stephanier.1765 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 What size tote or bag do you find the most helpful for carrying all the crap, I mean stuff, you want for a flight? Just for you, no kids or hubby items necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I use a regular old backpack. Lots of pockets and sections to organize my stuff. Easy to carry through the airport and fits under the seat so I can get stuff during a flight. I'm assuming you don't mean a bag to carry your clothes and stuff- for that I use a carry on size duffle bag with a shoulder strap. If a tote bag is really what you want, you might want one that zips shut. I have a Land's End zippered tote that still looks good after more than decade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 (edited) My cabin baggage depends on destination, air craft, and duration of stay. If I am flying overseas and try to get by without checked luggage, I take a cabin sized roller bag and my purse. If I check luggage anyway, or if I will be flying in a regional jet and have a tight connection, I will avoid the roller bag (on a regional jet, it will have to be gate checked since the overhead bins are not large enough.) I prefer a small backpack (large enough for my laptop) that I can stow under my seat or easily fit in the already full overhead bins if I get to board late. I don't want to travel with a tote bag. The piece of luggage must zip, preferably have several pockets for easy access to stuff that has to come out at security - and sprinting through an airport is awkward with a tote. Backpack or a sturdy cross body is much better. Edited July 31, 2017 by regentrude 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 If I'm traveling domestically with no children, it's usually just my handbag. When I travelled for work it was a bag that could protect my laptop. If I'm traveling internationally, I usually carry a backpack with room for a water bottle, my toiletries bag, and snacks. I rarely travel with much on a plane - Kindle, phone, wallet. Small roller bag with clothes and anything else. If I'm traveling with my children, I might as well be a sherpa. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 If I'm traveling with my children, I might as well be a sherpa. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 As small as I can get away with. I hate dragging stuff around with me, so I use a little one-shoulder-bag thingie, not much bigger than a purse. :-) It has slots and pockets and I can easily fit a book, my wallet, my tablet, and random assorted flotsam and jetsam, and it will fit under my seat. I'm thinking of getting a different bag, though, one that has wheels, one of these. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 My cross-body purse is enough for just me. With the whole family, disabled dd has a backpack with her meds, diapers, a sweat jacket, etc. and I might tuck in a few items for me (water bottle, sweater, magazine). I don't want a carryon for both her and for me as we just can't carry that much. We have to be able to make it down the aisle with dh carrying her and not much else and the rest of us trying to get all of the luggage and carryons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I don't check luggage. I take a carry on roller bag & that is it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 When carry on bags are free we do a roller carry on and then a backpack as my "personal item". It easily fits under the seat (required) but I can put my purse, water bottle, meds, tickets, some cash, snacks, maps, sunglasses, gps for rental car, etc all in there. I have also been know to put in a clean outfit/undies of there is a chance my luggage and I will be separated. When we did one large checked bag I skipped the roller carry on and just did the backpack. I find a backpack more comfortable than carrying a tote in the airport. It leaves both of my hands free. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I prefer a laptop backpack to a tote bag. The backpack goes under the seat in front of you which is nice for a short person like me to easily access my laptop/tablet/magazines in the main backpack compartment, my passport in the middle compartment and my mints/candies in the front compartment. My laptop backpack has 3 big compartments and 2 small ones. It can also hold two water bottles. Whatever I put in that backpack is similar to what I put for spending a day at the library. I do have a small cabin sized roller bag for clothes and any documents that I won't need inflight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I just got this one but for even less money as baggallini is discontinuing the color I wanted. I snooped around the internet and got it for $45. I like this because if I have a suitcase it is a rolling one, and this bag has a slide that fits over the handle which makes it easy to haul through airports. http://www.baggallini.com/totes/avenue-tote/AVE252-BG-B0855-NS.html#start=7 If I didn't use a rolling bag, I would prefer a backpack. One thing I learned about backpacks is that it is really easy to make it too heavy if it is too big. The tote I like keeps me in control. :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I use the zip top thirty one bag. Fits perfect and can hold a lot of stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I just bought some travel backpacks that are soft sided and have no rollers. The upside is that they are light and meet the strict carry-on requirements for budget airlines. I bought the Hynes Eagle 38L and the Cabin Max Edinburgh. Both should hold enough stuff for 2 weeks if we pack smart and do a little hand washing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 (edited) I prefer a backpack, the right size to fit under the seat. I like a large main compartment rather than a bunch of different sections. I organize the things inside with a variety of lightweight zippered bags. (I've made couple out of a pair of men's board shorts, which I love because of the strong-but-lightweight fabric.) I usually carry a change of clothes, my squishable cooler bag full of food (*love this*), assorted electronics (laptop, kindle, ipod), etc. I like a water bottle pocket on the side; I take the bottle out and put it in the seatback pocket, though the pockets are getting smaller and smaller...* My cooler is a nice cotton batik on the outside, a wipe-able & washable waterproof fabric inside, with insulation-type batting in between. It's got a big square base and a zipper across the top. It can carry a lot but because the sides are soft, it can squish down to the size of the contents so I can cram it in a totebag or backpack. Keeps stuff cold for a long time. I made it myself and I use it all the time. I wish you could buy something similar, but I've never seen anything like it. Most coolers are designed to be carried as a separate bag, and are super-bulky so wouldn't fit well in another bag. The neoprene ones are nice, but they have such a narrow base they don't work well for the kind of food I carry; my bag can hold a big rectangular container of salad or dinner leftovers, along with a stack of different smaller containers. Anyway, it's perfect for travel! Edited July 31, 2017 by justasque 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 One thing I found extremely handy when I traveled all the time was a light-weight reusable shopping bag, within my carry-on luggage. While waiting at the gate, I'd re-sort stuff. Everything I wanted with me at the seat within reach went into the shopping bag. I would also change into my ballarina style slippers then. Pillow would be clipped to the outside of the luggage, and any coat would be worn and put over my arm. Shopping bag would be placed inside the carry-on luggage with the straps hanging out, and the carry-on not completely zipped. When I got to my seat, I'd dump my coat and pillow on the seat, yank out the shopping bag, zip carry-on and stow it. This could be done very quickly. Then I didn't have to worry about keeping up with my stuff during the flight, because if I wasn't using it, it was in the bag. Parachute material was the absolute best. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Lily Bloom Tweety Twig Wheeled Weekender - eBags.com I got this bag for a trip in January and really like it. Makes me feel like Mary Poppins. :D 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I use something like this https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/116138?feat=516673-GN1&page=carryall-iii-accessory-bag-print&csp=f&attrValue_0=Bay%20Blue%20Floral&productId=1604486. It's big enough to be my only luggage--it was easily large enough for 3 weeks in Europe--and small enough to fit under the seats even on budget airlines. My cross body purse could fit inside if necessary. I'm a fan of travelling light. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 We usually do a roller bag carry on and then a small personal bag for everyone. Last year before a trip to Europe I got a cross-body bag at Target. It's fairly small but could fit a book, a sweater and a water bottle. I liked also that it was hands free which made it easy for travel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 I use something like this https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/116138?feat=516673-GN1&page=carryall-iii-accessory-bag-print&csp=f&attrValue_0=Bay%20Blue%20Floral&productId=1604486. It's big enough to be my only luggage--it was easily large enough for 3 weeks in Europe--and small enough to fit under the seats even on budget airlines. My cross body purse could fit inside if necessary. I'm a fan of travelling light. :) 15 liters for three weeks? Did you wear only a bikini the whole time? :001_smile: I try to travel light (one pair of shoes, etc.), but 15 liters is *really* light. Can you share how you did it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 15 liters for three weeks? Did you wear only a bikini the whole time? :001_smile: I try to travel light (one pair of shoes, etc.), but 15 liters is *really* light. Can you share how you did it? :) All I really needed was a dress, a skirt and a pair of light pants, plus couple fitted t shirts, a long sleeve shirt to layer over and a light water resistant jacket (it was May, so still chilly). One pair of leggings to layer under the skirt and dress and one to sleep in. I hand washed as necessary. All my clothes are athletic dry fit so they pack small and dry easily overnight. Actually I ended up taking twice as many clothes, but the above list was all I actually wore and needed ( I'd skip taking extra shoes next time--they are easy enough to dry out overnight if need be). I did buy a warm hat and wished I'd brought a scarf for Copenhagen, but otherwise I was comfortable from 40s-around 90. Layers are key, and making sure everything matches in any combination. To save space I rolled up my undies and socks in small ziplock bags; when the air is squeezed out they take up no room at all, plus the bags keep small things organised. In addition to clothes, I had a bag of chargers, phone cords etc. and snacks. My passport, wallet, and daily essentials stayed on me in my cross body purse. When we travel we are in each in charge of only our own stuff, which means I don't have to carry anything extra for DS. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 Yes, the bag MEMama mentioned would be totally totally fine for 3 weeks vacationing in Europe. I'd had almost everything stolen there in the middle of a 7 week trip. A school book bag was plenty. The trick was a travel size bottle of Woolite. Every night before bed, or in the morning if you were staying, wash everything dirty in the sink, and lay out to dry on your bed or on a towel on the floor. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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