Top Tips For Your Travel Carry-On Bag This Holiday Season

Now that the busy Yuletide travel season is upon us, what items should every traveler pack, to have a safe, healthy, and happy trip? Stash these things in your Samsonite, to take the “travail” out of travel, and make your trip all the more comfortable. I’ve been a professional travel writer for more than 30 years, and these are some of the best travel tactics that I swear by.

Travel pillow and satin pillowcase. Bring a travel pillow for the train or plane, and cover it in a satin pillowcase,which causes less wrinkles than cases in cotton. When you get to your hotel, cover the room’s pillow in your satin case for a more luxurious and sybaritic slumber. Make sure to travel with an eye mask, so you can even sleep when it’s sunny and bright.

Sunsweet 20-calorie dried plums. Treat yourself to a few Sunsweet Cherry-Essence Prunes whenever you need a snack. For 100 calories, you’ll feel like you’re eating high-calorie dried cherries, but these are loaded with potassium, fiber and antioxidants. They’ve saved my life many times when I’m starving on the road. The chocolate-covered Sunsweet plum sweets are especially delicious, when you just gotta have chocolate! They are surely the best “Raisinet” you’ll ever eat.

In fact, make your suitcase a snacketeria. Always bring your breakfast – cereal, powdered milk, and raisins. Add water and you’ve got an instant breakfast. Another great idea? Travel with powdered peanut butter with no fat. Just add water, and you’ve got a great mini-meal without feeling guilty. It’s called PB2 and two tablespoons have just 53.2 calories and a mere 1.87 grams of fat. The chocolate peanut butter flavor is almost – almost – like Nutella. And there’s also a powdered fat-free almond, and cashew powder, to tantalize your tastebuds. Travel professional Samantha Brown once told me she always travels with a simple jar of peanut butter, and when necessary, uses her finger as a spoon.

Filled RX for antibiotics. Ask your doctor back home for a prescription for antibiotics that you can fill before you leave. This way, if you come down with a raging infection on the road, you won’t have to search for an M.D. and pay out-of-pocket. But only take it when absolutely necessary.

Serious moisturizer for your face. Whether you’re on a train, plane, bus or cruise ship, the air can be drying to your dermis. Personally, I tote the collagen-boosting TreCeuticals physician-formulated skincare line. TreCeuticals skincare uses highly concentrated levels of retinol, hydroxy acids, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, and peptides, plus full spectrum CBD to calm and soothe your skin before, after, and during flying in the dehydrating air. If you’re flying, take them in travel-sized containers of three ounces or less. Hollywood actor John O’Hurley — otherwise known as the travel-savvy “J. Peterman” on the old Seinfeld TV show — told me recently that he never travels without his TreCeuticals. And he always looks so good!

Photocopy of your passport (along with the real thing.) Put the real deal in the hotel safe and carry a photocopy of your passport in your carry-on, and also scan it into your Smartphone.

Boiron Oscillococcinum to alleviate flu-like symptoms. I buy Oscillo in bulk, especially in France where it is made, and is a very popular over-the-counter product. This homeopathic remedy helps to reduce the duration and severity of flu symptoms, and is an industry insider-secret found on many Hollywood production sets.

Emergen-C or E-boost. Emergen-C is beloved by celebrities who include Kristen Bell and Liv Tyler. These potent packets pack a punch of Vitamin C when travel leaves you depleted. Super Powder from Eboost is an all-in-one little packet that holds up to its name, providing energy, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and mood support. You can experience natural daily wellness at home or on-the-go with this transformative formula that offers a true staying power like none other. Made with Stevia and monkfruit – my favorite no-calorie sweetener. Just add water and you really are good to go.

Sweet scents to make the plane feel like the Ritz. Herban Essentials makes essential-oil towelettes in delicious flavors such as lavender, lemon and orange, which you can use to wipe down surfaces (especially on airplanes). I’m also crazy about Agraria potpourri – pour some of the Bitter Orange mix into a Ziplock bag, and inhale to obviate the detestable smell of jet fumes. At your destination, spread Agraria out on a towel or plate so the air absorbs the amazing aroma and makes your surroundings succulent.

And, even more, you’ll turn your hotel room into a haven. Safe travels, everyone!