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The SMARTEST Way to Pack a Personal Item... Step by Step (Free Packing List Included)

Packing Tips by Happy to Wander (Happy to Pack It)

15,686 views

Stop packing your personal item/under seat bag without a strategy! Here's a foolproof method you can use for your personal item on every trip :)

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0:00 Introduction
0:33 Step One: Pick Your Bag
1:47 Step Two: Decide and Organize What’s Going In
7:28 Step Three: Fill Your Bag
8:37 Step Four: Audit for Size and Weight
11:43 Step Five: Additional Security Measures

My main channel with practical tips & destination guides: happytowander

Follow me on Instagram: Instagram: happytowander

***

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Curious about the best way to pack a personal item on a plane? This step by step guide walks you through everything you need to know as a carry-on packing newbie.

20 Comments

@HappyToPackIt Creator 2 months ago (edited) Pinned

Let me know what your personal item set-up is!! [Ad] And thanks again to tomtoc for sponsoring this month's video!! Again, here are the items showcased:

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@ChristineWilliams-o6y 2 months ago

You should always put any prescription meds in your personal item too.

@Intentionaltravelers 1 month ago

The thrift stores in Japan were amazing! We took home more than expected because we found so many things in great shape that we liked. We get asked sometimes about how strict airlines will be on personal items/carry-ons and our go-to is the same: check forums to see what other travelers say about that airline. 👍

@sayhellohalle 2 months ago

my personal item always has: all my toiletries, makeup, PJs, all undies and socks, tech, and a backup outfit! on a recent group trip to switzerland we lost our baggage due to a too short layover, and none of my friends had packed any essentials in their personal item! they had to wear the same clothes for two days while i had plenty of stuff to last me a few days!

i always put my bag on top of my suitcase so i love my nomad lane bento bag, but also like the bagsmart backpack for MAXIMUM storage space!!

@elkeyes 1 month ago

I ended up buying the Aviator T-37 crossbody bag that was in one of your previous videos, and have this same T-66 backpack. I love having my smaller necessary items (wallet, gum/mints, chapstick, earbuds, etc) inside the small bag almost like a packing cube. It's also small enough to put into the backpack if they complain about too many bags (I fly mostly domestically in the US so they haven't really noticed/cared as much if I have both bags out, but just in case I need to consolidate). Then when I am at my destination, I have two bags I can use out and about.

@ryanmcnair8754 1 month ago

What we have done before is choose an AirBnB in an apartment complex that had on-site laundry. We pack laundry soap sheets in our carry-on bag specifically for this. The other thing we tried that worked out great was finding a laundromat near a neighborhood with lots of restaurants. We could see the door to the laundromat from our table and one of us swapped the laundry from the washer to the dryer between the appetizer/drinks and the meal. Worked great with the only hassle being toting our luggage down there and then to the restaurant while we ate/waited. Next time we will just use a tote bag and/or our personal item backpacks!

@nh6xo409 2 months ago

Enjoy your videos. Some of us elders have to take an entire 3L or larger bag to carry our medications; this can grow quite large on long trips. I don't just "toss in" a tracker; I secure it or hide it with a piece of cloth tape. Always include an ID as well as the info on your stops/flights: helps the "Good Samaritans" get your stuff back to you. Consider carrying a small rechargeable flashlight such as a Nitecore NU27. And pack saline solution to hydrate your sinuses on long flights. A great way to secure zippers is the Bobino Zipper Clip - it is simple to use. I always roll up my jacket and my thin wool hoodie and place them in separate "Crown Royal" bags so I can grab them by feel.

@livingthedreaminSantaBarbara 1 month ago

I have been loyal to only two personal items depending on location. The international bag I swear by is the Dange Dover (large) neoprene bag. I can use it two ways, stand alone and cross body. For domestic flights when I need to be a bit more lightweight (ha, ha, ha) I use the Bellroy 28L backpack.

@ruthc1607 2 months ago

I wish you would do a water bottle when you do these. I always have one with me as I dont drink much else besides coffee and my favorite takes up considerable space. It definitely impacts the squishable test!
I always pack a pashmina that can be a scarf or a shawl. I get cold on planes and its useful for tourist spots that require covered shoulders. They fold down so tiny!

@elidi7691 2 months ago

This is not a backpack with personal item size. For European airlines the size should be much smaller. Lufthansa for example allows 40x30x15 cm. However, you could use your backpack as a carry on. Just remember that the maximum weight is usually 7 or 8 kg.

@evelyngrammar 2 months ago

Yes, more bags are searched. We went through scanners in New Jersey and Dublin. In every case, someone's bag was searched but not always the same one. Oh well, just plan on it and go with the flow.

@jean-francoisnolin5075 2 months ago

Enjoy the content as always. For me, i have 2 setup for personal items depending on the type of trips... For work trip, if i don't need to dress in a suit, i will bring the black ember forge max as my only bag. fit the personal item size and i can fit everything i need (clothes, tech, etc.) and put it below the seat. Expensive and heavy-ish but suits my needs for this...You need to be good with only wearing the shoes you have on as I don't think you can pack another pair in this though... For personal vacation, usually, my personal item is my camera bag. It is a shoulder bag (billingham hadpley pro) about 15l so i can bring my camera or even 2 cameras depending on the trip. In the 2 front pocket i can put items like my tech pouch and the other are my headphones. I usually bring the full case for protection but also for quickly accessing related items like my airfly, my cable if airfly is out of juice and also the very useful adaptor if the plane system still as a double connector... when i walk in the airport or to my hotel, i have my backpack on and carry the camera bag on hand with the handle (wrap the shoulder strap around it to avoid stepping in it) and use it as a sling afterward. Not the kind of setup for everybody but works for me. Plus, push comes to shove and i need to checked my backpack, i can slide the ipad in the camera bag... P.S. no water bottle pocket on the camera bag but i found a removable water bottle holder on amazon for 20$ that connects securely on the bag so problem solved...

@MarifiBaluyot-w7c 2 months ago

I have been using compression packing cubes and put stuff in between them if I have space…i always check in a bag cuz ❤am an overpacker and I always need space for souvenirs

@88Klassic 2 months ago

I mostly travel in the US, but do so frequently.
My carry-on item is usually a backpack, my personal item is a messenger bag, and then I have a CPAP.
I do it this way because my CPAP is a second personal item since it's medical equipment and the messenger bag and CPAP can both fit under the seat together, so I don't feel like a jerk taking up two overhead bin spaces.

@margaretames6522 4 weeks ago

My wonderful backpack was too heavy once I put anything in it. Surprise!

@Naimdac 2 weeks ago

Hi , where do I use that discount code , it doesn’t, work on Amazon uk - voucher code section at the check out , thanks Roy

@markbuhl5647 2 months ago

Another great video, Christina. I'm enjoying this side channel. One question for you: I didn't see the link to your packing tips that you mentioned in the description, nor on your website. Could you please pin the link in the comments? Thanks!

@maxallen-macdonald8791 2 months ago

I once had an entire cup of coffee spilled from behind me, across my shoulder all the way down to my lap. Because of that experience, I now make sure to have a pair of black nylon track pants, undies and a t-shirt in a compression cube at the bottom of my knapsack at the very minimum. If I have room for more clothes, I add them as, in February, our bags didn't arrive for 24 hours. I assume electric toothbrushes are considered verboten in checked bags so I toss mine in my carry on. Is this correct? Great video!

@RJJ-h5v 2 months ago

Enjoyed the video but your bag is too big for a personal item on many airlines outside the US. I assume you are mostly using for domestic travel. That said, my carry on is a backpack so I found a personal item that is compliant with EU standards (40x30x15) but a crossbody so I am not carrying two backpacks. Topo Designs Mountain Cross Bag is what I wound up with. It maxes out length and width of the EU, but is also thin enough at 10cm to pass Lufthansa, Singapore Air, Eva Air, Air India , etc. No room for a change of clothes that I always have in my carry on, but all the room for laptop, tablet, reader, snacks, face mask, flight essentials and snacks. It also has some straps at the bottom that do a great job to hold my jacket for the flight. There are two elastic water bottle holders as well. Now if I can only get it down to 3kg for my upcoming flight on Argentina Aerolineas! Pockets here we come 😁

@lilies-and-lilies 2 months ago

My personal item set up:
- a zippered neck pillow that I stuff my clothes in (typically underwear and socks first)
- a decent sized fanny pack that I wear under a jacket just in case a gate agent is nitpicky that day 😅
- I use the Takeoff personal item sized luggage if I want a suitcase, and it has been great. Removing the wheels can be annoying but I deal with it. I've noticed that Frontier staff have started to recognize the bag and don't ask me to size it anymore.
- I am always looking for mini versions of things; not just for travel but for my regular carry at home too. It has done wonders for minimizing the space my things take up! Mini items are a lifestyle lol