Carson Kressley may not pack lightly, but he has everything he could possibly need while traveling — including fake candles and equestrian gloves.
Kressley, 54, opened up his Louis Vuitton carry-on bag exclusively with Us Weekly to share his must-have items for traveling. The RuPaul’s Drag Race judge pulled out over 50 items he deems essential, from practical accessories to necessary comforts.
“When I travel, which I do all of the time because I am a travel lover, I keep everything in this carry-on bag that I can’t live without,” Kressley told Us while promoting his partnership with ALG Vacations, joking about how many items he packed. “This might turn into a miniseries. I hope you have time.”
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of the reality star’s favorite travel items and watch the video above for more:
Goyard Calfskin Leather Cosmetics Bag
“I have my toiletry kit: toothbrush, toothpaste, hair conditioner, special purple shampoo that keeps my blond from being brassy,” Kressley told Us. “[But] make sure it’s all in those TSA-approved sized bottles.”
He went on to explain why he’s a big proponent of the bag-within-a-bag: “Sometimes when you have a big bag like this you need other bags to keep things corralled.”
‘Sky Watch’ by Emma Hudelson
“I like actual books I can smell and touch and read,” Kressley shared. “I’m not a fan of the electronic readers.”
He shared with Us the book he’s currently traveling with and his personal connection to it. “I always have a book,” Kressley shared. “This one is by a friend of mine. It’s about a famous horse.”
Kressley is an avid horse enthusiast and lifelong equestrian, so it’s no surprise his love of horses bleeds into his travel tips and must-have items.
Riding Gloves
“I have riding gloves because I never know when I’m going to find a horse I might need to ride,” Kressley quipped.
‘Old-School’ Large Planner
“I have an old-school planner. I must write things down,” he told Us. “If you saw the Joan Rivers documentary, she loved to have everything cataloged and organized and I’m the same way. I have to have a full calendar and if I have open days I get very anxious.”
Battery-Operated Candles
Kressley may be a candle lover, but he has to make necessary adjustments to maintain ambiance while on the go.
“Most hotels don’t let you have a candle because they don’t want you burning the joint down, [so] I ordered these little battery-operated candles,” he said. “Instant ambiance and [they’re] so safe and you don’t have to lug a candle around.”
Kressley added: “By the way, TSA hates candles. If you have a candle in your bag, you’re getting stopped. If you have a battery-operated tealight, you’re smooth sailing. You’re welcome.”
2 Baseball Caps
“I always have two baseball caps,” Kressley told Us. “I have a black one and a white one and I know they’re going to go with everything.”
Goyard Embroidered Passport Case
“That was my passport, which I keep handy, right here in this little passport case with my initials in case I forget who I am,” he said.
Notecards
Kressley always has notecards handy in order to thank friends for their hospitality while traveling.
“You might stay at someone’s house and you should send them a thank you note,” he told Us. “I leave it in the mailbox before I leave and then the next morning they’re like, ‘How did it get here so quickly?’”
Us Weekly Magazine
Just like Us, Kressley doesn’t go anywhere without the latest edition of Us Weekly, and he happily flashed his copy for the camera.
