10 Items Every Flight Attendant Needs On A Trip

Over the last several months, I've learned a thing or two about what a flight attendant needs on a long (or short) trip. It's a slow process, sprinkled with moments of foresight and countless incidents of "oh, I wish I'd remembered to bring....."

 After awhile, your suitcase starts to see "the regulars"—items of accouterment or personal flair which you cannot live without, as opposed to the items of frivolity which you merely thought you'd need. I mean, when did you think you were going to use that aromatherapy bubblebath? In the hotel tub? No. No. and no.

a humble snapshot of my packed rollerboard, which comes with me all around the world

Assuming comfy lounging/walking about clothes, a bag of toiletries, your phone, your uniform, food, flight bag (manual, announcement book, service guide etc) are standard items, here is my extremely short list of things I always pack in my bag on a trip.

1. A trusty multi-function charger. Mine is also retractable so its very easy to pack. So if you have an android phone and an iPad, you can charge both.  Or, in my case, I charge my iphone and my Kindle. Nifty, yes?
2.  A tablet of some sort. Hauling even the extra 3 pounds of my Macbook Pro around takes a toll on my ease mobility.
3. Business cards with your name/email address. You never know who you might meet and who you may want to stay in touch with. It's so much easier to just hand out a card with contact info instead of writing it down or doing the  awkward cell phone dance. I ordered some promoting this blog very inexpensively here.
4. . A pair of prescription glasses. Nothing is worse than realizing you forgot your contact lense solution, and believe me, it will happen. Or you lose a lense. Or it rips. Whatever. Bring some glasses, because being able to see helps you do your job considerably. ;)
5. . An extra pair of stockings. "No run" stockings? Doesn't exist. It's an urban myth spread by nylon companies. I hate stockings, for one thing. Especially in the summer. As Jessica Simpson said, no one wants "swamp @ss" (when certain unmentionable areas get sweaty). However, they are a mandatory part of the uniform when you wear skirts, so get used to it. I prefer to buy thigh highs and keep them hoisted with a garter belt. Allows for a cool breeze in the general area that you will be very grateful for in the blaze of summer.
6. . Stain remover pen/wrinkle releaser spray. This is pretty much a no-brainer. You will all the time occasionally spill things on yourself, and you will definitely get wrinkles, no matter how carefully you pack your uniform.
7. .Make-up removal towelettes. Its an unglamorous fact, but some times the water in a given city you're staying in is rather gross. In Phoenix, for example, it was kind of salty and mineral-y. I didn't want to wash my face with stuff I couldn't stand to drink. So, bring some makeup remover towelettes with you. These can be kind of pricey, but don't fall for all the hype over the big-name brands. All you need is a good generic, and it'll get the job done. Plus your skin will feel so nice and smoothe.
8. .Starbucks via instant coffee packets. These are lifesavers when you're too lazy  too broke pressed for time and need some caffeine in a jiffy. They taste just as good as a brewed cup, and are plenty strong. I pack these in my purse every. single. time. Just grab some hot water, mix the powder in and go.
9. . Dry shampoo. Sounds kind of like an oxymoron doesn't it? Well, it's not. Every woman should have some in here toiletry bag. On those days where you wake up late or just cant find the time for a wash, you spray your roots with this stuff, and it sucks up oil. It also gives your hair some extra body on days where it might be laying flat. Presto change-o!
10. . Backup alarm clock. You can schedule all the hotel wake-up calls you want, but I've had several times where the only thing that rang on time was Old Faithful (my iPhone alarm). So, I started bringing a sports watch with an alarm function. It doesn't have a snooze button, and I hide it under the bed so I actually have to get my sleepy butt up out of bed and find it.
11. BONUS! (just thought of this one) A pair of slippers. You don't want to walk around hotel carpets barefooted. Trust me. It's gross in ways I can't possibly describe without gagging. All I can say is if you walk around a hotel carpet long enough, the soles of your feet will be covered in grime.

What can't you leave home without? Do you have any priceless tips/products you always bring?