What I Pack in My Carry-On

After traveling to Italy with three big kids and a baby, I’ve dialed in my carry-on packing game—and let’s just say, it’s a mix of practical, personal, and a little bit polished. From baby must-haves to my own in-flight essentials, here’s what I actually pack in my carry-on bag. (Spoiler: the baby items always end up in mine no matter what!)

Whether you’re headed abroad or just flying with your littles for the first time, here’s everything that made it into my carry-on and kept us sane, comfortable, and somewhat organized on a long-haul flight.

My Travel Essentials

• Little Rifle Pencil Case filled with emergency must-haves:
  My go-to green Le Pen, Merit Pointelle lip gloss (hydrating but polished), green tea and instant coffee packets (because sometimes plane coffee is just… no), ursa major face wipes, Jillian Dempsey eye masks, mini scissors, Mrs. Messy stain wipes, Neosporin, Needed electrolytes, and Tylenol. It’s my in-flight survival kit.
• Ursa Major Hand Cream – clean, not overly scented, and the perfect refresh mid-flight.
• Necessaire Lip Balm – so moisturizing and not sticky. I keep this close.
• Bose Headphones – for drowning out the white noise,
• Mini Converter – a must for international charging.
• Extra Wired Headphones – always good to have backups when Bluetooth gets finicky.
• Welly Bandaids – someone always ends up needing one.
• This travel pillow – I swear by this one for getting a little sleep when I can.
• Leather monogram pouch – mine’s from Mark & Graham and holds our passports, boarding passes, and all the bits and bobs I need to access quickly. Chic and so functional.
• LL Bean Tote – my ride-or-die personal item. It fits everything and slides under the seat. Large with long handles.
• Honest Sanitizing Wipes & EO Hand Sanitizer Spray – because planes, airports, and toddler hands.

Baby Gear That Inevitably Ends Up in My Bag

• Diapers & Wipes – We love Coterie, and I always pack extras.
• Pacifier clip + backup pacis – stored in a little container so they don’t disappear into the abyss.
• Teething ring – anything to soothe during takeoff and landing.
• Spinny toy – sticks to the tray table and actually buys me 15 minutes.
• Swaddle blanket & sleep sack – for when the baby sleeps in the plane bassinet. I try to recreate bedtime as much as possible, and it helps.