Every Suitcase, Overnight Bag, and Organizer I'm Traveling With

I expect my luggage to be as hardworking as the stuff it contains. With limited vacation time, I don’t have time or patience for ripped seams or busted wheels – my travel bags need to be able to withstand the rough nature of travel, over and over again.

So today I thought I’d share the bags I reach for when I’m headed on a trip – as usual, all of the items listed here are ones I own and put through their paces over the years.

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Before I get into it, I just wanted to remind you that everyone’s style of travel is a little different (say, the luxury traveler’s needs are likely going to be very different than the frequent camper’s).

Here’s what I own that works for my style of travel: largely shorter, domestic trips (primarily city-based), with an occasional extended international trip thrown in the mix. I prefer to fly carry-on only and am willing to forego a rolling suitcase (or share it with my partner) to save on baggage fees if needed. And I rarely check a bag (I don’t even own any suitcases larger than a carry-on!); the only time I check a suitcase is when we are returning from a longer, shopping-themed trip and it’s planned in advance.

I’ve broken these bags down into categories by size (from largest to smallest), and sorted each category by how frequently I use them (most frequent to least frequent):

SUITCASES + DUFFEL BAGS

The Carry-On, Away

Trust me when I say that I’m really putting the lifetime warranty of my Away Carry-On to the test! This is the one you’ll likely see me dragging behind me in airports, on the cobblestone streets of far-flung destinations, and on road trips to visit family in Florida. I’ve discussed the merits of this bag extensively on this blog, like here, here, and here. Want to purchase your own? You can save $20 off your first Away purchase of $125+ by using my referral link.

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Daily Carry-On with Pocket, Away

The Daily Carry-On with Pocket (wow, that’s a mouthful of a name) is my newest Away suitcase, and I’m still formulating my thoughts on it for a full review. But, here are my “first impressions” after the first year of (very sporadic) use: It’s the perfect size for an overnight flight, I really love having access to the outer pocket, and I like that the inner panel is removable. Once I travel with it enough to warrant an informed review, I’ll share the link here.

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Weekender Bag, Away

Technically the Weekender Bag belongs to Michael, but I’m including it in this roundup because we frequently travel together and share luggage space. Although this bag is no longer available, Away has rebranded the former Large Everywhere Bag as The Weekender (confusing? I agree).

Both of these bags have a similar capacity to the Carry-On bag, but I tend to reach for a duffel-style bag when I’m traveling somewhere a little more rugged. It’s much easier to hike up to your cabin or tent without wheels on the ground!

OVERNIGHT BAGS

Everywhere Bag, Away

The Everywhere Bag is technically intended to be a “personal item” on the plane (the item under your seat) but I also reach for it when I’m traveling somewhere for the night. It feels a bit like a Mary Poppins bag – roomier than you’d expect! You can read my full review of the bag in this blog post.

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Classic Leather Zipper Tote, Cuyana

Although this Leather Zipper Tote primarily serves as a work bag, I’ve also brought it on overnight stays (like this one). It’s a bit on the heavier side since it’s made of leather, but I also think it looks more elevated. Best of all, unlike an open tote bag, you won’t have any issues with stuff rolling out if your bag topples over. Pro-tip: the organizer insert is not only uber-helpful thanks to its pockets, but it also protects your belongings from any shedding of the unlined leather interior. Update: you can find my full review right of this bag right here.

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Le Pliage Tote, Longchamp

Le Pliage was my first large tote (and I purchased it in Paris!), so I’ll always have a soft spot for it in my heart. It’s a really great, sturdy, reasonably-priced bag that works well as a personal item, overnight bag, and purse. And an added bonus? It folds up when it’s time to store it – a position it’s been in for a while. I haven’t brought it with me on any trips recently, but maybe one of these days you’ll see it in a packing list post again!

ORGANIZERS + ACCESSORIES

The Insider Packing Cubes, Away

While they aren’t as sturdy as some others, The Insider Packing Cubes (in a set of four) fit perfectly in my carry-on bag. Packing cubes are an immense help when traveling; you can easily sort garments by type, or even by day. I’ve written a whole blog post about them, in fact!

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Leather Travel Case Set, Cuyana

These little bags are still going strong, even after four years! The Leather Travel Case Set from Cuyana is a bit more elevated than a canvas or nylon bag, but just as sturdy. I primarily store my makeup in the smaller bag and use the larger one for all of my extra toiletries (Q-tips, hairbrush, medicine, etc.). You can find my initial review here, and my four-year update here.

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Quart Bags

I don’t like to compliment the TSA very often, but from the perspective of an accident-prone traveler, I think it’s brilliant to store all of your liquids together in one leakproof bag. I currently own two reusable TSA-approved bags: the bougie Clarity Jetset Case in leather from Truffle, and the more economical Re-Zip Travel Bag.

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Caroline Zip Travel Jewelry Case, WOLF

I searched high and low for a genuine leather, black jewelry case with compartments for necklaces, rings, and earrings – and I landed on the Caroline Zip Travel Jewelry Case from WOLF. It’s just the right size to carry my treasures and has held up remarkably well over the years. Looking for jewelry travel tips? I’ve got you covered right here.

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The Centerfold Garment Sleeve, Away

The Centerfold Garment Sleeve is more of a nice-to-have for me currently. I only travel with it when I am attending an event (such as a wedding), but if I were a frequent business traveler it would likely be further up this list. I love that it folds up to fit in my carry-on bag, but wish it were a little longer to accommodate maxi dresses (this would require another section to be added to the sleeve, and then it may not be thin enough to fit in the center of the suitcase.

The length is fine for mini-dresses or suits, however. Since I purchased the garment sleeve, Away has released a larger version that fits the Medium and Large suitcases, and it is a little longer and offers more coverage. Despite the fact that I kind of hate wire hangers, I use ones from the dry cleaners to hang my clothes on. They are sturdier than the velvet hangers I use at home, and ultra-thin.

COLLAPSIBLE BAGS

Recycled Reusable Tote, Madewell

Although it doesn’t really feel like my style, this packable tote from Madewell is a big helper in a small package. I like to clip it to the outside of my Everywhere Bag or suitcase (it kind of looks like a luggage tag and so far I’ve never received any complaints from any airlines) so that I’m always prepared for a morning at a local farmer’s market or an unexpected drug store run.

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Packable Backpack, Everlane

Sadly Everlane no longer makes this packable backpack, but they sometimes crop up on Poshmark or eBay (and Away now sells a similar one, too). This entire backpack packs down into an interior pocket. It’s super handy to have with you on trips that include both city + adventure activities; the kinds of trips where your clothes are going to take up most of your suitcase space, but you’re still going off on an excursion. I most recently brought this along on our trip to St. Croix (and whoops, totally forgot to include it in my packing list graphic!), but I’ve also packed it for trips like our one-day round-trip flight to New Orleans.

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Packable Travel Carryall, Reisenthel

Back in the day, Michael and I used to travel to Europe, plan to bring back a checked bag full of souvenirs and buy a cheap suitcase to bring home while we were there. Those suitcases were never any good (one broke on us in the taxi ride from the airport), and I shudder to think of the waste we generated.

Instead, we’ve switched to bringing a large collapsible zippered tote bag (linked to current version). The one we own admittedly isn’t the sturdiest (if I were to buy one today, I’d probably go with this one), but it’s secure enough for us to transfer dirty clothes into on the last night so we can use one of our hard-sided carry-on bags to hold our new finds.

BONUS: A FEW OTHER ITEMS THAT MAKE TRAVEL EASIER

Wireless Power Bank, Anker

Although this wireless power bank from Anker is about the same size as the chargers included in the Away suitcases, I really love that this one has wireless charging capabilities and USB-C input.

It certainly charges things faster via cable (and I recommend getting a short one since it takes up less space), but it can be helpful to place my phone on top of it in the bottom of my bag so it can charge while I walk. It’s so much easier than fussing with cables that will eventually break.

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Pill Organizer

I’m currently planning a post dedicated to this pill organizer, so I won’t go too far into it now (edit: you can find my post right here!), but it has been a huge space-saver for my OTC medications in certain circumstances. Just be sure you’re aware of any restrictions on traveling with unlabeled medications before giving it a try.

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Cheap Headphones

Even if you’ve fully embraced the wireless earbud lifestyle, you’ll still want to bring a pair of wired headphones with you when you fly. Why? The airplane monitors are not yet set up for Bluetooth headsets. You may be able to purchase a pair of cheapie headphones from a flight attendant, but why risk it? (Note, Bluetooth transmitters are now on the market, but I don’t personally own one yet!).

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Flexible Water Bottle, Vapur

Vapur’s water bottles may not be the most attractive on the market, but they are extremely functional. They’re inexpensive, clip on to the outside of your bag, and roll up small enough so you don’t have an excuse not to bring it.

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Silk Neck Pillow + Eye Mask, CALPAK

I recently saw a TikTok that suggested travelers wear a neck brace instead of using a pillow in order to sleep sitting up. I haven’t given that a try so I can’t comment on its efficacy, but that’s mostly because I can’t give up using this silk pillow℅.

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The Best Luggage for Travel: Every Suitcase, Overnight Bag, and Organizer I’m Traveling With in 2022