9 Carry-On Essentials

I've done a bit of traveling in my 25 years of life. In total I've been to 18 countries around the world and once I arrive in Argentina next week, it'll be 19! I absolutely love flying. The addrenaline that courses through you and the butterflies in your stomach as you're on your way to a new destination is completely exhilirating! With that being said, if you don't prepare properly, flying can be quite miserable. Here's my list of 9 items I can't live without on any flight:

Ear Plugs

Without fail, every time I forget to pack ear plugs there's a screaming child on my flight! Seriously though, if I could only take one item on a plane it would be ear plugs.  I'm also the type of person who can't sleep while listening to music, so ear plugs are essential for some shut eye. 

Melatonin or Other Sleep Aid

This is important, especially for a long flight. I usually take half the recommended dose to make me drowsy without waking up groggy.

Socks

Pretty self explanatory.. planes get cold.

Scarf

Same as above. Since most airlines no longer give out complimentary blankets, a scarf can be used to bundle up if you get a little chilly.

Moisturizer & Lotion

Flying definitely sucks the life out of your skin. Loading up on lotion before the flight and during will keep you from feeling like you just got a face lift post flight... unless you're into that kind of thing.

Blow-up Neck Pillow

The blow-up ones are great because they are easy to pack and carry through the airport, and offer a lot of comfort while you try to sleep on the plane.  Can you tell I'm a fan of sleeping on flights?

Kindle

My second favorite in-flight pastime is reading! I still have one of the original Kindles and I love it. It's so convenient to bring one device instead of packing a stack of books!

Headphones

If you're not a big reader, headphones are great to watch a movie or just listen to some music.

Portable Charger

I recently got a portable charger for my phone and it has been a life saver on many occasions. You don't want to be one of those people sitting on the airport floor next to an outlet to charge your device... or worse, have your phone die before you land!!

What's your favorite thing to bring on a flight?