traveling to a conference // necessities


since i'm off to alt summit today i thought i would share a peek at a few must haves when traveling to a conference… or pretty much just traveling in general!
when i was planning this post i was really excited to finally get to write that i only had one little itty bitty purse to carry on this year! usually i lug on a huge bag with tons of stuff i don't need, hurt my back, get all sweaty and end up mad because it was all unnecessary. anyways, my plan changed a little when i realized big boards i needed to check actually weren't going to fit into my suitcase. that means i have to check those as my second bag and carry on my small one. big sad face. luckily it has wheels and will be stowed away. so much for that.
other than that i've narrowed down my packing list this year after overpacking on almost every single trip. i am so excited about this new bag. i've had my eye on it for a while (or maybe one similar, they were close enough). it doesn't fit a ton which is perfect for forcing me to scale back. here's what's going inside:
- mini ipad (no computer this trip either, woo hoo!) for emails, social media, and keeping me busy on the plane. we'll see how a week goes without a real computer. i'm already having a little anxiety.
- a cute new notebook! i made these for gals i meet this week at alt and will be sharing the how-to tomorrow on the blog. they're perfect for doodling and jotting down ideas during the plane ride, then notes at the conference.
- business cards, obviously
- chapstick. it's that one thing i would take to a deserted island. i can't live without it especially in cold climates!
- the perfect gel pen (plus some le pens not shown, my favorite!)
- and last but not least, a huge sparkly necklace. if there is one thing that can finish off any outfit it's a great piece of jewelry. i always have one, or a few, in my back pocket just in case a planned outfit just isn't cutting it.

what do you always have in your bag for traveling or traveling to conferences specifically?