I just reorganized my travel gear for a trip to Washington DC. Here’s how my backpack is laid out.

The large pocket closest to me has three things in it. First, and probably most important, is my MacBook Pro. Second, I have the packet of readings for the summer workshop I’m leading at the American Enterprise Institute. Third, I have a book that I’m reading for Samford’s faculty.

In the next large pocket, you’ll also find three things. First is my iPad air 2–actually, the computer and the iPadbelong to Samford–and second is my Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. The third thing you’ll find in the second large pocket is an Amazon Basics Universal Travel Case for Small Electronics and Accessories such as mobile devices. In that case, you’ll find the following: headset Dragon Dictation, chargers for my iPhone 6S, iPad Air 2, my Apple Watch, and my Kindle extra charger, and a solar powered charger that I bought about seven years ago and that I want to start using again.

Now for the small pockets, are the power cord for a MacBook Pro, headphones – that came with my enrollment in the iPhone upgrade program- and cleaner for all my devices.

In the very last pocket, you’ll find little bits of flotsam and jetsam like receipts and office supplies. At the beginning of the trip, all I had was a Jetstream pen. As I mentioned before, life is too short and you’re too productive to mess around with a lousy office, and these are my favorite pens. One last pocket, a small pocket for the top of the backpack. In that pocket, I keep a mobile clicker and my keys. As this trip didn’t involve any driving, I really didn’t need my keys for much.

You don’t see two other things I normally have with me: my iPhone 6S that I got a couple weeks ago and my Evernote Moleskine Journal. You don’t see the phone because it’s what I used to take the pictures, and you don’t see the Journal because I left it at a friends house recently. Frustrating? Yes, but I think I’ll be okay.

Another handy piece of gear is my carry-on luggage. A four-day trip: 2 suits, 4 shirts, 4 ties, a pair of dress shoes, underclothes, & toiletries. Check out my post on both the backpack and suitcase.

And that is what’s in my backpack. When you travel, what’s in yours?