Before a big trip, everyone starts thinking about their packing list. Some people pack a week in advance to make sure they don’t forget anything, others pack the night before so they can continue to use all of their things up until the very last day. But I’d be surprised if I met someone who didn’t have a list minute checklist in their head of the most important things right before they walk out the door. Whether you’re packing for a long trip with checked luggage or weekend getaway with only a backpack, the main travel essentials you need are the same.
Absolute Necessities
Chargers
One of the most important things to stay connected while on vacation is a phone charger. Without this, your phone, laptop, iPad, Kindle, or any other electronic device wouldn’t last very long. Surprisingly, phone chargers are one of the nine most forgotten travel items, according to the Huffington Post.
Remember that outlets are different in different parts of the world too, so invest in a universal charger you can bring with you anywhere. I figured I could always get a European adapter once I got to Europe, but they’re not as common as you think (and it’s also hard to ask for a charger adapter if you don’t know how to say that in another language!) The best way to remember your phone charger is to write a note on your front door reminding yourself to grab it before you go.
Clothes
This may sound obvious, but I can’t tell you how many times I threw clothes into a suitcase without planning each outfit ahead of time and got to my destination with mismatched clothes, inappropriate clothes, or only one pair of pants. A few times I forgot underwear all together. Make sure you think through your whole vacation and what outfits you’ll need for each event.
If it’s a business event, make sure to bring business-appropriate clothes. If you’re going to a beach, remember that it might not always be sundresses and sandals…beaches can get cold at night too. The best way to remember the right clothes to bring is to lay out each outfit, including shoes, that you plan to wear every day and every night of your trip, planning for all types of weather conditions. And don’t forget your underwear!
Travel info
Maybe you don’t want to carry your everyday purse with you on vacation, so you transfer what you’ll need into a smaller bag. Remember, there’s a reason you carry around a big purse – you’ll eventually need everything in it! Make sure you’re taking everything you need, including license, passport if necessary, plane tickets, itineraries, destination contact information, and the name of your hotel. A lot of this you can store in your smart phone, but don’t forget to bring all of your travel information so you’re not stranded at the airport saying to yourself, “what now?”
Money
Another seemingly obvious packing item, but how much money do you bring? Do you bring credit cards or cash? What if your destination has different currency? In my opinion, cash is king. You can’t tip taxi drivers or shuttle bus drivers with a credit card, so make sure you always have a few extra dollars for unexpected expenses, like tips, convenience store trips, or vending machines.
If you’re going to bring a credit card, consider a card with 0% foreign transaction fees, like Capital One. Avoid exchange fees by bringing a debit card and taking money out of an ATM (Charles Schwab doesn’t charge foreign fees with their debit card). If you’re traveling within your own country, cash and credit is probably your best bet so you’re not stranded, but a little cash is always necessary.
A great way to store money and other things you want to hide from prying eyes and thieving hands is with the Travel Bra, which has a passport holder, credit card slot, and pockets in the cups for storing cash. I haven’t tried this myself yet but it seems like a great idea! Guys, don’t feel left out: they also have Travel Trunks to keep your valuables safe. The Travel Bra is offering a 10 percent discount on any order with code: Lyssie10.
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Toiletries
Many hotels offer complimentary toiletries, but my fellow long-haired girls probably agree that those mini conditioner bottles are never enough. Some hotels provide shampoo but not conditioner, and there’s no way I can wash and comb through this mop without conditioning it. Most hostels and B&Bs don’t provide any toiletries.
The one thing I learned from my travels is to always bring your own. You’re comfortable with it, you know how your hair and body will respond to it, and your guaranteed to have it. If you’re checking a bag, put the bottles in a big ziplock bag….maybe 2 to double prevent spilling. If you’re just carrying on a backpack, any drugstore sells three-ounce travel-size bottles that you can fill with your own shampoo and conditioner and it will last one person a few days (or a few people one or two days). Don’t forget toothpaste, bar soap and a comb!
Backpack
An overnight trip is easiest with just a backpack. Even a weekend trip can be done with just a backpack. Backpacks are easy to carry around, easy to store, and don’t cost extra on bargain airlines. I learned that a backpack is better than any other carry-able luggage when traveling the world. The NeatPack backpack is a lightweight, breathable, comfortable, easy backpack with lots of pockets to hold all your belongings. I’ve tried this backpack myself and definitely recommend it (see my review video on YouTube for more details). Definitely a good choice for traveling light!
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Skyroam Solis
Skyroam Solis is a global 4G LTE hotspot and power bank to charge while you go. Not only can you connect your phone, you can also connect a laptop, tablet, GoPro, or any other device with the 6000 mAh power bank. That means you can charge and use global WiFi on all of your devices! There’s nothing like being connected to the rest of the world no matter where you’re traveling. Great for gps while driving, uploading beautiful pictures to Instagram, or texting mom to let her know everything is okay. Never worry about roaming charges again!
Get 10% off your Skyroam Solis here (or use code SHEWENTTOSPAIN)
Optional Travel Accessories
S’well Water bottle
You can’t bring liquids on a plane, but you can bring an empty water bottle on a plane. After security, you can fill up at an airport water fountain or bar to stay hydrated during flights without having to call over the flight attendant.
The thing about S’well is that is keeps cold liquids cold for 24 hours and hot liquids hot for 12 hours. The insulation keeps it from sweating and really works! I was a plastic water bottle fan myself but I kept seeing S’well water bottles and finally received one as a Christmas gift. Now, I can’t live without it! I take it while traveling and it’s perfect for keeping water, soda, tea, beer, and wine cold (or hot if it’s tea). This is the best water bottle I’ve ever had for travel…and for life in general. Great for flights and trips!
Extra fold-up bag
You can use an extra bag, plastic or cloth, for dirty laundry to keep it away from your clean, fresh clothes, for souvenirs, for an excursion or picnic during your vacation, or anything else. Extra bags are always useful even if you can’t imagine how until you need it. If you’re thinking laundry, consider a vacuum-seal storage bag to save space!
Neck pillow
This is a luxury that you don’t appreciate until you have one. Sleeping on long flights is exhausting and usually doesn’t work. Trying to sleep while sitting upright or on a lumpy backpack on a plane tray table leaves you more tired than rested. A neck pillow makes plane sleeping more comfortable, but also doubles as an extra pillow in a hotel room that is lacking fluffy pillows. I put my neck pillow under my flat single hostel pillow in Athens and the bed was so much more comfortable. Just remember to look under your pillows to grab your neck pillows before you leave the hotel!
Get a cheap, memory foam neck pillow here
Good book
Whether your flight is 2 hours or 12 hours, you’re probably going to get bored and antsy. Sometimes flights will show a movie on long flights, but that still only eats up three hours at the most. What to do with the rest of your time en route? You can really get lost in a good book. You won’t want to stop reading when the flight is over! This works out well for a beach trip because then you also have something to read on the beach. Old fashioned books are good to bring, and these days Kindles and Nooks allow you to store multiple books on a quarter-inch thick e-reader. With so many ways to bring your entertainment, there’s no reason for a boring plane ride anymore!
Of course everyone has a few personal things that they must bring, but in general, these are some of the most forgotten or wrongly packed things for trips. It’s hard to think ahead of the nitty-gritty details when you’re excited for what’s to come, but you’ll be kicking yourself if you forget to pack essentials in your excitement. Remember to focus on where you’re going, what you’ll need in a place like that, and that weather can change drastically no matter where you’re going.
If you have any other ideas for essential packing items, please let me know in the comments below – I’m constantly updating my travel packing list!
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P.S. You might also like 11 Travel Faux Pas to Avoid and 10 Apps That Make Traveling Easier
If you buy a Travel Bra using my code, I will make a small commission on your purchase but it doesn’t change the price for you. I also included some Amazon.com links which will pay me a small commission if you buy products off my link but again, this doesn’t change your purchase price. So why not help a girl out and click my links?! 🙂