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After more than thirty years in travel — first booking other people’s trips as a Certified Travel Counselor, then taking a great many of my own — my “essentials” list has almost nothing trendy on it. These are the things that quietly decide whether you arrive wrecked or arrive ready. A few are worth the splurge. Most are small. Every one has earned its spot in my bag more than once.
The carry-on setup
I’ve learned the hard way that the bag matters more than what goes in it.
Weekender Bag with Shoe Compartment
The shoe compartment sold me — no more wrapping heels in a hotel laundry bag. My go-to for anything under three nights.
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3-Piece Hardside Spinner Set
A matched hardside set with a real TSA lock and spinner wheels. It expands when you inevitably buy something you didn’t plan for.
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The arrive-ready kit — because how you land is decided in the air.
Cooling Travel Blanket
Planes are either freezing or stifling, never right. This packs down small and actually breathes.
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Contoured Side-Sleeper Eye Mask
Contoured so it doesn’t crush against your face if you sleep on your side — the difference between dozing and resting on a red-eye.
View on Amazon →Stay organized
Nothing eats a morning like digging for a charger or untangling necklaces.
TSA Silicone Bottle Set
Refillable, leak-proof, TSA-friendly. Bring your own products instead of gambling on hotel minis.
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Travel Jewelry Case
A padded case so your good pieces arrive untangled and accounted for.
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Makeup Brush Organizer
Keeps your brushes clean and findable instead of loose at the bottom of a pouch.
View on Amazon →The little luxuries
Small indulgences that weigh nothing and matter more than they should.
Cashmere Mist Travel Set
A travel set of a scent I love. Feeling human after a long-haul starts with smelling like yourself.
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Refillable Perfume Atomizer
Decant your signature scent — TSA-legal, and no glass bottle shattering in your bag.
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The full collection
Want the rest of my picks?
I keep a running, shoppable collection of everything I travel with — including the bigger-ticket items I never fly without: my noise-canceling headphones, luggage trackers, a universal adapter, and my e-reader.
Working remotely on the road? See my Digital Nomad essentials list, too.