What do you do with your personal item bag once you reach your destination?

I use a very lightweight nylon tote as a personal item. The brand is now out of business. It has a trolley strap and weighs 8oz so it's easy to haul on top of my RS Rolling Carry-On but can carry 6+lbs of necessities to keep suitcase size/weight down.
I use a very small Travelon crossbody purse for everyday use since larger purses hurt my neck. In town, I clip a souvenir from London packable nylon tote bag to it (weighs 1oz) for things I might need or buy. For day trips, I pack an Eddie Bauer packable backpack, weight 11oz to hold sweater, rain poncho and water. This may sound like a lot of bags, but I don't want to unpack my personal item other than what I need for a few nights. Combined all three bags weigh less than 1 1/4lbs.

I also carry as little as possible when out and about. I have even started carrying less on the plane in my day bag. What I do is use a small convertible crossbody/hip bag that I put inside my personal carry on once I am finished with my passport. When sitting on the plane it is around my waist so on the rare occasion I fall asleep I don’t have to think about it. If my room isn’t ready, I leave my day bag with my carry on at the hotel.
I ditched carrying snacks, water, a book, toiletries, extra clothes, etc. if I need anything I’ll purchase it at the airport. I still do print out most of my reservations but they are packed away. I only carry my headphones and may ditch them since we now fly premium economy and their headphones are pretty good. Luckily I don’t take any medications so I don’t need to carry them. My husband carries his items in his backpack.

For my personal bag, I use the Rick Steves Veloce Bag. Inside that bag I place a smaller Eagle Creek bag that only takes up about one quarter to one third of the inside space. BUT, the smaller bag is filled with stuff that that would go in the Veloce bag anyway. The only space that is "lost" is that used by the surface area of the Eagle Creek bag. The Eagle Creek bag is then used for out and about daily activities. The Veloce Bag can always be taken instead if you anticipate a lot of shopping. It also has a strap on the back so it can be placed on the handle of my regular carry on luggage. Experiment with the nesting idea and see if it will work for you.

Another thought. At one time the RS store had a packable tote bag that fit into it's own "container" that was just a little larger than a fist. Not sure he has them anymore, but if you can find one (or one like it), that can be carried in you daliy out and about bag in case a shopping front comes through.

Don't let your sister get to you. If what you do works for you, that is all that matters.

For the past few trips I've used a Baggallini AnyDay tote that looks to be a little bigger than yours as well as a Longchamp Le Pliage. I liked the organization in the Baggallini better so went back to using that from the Le Pliage. I just use this for my personal item either on the plane or on a train journey.

The last 2 trips I was spending significant time outdoors so wanted a day pack as well. For the Day Pack I used a Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil packable model.

https://seatosummit.com/products/ultra-sil-day-pack

It squishes down to the size of my palm and just weighs 2.5 ounces. It was perfect for what I wanted but I'm not sure I would use it in a city. It's very lightweight and It might be an invitation to a pickpocket. I was in the country side in Northern England and then on Orkney/Shetland and just wanted something to contain my outdoor gear during the day.

For my around town purse, until last Fall I was using a LeSportSac every day bag. I had 2 museums make me check it although it's not really bigger than 8x11 (well maybe an inch or two more) so I downsized to a Baggallini Town Bagg (not sure that model is still available). I either pack it or put it in my personal item.

In a burst of confession, I also wear a very small purse 7x4 or so that I wear on the plane under my sweater or jacket so I always have my passport/CC/money on me. I am a solo traveler and am slightly wary about leaving stuff in my seat when I go to the bathroom on the plane.

This is possibly TMI, hahaha!!

PS - Kim is right!

On the plane it is packed full of my electronics, various comfort items and anything I absolutely can't lose.

Are you checking a bag? We try to pack as light as possible too, and we do so by using a single carry-on sized bag. The things we absolutely can't lose are 3 feet away in the overhead bin. The personal item is almost empty, but we bring one in case we are forced to check our bag in which case we would put those "can't lose" items into it.

I used to bring a 2-wheel carry on suitcase, so my personal item was the lightweight LLBean daypack which had my small crossbody purse inside it. When I reached my hotels, I only used my purse.

Last year I switched to a Cotapaxi 35L backpack as my carry on, so I no longer had shoulders for the daypack, too. I bought a Sherpani Camden to use as my personal item with my purse inside during transit. (I carefully cut off the backpack straps & just use either the crossbody strap or tote handles)

I try to keep the weight I’m carrying around all day to a minimum, so this is what is in my crossbody smaller purse: phone, coin purse, reading glasses, mints, lip balm, pen, a piece of paper and a couple of sanitizer Purell individual use packs.

If I’m heading to a grocery store, I also carry my shop bag that folds up into a tiny ball.

What size is your normal purse at home? I always try to keep travel stuff similar to the habits I have at home. For me, my travel crossbody purse is the one I’m using 80% of the time at home, too.

I have always done exactly what you are considering. On the return trip I pack the purse and have the daypack and my carryon as my two personal items.

I had 2 museums make me check it

Oh no!! I had no idea this could happen!

“Oh no!! I had no idea this could happen!”

Well, I was surprised too. IF I’m ready for this to happpen I am more organized with money, ccs etc. For Instance I know the Borghese is strict and has a very small bag size so I just took my tine on the plane purse when I went for my timed entry there. The 2 where I had to check (in 2022) were the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels and the Reubens Museum in Antwerp.

Long ago I had to also check that same purse at a museum in Trier and they were going to make me check it in Munich but the guard changed his mind.

My current Baggallini is much smaller and I’ve not even had second glances although I’ve not been back to the Belgium museums.

My favorite travel purse is the Deluxe Everyday crossbody by LeSportsac--lightweight but sturdy, it's got room for everything I might need including a book and light sweater, yet is not so huge that it's a problem used as a purse when out & about. That's my personal item that stays with me on the plane, and I use a RS Flight Bag as my carry-on--I prefer to check a suitcase.

The times I have done carry-on only I had a roller bag, and then my purse held the essential can't lose items. I also brought a zipped LeSportsac tote because I needed to check that roller bag coming home and the tote held some of the goodies I was bringing back.

My personal item is a Blue Q zipper tote, like these: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Bags-Shoulder-Tote-Kitty/dp/B0BSMX2QG4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=15YT8MIR23GOV&keywords=blue%2Bq%2Bshoulder%2Btote%2Bbags%2Bwith%2Bzipper&qid=1699569742&sprefix=blue%2Bq%2Bbags%2Bzipper%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-2&th=1

It's very lightweight and washable and I have to take stuff to do on the airplane because I can't sleep. It fits under the seat and stays upright, unlike many floppier bags. On many trips I take my small laptop so I can get work done (volunteer work that I love doing) --- we are gone for 5 weeks at a time. I also put in the Blue Q bag some clothes and medications and things I can't live without and can't buy in Europe. I altered the straps of the Blue Q bag so that they are crossbody and I converted the exterior pocket so that it slips over the handle of my rolling bag.

Once in Europe, I have used this tote for carrying laundry around inside our apartments, taking food from one apartment to another, picnics, and, very occasionally, the same "can't live without" clothes and stuff on the rare times we have to park the car with luggage in it while we eat lunch or visit someplace on our way to our next base.

My purse is a tiny Pacsafe crossbody, the same size as the purse I carry around town at home. I hate carrying stuff and so am always very minimalist about what's in my purse.

For full disclosure, I'll mention that my husband carries around a huge messenger bag and will carry items for me if need be, and, since we usually travel September through April, I'm often wearing a vest or jacket with pockets.

I used to use a Lands End medium tote bag with zipper as my bag both at home and when traveling. This trip used an Eddie Baer black tote converting to back pack. Used it only as a tote....worked great. On days when we were going to museums I used a plastic bag for water bottle and ponchos. Used the small phone holder I bought which held a credit card around my neck and used neck pouch for cash and id.

Cerastez,
I agree with the others, what works for you is what matters. I have no perfect system, but I’ve tried some things, hope this helps..

When traveling domestically, I use a rolling Ciao bag from Costco (it can fit under some airline seats if necessary, but it goes in the overhead). My personal item is the RS Veloce bag, I love the backpack straps and the crossbody bag strap. It has the sleeve to fit over the handle of the rolling bag. I love it so much, I gave one to my sister, but she said there are too many pockets!

But I don’t do rolling bags overseas, I prefer backpacks so I can have both hands free.

Overseas I always do carry-on bags, always backpacks, no checked luggage. Each time I bring less stuff. No rolling bag, just 40 liter backpack that goes in overhead. For personal item I use a discontinued Monroza nylon shoulder bag that is self-stuffing, simple, I can zip my phone into a pocket, it holds little things.

I experimented on GAS tour and Best of Switzerland tour in 2019 using ultralight, self-stuffing G4Free 40L Lightweight Packable Hiking Backpack from Amazon. It costs $27, so it was a good buy. Inside that, I had my clothes packed inside a smaller G4free 20 liter pack that later became my day bag on the tour bus. I could carry rain gear, the day’s guide book pages, water bottles and lunch.

It suits many people to use such lightweight bags, but our trip was about a month and the drawbacks of such lightweight packs got irritating: 1. Water bottles fall out when backpack is set down because it’s formless. 2. Packing the backpack so the stuff inside didn’t poke me became annoying. 3. All the chocolate bars I was carrying home nearly overloaded the bag, stitching was starting to tear. 😁So, different strategy for our next trip.

I like having featherweight, yet sturdy, nylon bags as mentioned by several posters, because shops(grocery stores) generally don’t provide bags. One is coming with me again.

For museum days or city walks, I will use the Monroza purse. It doesn’t fit my rain gear but I can carry my sunglasses, phone and map or papers easily, eye drops, etc. I wear travel wallet on my waist, not in the purse.

I’m still pondering my day bag solution. I have a 24 liter Mountain Hardwear daypack, might be the answer. Whatever I decide to bring, my comfort will be a bigger consideration than in the past.

I hope you will update us about what you decide to do. BTW, your Baggalini bag looks great.

I use your packable day pack and small messenger bag approach. Plenty of room for a change of clothes and toiletries in the day pack. On the plane the messenger bag comes out so that I can access phone, headset, etc. I can also roll-up a jacket, gloves and hat and put those into the day pack as I don't like to wear them once inside the terminal.

BTW, I feel that my possession are more secure in my messenger bag rather than in my pockets when in crowded areas. My bag sits in front of me just above my waist with a padded strap over my shoulder. It has a pocket for a water bottle and I can attach a travel umbrella for rainy days. Plus, the bag is small enough that most museums will let me carry it in, rather than put it in a locker.

I admit, I am not a "huge purse" person even at home. But my general travel strategy is that my personal item is a backpack. I have a somewhat large daypack that can also be used as an overnight bag. The brand is Embark, I got it at Target years ago and is similar to this one. It's lightweight, smushes to fit under the seat. I usually load my kit, a ziploc with one pair of underwear and a shirt, my iPad Mini, phone, my tech kit (chargers, adapters etc), sweater or jacket, wallet, kleenex, snacks, water bottle, etc. I also pack my crossbody bag into this pack, it's a Peak Gear crossbody purse. Love it. Lightweight, holds a jacket, phone, etc. Only drawback is no water bottle holder, but I just put mine inside the purse (I use a kid-sized bottle from Nalgene).

The backpack stays in the hotel. Cross-body bag is my out-and-about bag.

I also have a smaller backpack (Adidas) that I use the same way, but usually for shorter trips.

I sometimes take a nylon packable tote that rolls or folds up for the same reasons stated above - grocery shopping, etc. But I don't like formless bags, so would not use something like that as a day bag while traveling.

This is what I do most of the time when I carryon only and am out and about touring. I basically have 4 bags: 1. super small roll aboard from TravelPro that goes in overhead bin, 2. Small cooler type bag from EBags (Flight Crew Cooler, no longer available) that goes under seat, 3. A super light nylon daypack, and 4. Baggalini cross body purse

All my clothes and second pair of shoes go in the roll aboard.
All my meds, liquids, chargers, snacks, masks, Kleenex, etc. go in my cooler type bag.

I wear my purse that has all my metals (phone, keys, coins), passport and wallet until I arrive at the gate. At the gate, I try to squeeze the purse into any space available in the cooler bag so that I’m not tagged for having 3 items. I then rearrange the items I need for the flight when I’m seated on the plane.

My super light weight daypack is laid flat on top of my packing cubes in the roll aboard until I arrive at my destination and I use that bag for day touring. In it are an outerwear piece, refillable water bottle, snack, mask, RS guidebook page holder for the days activities and a paper map, which I use if GPS, CityMapper or Google Maps doesn’t work.

When I’m seated in a restaurant or at an event, the daypack generally goes on the floor or on an extra chair. If the bag is somehow yanked, there really isn’t anything in it of super value but I do love the bag. The logo on the bag says “Accelerate the pace.” It was a giveaway bag I earned at a run/walk event for childhood cancer research. So, I do have an attachment to the bag itself.

It’s been interesting to read what others do with their personal item or day pack while out and about. This has worked for me most of my trips. I sometimes do check my roll aboard and therefore I don’t go through so mulch shifting.

I have a large Kipling purse- maybe 2 liter size?- that I use for my between city travel days that holds a small book, personal items that I want to keep on me (phone, paper copies of travel documents, eyeglasses, prescriptions, contact lenses, water bottle) and a small flat LeSportsac bag (Kylie) that I use as my day bag when I'm at my destination. It's small and flat so doesn't take up much space in my carryon suitcase. The large bag stays in my hotel room until the next between city travel day.

My day bag just holds essentials- ID, passport, phone, snack, tissues. It has a few pockets to help keep the items organized.