Personal belongings on a plane
For departures from the United States, TSA screens the item you bring and any liquid, tool or battery packed with it. Your airline decides whether a large garment bag or keepsake fits in the cabin. Start with the part of your belongings that needs special handling.
Clothing, valuables and keepsakes
Keep jewelry in a small case where clasps cannot catch on clothing. A wedding dress may travel in a garment bag, but ask the airline how the filled bag can be stored. TSA may need to inspect a bulky dress or ask you to remove a book from its case. Cushion a trophy and check its packed size before choosing carry-on.
Contact lenses and eye-care liquids
Contact lenses and their solution have separate TSA entries. A small contact lens solution bottle follows the ordinary liquids rules. Declare a larger medically necessary amount for inspection; TSA warns that some solutions may alarm and recommends checking bottles over 3.4 oz when practical. Check eye drops separately.
Metal accessories and travel devices
Unclip a wallet chain if needed for screening, and assess any tool attached to it under its own rule. A compact electric shoe dryer may have a lithium battery: check the device and keep spare lithium cells in carry-on under the battery guidance. Pack hard cases and small door locks so staff can inspect them without loose parts scattering.
Glass and household accessories
Protect a glass object from breakage. If it contains liquid, check the liquids and containers guide too. For magnets, an iron or a clothes steamer, read the individual item page before packing. Size, a water tank or the power source may change what you need to prepare.
Cremated remains
TSA permits cremated remains through a US checkpoint when the container can be screened. A light material such as wood or plastic is easier to X-ray than dense metal or stone. TSA will not open the container, so an opaque image can prevent it from passing. Ask your airline whether it accepts the urn in checked baggage and what documents your route requires.
Sources: TSA: What Can I Bring?, FAA: lithium batteries.