My husband and I have a pretty fine-tuned system after years of traveling together - and eventually adding a child to the mix.

Our son gets the window seat. He likes looking outside, and, perhaps more importantly, he's a little more contained over there. I sit in the middle, and my husband gets the aisle. As much as I'd occasionally love to claim the aisle seat for myself, he's 6'5", and I'd feel just a little guilty squishing him into the middle.

But our routine goes beyond where everyone sits. We've also gotten pretty good at knowing what goes into the overhead bin and what stays with us.

My husband generally likes to keep the space under the seat in front of him completely clear - again, 6'5"! So most of what we want during the flight ends up underneath the seats in front of our son and me.

Which is perfectly fine with me. I actually feel a little lost if I don't have some kind of bag next to me.

Think About What You'll Need Before You Sit Down

Most of the time, I carry either a backpack or my Longchamp purse as my personal item, and I purposely pack the things I'll want during the flight inside it.

The bigger consideration comes when I know that bag will have to go overhead - a bulkhead seat, for example. In that case, I try to pull out what I'll need before I ever sit down.

Ideally, those things are already in my hands while we're boarding or somewhere I can grab them quickly. That way, we can get our bags into that very necessary overhead space, slip into our seats and get out of the aisle without holding up everyone behind us.

Because nobody wants to be that family rummaging through three bags while the boarding line backs up.

Keep Kids' Activities Together

Our son's activity bag is obviously one of the things we want nearby. I go into much more detail about the activities we bring in our article on keeping kids entertained on a plane, so I won't repeat all of that here.

But if you're packing your child's activities inside your carry-on rather than giving them their own bag, I'd recommend bundling everything together.

A large gallon, or even 2-gallon, zip-top bag works surprisingly well. Instead of digging through your carry-on for individual toys, coloring supplies or activities, you can pull out the whole bundle at once and hand it over.

This is especially helpful if the larger bag itself is headed into the overhead bin.

The Things I Like to Have Nearby

I'm kind of cheating here because my backpack or Longchamp usually stays underneath the seat in front of me anyway. But if I absolutely have to put my personal item overhead, these are the things I'm pulling out first.

I always have a few larger pouch-style wristlets inside my bag that keep all the little things organized: makeup, pens, ChapStick, hand sanitizer and the other odds and ends that otherwise disappear into the bottom of a purse. If my larger bag has to go overhead, I'll usually keep one of these with me and use it for the smaller essentials I want nearby.

Then there are the more obvious things: my AirPods, iPad, phone charger, our son's tablet charger and my water bottle.

And snacks, of course. Junior Mints and Peanut M&M's are basically travel essentials as far as I'm concerned!

I also always have hand wipes nearby. I love the little Wet Ones packs, but I also squirrel away the individually packaged wipes United hands out on flights and throw them into my travel bags. They take up practically no room, and there's always something that needs wiping down.

Don't Underestimate a Plastic Bag

This is one of those ridiculously simple things that we've found surprisingly useful.

We usually stuff a couple of plastic grocery bags into our carry-on. When our son was a baby, we actually traveled with dog-poo bags attached to our bag just like you would attach them to a leash. They were perfect for containing dirty diapers when we needed them.

These days, this little plastic bag has a different job: airplane trash.

You inevitably accumulate it at your seat - snack wrappers, used wipes, cups, napkins and whatever else appears throughout the flight. Rather than trying to balance everything in the seatback pocket or create a little pile somewhere, we'll tie the handle of a grocery bag to the seat and use it as our own little trash bag.

It keeps our area much cleaner, and flight attendants are usually pretty appreciative when they come through collecting trash, too.

And Because I'm Always Cold...

A blanket of some sort is pretty much non-negotiable for me.

If we're traveling somewhere cold, I'll bring an oversized scarf. It works as a blanket on the plane and then becomes something I can actually wear once we arrive - especially since I don't get many opportunities to wear a giant cozy scarf at home in San Antonio.

If we're headed somewhere warm, I have a compact travel blanket instead. It folds down relatively small but opens up into something big enough to actually be useful.

And that blanket has come in handy beyond the airplane.

When we once found ourselves stranded overnight at the airport, sleeping on makeshift cots with paper-thin blankets, having my own little travel blanket gave me at least a bit of extra comfort.

For a longer or overnight flight, I'll usually tuck an eye mask into my wristlet as well.

It's About Making the Flight Easier

Of course, it's not the end of the world if something you need ends up in the overhead bin.

As a family of three, we're usually taking up our entire little section of the row anyway, so we're not climbing over strangers every time one of us needs to get up.

But once everyone is settled - activities are out, snacks are within reach, devices are charged and you've finally gotten comfortable - the last thing you want to realize is that the one thing you need is buried inside a bag above your head.

A little planning before you sit down can make it much easier to get comfortable and stay comfortable.