Essentials for a Flight to Europe

Here’s the deal: I have self-diagnosed restless leg syndrome and I absolutely hate sitting in one place for long periods of time. So, as you can assume, long car and plane rides can be a bit of a struggle for me. It’s a normal thing for me to get up after an hour or so and go to the bathroom to do a few squats. No lie.

Luckily, my five-hour flight to Spain wasn’t that bad… For the most part. I slept most of the way, thank goodness. Usually my plan is to not sleep the night before so that by the time I get in the air, I’m exhausted and I fall into a deep sleep.

Here’s my quick and easy list of essentials that I ALWAYS pack in my carry-on bag:

Backpack/Small Roller Bag

My friends always make fun of me because I have everything that you could possibly need in my purse at all times. When I travel, the “mom bag” is on steroids. My bag of choice is either a leather backpack or a small roller bag… Or both. Everything fits perfectly and they aren’t too bulky or hard to move around.

Sleep Mask

As I stated, my goal is to sleep for a majority of the flight. My eyes are very sensitive to light so having a blackout sleep mask is key.

Comfortable (yet not frumpy) Clothing

You never know whom you may see in the airport… So traveling in pajamas isn’t exactly the best idea. I try to wear comfortable-cute clothes. Leggings with a tee shirt, a cute jacket or sweater, and tennis shoes usually do the job for me.

Easy On/Off Shoes

Shoes are a big deal. They need to be comfortable enough to walk (or run) through the airport and quick and easy to take off when you go through security. One of my pet peeves is waiting for someone to take off their complicated shoes in the security line… Like why would you do that to yourself, my friend?

An Extra Change of Clothes

I’m a planner, so packing a whole entire outfit in my carryon is a must. If my luggage gets lost, at least I have a day to get my life together. When I traveled to Europe, I changed my clothes and freshened up half way through my daylong journey.

Warm Socks

I am the QUEEN of cold feet. I’m Anemic and my little toes turn into icicles on planes. I like to take my shoes off while I nap and throw on some warm socks for maximum comfort.

Packable Coat

I always travel with my packable coat to keep me warm. And because it’s packable, it rolls into a ball so it’s easy to put back into my suitcase when I don’t need it. Even if it's warm outside, it'll probably still be freezing on the plane. Also, it’s a good pillow too!

A Sweatshirt/Sweater

In addition to my coat, I usually bring a sweatshirt or a sweater as well. Just in case. I’m always prepared! And in this case, it was still kind of chilly in London and Paris so I needed to bring the coat and sweater anyway, so it saved me some space in my packed luggage to carry them on.

Electronic Chargers

I bring all of my chargers with me because I don’t want any of my lifelines to die while I’m on the other side of the world. (And bonus points: There were outlets on the plane so I could charge my phone in the air).

Earphones

A MUST! What’s a long flight with no music? Torture. And, people usually won’t try to talk to you if you have something plugged into your ears.

Toiletries

This is where the “mom bag” gets intense. In addition to my regular sized toiletries that I packed in my checked luggage, I brought mini-sized toiletries in my carryon bag as well. Like I said, I was traveling for almost 24 hours so I wanted to be able to brush my teeth and wash my face in the airport bathroom. (As well as Band-Aids and medicine just in case). I packed all of my toiletries in clear individual cosmetic bags so it was easy to navigate and put through the security scanner.

Neck Pillow

The neck pillow is also another major key in my journey. I didn’t want to wake up from my nap with a stiff neck!

Hair Scarf/Bonnet

For my black girls, don’t forget your scarves! We put a lot of time and effort into our crowns… Don’t mess it up sitting on a plane.

Snacks/Gum

The food on the plane wasn’t too bad… But I made sure to have some of my own snacks as well. I always bring a bottle of water, chips or pretzels and usually some type of fruit. And gum is another major necessity. One, I chew it during take off and landing to prevent my ears from popping. It’s also good to give to your neighbor if they’re breathing their stinky dragon breath in your face ;)

iPad/MacBook

Last but not least, I pack my iPad or MacBook to keep me entertained. When I was in school, I caught up on reading and wrote papers… For this trip, I could have worked on my blog and I also pre-downloaded movies on Netflix to watch if the nap thing didn’t work out.

I hope this list was helpful! It’s just what I do to make my life a little easier. Leave me a comment telling me what some of your essentials are! J

-A.