Stay organized en route

See Jane Fly's resident family writer, Kena Frank, is an expert at efficient, kid-friendly packing.

These days, when I board a flight it's usually with my daughter, and to streamline what I bring with me, I usually combine my purse and diaper bag into one carry-on. I use the VIP (Very Intelligent Pocket) bag ($60) by Tintamar to organize essential items like wallet, keys, and phone, so that I don't drive myself crazy digging around my bag trying to find things. And since I'm likely to ditch my carry-on in favor of a different bag once I get off my flight, all I have to do is drop the VIP into my new bag and I'm good to go.

Enid Burns, See Jane Fly's gadget gal, knows how to pack smart & stay organized en route.

My best travel bag is a 11 x 14” Walker Bag that fits magazines, files, papers, and smaller items. I pack all the media and items I want for my flight, then tuck it into a larger carry-on bag. When I board the plane I take the pouch out to stash under my seat, then stow the larger carry-on in the overhead. Since I rarely check bags, having a compartmentalized style of packing helps me pull out just what I need.