Packing for a trip can be stressful and we all want to get it right the first time around. Knowing what to leave out of your cabin bag saves you a ton of time and hassle at the airport. Here are nine items you might want to rethink before zipping up that bag.
Bulky Over-Ear Headphones
I know those big headphones look super cool and sound amazing but they take up way too much of your precious bag space. You could easily just bring simple wireless earbuds in your pocket instead so your expensive gear does not get crushed when people shove their bags next to yours.
Expensive or Sentimental Jewelry
We all love to look our best on a trip but bringing your grandmother’s gold necklace might just leave you stressed out the whole time. It is usually a better idea to bring cheaper pieces so you do not have to worry about your favorite watch getting bashed around or stolen during the flight.
Large Hair Styling Appliances
Packing hair dryers and straighteners is often just a waste of luggage space because almost every hotel you visit will already have them ready for you. If you really need to bring them just remember that security might ask you to pull them all out so keep them right at the top of your bag to avoid an awkward hold up.
Strong-Smelling Hard Cheeses
You are allowed to bring hard cheese on a flight but keeping a block of pungent gorgonzola in a warm overhead bin will probably make you the least popular person on the plane. The smell gets trapped in the cabin with everyone else so it is just polite to leave the stinky snacks at home and save your fellow passengers from holding their noses.
Sharp or Pointy Objects
This one sounds super obvious but so many people still forget and leave random scissors or pocket knives in their bags and end up losing them at the security check. Even blunt sports gear like small baseball bats are not allowed in the cabin so you are much better off putting anything that could be considered a weapon straight into your checked luggage.
Toy Firearms and Ammunition
Bringing a toy replica gun to keep your kids entertained sounds harmless but it will almost certainly cause a massive delay for you at airport security. The staff have to treat those replicas very seriously so just pack a different kind of toy to keep the little ones happy and keep the trip moving smoothly.
Liquids Over the Normal Limit
We all know about the liquid rules by now but trying to sneak in a large bottle of your favorite lotion is just going to slow down your day. You can easily just buy travel sized bottles for your liquids and save the bigger bottles for your main checked luggage so you do not have to throw anything away at the gate.
Fragile and Bulky Electronics
Shoving an unprotected tablet or laptop into an overhead bin is a huge risk because other passengers will definitely bump into it when they force their bags inside. Devices with big lithium batteries can also swell and get dangerous so just make sure to do a quick check of your gadgets and keep them hidden safely in a smaller personal bag under your seat.
Everyday Flammable Items
You might not think twice about throwing a simple smoke canister or a plasma lighter into your bag for a camping trip but security will definitely pull you aside for it. It is always a smart move to double check your everyday camping gear or tools to make sure you do not accidentally bring something that is secretly a huge fire hazard on a plane.
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