Traveling can sometimes be a stressful time, but anxiety can be minimized if you take a moment to organize so you have everything ready at your fingertips. Shoana Jensen teaches us what you need to know when packing your carry-on.
Pack only enough to fit in a tote bag, Shoana says. “Just because you can bring a suitcase into the cabin, doesn’t mean you actually have to.”
If you have a tablet computer, bring it with you—it’s the Swiss Army knife of travel. It will connect to the web, pull up thousands of books, allow you to research your destination, watch movies, play games, read magazines, and more! Save the heavy books for the eReader—this will make your carry-on significantly lighter.
Just because you have your tablet, don’t forget to throw in a magazine, Shoana says. Batteries will wear out, so you want something other than the passenger safety card to keep you occupied on a flight.
The key to traveling faster is packing everything into smaller bags. This will help minimize stress and help you find things faster when you need it.
Have one bag strictly for medication in its prescribed bottles as required by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority; one zip-top bag for liquids and aerosols; and one bag for all electronics chargers, cords, headphones, and other miscellaneous items. Note CATSA’s policies on liquids and aerosols in carry-on luggage here.
When it comes to currency, have a bag to switch out money if you are traveling to a country where they exchange in a different currency.
Lastly, remember to keep your passport, boarding passes, and other documentation in a handy place. You don’t want to be emptying the contents at the boarding area to find your boarding pass torn up at the bottom of your carry-on.