32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (2024)

32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (1)

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A helpful "Pack this!" checklist

Promising review: "This is perfect. Whenever we travel, my kids always say, 'Make me a list of what I have to pack.' I always worry I will forget to tell them something random like underwear or pajamas...so now, I just check the boxes, they pack, and can review the list if they want to add anything." —AmyH

2

Slip-on quick-dry water shoes with sock-like flexibility

Promising review: "Love these water socks. They are comfy and cute. I have never owned a pair before, but I wanted to try them on an upcoming vacation in Belize. I have tried them out a couple of times in a swimming pool and they are great. I love that they are so lightweight that I forget I am wearing anything on my feet at all. They give me the confidence to stand in the pool without worry of stepping on something or scratching my feet." —AJS

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32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (5)

Tide

Some Tide sink packets

Each pack comes with three packets, and they're tiny enough to easily slide into the side of any toiletry bag,

Promising review: "I have taken these packets on travels worldwide. They are small and fit in my bag. They are good for a wash in a sink or wash bag... Glad to have them. They don't leak either." —Barbara Jefferson

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Plus, a 6-foot travel clothesline for drying your freshly cleaned laundry

Promising review: "Love this clothesline! We take this with us on resort vacations. It's nice to be able to wash out swimsuits, etc., and hang them to dry every day so they don't smell after days of nonstop ocean fun. This one is nice because you don't need clothespins, and it stretches pretty far. I could hang up two kid's swimsuits, two kid's rash guards, two adult swimsuits, and two adult rash guards, and I still had room for more. This is a must if you take any tropical vacation where it's humid and hard for clothes to dry out." —Haley G

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32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (7)
32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (8)

Alleyoop

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Alleyoop

The 4-in-1 Alleyoop Pen Pal

Promising review: "I love the ease of this product. It's so perfect, and the colors are great for all looks — casual, fancy, quarantine extra, everything! I love how effortless it is and how easy it is to use. I'm serious that as a makeup novice, these colors are impossible to mess up. I love it! " —Stephanie H.

6

A foldable water bottle if you love proper hydration

Plus, it's lead-, latex-, and BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and can be used for hot or cold drinks.

Promising review: "Bought this water bottle for a trip to Disney World. At home, I always have my 40-ounce water bottle nearby. I was worried about walking around the park and not having quick access to water on those hot park days. We only brought a fanny pack in and didn't have room for something big. This was perfect! It wasn't too overbearing to hold and was super easy to fold up and throw in the bag when not in use. My only regret is I didn't buy two!" —E. Alarcón

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7

A set of waterproof packing cubes

This set comes with an extra large cube, large cube, medium cube, small cube, roomy shoe bag, and a laundry bag for dirty clothes!

Promising review:"The sheer amount of clothes I jammed into my carry-on with the help of these cubes was obscene. Four floor-length gowns, four pairs of shoes, business attire for four days, enough underwear for a zombie apocalypse, and toiletries/blazers. The laundry bag was super helpful for the trip home. I also left the largest cube at home because it was totally big for my carry-on size trip. Fantastic value. 10/10 recommend." —akstevie

8

Or a set of space-saver bags to significantly compress your clothes

Promising review: "These were lifesavers! We took a 10-day trip to Europe and could pack only in a carry-on using these! I used two mediums in my carry-on, and my husband used three. I packed all my undergarments, five dresses, four pairs of jeans, a number of blouses, three pairs of shorts, and a few other pieces of clothing. And still has room for my shoes. These will definitely be used each time we travel now. Well worth it." —Amazon Customer

9

A refillable travel perfume atomizer

Using the atomizer is easy: Simply unscrew the cap to your perfume bottle, place the perfume nozzle into the hole at the bottom of the atomizer, and pump the perfume inside.

Promising review: "These things are perfect! Easy to use. Great size for traveling! And didn’t change the smell of my perfumes!"—BMF722

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10

A heavy-duty laundry bag with a built-in travel pouch

Just stuff them in and squeeze to release the extra air!

Promising review: "As a frequent traveler, this bag has been great for packing dirty laundry on the return trip home. It will hold much more than I usually put in it and compresses nicely in the suitcase. I toss it in the washer along with the clothes, and it has held up for well over a year now." —CC

11

An all-in-one universal wall adapter

Promising review: "Probably the best $13 I've spent on anything. If you travel a lot, especially internationally, this is a must-have, because you have every kind of adapter on one plug and don’t have to worry about constantly buying a certain adapter every time you travel to a different country. This has it all." —Abby Santiago

Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in four colors).

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Plus, a braided 4-in-1 fast charging cord

Promising review: "My husband and I have different phones with different charging ports. This was great for our international travel and limiting the number of cords we needed to carry. Was useful during travel for charging both devices and for charging other family members' devices as well. Quick charging as well." —veronicawhite

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13

A waterproof toiletry bag

Promising review: "We are a family of seven, and this held all of our bathroom supplies for a weekend trip. This is a must-have for traveling. The best feature is it being able to hang up on a robe hook or the back of a door. It frees up hotel sinks and keeps you well organized." —Amazon Customer

14

A roll-up straw sun visor if your destination calls for chic sun protection

Promising review: "I get a lot of compliments when I wear this hat. I actually saw it on a friend, and it looked amazing, so I had to go and buy it. I also love how easily it rolls up for travel. In the past, I've had hats that were much more delicate. This hat seems to be resistant to bending out of shape, which is exactly what I needed." —Schiccatano

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32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (25)

The Fileist

Or a genius magnetic luggage tag that doubles as a hat clip

The Fileist is a Los Angeles-based, woman-owned small biz founded by celebrity stylist Lindsay Albanese. The marketplace feature's a curated selection of hyper-functional style goods from a collection of woman entrepreneurs.

Promising review: "After losing two hats on airplanes, I found TopTote! I loved it so much and it’s so helpful when traveling, I’ve purchased at least six more to give to friends. If you wear a hat and travel with one, TopTote is a MUST-HAVE!" —Deanne Hume

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16

A Trtl neck pillow

Promising review: "I am a terrible flyer who recently took the red-eye from Dubai to Chicago (15 hours). The Trtl Pillow was a mini lifesaver! I was able to comfortably rest my head on the support and felt warm enough to actually doze off....a rare accomplishment for this skittish flyer. The Velcro works wonderfully with regard to adjustment, and I liked wrapping the fabric around my mouth and nose. Sort of felt cozy...even if I did look like a ninja in a neck brace! Overall, this product has changed the way that I fly, and I am so thankful for this invention and the opportunity to support a small company with big ideas." —S.Viruly

17

A spacious travel backpack

Reviewers say it meets even Spirit and JetBlue's personal item rules and fits under airplane seats!

Promising review: "This is a perfect size backpack for traveling on a plane as your personal item, especially to international destinations. You could fit rolled-up clothes in here for another week, and it has a very handy shoe bag and tons of places for your electronics. This will be an excellent addition to my carry-on suitcase. Best purchase all year. I consider myself an expert on travel bags. I have way too many. It’s smaller than it looks but so roomy." —AP

18

Or a nylon anti-theft rucksack so you can avoid wasting precious space in your suitcase

Promising review: "A must-have for traveling! This backpack is lightweight, has a number of pockets on the inside and outside for small items, and was so awesome for an eight-day vacation to Hawaii! Felt safe with my items in it and it was a great small personal item on the plane. Highly recommend!" —Marianne :]

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19

A foldable 3-in-1 wireless charger

This is only compatible with iPhones 12 and newer, AirPods 2 and 3 and AirPods Pro/Pro 2, Apple Watch Ultra/SE/8/7/6/5/4/3/2.

Promising review: "I absolutely hate having to worry about all the different cords I need for travel — iPhone, AirPods, watch. This is extremely convenient and saves me the hassle of having three different cords. Absolutely love this gadget!" —Blanca

20

A set of refillable TSA-friendly toiletry containers

Promising review: "I purchased one for myself and had a really good experience traveling with them. Nothing leaked, not even the witch hazel. I was really impressed and bought two more for my daughters and took them on our family vacation. We love these travel kits." —M

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32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (35)

Cadence

Or a set of six magnetic travel containers with custom removable labels

Cadence is an Asian woman-owned small biz creating the most stylish reusable travel containers you've ever seen. They're gentle on the planet and feature an intuitive, leak-proof design.

Check the products description for a in-depth summary of how much f every type of product these containers hold.

BuzzFeed editor Abby Kass is upping her travel game with these containers:

"I used these on a six-day trip recently, and they were perfect. I customized the label so I knew which one was my shampoo vs. conditioner and did a general label for any other things I wanted to bring a long. They do hold a surprising amount, and were small enough to slip right into my toiletries bag and go through TSA with no problem. The container was easy to open in the shower (even with wet hands), and I had no leakage from them (like I did from my face wash bottle that will not be making the trip with me next time. SMH). These are an incredibly useful tool anyone who travels wants in their luggage."

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22

A pack of moisture-proof travel pill organizers

Promising review: "These were the perfect size to hold all our medicine. We didn’t need a Monday through Friday organizer. We just needed something to help consolidate medicine for travel. It held way more than I was expecting and came with labels so no confusion of medicine." —Momof3

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32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (38)
32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (39)

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Abby Kass / BuzzFeed

A beloved Kindle Paperwhite to bring your entire TBR list with you on the road

HuffPost Shopping writer Haley Zovickian adores her Kindle:

"It has, no exaggeration, revolutionized my life. I love mine for so many reasons — it's truly helped me incorporate my love of reading into my often hectic life, and all my titles literally live inside of this half-pound wonder gadget, so I can switch between books super easily. For traveling, this is a literal dream. I don't have to pick between titles and then regret the entire trip that I didn't bring the one I left at home — and, as any book lover knows, traveling with books is heavy as hell, and the Kindle literally completely eliminates that weight. Traveling will never be the same for me. BTW, I am also obsessed with the Libby app, which allows you to check out e-books from your local library on your Kindle!! My inner child is *screaming* with joy."

24

A fast-drying microfiber travel towel

Promising review: "Great travel size. Used while taking dips while out on long hikes. The case makes this better. Dries great and stores easily. Wiped off the sand and then flicked the sand off easily. Perfect lightweight towel for hiking. Clipped onto the pack to dry as I walked. I liked the button to hang dry the towel. Washed in the machine with no problem. Beats my old shammy from my swimming days. I hope I can keep the interior case clean." —ImBeingLazy

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25

A dual-voltage 2-in-1 straightener and curling iron

It has a swiveling, tangle-free cord, too.

Promising review: "I bought this for a trip to Italy, as I didn't have a dual-voltage iron (and you can't just use a converter-adapter combination with things that heat up). I liked that it was a flat iron and curling iron combo, so I could change things up as I desired. It worked beautifully on our trip — I look nice in all my selfies ;) — and continues to work beautifully at home. In fact, I've replaced my old flat iron with this because of its versatility, and now I use this one every day. BTW, in case you are wondering, it automatically switches to the appropriate voltage, no looking for a switch or anything. You don't need to do anything but plug it in! Great product!" —Diane Field

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Plus, an adaptable hair diffuser

Promising review: "Purchased for a recent trip to UK, Croatia, and Montenegro. Doesn’t disappoint. Great for curly hair. Lightweight, small enough, and doesn’t take lots of room. Highly recommend for international hotel travel!" —Karen and Liz

27

A heavy-duty bag strap

Promising review: "I bought two straps to use for my trip. It was so worth it! It held my family's light jackets and kids travel neck pillow. We also used it to hold our water bottles on our hikes. I wish I knew about these sooner!" —Lisa H

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32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (49)

Taylor Miller / BuzzFeed

A makeup-erasing cloth

I bought one of these cloths after including it in previous posts, subsequently selling myself on it (hazard of the job). It honestly works better than I could've imagined! You really do just need to dampen it with water to have your makeup melting off in seconds. I think this is a great zero-waste option for people (like me) who don't wear a ton of makeup on the day-to-day, because you can get a lot of uses from this cloth without needing to wash it constantly. I've found it especially handy for traveling, as I don't need to pack any liquid/cream removers or drop money on single-use wipes. It also washes up shockingly well. I've had it for close to three years and every time it comes out of the washing machine almost entirely stain-free I'm equally shocked.

29

A pair of reusable waterproof shoe covers for smart weather prep

Check the handy sizing chart on the product listing so you can find your ideal fit!

Promising reviews: "Exactly as described. The size was exactly right for my shoe size. Perfect for a trip, as they take up very little space in a suitcase and work quite well to keep the rain out and puddles away from shoes." —Caroljean

30

A plush velvet travel jewelry case

Promising review: "I purchased this box for a weekend getaway. In the past I have just thrown all of my jewelry into little makeup bags, but then everything gets tangled and disorganized. I love that this box keeps everything organized and leaves all my necklaces tangle-free!" —Dogmom206

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31

A 3-in-1 travel razor equipped with a refillable spray bottle

Promising review: "I recently traveled and had no problem with TSA. I like the moisturizer; you can just rub it in. If you have coarse hair, the blades may dull sooner than later. I preferred just to wet my leg and then spray the water. It seemed to get more of a lather for me. Super convenient!!" —Amazon Customer

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32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (56)
32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (57)
32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (58)

Hackwith Design House

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Hackwith Design House

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Hackwith Design House

A versatile everything top that can be worn five different ways

Hackwith Design House is awoman-owned small. business. Their sustainable designs are made to order and sewn in their Minnesota studio. Their sizes run from XS–4X. And if you like one-of-a-kind finds, check their site on Mondays when they also release limited-edition designs so you can be one of only 25 people to own a piece!

BuzzFeed editor Chelsea Stuart will be packing this versatile top from now on:

"I have this shirt and I *love* it.All credit for its discovery goes to TikToker @jennifer.bianca who I happened to stumble across on my FYP. It checks all my boxes: black, comfortable, versatile, and durable. My initial worry was that I wouldn't feel secure in it (I have a 38DDD chest and most wrap tops/dresses I've tried haven't stayed where they're supposed to), but I haven't had an issue with this! I've worn it tied in the front giving me a square neck (like the middle picture) and tied in the back giving me a V-neck up front (just like the photo on the right) — both were super comfortable and I didn't have to adjust myself at all. As someone whose weight fluctuates, I also appreciate that this piece can handle pounds gained and lost. The fabric is medium weight so I'll be wearing it season to season and there's just enough elasticity in the arms that if you roll up your sleeves, they won't fall back down. All that is to say trust that I will be buying additional colors as it's an absolute travel must-have!"

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32 Essential Products To Help You Become A Carry-On-Only Traveler (2024)

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