Looking for better airline seat back pocket organizer or portfolio

February 16, 2013 5:32 PM

When flying, I use a plastic accordion-style file portfolio to keep a number of things (listed inside) easily accessible in the seat back pocket (or other pocket in a bulkhead row). This makes taking these things out of my carry-on much easier and makes it less likely that I will forget something in the seat back pocket when I leave. It works well for document-shaped things, although the smaller more irregularly shaped things end up getting mixed up together. Is there a better solution? Or even a particular accordion-style organizer you would recommend? I am looking to get a new one.

The things I want to organize are:

• documents to read
• small paper notepad
• boarding pass
• magazine
• inflatable pillow
• earbuds
• pocket tissue
• iPad

posted by grouse to Travel & Transportation (11 answers total)

I got my dad a Grid-It! organizer for this purpose (well, more for travel in general) based on a previous MeFi recommendation. It's described as "a rubberized woven elastic object retention system for gadget organization," and apparently does the job.
posted by deludingmyself at 5:36 PM on February 16, 2013 [4 favorites]

I suppose one way to keep the irregularly shaped items organized in your existing accordion-style file portfolio is to keep them in separate zippered ring-binder pockets (e.g. $2.99 at Staples, $3.85 at Amazon). That way everything in your file portfolio is document sized.
posted by RichardP at 5:38 PM on February 16, 2013 [1 favorite]

+1 for the Grid-It! system. I use it personally and, while geeky, it saves me a lot of digging in the bag under my feet.
posted by shew at 6:57 PM on February 16, 2013

Whatever you end up using, I recommend using a tether to keep from forgetting it on the plane. Clip one end to your file and one end to yourself and prevent accidentally losing important papers or devices. Don't ask me how I know about this.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 7:06 PM on February 16, 2013 [2 favorites]

How about something like a cooking apron, but with pockets of various sizes sewn all over it? You could put a couple of hooks at the top and hang it from the seat-back pouch. At the end of the flight, just roll it up like a tool roll with everything inside.

We have spill kits at work like that, but my google skills aren't finding just the right thing.
posted by ctmf at 9:09 PM on February 16, 2013

My Grid-It is awesome, but mainly for smaller thingamabobs (like USB keys, chapstick, all the coiled cables). They seem to have an iPad case version, which might work as long as you don't have too many documents. (And why not put some of the documents or magazines on the iPad?)
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 2:47 AM on February 17, 2013

I just use a neoprene laptop sleeve. Securely holds all the things you mentioned plus more, and fits easily into the seat pocket.
posted by MT at 3:56 AM on February 17, 2013

How about a hanging travel bathroom bag? It would work if you could hang it from the tray hook or the seatback pocket.
posted by dawkins_7 at 5:52 AM on February 17, 2013

I was also going to recommend a laptop sleeve, but of coure that won't organize so much as hold. How about a laptop sleeve in combination with a Grid-It or a small pouch (either one fitting inside the sleeve) for the miscellaneous items?
posted by cellar door at 8:56 AM on February 17, 2013

I always have a book with me on a plane, and the boarding pass goes in the book. Or het a bright-colored envelope for it. Laptop sleeve sounds like a good idea; may use that one.
posted by theora55 at 10:06 PM on February 17, 2013

Use a Barcelona paper pouch to corral the papers, iPad, and magazines, then put the smaller items in either the aforementioned Grid-It or Baggu zip pouch of your choosing.
posted by evoque at 9:47 PM on February 18, 2013