Five of the best: Cabin bag essentials

Page turners help pass the time in transit. Photo / Thinkstock

I’m prepping for a five-week European holiday and, with lots of jetting about, it’s important my 7kg of cabin baggage is a combination of functional, practical and cool. Space is limited and restrictions apply, but there’s also time to kill, mile-high health to maintain and admin to attend to. Here are my five most essential bits to pack onboard.

1: All the admin material

Passport, tickets, local currency, a few Kiwi dollars, credit card, ID of some kind - it's best to keep all these important pieces of documentation safely stashed together in your hand luggage. I am in love with these leather goods by The Daily Edited, monogrammed for extra personalised perfection. They come in a range of colours and styles, but my pick for all my admin is a black envelope clutch with gold lettering ($119.95). It can also double as your purse on a night out during your sojourn. They are made in Australia so allow up to a fortnight for shipping to New Zealand. This is also the best bon voyage gift...

2: Socks

My feet freeze on planes and long-haul bus rides. This is particularly niggly when you're dressed for warm climate travel in harem pants and sandals. I always pack a pair of warm socks to fight the chills, which also helps me sleep easier. A favourite treat for my feet are these deliciously soft and snuggly Sills+Co cashmere socks made in Nepal ($49).

3: Earphones

Not only do headphones tune you into relaxing beats or the in-flight flick, they can cancel out the background sounds of aircraft noise, babies crying and other passengers snoring. A good pair will make your flight enjoyable and could even put you to sleep. We love these luxury Frends headphones with cool caps ($304). The Taylor style is an over-ear headphone so boasts good noise cancellation and they can be folded to fit nicely in your bag. They're only available online but you can arrange express delivery to New Zealand, via shopbop.com.

4: Hydrating products

I couldn't pick one so have cheekily packaged these products together as number four. Dehydration is the number one health hindrance when flying, especially long haul. Drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol are essential for in-flight health. But I also like to keep my skin feeling fresh with this trio - a hand cream, lip balm and a facial mist. This Aromatherapy Co lavender and wild chamomile hand cream ($17.95) is just the right size at 75ml. It smells heavenly and feels super healing. I also slather some on my feet before I sock-up for super soft tootsies). For lips I like this creamy Go-To blend boasting medical-grade lanolin and no drying nasties ($15.95). For my face this Bobby Brown face mist ($50) is refreshing and moisturising and gives me a nice natural glow.

5: Reads

Whether you're a mag hag or a bookworm, fly time is a welcome retreat from real life. It allows you to be left alone long enough to catch up on that recommended reading you've been meaning to get to. Page turners help pass the time in transit and mid-flight and can even help your peepers feel the need for some shut-eye.