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| All the luggage my husband and I brought to Celebration Chicago |
Let me start by saying that for a while, I was a MASTER of one bag travel, even for longer trips! I discovered this website,
https://www.onebag.com/ , and purchased the recommended
MEI Voyageur Bag. I love this bag so much I bring it EVERY time I fly, and on pretty much every other trip as well. I even bought one for my husband! Read the article on Onebag.com and you'll see why this type of bag is IDEAL for packing as much as possible in your carry on bag.
As you may realize, from the picture, I no longer travel with my single carry-on bag. HOWEVER... being able to pack VERY lightly with my "real life" items enables me to MAXIMIZE packing costumes!
Sometimes, you can't risk checking items. For Celebration, I was NOT willing to risk anything happening to my Fireside Padme costume, as I was wearing it in the costume contest. Fortunately, that was one of the few Padme costumes that can compress down fairly easily, so I was able to easily fit it in my MEI Voyageur, along with my CPAP machine.
***Before I continue, let me preface that from this point in the article on, many of the links in this article are affiliate links. You won't pay anything extra if you purchase one of my recommendations through the link, but I may earn a small commission, which would go towards the web, file, and photo hosting costs, as well as software fees. I love being able to digitize and share my patterns for free, and any affiliate earnings help make that cost a little less out of my own pocket. ***
Recommendations:
- MEI Voyageur Can't live without this one when I travel.
- Eagle Creek 120 L, Jet Black
I have this in blue and black, and adore it. It is really important to note that to roll it, it really needs to be full. There is no internal frame, so if it isn't full it'll sag when you try to roll it. I recommend packing this one with your bulky soft costumes. Cruella de Porg usually goes in this one! And if your storage space at home, or in your destination, is tight, this bag is fantastic because when empty it compresses down! It is also REALLY lightweight, so I'll usually put heavier costumes in it as well.
- You'll also notice I have two GIANT suitcases on that luggage cart. I recommend finding two-wheel suitcases (which are increasingly hard to find as the four-wheel spinner suitcases are very popular) as they have more interior space while still staying within the maximum checked bag size of 62 linear inches (ALWAYS CHECK YOUR AIRLINE!!!). The wheels on the four-wheel spinner suitcases stick out more, so the actual packing space ends up being less.
- I like having a rolling under-seat bag so I have the option of putting my MEI bag on top of it and rolling both through the airport. It's also handy to have the rolling bag when I've packed it full of heavier stuff, like camera gear. The model I have the, Eagle Creek Adventure Wheeled Tote, Black
, 
looks like it has limited availability online, but there are lots of other options if you search for rolling underseat bag
- AmazonBasics 4 Piece Packing Travel Organizer Cubes Set - Medium, Blue
- When you're packing like I do, you NEED a reliable and accurate travel scale to avoid overweight bag fees. I usually write the weight on gaffer's tape on the outside of my suitcases, and try to check the accuracy against the scale at check-in. If you zoom into the picture you can see these labels! I'll also include which costumes are in which bags so when I'm packing to return home I remember which combinations worked within the weight limits. The Etekcity Digital Hanging Luggage Scale, Portable Handheld Baggage Scale for Travel, Suitcase Scale with Rubber Paint, Temperature Sensor, 110 Pounds, Battery Included
has been VERY accurate!
- When you have a lot of bags, you need lots of locks. This six pack was a great value and I've been really happy with the quality.
Forge TSA travel Lock 6 Pack - Open Alert Indicator, Easy Read Dials, Re-settable Combination with Alloy Body
- Travelambo Luggage Tags & Bag Tags Stainless Steel Aluminum Various Colors (purple 10 pcs set)
- To stay organized inside the hotel room, especially when sharing a room, take advantage of a tip I learned from veteran cruisers and pick up something like the
24 Pockets - SimpleHouseware Crystal Clear Over The Door Hanging Shoe Organizer, Gray (64'' x 19'')
When you have tons of toiletries, mountains of makeup, and piles of hair products, this keeps everything visible and off the limited bathroom counter space.
Scottevest
The patch-covered vest I'm wearing in the picture at the top is from Scottevest, my absolute favorite pocket, I mean travel clothing, company. I'd worn their vests or jackets while flying for years before I started covering this particular vest with galactic patches. I also have a bunch of their other tops. There are SO many pockets in the vests that you could essentially skip packing a personal item, as anything you might have put in there can fit in the pockets. (Or, if you're like me, you'll then pack costume related items in that now-empty personal item....) There are extra secure pockets for your passport and other key documents. You can fit a water bottle inside! And when the vest or jacket is fully loaded up, it is not necessarily the most flattering, but it is a great way to carry all your necessities hands-free. But seriously, check them out here:
Look like a traveler, not a tourist. SCOTTeVEST clothing blend fashion and function for the ultimate travel experience!
for my work keys and ID, and really prefer them to lanyards. I have having something heaving hanging around my neck! While I wouldn't use them for Celebration badges (since I heard about people in Chicago having them stolen and replacing a sold out badge is likely not going to be possible) I really like them when I can clip the little carabiner to a discrete part of my costume.
. As I have my room key, ID, and credit card in one of the zip pouches linked above behind the badge (and as some badges, like the ones at Celebration are potentially at risk of walking off), I also use one of the metal loops from these luggage tags to reinforce the connection. Travelambo Luggage Tags & Bag Tags Stainless Steel Aluminum Various Colors (purple 10 pcs set)
For certain costumes (I'm looking at you, Caprica 6...) , there is nowhere to clip a badge and no where to stash hidden items, so I'll have my badge and phone on these lanyards and have that around my wrist.
I use this on my calf or above my knee when I'm wearing a long gown. I do sometimes reinforce the velcro with a giant safety pin. It'll fit my phone, although the phone isn't easily accessible.
These work will if you have long loose sleeves.
I use this primarily for running, but it will work with many costumes when clipped at the small of your back.
I've used this both under a long flowy sleeve, and on my leg, just below my knee. Not very accessible on the leg but better than nothing!
, 
has been VERY accurate! 
