{carry-on travel essentials}

One of my favorite features to find on blogs or in magazines is an inside look into people's purse or carry-on bags (Hallie has a great/super useful one here).  Whenever I read through people's travel essentials, I try to unlock their secrets to making travel a more seamless process.  See the thing is...I love to travel and to experience new cities, but the getting there part is never my favorite.  I'm a notorious over-packer (although I like to think I'm getting better) and I never fail to raise some sort of red-flag when going through security whether it's my laptop I left in my bag or some random metal on my body that sets off the detector.  In addition to all that, I have a general aversion to people in my personal space which gets violated constantly during travel.  I could probably continue ranting about my dislikes with the act of traveling for another three paragraphs so I'll just cut myself off right here.

Since we have been living in Paris and are conveniently located a short one hour flight or train ride away from some of the most desirable European locations, we have been traveling a lot!  A jaunt to Barcelona a few weeks after we got here, following by some time in Florence then Amsterdam, plus a train ride last week to London for a few days has me feeling like I'm finally getting the hang of traveling comfortably.  Next week we embark on our longest trip since being here- starting with 2 days in Paris at a fabulous AirBnb in the Marais then flying to Valencia, Spain for the Falles festival for another 2 nights.  After Spain we hop on to a plane to Marrakesh for 4 nights and then we end the trip in Southern France's wine country with 3 nights in Bordeaux.  I cannot overstate my excitement for the upcoming trip minus the fact that we are only bringing one carry-on piece of luggage each!!  I'll be spending this week packing up and getting ready for this trip which includes stocking my carry-on with all the essentials and I thought it would be fun to share those for you here!!

1.  Incase neoprene laptop sleeve & Ted Baker Bow Ipad case:  I have both of these, but in different colors.  The neoprene laptop sleeve is amazing because it's as slim as it gets and features zips in all corners so you can charge your laptop while it's in the sleeve.  Since I use this ipad stand when I'm at home, I don't like to keep a cover on my Ipad and opt for zip around sleeves instead- the Ted Baker ones are the cutest you can find!

2. Travel Sleep Set: This is the one item on here that is actually on my travel wishlist, but I don't own yet.   Whenever I am packing I don't feel the need to use up space with a travel sleep set, but then when I am on the plane I immediately regret that decision.

3. Herban Essentials Wipes:  These smell heavenly (my favorite is the lavender one) and can come in handy in a lot of gross travel situations.  You can also find them at Whole Foods!

4. Klorane Dry Shampoo, UD All Nighter Make Up Setting Spray & Caudalie Beauty Elixir:  The dry shampoo is sort of a given for travel.  UD's make up setting spray is a miracle worker- I have never had make up stay on throughout an entire flight before using this.  Caudalie makes a few different beauty elixirs, but the L'Wren Scott edition is by far my favorite for freshening up after a flight. 

5. Travel Atomizers:  I'm obsessed with perfume and these allow me to bring travel sizes with me.  They also sell these at Nordstrom and if you buy an empty one they will fill it with any perfume you would like for free! 

6. International Converter/Adapter:  This little guy costs $4 and allows my curling iron to work pretty much anywhere so enough said.

7. Luggage Scale:  This doesn't necessarily come into use during travel, but I can't live without it since I like to pack my checked luggage to within an inch of its life (as long as its under 50lbs of course!)

8. A big cozy scarf:  Zara makes the best ones since they are huge, chic and affordable! I have my eye on this one!

9. Portable Ipad Stand:  This little ipad stand folds up super tiny and works like a dream since I can't travel with this one that I use at home.

10.  Kindle Books:  I am currently in the middle of reading The Power of Habit and am about to start Cleopatra's Daughter.  Both very different books, but I generally find myself wanting a little variety during flights. 

11.  Chloe Edith Bag:  I have had this bag forever and its HUGE which makes it the perfect carry-on bag to fit all the essentials into.  It has shown me many good years, but it starting to show some wear so I am hoping to locate a vintage version of this bag on ebay sometime soon!