If you’ve ever visited my channel OrganizedLikeJen (OLJ) on YouTube, then you know that not only do I have a great love for organization, but an even greater respect for the art of packing. I love to pack. It is something I do often, as my husband and I travel quite a bit. It is something I do well. I don’t consider myself much of an expert on anything. That is, anything except for packing. I am a gosh darn good packer, if I do say so myself (loud and proud!). This doesn’t mean that I am a minimilist packer. On the contrary, many would say I tend to overpack. I would have to disagree. Packing is a very individual thing and what one needs during travel is not a one-size-fits-all sort of deal. I tend to bring exactly what I need and a little bit extra as a better-safe-than-sorry type of gal. On any given trip I use between 90-100% of the items I bring with me. To me that signifies a well-thought out packing job. With that being said, please take in mind whenever watching my packing-related videos or reading my packing-related blog posts, that I show what works for me. You might not feel the need to travel with three different kinds of cameras, emergency clothing, or journals in your carry-on bag, but I do. To each their own.
I am always recieving requests to post updated ‘What’s In My Carry-On” videos on OLJ. Since I have now posted SIX carry-on videos (links to all below if you’re interested) since I first started my organization channel, I decided maybe a blog post update would be a better idea. This also makes sense because I am using the same bag from the last two carry-on videos with only minor adjustments. That bag is the 17″ Roll Along Tote in Mocha Rouge by Vera Bradley (pictured above). It was a birthday gift from exactly one year ago and I have been in love with it ever since.
I love the cheery Mocha Rouge pattern. It’s easy to spot, but not overly bright.
The snapping handles are perfect for corralling extra layers when on the go.
I keep my Lug Life Undercover Bear travel pillow & a small reusable shopping bag (in case I purchase snacks) in the generously spacious front slip pocket.
The bag has two main zippered compartments, one shallow and one deep, both of which open up flat.
The more shallow of the two has a special built in “Checkpoint Friendly” laptop case. When I go through security I can just zip open this top compartment & lay it flat (as show in the previous picture), leaving my laptop safely inside while it travels through the X-ray machine. I love not having to remove my laptop from the security of this padded pouch! I do still keep a protective hardshell case on my laptop at all times. I am currently using a Kuzy Rubberized Hard Case Cover in a beautiful Tiffany blue color.
There are several pockets on the other side of this compartment that I use to stash magazines, pens, a Starbucks giftcard, and personal hygiene essentiels (filed under the better-safe-than-sorry category) for quick & easy access.
There is a large zip pocket behind these slip pockets that is perfect for keeping the folder with all of my travel documents safe as well as other flat items.
The other main compartment of the bag is much deeper and can hold quite a bit.
The flat side has two zippered compartments. The top mesh one is usually where I keep my vlogging camera (a Canon Powershot Elph 300 HS) in its 1154 Lill Studio Kari case as well as mints, gum, & a small snack (Luna bars are my favorite on the go).
I usually stash my personal journal (safe inside its Jonathan Adler case), the lock that came with the bag, and extra ziplock bags in the lower zippered compartment.
I like packing the deepest portion of the bag vertically so I can easily pull out whatever I need without having to dig around too much.
I use a variety of cases & pouches to keep similar items together, which also makes it much easier to find whatever I may need quickly. I usually pack a book or my kindle in this compartment as well.
I always travel with a Vera Bradley Ditty Bag (shown here in the matching Mocha Rouge pattern), which is a lightweight pouch lined in plastic. I keep a set of leggings or mesh shorts as well as an extra pair of underwear in this in case of emergency during travel or for unexpected delays or cancellations. I always travel with my Bose Quiet Comfort 15 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones in a velvet pouch, a trail mix snack, and fuzzy socks in the case of a chilly airplane.
I use several different kinds of pouches to house all of my cameras and cords. I keep my Sony Handycam HDR-150CX, charger & USB cord in a small SORT Electronics Case. I keep my Canon EOS Rebel T4i DSLR camera in a Crumpler Haven (size medium). I just posted my first impressions on this case (see blog post DSLR Camera Accessories Haul).
I keep all of my computer cords & accessories in an Eagle Creek Pack-It Quarter Cube, including the power cords, mouse, an external hard drive, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter, & a Smart Charger (for emergency iPhone battery replenishment).
I keep my iPhone charger, my two other camera chargers & extra batteries in an Eagle Creek Small PackIt Sac.
I prefer packing my jewelry in my carry-on bag as opposed to in my checked luggage. I’ve been using this Hanging Jewelry Roll for the past 6 months for travel and absolutely love it! Check for a new video soon on OLJ on how I pack my jewelry for travel.
I am a big fan of the “Walking Pharmacy,” as I like to call it, which is a case in which I store all of my daily necessities & small emergency items. I filmed an entire video on what I keep in my travel walking pharmacy if you’d like a more in-depth look.
I have been enjoying using my Louis Vuitton Insolite wallet for travel, because I can fit my phone in the large zippered compartment. I’ve attached an 1154 Lill Studio Jane Wristlet to it so I can easily manage the wallet when I need my ID for checkin & security. It’s also nice when traveling with Don to leave my bag with him at the gate while I make a dash for a water bottle or to use the restroom before the flight.
Lately I have been traveling with what I call my “Creative Necessities Pouch” (CNP). I love to make lists, plans things out on paper, and doodle/daydream with colorful pens & stickers. I keep a small pad of paper, a Moleskine Cahier Journal, sticky notes & tabs in a variety of colors & sizes, a multi-color jumbo pen, whiteout tape, magnetic paper clips, & a variety of stickers in my CNP. I’ve taken to carrying this in my larger size purses when I know I am going to have some downtime during any particular outing. It has become a wonderful addition to my travel carry-on bag as well.
As you can see, I use every nook & cranny of my Roll Along Tote. I love that I can easily fit all of my electronics valuables, and personal odds & ends in it. The fact that the bag can fit under the seat in front of me on the airplane is the icing on the cake! I appreciate having my bag & its contents right at my feet for easy access. It’s on sale right now at VeraBradley.com for a much reduced price, which leads me to believe that they might be discontinuing this model. I hope that means they will replace it with a newer model if nothing else, because it truly is the perfect carry-on in my opinion and I think that many others would agree.
If you’d like to see my carry-on videos from over the past few years, I am listing & linking them below:
❊ Summer Travel: Carry-On Essentiels (July 10, 2012)
❊ What’s In My NEW Carry-On & How To Pack for an Out of Town Race (February 24, 2012)
❊ Yet Another Carry-On Bag Video (September 5, 2011)
❊ Packing Organization: Carry-On (May 17, 2011)
❊ What’s In My Carry-On, Part 2 (November 17, 2010)
❊ What’s In My Carry-On, Part 1 (November 17, 2010)
*I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in this post. All opinions are my own.*
