Being organised on a long haul flight

[gardenisblooming]

(I'm not sure if this is the best topic for this, but it seems there are some well seasoned travellers here!).

How do you keep organised on long haul flights? I always feel like as I'm boarding, I'm holding too many things that I want to keep close, (headphones, book, moisturiser, lip balm etc). If I put my bag under the seat in front of me, it takes up too much legroom. Am I missing a trick on how to stay organised and have what I need close to hand?

I think I'm in the front row (of economy), so I have to have everything in the overhead locker for take off. I hate opening it during the flight and messing around and am wondering how you all settle in and keep your important items within easy reach?

I just take a small bag and put everything in it that I’ll need during the flight. Then it’s easy to pull it out when needed.

You need organiser bags. I use these mesh ones. They live between my work rucksack and my carry on suitcase depending on what I’m doing that week. Only my big Bose headphones don’t fit but they only come out for flights anyway as I use AirPods day to day.

I have one for electronics, one for personal items, one for pens, one for lipsticks and other makeup bits. They’re slim so will fit in a seat back pocket or the magazine net if you’re in the front row.

https://amzn.eu/d/4pjZxoT

Pack a small bag with the essentials you need on the flight which you can easily take out of your hand luggage after takeoff; there should be room for it in front of you. Put your flight socks on before you get on the plane. The pack they give you should contain headphones anyway.

I've never had a front row in Economy (I thought that was reserved for parents with babies as there are bassinetts?).

Don't be that passenger who keeps opening and shutting the overhead locker and re-sorting their luggage all flight! We got upgraded to Premium once and the woman just across kept doing that when we were all trying to sleep.

do you just leave it in the pocket, or do you use a carabiner to attach it to something on the seat in front? (have seen this suggested too somewhere)

Everything in one small bag or separate sections?

Aha, they look great, thank you. I feel like I need diff colours so they are bright and I won't forget them!

Yes, I don't want to be that person! It is the front row but to the left, I think the bassinets are in the middle? I always book that seat on a transatlantic flight.

That's a good idea to put the socks on before boarding!

Getting those socks on is a bit of a mission!

I know which seats you mean, more legroom.

That woman drove us mad, she was annoying altogether.

Small crossbody bag with essentials. I use my uniqlo bag for this which is just perfect. I keep it on for boarding and haven't ever been told to take it off. Passport, phone, lipbalm, headphones, bottle of water and a book/kindle all fit in.

If you've got that front seat where everything goes up top for take off and landing, it's actually bliss. You just get your bag down after take off and then it can stay just under your legs, so youhave all your lovely leg room with the bag up against the seat.

I normally put book/kindle/ipad in the pocket in front of the seat - there's normally still one in the front row - and then have a small cross body bag which I shove behind me so I don't have to put it up. That said, sometimes getting up to get a bigger bag down and then using it as a footrest is helpful although I tend to keep my hand luggage as light as possible.

Definitely organiser bags. Pack a small one with everything you'll need on the flight so you can grab it easily out of the overhead locker once the seatbelt light goes off.

If you're travelling with someone be smart about what you pack in each carry on - put everything you both need in one bag so you're not up and won't every 5 seconds. iPads, kindles, books, sponge bags etc in one and valuables etc in the other that will stay in the overhead locker for the duration.

Then you only get one bag down - and make sure you repack it before landing rather than in the scramble to disembark - so many people manage to leave their iPads etc in the seat back pocket you wouldn't believe it!

Second this suggestion. Most of the long haul carriers I have flown with allow a small handbag as well as carry on case. The cross body bag takes up either no room under seat in front or slips into the pocket of the seat and everything I need is immediately at hand during the flight

ooh that's actually a good point... I can just take my headphones out for take off, and then get the whole thing down after and everything is right where I need it :)

I use the Uniqlo bag another poster mentioned for the stuff I am going to need during the flight and just keep it by my feet. It's small enough that it doesn't bother me.

Don’t take more than you really need, and try to keep it in your ‘personal item’ handbag, rather than overhead hand luggage.
In mine I take a book, notebook and pen, couple of snacks, eye-mask, folded up inflatable neck pillow, bottle of water and the travel essentials - purse, phone, passport. The in-flight entertainment is usually more than sufficient to keep me entertained if it’s a day flight.

I recommend tiny crossbody bag so passports and boarding passes can be easily to hand, also wallet and phone so you can keep them on you throughout when you sleep/go to the loo (if you like)

Then everything else in a carry on - I find the kind that has a strap that fits over a suitcase handle is easiest, even better if it has a flat bottom as it sits upright so you can access things easily. I have one similar to this and it's totally worth it -

www.antler.co.uk/products/chelsea-overnight-bag-taupe?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=pmax-top25&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgrCg2dyViAMV_ZCDBx3-KCBSEAQYAiABEgJkRvD_BwE

You will need to stash that for take off and landing but it's normal for the front row to pull them down as soon as seat belt sign is off. I tend to use it as a footrest too.
Take a water bottle (yes they will bring it around but you don't want to have to avoid spilling an open cup, and often they don't bring it when you really want it) Dress light but with warm layers - temperature can go either way over a long flight. And make sure you have a book as a back up - I've had more than one flight with broken entertainment system.

And consider lightweight sleeping tablets (just the kind from Boots counter, not prescription) Helpful to avoid jetlag 2am wake ups if in a very different timezone

I wear a scarf which is great if cold and stops me spilling stuff on me…

small pots to decant moisturiser etc. Amazon do them. Or I save sample sizes up from beauty box or makeup counter.

essential meds, enough for flight (On a bad flight how many paracetamol could you need)

disposable toothbrush, panty liners (keeps things fresh and helpful if your luggage is lost or you’re delayed)

A kindle or the kindle app on phone. Netflix, Amazon or iPlayer with stuff downloaded in case I don’t like the in flight options

bottle of water, eye mask and ear plugs

inflatable pillow from decathlon (takes a lot less space than a neck pillow)

old headphones (having lost several good pairs), a charger and a power bank

name and address on onward destination printed out (for showing to taxi drivers)

Thank you all. There are some great suggestions and ideas here.

I have recently realised I seem to have a 'cabin bag fetish'. I get very excited finding new ones, and also spend the entire time at the gate/boarding, looking at (& coveting) other bags.

I prefer to be ‘less is more’ with hand luggage as I dislike carrying it around the terminal and especially don’t like taking it into the loos!

Where possible I take a small cross-body bag (which will fit a book) and keep a foldable fabric shopping bag inside it, in case I buy a magazine or bottle of water while I am airside.

The cross-body bag goes down beside my feet and anything I want to keep handy goes inside the seat pocket. On landing I just pop my things into the shopping bag, then sort it out neatly when I’m in a queue.