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Personal Toiletry Kit for Airline Carry On Luggage for Canada / USA TSA

Traveling by plane has always been a bit of a hassle, but it is the fastest way to travel to distant destinations.  After 9/11, the extra security is more effort to get through, but it does keep you "safer".  In this post I'm going to talk about my own personal toiletry bag that I take through airport security, but I'll first digress a bit about not carrying knives onto planes and knife laws in foreign countries.

I just miss the simpler days when you could carry small pocket knives along with bringing onboard your bottle of wine or whiskey you bought as a souvenir/special purchase.  BTW, buying something in the duty free at the airport and getting it on the plane doesn't help you if you have to pass through security to transfer flights as you will need to check it in a bag for the next leg! These days, always check the regulations before bringing any food, tools, liquids, stationary, sewing supplies, medicines, etc with you on a plane.

Domestic flights in Canada now allow small pocket knives or scissors or screwdrivers with blades less than 6 cm or 2.4".  This means that your small or standard Swiss Army Knives won't get confiscated if you leave them in your pocket or carry-on by accident within Canada.

Rules for Canada Domestic (always check to see what the current rules are).
A nice sharp objects diagram is here https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/sharp-objects
Rules for liquids and personal items here https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/liquids-non-solid-food-personal-items 

Knives are not allowed on planes in most countries, so you should always do a double check to ensure you pack them in your checked luggage.

Rules for non-Canada and USA (always check to see what the current rules are at your destination for the return flight).  The rules for what is allowed on aircraft in other countries is different from Canada and USA.  For example, Japan does not allow scissors, tools, and any kind of blade (you might bring it over in your carry on, but it isn't coming back that way).  So the bladeless Leatherman Style PS pliers allowed in Canada/USA or folding scissors would be confiscated.  Packing all blades, tools, scissors in your checked luggage is the way to go in many cases.  

Carrying any kind of knife in a foreign destination is problematic as you need to know the local rules.  For example, in Europe, locking blades like you would find on most multitools even if they are of a legally permitted length are illegal for personal carry, but your common Swiss Army Knife is okay (I heard the Leatherman BOND is okay as it doesn't lock).  In Japan, just don't carry a knife/blade of any size as it is just plain illegal and you will ruin your vacation if stopped by police.  I'm not a rules lawyer here or able to answer questions about this stuff other than as a fellow traveler, so just always take the cautious route and don't look for loopholes.  If you have a multitool, box cutter, or some other knife (e.g. souvenir Japanese kitchen knife) then keep it in your luggage in your hotel room.

When I travel my carry-on has my personal toiletries and items. In this bag I'll have the following items:

  • Smart phone and earbuds. Everyone pretty much has this device that does music, mail, messaging, news, maps, compass/GPS, note taking, games, taking and playing movies, camera, books, first aid tips, etc.  It can replace like a dozen other tools and amenities if you think about it.
  • A first aid kit - no sharps other than small scissors that can go through airport security.  Any medications such as Advil for fever/inflammation/aches, Tylenol for headaches/fever, Dayquil/Nyquil liquigels, Gravol, antihistamines like Reactine/Aerius, Imodium for diarrhea, etc. are in here.
  • A small personal toiletries bag.  Described in detail below.
  • An electric razor and charger in case.
  • An small electronics charger / cable bag that contains cables and chargers for all my portable electronic devices.
  • RFID blocking passport wallet that has my pen, passport, some paper, and stores boarding passes, etc.
  • Other stuff like a water bottle, spare eyeglasses, compass, face masks, hand sanitizer, external battery pack, a change of t-shirt, underwear, socks, ebook reader, portable electronic game player (e.g. Nintendo DS), travel guide / paper maps, duplicate documents.

Note: When passing through the airport security checkpoint, take out all of your tools, liquids, and medications to put them into separate plastic bags to let the nice security folks identify things easier.  Make sure your water bottle is empty (fill it after security) and make sure any liquid containers are 100ml or less in volume (e.g. sunscreen, mosquito repellent, moisturizer, etc.).

My Little Personal Toiletries Bag

This little bag passes through airport security at the time of writing (again, check to see what the current rules are!).  All items within should pass through airport security.

Bag is 6.5" x 4" x 2.75"

The contents of the toiletry bag are:

  • hygiene items
    • small and large nail clippers
    • dental floss
    • toothbrush / mini-tooth paste
    • interdental brush
    • combs
    • small tissues 
    • earplugs
  • tools
    • travel sewing kit
    • folding scissors
    • teeny turner multi-bit screwdriver (good for glasses, etc.)
    • optical screwdriver
    • lighter
    • small flashlight 
    • spare flashlight battery
    • Leatherman Style PS keychain multi-tool - NO KNIFE on this. Has scissors, file/screwdriver, tweezers, pliers.  It is very likely you will have to explain this to any security screeners, so leaving it out could be a very good idea.
    • emergency poncho
    • small roll of duct tape
    • eyeglass cleaning cloth
  • first aid items
    • small boo boo kit - some bandages, moleskin for blisters, some alcohol wipes, and BZK wipes, Q Tips, hand sanitizer packets.
    • Tums antacid
    • Tylenol sinus (congested sinuses on planes is painful)
    • emergency blanket
The contents of the toiletry bag.

This is a small bag that always accompanies me when I travel and it works for me in conjunction with the other items in my daypack / carry-on.  I carry my eye drops and lip balm in my first aid kit.

You could also have:

  • sleep mask to cover the eyes 
  • tampons / pads
  • antiseptic wipes and hand sanitizer for your hands (good for many public bathrooms in Japan with no soap or airplane bathrooms)
  • deodorant
  • travel soap
  • Tide stain removing pen
  • facial cleaning wipes / wet wipes to refresh/clean, not antiseptic wipes for your hands.
  • eye drops for dry eye
  • lip balm for dry lips
  • moisturizer / hand lotion, etc. 
  • cough drops / Fisherman's Friend to calm any ticklish throat.
  • chewing gum for helping to clear your ears on a flight.
  • breath mints so you don't offend your seat mates on a plane.

Bring what you need and drop what you don't require.  Anyhow, happy travels, even if you're just going out of town for a day!

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