Packing.

Just the thought of it has me in the foetal position.  I’ve shared before about my inner packing devil that comes out just in time for the dreaded fill up.  What’s worse, it usually then leaves me with a case of the guilts for the first few days of my holiday as I reassess why I needed to behave like a possessed 4 year old and chuck a tanty over poorly folded undies.  Anyway, most of this is easily resolved with some good planning and making good choices.  Like the choice not to turn into a psychopath and to observe myself.  Much like everything in life, we can choose better.

Same goes for the bag i take on the plane.  Increased travel for work means over time I’ve streamlined my carry on.  I know what works for me and I’m here to share that with you today – to hopefully make your carry on, be it for travel, your daily trip into the office or for a weekend getaway smoother.  Here are my must have’s when I travel…

Medium sized bag
Do not be fooled that bigger is better!  You end up with the broods belongings jammed inside until there is no more room which has you calling for a chiropractor long before you even get to the gate lounge.

Scarf
Think of your most useful fashion accessory as a blanket, eye patch, seat divider for fighting children, pillow and of course wipe rag… You’ll use it the entire trip (so long as you didn’t have to wipe up any evidence of motion sickness).  This Camilla scarf actually attaches to my jacket – which means it’s a double win.

Books/Movies
Goes without saying I know, but I learnt my lesson in relying on inflight entertainment over and again.  Sometimes it doesn’t work, sometimes they don’t have enough tablets and sometimes I don’t like what’s on offer.  So I load up my iPad and have it at the ready as a backup.  We once flew 11 hours and I forgot to book the entertainment which meant poor Daddy K had to stare at the destination map for the most part – I of course offered my iPad, but it was full of Hart of Dixie episodes and whilst I reckon Wayne is eye candy, Chris wasn’t so keen!  I also load books on too depending on how much room I have left.  It means I can have many loaded on and not need to carry hard versions even though I do prefer to turn real pages.  I’m currently reading Arianna Huffington’s ‘The Sleep Revolution.’

Watch, Sunnies and Hair Brush
Goes without saying really!  Sunnies are Dior, Watch thanks to Feather and Stone.  Brush thanks to Coco.Body.

Beats/headphones
Once you have great headphones, you can’t use those freebies anymore! Go the noise-cancelling variety all the way and never hear that kid next to you screaming ever again.  These are Beats.

Water
Ok this is a bit of a bag weight but long haul flights (even short) cannot be done without loads of water.  It stops me blowing up like a balloon.  Without it, I step off with feet like Babar.  I also like to know where my water has come from – best quality you can find is always my recommendation.  I adore Fiji Water.

Toothbrush and paste
Nothing worse than getting off your flight and realising you’ve still got another 6 hours until you can set foot into your room.  That means furry teeth and breath that could kill.  I’m travelling this time with my War Paint – charcoal that is super easy to use that makes your teeth shimmer and whiten naturally!  MY GOODNESS it’s the bomb.  I got mine from Bytes of Northcote – my favourite Eco Friendly Dentist.

Beauty Staples
When I fly, I get the most driest of noses to the point it hurts.  I always chuck in a sachet of Coco Body body oil, not just for this reason but for all of the reasons!  I use it to remove my makeup, as a moisturiser, and yes I wipe it around the insides of my nose to alleviate the dry feeling. I also use it as sunscreen and for post sun exposure.  It’s almost a crime to leave it behind. (um.. see what I did there?)

I also have Edible Beauty Goddess Serum to slather over my face to keep it hydrated whilst flying.  It’s the perfect size for travel and feels amazing.

Snacks
I detest plane food.  This time around I packed for the entire brood, but I always throw a few ‘balls’ in my bag for times when I need something or the kids need a distraction!  My current fave – Health Lab balls. In fact, we now stock these at The Pagoda Tree!

I’m sure you have some tricks on standby for when you travel.  I’d love to hear what works for you and why!  Travel, whilst exciting, takes a little strategy!  Share with me below your staple items and I promise I’ll love you for it.