BEST PART is I can easily lift it out of one purse and put it into another one, and I always know where everything can be found. I wish I had gotten one of these years ago. When I first ordered this organizer, I didn't realize it had two zipper compartments on each side, and I was tickled to discover even MORE storage!!! With all the fun colors and patterns, it was hard to select one, but I've always been partial to polka dots. I love it and can't imagine anyone not being as pleased with this as I am!" —Snicker0311
Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in sizes S–L and 26 colors).
10. A universal travel adapter you're gonna be grateful for if your travels involve hopping to various countries that all use different outlets. Now you won't need to buy and pack different adapters for each country you plan on visiting. Phew!
The charger can be used in Mexico, Canada, the UK, the UAE, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, and countries in Europe, Asia, and South America.
Promising review: "LOVE this adapter! I travel from time to time internationally and have always used just the 'standard' adapters found in airports. Could not pass up the opportunity to purchase this one after reading the reviews. Exceeded my expectations of what it was capable of. Used on a recent trip to Germany, and it handled everything needed — laptop, cellphone (USB ports are so very welcome), alarm clock, dryer, etc. Did not miss a beat on the power provided. And it is also attractive looking ;-) Thank you for making such a great, dependable product!" —Monkey
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
11. A Hackwith Design House Everything Top designed to be worn more than five different ways. It'll look like you brought numerous trendy tops with you, but all you really need is this one garment. We won't tell your secret if you don't!
Hackwith Design House is a woman-owned small business that creates made-to-order apparel. This shirt can be worn as a V-neck, off-the-shoulder, boatneck, V-back, and even open as a jacket.
Get it from Hackwith Design House for $81 (originally $135, available in women's sizes XS–4X and in five colors).
12. A 4-in-1 makeup pen that's an eyeliner, brow liner, lip liner, and highlighter all in one fabulous little tool reminiscent of those retractable pens you may have used in your school days. What a great (and super fun way) to save space in your makeup bag!
This is cruelty- and paraben-free and vegan! Plus, it comes in recyclable packaging. Alleyoop is a woman-owned small biz selling a wonderful assortment of beauty products.
My colleague Genevieve Scarano loves this makeup pen! Here's her review:
"This little pen is a big help because I don't need to keep a mountain of cosmetics in my drawer *and* it makes quick touch-ups so easy. It comes with four (yes, not kidding here!) makeup products: an eyeliner, highlighter, lip liner, and an eyeliner/eyebrow pencil. Just click each side down, apply to your eyes, lips, and face, and you'll be good to go. If you're going to be out and about, this tiny tool easily fits in a purse or pocket, so you can bring it with you and still have room for essentials. Plus, you won't have to worry if your eyeliner smudges, your lip color comes off, or your brows need a little TLC because this gem will be there when you need to reapply makeup again."
Get it from Alleyoop for $17 or Amazon for $20 (available in three shades).
13. Plus, a Subtl beauty stack you can customize with up to eight cosmetics in one easy-to-travel-with stack. It also comes with a mirror lid, a base, and a mini brush.
Subtl Beauty is a small business that specializes in vegan, cruelty-free beauty products, including compact, customizable beauty stacks.
Promising review: "I absolutely love how compact this product is. I have been pleasantly surprised at how natural the makeup feels and I love the natural look it provides. I originally purchased for traveling, but have been using it daily and love it!" —Paula Bowie
Get the Starter Stak from Subtl Beauty for $60 (available in 17 tones), or customize your own stack starting at $14 per layer.
14. And a 4-in-1 makeup brush so you have options for applying your foundation, concealer, blush, and eyeshadow without having to actually pack four separate brushes.
15. ...To further minimize your cosmetic stash — a makeup remover cloth that only requires WATER to take off your makeup at the end of the day. No wasteful wipes, no cotton rounds and travel-friendly cleansing liquids, no hassle!
Promising review: "This is incredible! I can't believe how well this works! I travel a lot for work and usually take makeup remover wipes because of the liquid restrictions for travel, but they are expensive and heavy. I have been using this cloth all week and LOVE IT! A bit of warm water and everything comes off in a few easy swipes. I am super excited to travel with this. It weighs nothing and rolls up to take very little space. I am ordering another for my mom who also travels. Highly recommend!" —KT
Get it from Amazon for $6.99 (available in four colors).
16. A Kindle Paperwhite because when you think about the fact that you can download numerous books before your trip onto this lightweight e-reader that takes up less space than ONE book...well...it's kinda a no-brainer that you'd need to bring it on your vacay.
I did it. I caved on October Prime Day and bought myself a Kindle Paperwhite, and boy am I glad I did. For starters, I always thought of myself as someone who preferred physical books over e-books. There's just something SO exciting to me about unboxing a book order or walking into a book store and spending way too much money. I even spent two years creating a rainbow library on my bookshelf in my apartment. BUT! After taking two vacations this year and realizing how annoying it is to pack physical books and moving somewhere that requires a long train ride to get to the city (aka increased boredom), I decided to just get myself a Kindle. For starters, I'm reading more on this Kindle in the past month than I have all year. It is incredibly lightweight (it fits into my small little BELT BAG WITH ROOM TO SPARE!!!), easy to use, and not to mention, a really great investment! I also had three free months of Kinde Unlimited which meant access to tons of great books for free, but the best is Libby! I just go on the Libby app from my phone, choose a Kindle book to check out through my local library, and boom, it's instantly delivered to my Amazon account to add to my Kindle library. It's safe to say I'm obsessed.
Get it from Amazon for $149.99+ (available with or without three months of Kindle Unlimited and ads, in 8 GB or 16 GB versions, as well as a kids version).
17. A foldable jewelry organizer that'll take up less space in your bag than a clunky jewelry box AND also serves as a better method than just tossing your jewelry into your bag and having to untangle it once you reach your destination.
18. A folding toothbrush because while you probably don't think of your toothbrush as a cumbersome item while packing, saving a little bit of room here and there really does make a difference (especially when your goal is to pack light).
Promising review: "These are great! I travel around a lot for work, and also have Invisalign, so I like to keep one in my work bag as well as my travel bag. The best part is the convenience. I used to carry a toothbrush in a case that took up a lot of room in my work bag as well as my travel bag. Now I just use these. They are small, durable, easy to use, and the brush is full covered when it is fully closed, which is what I was a little worried about at first. It was exactly what I was looking for in a travel toothbrush. I highly recommend, and I will be purchasing again." —Demetri
Get the two-pack from Amazon for $5.99 (available in two brush stiffnesses).
19. And a pack of chewable toothpaste tablets — there are just SO many liquids you have to ensure are under the 3.4-ounce limit. Having to remember a travel-friendly toothpaste tube on top of it is just plain ANNOYING! These will make your next trip (and all future trips) a little easier.
Promising review: "I took these on a three-week trip to Europe. Didn't have to put them in my liquids bag. You chew them (don't swallow), then brush. It doesn't seem like they'd work, but they did. My teeth felt clean after using. Good purchase." —Pattipeg S. Harjo
Get a 60-count from Amazon for $14.98 (also available in a 150-count).
20. A pack of perfume atomizers for bringing your signature scent on your next trip without needing a checked bag just so you can bring a reg. perfume bottle, purchasing the expensive travel-sized version, or settling on a scent you don't typically use or particularly like just because you can get it through TSA.
Promising reviews: "TikTok made me buy it. One of my favorite purchases. Compact, easy to use, my favorite color. Scent is still great." —Pii E
"This travel size perfume carrier is a game changer! Super easy to use and did not leak at all. Easy to travel with or even take in my purse if I'm gonna be out late, and the colors are pretty and good to differentiate which perfume is in which." —Anamika Khosla
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $6.99.
21. A compact pill organizer complete with six compartments for keeping your medications separate and preventing you from having to pack multiple pill containers.
Promising review: "My husband and I travel a lot and take a number of prescription drugs. It was always a hassle accessing our medication when needed, so I purchased this organizer to make things easier. I used a label maker and labeled each little compartment and it has performed wonderfully. I highly recommend this organizer to anyone who travels and needs medications throughout the day." —Jacqueline
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $8.97 (available in two color sets).
22. A TSA-friendly toiletries kit featuring a pack of four travel bottles, three little jars, two toothbrush caps, a set of labels, and a clear pouch to store them all away in. Keeping all of your liquids contained in this kit should help make getting through security a bit smoother.
Not to mention, you won't have to pay for travel-sized versions of toiletries from brands you don't even use. Just transfer your favorite shampoo, body wash, mouthwash, etc., to the containers, seal on the leakproof lids, and you're g2g!
My colleague, Elizabeth Lilly, is a big fan of this set! Here's her review:
"Yep, I own and love this set! It includes the zippered bag, four soft silicone bottles with leakproof caps, three compact jars, and two toothbrush caps. I've used this set on more than five trips and for trips when I don't require body wash or shampoo (like to visit my parents), I use the extra room in the bag to shove in all my beauty products and daily contacts. Plus! It comes with labels that stay on the containers really well despite my thoroughly washing these containers between trips. I bought this set in spring 2019 and have, admittedly, lost a container or two. But the ones that I've held onto over dozens of trips have all held up well!"
Get it from Amazon for $17.01+ (available in six variations).
23. And if you're already set with travel containers or smol toiletries, but need a clear case to keep them in for when you go through security, this TSA-approved option is great and comes in a variety of fun colors!
Promising review: "Everything I needed fit perfectly, and I had no issues in TSA/China security. So far I have been through MSP, IAD, NKG, and PEK airports using this pack already, and it's a life-changer! I will never again have to worry about having to scramble to buy baggies just for liquids, and it is much more durable." —Courtney Swanson
Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in 11 colors).
24. A phone mount that'll allow you to watch your favorite downloaded shows/movies on your flight — because sometimes the airline doesn't offer your comfort characters on their entertainment menu or worse...there's no television at all, and bringing your laptop is a heavy (and TBH, unnecessary) alternative.
Promising review: "Great idea, handy little gadget. It was a tiny bit bulkier than I wanted to pack, but I am so very glad I did! I took it with me for a flight out of the country. Handy to be able to clamp or stand on a tray table to watch films aired via in-flight Wi-Fi. Sturdy, versatile, appears well made, and durable. Used with Samsung Galaxy Note 10+." —KLMCats
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
25. A super lightweight and compact ultra-supportive neck pillow to make the whole "falling asleep while sitting upright" thing possible (and comfy) without lugging the typical big ol' travel pillow. Is there any better way to pass the time on a plane than with a nice, long nap? I don't think so.
Promising review: "I am a terrible flyer who recently took the red-eye from Dubai to Chicago (15 hours). The Trtl Pillow was a mini lifesaver! I was able to comfortably rest my head on the support and felt warm enough to actually doze off...a rare accomplishment for this skittish flyer. The Velcro works wonderfully with regard to adjustment, and I liked wrapping the fabric around my mouth and nose. Sort of felt cozy...even if I did look like a ninja in a neck brace! Overall, this product has changed the way that I fly, and I am so thankful for this invention and the opportunity to support a small company with big ideas." —S.Viruly
Get it from Amazon for $64.99+ (available in five colors).
26. A luggage gripper perfect for holding onto things like a travel pillow, a sweatshirt, or a light jacket because when you're already fussing your way through the airport with a carry-on, the last thing you feel like doing is holding onto additional necessities.
Promising review: "I love this little gadget. I used it to attach my jacket and computer bag to my luggage on an extended business trip. It made my airport walks so much easier. Now that I'm back home, I've been using it daily to attach my jacket or cardigan to my work bag or purse." —Michele
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in six colors and packs of two).
27. A 2-in-1 case that'll hold your glasses on one side and your contacts, lens solution, and a tweezer on the other, and it's all about the size of one glasses case.
Promising review: "Because of my job, I live out of a suitcase, and I am always worried if I need an extra set of contacts or a spare pair of eyeglasses. This is perfect, because I just put it in the bottom of my suitcase, and I am confident I have them both in one place. I got the pink case, and it’s very cute. Very happy with this purchase." —N. Rivera
Get it from Amazon for $13.95+ (available in 13 colors).
28. A shampoo bar so you can wave goodbye to the days of having to pour your shampoo into tiny bottles you could get through TSA. Not only are these so easy to toss into your carry-on or suitcase for your next trip, but they're also a good choice for those looking to cut down on their plastic use.
Promising review: "I was definitely skeptical about a bar shampoo and conditioner, but I travel a lot and really wanted to cut down the use of plastic products as much as possible. I honestly am in love! I got the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar and the Wonderbar conditioner, as well as one of their eco-friendly bamboo and sugar cane storage containers, and my very long, fine, oily hair, which I do have to wash daily, looks and feels great. I recommend anyone on the fence to definitely give it a try! It works! So wonderful for travel too!" —M.A.
Get it from Amazon for $13.50+ (available in 16 varieties).
29. A portable travel razor set that comes with a moisturizing balm, a water spray bottle, and two triple-blade razors tucked away into a case. All you have to do is twist the nozzle on the case to access each of these features.
Promising review: "I love this product. I took it on a recent vacation and it really is a time saver. The moisturizer bar it comes with is sooo nice. I usually get a little itchy after shaving but the fact that you can rub in the excess product on the shaved area has helped with itch and ingrown hairs. Now that I'm not on vacation I use it right before I go the pool, I seriously take this thing everywhere." —Karlie Hanson
Get it from Amazon for $15 (available in pink and purple).
30. And if you don't quite need all the bells and whistles of the product above, but you need a better solution than just taking the head off your razor and hoping for the best, this travel-sized razor is perfect AND comes with a handy case. You're welcome!
It comes with one handle and one blade refill!
Promising review: "I got this for a vacation and it was great! The little carrying container is awesome, and keeps you from having a weird, loose razor floating around in your suitcase. Plus the heads are the same as a regular-sized razor, so you can keep using it when that one is worn out!" —Tegan H
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (also available in a pack of two).
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.