The One Item To Never Leave Out Of Your Carry On, According to Travel Experts

With prices rising for checked baggage, horror stories of people losing their luggage on the simplest of flights and the hassle it takes to pick up your luggage once you land–bringing only a carry-on on a trip has become more and more popular. While there are definitely a lot of great reasons to bring only a carry-on, it does take a little bit of practice to hone in on how exactly to pack your carry-on to get the best out of the experience.

As a person who travels out of the country multiple times a year, and who only ever brings a carry-on, I’ve gained years of experience that has ultimately made me a carry-on travel expert. I’ve learned what is absolutely necessary to bring in a carry-on, what should definitely be left behind, and everything in between. There is one item in particular that I have found to be a complete life-changer when it comes to traveling with a carry-on, so keep reading to learn what that sneaky item is!

Related: The One Travel Hack That Keeps Toiletries From Exploding Mid-Flight

Always Pack A Bottle Of Wrinkle Release Spray

@justpearlm

Bringing this to every trip from now on @downy #traveltips #travelhacks #wrinkles #packing #travel

♬ original sound – Pearl M

In a TikTok created by Pearl M, a woman who shares videos of herself traveling and trying new foods, she shares herself trying wrinkle release spray (specifically the Downy brand) while on vacation for the first time. She takes out a dress that she wants to wear that evening, however it’s covered in wrinkles. She then sprays the wrinkle release all over the dress, tugs and shakes out the dress for a bit, and hangs it to set. She then shows that the dress is almost completely void of wrinkles, ready to go for her night out. Plus, her dress now smells like it was freshly washed, which is a great bonus.

Wrinkle release spray is something that I always keep in my carry-on. First and foremost, there are tons of small bottles out there to choose from, and it’s very easy to pack by sliding into a shoe or tucking into the sides of the suitcase. Now, the reason why I find this item absolutely necessary, specifically in a carry-on, is because most people have to fold or roll their clothing in not-so-ideal ways to get it all fit in a carry-on. Then, the clothing tends to get incredibly wrinkled and unappealing looking. I’m also not the type of person to want to use an iron when traveling, and much prefer a simple and quick fix, so the wrinkle release spray works like a dream.

Related: The Outdated Item I’m No Longer Flying With

Other Items That I Always Have In My Carry-On As Well

Another item that you will always find in my carry-on is an external charger. When traveling, it can be pretty easy for your phone, earbuds, or other electronics to die. I highly recommend getting yourself an external charger that can charge multiple things at once. This is great while you’re on a plane, train, or airport–however it’s also great when you’re at your destination, too. It makes it easy to make sure your most valuable devices always have a little juice in them. I bring my external charger with me in my purse while I’m sightseeing in new places, and I also use it back in the hotel room or cruise ship cabin if I need a little juice and other people are using the plugs in the room.

For my final must-have item, we have the tried and trusted packing cubes. If you ever see me traveling without packing cubes, you will need to make sure that I still have a pulse. These are 100% necessary for me. Ultimately, I love packing cubes because they help to keep clothing and other items organized in a carry-on. Especially when you’re trying to fit as much as possible into the small carry-on luggage, packing cubes help to compress clothing, keep things organized by categories, and make re-arranging and moving items around an absolute breeze. I’m not fussy on what brand that you use, as long as you get a pack that offers a ton of different sizes and a compression feature, you’ll be all set.

Related: 10 Carry-On Essentials I Never Travel Without as a Frequent Flier