Are you looking for essential travel bags that can make any trip smooth and easy?
I’ve got you covered! Here are my top 3 essential travel bags that I’ve put to the test on countless trips.
Essential Travel Bags # 1 – Suitcase
The first essential travel bag is the right suitcase. You need a suitcase that is versatile for all different types of trips. One that will meet all your needs for the new and fabulous travel lifestyle you will be creating!
My personal favorite is the Olympia Denmark 21”. This bag works great for all types of travel.
Versatile
It’s 21 x 14 x 9 and meets the carry on requirements for even European carriers, which are minute by American standards. Everything is smaller in Europe.
I also love that this bag is hard sided. It works perfect for taking cruises. Cruise lines pile all the luggage on top of each other when taking it to your state room . If you have a soft-sided suitcase things can get damaged. That was the reason I first bought this bag.
Plus, it only weighs 5 pounds! I take it for short weekend trips too because it’s so light. This suitcase keeps you light on your feet while you are traipsing through airports, onto trains and into taxis and ride shares.
It’s so lightweight it can be easily lifted yourself into the overhead bin of a plane or train. Hey, if there is a cute guy nearby ask him for help anyway. I won’t tell! 😉
Features
This bag also expands by two inches so, there’s plenty of room to bring home all those fun souvenirs on the way home.
It also has a cool hidden pocket in the expansion section where you can hide your laptop and other valuables.
I also love that this bag has a snap in waterproof toiletry case. It works great for bringing home wet swimsuits or other items that might leak.
It is also surprising how much can fit in the Olympia Denmark 21” if I keep things organized in packing cubes. Packing cubes are another favorite of mine which I discussed in this post. I have easily fit clothes for up to 10 days in this bag if I pack thoughtfully.
Plus I never have to worry if my bag will make it to my destination since I never have to check it.
On a recent trip to Europe my traveling companion’s luggage failed to arrive in Barcelona where we were scheduled to embark on a cruise the following day.
The stress and anxiety of not knowing if her things would make it in time for the cruise was terrible. Not to mention being without basic things like socks and underwear.
Don’t put yourself in this situation. Always carry on! You can do it! I promise and your best friend will show you how.
The Olympia Denmark 21” also has four spinning wheels which makes it a breeze to maneuver. It has 3 handles, which makes it easy to get in and out of overhead bins or in and out of vehicles.
Colors
The Olympia Denmark 21” comes in fun colors too that are not your standard black, which I love. My favorite and the one I bought was the Teal.
It makes it much easier to find your suitcase if you choose or are forced to check your bag. However, if you prefer a more classic color like black or silver those are also available.
Saves Money & Time
This bag will also save money and time since there won’t be fees to check your bag and you won’t have to wait endlessly at the baggage claim to collect your bag.
The price is also reasonable compared to a lot of bags. At the time of this post (updated January 2024) it was listed on the Olympia website for $240, but I found it for $65 on Amazon!
I love the Olympia Denmark 21” so much I have forsaken all others. 😂 Once I got used to traveling smoothly, with ease and without lugging a heavy bag, I started using it for all my travel.
My other suitcases are gathering dust in my closet now. It is my go to essential travel bag!
Essential Travel Bags # 2 – Tote or Small Duffel
The next essential travel bags are a nice tote or small duffel. This way I can keep all the things I need handy to amuse myself when I’m on the plane, train or long taxi/ride share ride.
I use it to put my small purse in when I board the plane since everyone can only have one carry on and one personal item. Always take a bag with a zipper so things don’t spill out mid-flight.
I also put my tablet or laptop, snacks, toiletries and gifts or souvenirs in it. Depending on the bag I can also put in a change of clothes.
This is helpful in the event that the overhead bin space is full and I’m forced to check my bag.
Since all my essentials and valuables are already in my personal item I won’t have to worry about moving things around on the jetway at the last minute should that happen. Embarrassing!
If it does happen, don’t worry, a lot of the time you can collect your bag on the jetway rather than taking more time to go to baggage claim.
Spring and Summer Totes
I take different totes depending on the destination and time of year. If I’m headed to the beach or browsing around a public market, a classic straw tote or boat bag is great.
I love the the L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Zip Top or their Every Day Lightweight Tote.
L.L. Bean is such a classic East Coast brand. I can just picture myself strolling in the Hamptons, smelling the sea salty air ,listening to the sea gulls croon, the crashing of the waves and toting my boat and tote to the sandy beach for a day full of fun. Can’t you just feel it?
I brought a version of the Medium Every Day Lightweight Tote below on my Southern Caribbean cruise.
In the summer L.L. bean comes out with fun patterns too like the one in my cover photo.
They are cute, lightweight and this one matches my Olympia Denmark Teal 21” Spinner perfectly. Got to look cute and stylish when I travel!
Fall and Winter Totes
If you are headed out on a city adventure, I suggest something a bit more traditional and classy like a leather tote or a recent gift to myself for my birthday was a Longchamp Paris, Le Pliage Tote.
I’ve long envied the classy looking and stylish ladies I’ve seen on my many travels with this bag. I was thrilled to finally have one of my own!
I took my Longchamp Paris, Le Pliage Tote to New York recently. It’s great how it’s so lightweight and versatile.
Fold it up and it’s as small as a paperback book when it snaps closed (remember those things we used to read before tablets? 😂).
It’s also perfect to put in your luggage as an extra bag to bring home all your fabulous souvenirs from your travels.
The Longchamp Paris, Le Pliage Tote is also wonderful for day trips at home and abroad to store all my essentials for the day.
It also zips closed, so your things don’t fall out all over in the plane or car and it’s water resistant which came in handy for those New York showers.
It also has 2 small pockets inside for smaller items. Need more organization for the bag? Try this insert.
I chose the Le Pliage Original, Size Large in Navy. Black is also another classic color. Navy and black are what I have seen most in my travels. Want a pop of color? They have those too!
Once I arrive at my destination I use my tote as a handy day bag with all my essentials for the day.
Duffel Bag
Traveling somewhere where you will be doing some side trips? A small duffel makes a great second bag/personal item.
Along with fitting all my essentials while I’m traveling, I can also fit a few changes of clothes in it.
This way I am not taking a wheeled bag with me on those cobblestone streets in Europe which can be a bit jarring 😂.
I can stow my suitcase at my main hotel and then take my duffel with me for those side trips. Hop on and off those trains with ease!
I am a big fan of Kipling bags because they are also very lightweight and water resistant.
My black Kipling duffel went with me when I took a train trip through Italy and it worked perfectly.
I also took a Kipling backpack with me on my first international trip 20 years ago touring through Egypt. Love these bags!
Plus I like the little gorilla keychain that comes with it. 😄 Don’t pack this bag full though, otherwise it won’t fit under the plane seat.
3. Essential Travel Bags # 3 – Cross body bag
My last essential travel bag is a cross body bag. I love these bags for travel! They are so freeing.
It’s great to be able to have your hands free when you are traveling. Whether you’re loading your carry on into the overhead bin on a plane or train, strolling through the streets of Paris shopping or checking into your hotel, your purse will always be safe and secure at your side.
Unfortunately the down side of traveling and being outside of your normal routine is thieves can take advantage of you.
Put your purse down for a second to look at your phone, sip your latte or glass of wine and admire the view and someone can snatch your bag and ruin your vacation.
If your purse is at your side the whole time you will be more likely to notice if someone is tugging on your bag.
I’ve been using cross body bags since my first international trip 20 years ago and wonder what I ever did before then.
I choose different ones based on my destination and the time of year. In the Spring and Summer I like something with a pop of color that will contrast with my outfits nicely.
In the Fall and Winter I tend to stick with something more neutral like black, navy or brown.
The bag I took on my last Caribbean cruise is the Sakroots Basic Crossbody Eco Twill.
I bought mine a year or so ago, so they don’t have the exact pattern I have anymore, but I love the Royal Blue Seascape. I think it would be the perfect bag for a Caribbean cruise.
I’m going to sound like a broken record, but again this bag is lightweight, water resistant and zips close.
It has tons of pockets where you can store your travel documents, passport, lipstick and phone.
I actually even bought the small matching wallet below which has a clip I can clip to the inside zipper pocket in the main compartment of my cross body bag.
This way I can get my wallet out easily without it falling out onto the floor or counter. It also makes it harder for thieves to slip out of your bag.
These bags come in a variety of colorful and whimsical patterns that I just think are really fun! They come with a pretty keychain too. Choose the one that is uniquely you. 😀
Not to sound like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music, but these are a few of my favorite things!
I hope you get these three essential travel bags and start traveling smoothly and with ease!
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The cost of everything is going up these days and that includes travel. This post will give you 5 packing light must haves to avoid paying baggage fees.
There has been a huge surge in travel demand after years of lockdown and travel restrictions due to COVID and I’m sure you’ve noticed a tremendous increase in the cost of flights lately as a result.
Don’t worry though there are still ways to find great inexpensive flights and scratch that travel itch without breaking the bank.
I’ve found deals on low cost airlines lately which I talk about in another post, but how they make up the difference is by charging extra fees for everything, even to bring on a carry on bag.
That’s insane! Who could travel without a carry on bag?? Well, I’ve figured it out. I’m going to show you how to avoid baggage fees with my 5 packing light must haves and get you jetting off for the weekend in no time!
If you’ve read some of my other posts you know I do not check bags and I love the freedom and time savings of skipping baggage claim and only bringing a carry on bag.
What do you do though if your airline charges you for a carry on bag? I’m going to expand on another post I did about my three must have bags and make some slight adjustments, so you can take advantage of the great low cost airlines out there without paying extra fees for baggage. Now my 5 packing light must haves!
Packing Light Must Have #1 – Underseater Carry On
First, it all starts with what personal item you choose. I recently rediscovered a bag I used to use when I flew monthly for travel years ago for work. The underseater!
This bag, as the name implies, is a bag that fits entirely under the seat in front of you and can be used as your one “personal item”. I found the latest version of my bag on Amazon for less than the cost of the baggage fee, one way, for my flight to Park City.
The American Tourister Underseater now comes in some fun colors too like teal, pink and purple in addition to black. It also has a fun geometric design interior.
This bag may look small, but with my other packing light must haves and a few packing skills I’ll share, you can be jet setting off for the weekend anytime you want for less than the cost of taking an Uber from the suburbs to downtown and back. Why not have your Saturday night on the town exploring a new fun city?!
A large tote bag, medium duffle bag or backpack would work as well. I just like the convenience of a wheeled bag. Plus a wheeled bag just feels classier.
This bag also has a zippered compartment that the telescoping handle retracts into to save space. The new version also added a strap so you can add it to the handle of a larger bag if you are going on a longer trip. I upgraded my bag to the new version and gave my old one to my travel companion. Now we can both take advantage of packing light must haves to avoid baggage fees!
Packing Light Must Have #2 – Packing Cubes
I know. I know. Everyone talks about packing cubes, but seriously I never travel without them!
Packing cubes keep everything neat and organized and they definitely save space. Just don’t bring seven of them okay?! Only take 3-4 cubes for a 7-10 day trip and 1-2 for a weekend trip. Max!! If you are traveling on a longer trip just do laundry and don’t bring any more clothes. Trust me it will be easier on you.
My packing cubes came from my favorite travel guru, Rick Steves’ website. They are super light, see through, mesh, packing cubes.
I use the big one for all my bottoms or as pictured in the large photo above, all my dresses. The bottoms fold up perfectly and fit nicely in the large cube or I can fit seven dresses if I roll them up tightly (dresses are great by the way if you are traveling to warmer locales, built in air conditioning, just sayin). I can also fit my swimsuit and cover up in there if I’m going somewhere with an ocean or a pool.
Then I use one medium cube for all my shirts. I roll them up to save space and I can fit seven in there easily. I like that I can see all my shirts when I’m deciding what jewelry and accessories to bring.
My pajamas, light robe and hair towel all go in the other medium packing cube. Yes, I do use a Turbie Twist okay! It’s less breakage for my long hair because there is less weight pulling on it than a bath towel. The microfiber also helps my hair dry quicker and it saves my towels from stains when I’m putting my makeup on. I’m sure the hotels appreciate me not ruining their towels too. 😄
Last, but not least I have a solid, opaque, small cube I put all my bras, underwear and socks into. That way TSA doesn’t get a free peak at my lingerie in case they need to open my bag. We are classy, remember? 😂
If I’m only going to bring one personal item, like my underseater bag, I can fit either one large cube or the two medium cubes, but not both. Personally, I like to keep things a little separate, so I use the two medium cubes.
Here are a few packing tips from your best friend:
- Choose a color palette for your clothes to minimize the amount of shoes and outerwear you need to bring. I like white, navy or black as a base and then throw in some different colors to keep things interesting. 😄
- Wear your walking shoes and jacket/sweater on the plane and only bring a low profile pair of flats, sandals or flip flops in your carry-on. The underseater bag has a nice pocket in the front for your shoes.
- Bring a medium sized Ziplock bag to store worn socks and underwear to keep them separate from your other clothes.
- Unpack all your clothes when you arrive at your destination. It gives the clothes a chance to unwrinkle. Then pack each days clothes back in the packing cubes at the end of the night. By the end of the trip all your clothes are packed and you can savor your last night of vacation instead of wasting the night packing!
Packing Light Must Have #3 – Hanging Toiletry Case
I love having a toiletry bag that I can hang up. It’s nice to have everything at eye level and it’s great when you don’t have a lot of counter space like on a cruise ship or at a European hotel. Plus you save extra counter space for your traveling companion(s) which keeps them happy. Plus it keeps everything neat and organized.
Hang it on the back of the bathroom door or a towel bar. I’ve even hung it from a light fixture on the wall in a pinch! The bag I currently use literally went out of stock the day I first made this post, but I’ve linked to a similar one. While I have not personally tried this one, I have always been happy with the quality and durability from L.L. Bean.
This one below has a built in mirror and also comes with a hanging shower caddy which I think would be pretty handy as there is not always enough shelf space in the shower, especially if you are sharing with other people. I just may have to upgrade!
Look for a hanging toiletry bag that can fit a clear bag of liquids in the front pocket. That leads me to my number 4 packing light must have…
# 4 – Clear Bag for Liquids
I like to put all my liquids in a clear cosmetic bag. It’s so much nicer than using a quart sized bag and lasts much longer. I’ve linked to a similar bag to the one I use on Amazon that is TSA approved.
A clear cosmetic bag will keep all your liquids from spilling on anything else. I keep most of my toiletries packed all of the time, so it’s a snap for me to pack for a last minute adventure.
I’ve even waited until the morning before a flight to pack my bag for a trip. I have a checklist saved in my phone’s Notebook app, so I never forget anything. It’s a little more work on the front end to put the checklist together, but it will save you time and stress in the long run.
# 5 – Soft Sided Cross Body Bag
What is really great about this bag though, is that it’s soft sided and you can easily fit it into the space left over in your underseater carry on bag.
Remember, to take advantage of the great low cost air carriers you will only be able to take one personal item, so your purse will need to be put inside your underseater before you board. This bag is a lot more pliable than a more structured bag and will fit more easily.
These bags also come in a variety of colorful and whimsical patterns that I just think are really fun! Choose the one that is uniquely you. 😄
While not a “must have” I do also like the matching Sakroots Eco-Twill Encino Essential Wallet which I can clip to the inside zipper pocket in the main compartment of my purse. I’m less likely to drop it that way or have a thief grab it.
These 5 packing light must haves will save you money, keep you organized and stress free whenever you travel! Do you have any packing must haves? Leave me a comment! If you liked this content please enter your email to subscribe below and make sure you don’t miss out on my next post about how to fly all over the United States for under $100.
This post may contain affiliate links where I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. I do not recommend products that I have not personally used and loved.