If you are planning to travel, whether it be domestically, internationally, for business or pleasure; it’s important to pack useful things. Outside of the basics like clothing and toiletries you might have at home, you might have to buy a few things before you go…some things you might not have even considered.
Below I have complied a list of 20 useful items that might make your trip a lot easier! Some of these might sound basic but you won’t believe how many people forget the simplest items! Plan ahead and get these items for the big travel day!
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1. Plug adapter
For this item, you should be sure to find out what type of plugs are being used. Different plug types are used in different regions of the world, so your plug might not work in the country you are visiting. Plug adapters can be useful to fix this, by simply plugging into the end of your cord and they come in all shapes and sizes. Here are some links to a few different plug adapters that will help you with this:
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2. Headphones
There is a lot of noise all around you, especially when you are traveling. And sometimes this can be a distraction or even an annoyance. So if you are waiting in an airport, on a plane or some form of public transportation, it might be good to drown out that noise with something else. Headphones can be used with any compatible device. It can be difficult to find the best ones or ones that will work for you. I myself prefer wireless noise-cancelling ones for their comfort. Here are some options to consider:
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3. Neck Pillow
A sore neck is the last thing anyone wants, especially on a relaxing vacation. Since most plane seats are not exactly the pinnacle of comfort, a neck pillow can help you feel better and take it easy. There are many different types of neck pillows to choose from; some with smooth covers, some with warmer covers and more! Here are a few options to look at, for your neck pillow needs:
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4. Water Bottle
This might be an easy one to overlook, as it is something that seems obvious. But a lot of places either do not have easy access to water or just might not have access at all (i.e. hiking trails, desert excursions, etc.). So it can be really important to take water with you, and have it readily available in a water bottle. Several varieties of water bottles are out there, from collapsible to stainless steel. collapsible bottles are useful for saving space in your luggage, on the other hand, stainless steel ones are great for keeping the temperature of the liquids for long periods of time (cold and hot). Check out these options:
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5. Eye Mask
Eye are especially useful during your overnight flights or any flight, as you can’t control the lights around you. And with jet lag being a thing, you might not be able to just sleep at your hotel and you might need to sleep before that. Another use for eye masks would be if you were traveling to countries where they experience the midnight sun phenomenon during the summer season. Some of the hotels in these regions do not have good blackout curtains and you can be woken up by the sun when you don’t want to be (this can happen in hotels in other regions as well). So be sure to get an eye mask to keep that light out of your eyes and allow you to get some restful, peaceful sleep without any interruptions (at least from light). A few options for eye masks are below:
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6. Portable Bidet
Using toilet paper is not as sanitary of an option as a bidet, so having a portable bidet around with you can actually keep you cleaner while on vacation! Coming from Qatar myself, a country that uses bidets for cleaning one self, I find it necessary to mention this item in here. You could find many useful options from battery powered to chargeable to manual. Be sure to choose one that works best for you!
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7. Packing Cubes
Lots of people try different methods to pack their clothes: Rolling them, folding them up, or even just stuffing them in the suitcase as best as they can. But something that can help with this are packing cubes! These comes in different varieties, including types that attach to a vacuum cleaner in order to suck out the excess air and make them even smaller! It’s amazing just how much space you can save by simply putting clothes into these cubes and making them flat! Another useful way to minimize space taken up in your suitcase is to roll your clothes inside the packing cubes. That way you can find a specific item of clothing easily by sorting them into these packing cubes (and avoid creasing too!). Here are some to consider:
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8. Travel Laundry Bag
After a few days of traveling, you’d have some dirty laundry and sometimes you won’t find a laundry bag available at the hotel you’re staying at and you definitely don’t want to mix them up with your clean clothes. Since it might be a hassle to pack extra cubes (especially ones that require a vacuum cleaner when you are away from home and unable to reseal them that way); the best solution would be a separate bag…in this case, a travel laundry bag! Finding the right sized one for your needs would depend upon how many people’s laundry is going into the bag and how many articles of clothing are going into it as well. See some good options to choose from below:
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9. Tech Organizer
Traveling nowadays involves social media. Whether that be posting to Instagram with your travel photos (like myself), posting about it to your friends and family with things like Twitter or Facebook, or just keeping those memories for yourself on your camera or laptop; you’re going to have a lot of cords for all of those electronic devices and their chargers! To be sure you keep everything from getting tangled into a frustrating mess, be sure to get some wire organizers (also called cord organizers). Here are some of my picks:
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10. Power Bank
And to go with that tech organizer, you can get something to act as a charger on-the-go: A power bank! These come in all different sizes, power outputs, and shapes. Useful for USB devices and for regular plugs; these will of course need to be charged up before you first use them on-the-go, but will last a long time while you are out and about! Some of my picks can be found below. These are very useful and come in handy…they can even be a lifesaver if you can’t find somewhere to charge your phone or forgot to charge it!
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11. Amazon Kindle
While there are a lot of different ways to keep yourself entertained on a long flight that doesn’t have in-flight entertainment (like listening to music, watching videos on your phone, watching out the window of the plane, etc.), sometimes that is not enough or even not an option. So I recommend bringing something to read with you…but since books are big and bulky and take up a lot of space, an eReader is the best option. The one I use is Amazon Kindle, which has a few different types like the Amazon Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, and Kindle Oasis. Take a look at them and see if they work for you!
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12. TSA Approved Lock
Your bag contains everything you need for your trip…so protecting it is a must! So getting a travel lock is something that will help keep someone from prying into your belongings at the airport before you get to the carousel to get your bag, or keep those housekeeping people from snooping around as well. But the TSA is also something to consider: Not just any lock will do. If it’s one they can’t get into, they might just cut it off in order to check your bag; meaning you wasted all that time, effort and money on an inferior lock. So here are some TSA approved locks to use:
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13. Luggage Tags
In addition to the TSA approved lock in the aforementioned part, you can also be sure to protect your bags with luggage tags. These are simple tags that strap onto the handles of your suitcase and gives your emergency contact information (or just your name…it is up to you how much you fill it out). You could just pick any old tag, but you want to get one that stands out and is easily identifiable as yours. Getting one that looks good is essential, and I am here to help with that. Here are a few to look at:
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14. Anti-Theft Bags
Luggage is not the only thing that can be stolen: Your handbag can be too! Pickpockets are notorious around a lot of major cities across the globe like Paris and Barcelona and you could fall victim to one if you are not careful! One of the best protections against this kind of theft is an anti-theft bag. It can be worn across the shoulder, on your back as a backpack or even across your body. I myself don’t travel without one and I can feel rest assured every time I go out and about. Here are a few to consider:
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15. A Useful Toiletry Bag
While you might have a lot of your basic toiletries at home already (toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, etc.); you might not have a place to keep them. Hopefully you have already gotten them in small “travel-sized” bottles, but even those can leak; covering all of your stuff with gross, hard-to-clean goo. So putting your toiletries into a separate bag is the best solution to protect your other items. But not just any bag will do: It has to be one that is fully sealable and leak-proof. I prefer getting the ones that come with a hook so you can hang it on the door for easy access. Here are some below that fit the bill:
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16. Bug Repellent
Now this one might seem a bit farfetched. But trust me, if you go to places like Iceland in the summer and see one of their majestic waterfalls or Japan, chances are you’ll also see a ton of annoying bugs and mosquitos buzzing around your face as well! So if you are going to a place that is notorious for insects (even if just in certain areas), it’s a good idea to pack some bug repellent to keep them away. Here’s a few good brands to think about for your trip:
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17. First Aid Kit
Injuries on trips are not something anyone plans for, but can be something that ruins a vacation fast! And you might not be close to a hospital, and chances are you probably don’t fall under their health care system either. While this won’t help with anything major, first aid kits can be quite useful for those smaller injuries that could otherwise ruin a perfect vacation! Be sure to give these a lookover:
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18. Luggage Scale
Airlines are infamous now for charging a premium for any bag that is overweight! It can quickly add up to hundreds; taking away from your spending money for your trip and put you in a position you don’t wanna be in! Don’t fall into this trap! Be sure to check the weight of your bags before you leave, and make sure it falls within the guidelines set by your airline and seating of choice (usually business and first class get better options for luggage than economy). Here are a few items to help with that at home:
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19. Pocket-Sized Travel Blanket
This is an item I came across one day online and thought it would be useful for anyone planning to go on a picnic in parks, beaches or in nature areas. This one is so small, it can fit in your pocket and save you the hassle of carrying a bulky blanket with you. They can have special features like being sand-proof or waterproof and they can also come with corner loops and stakes to secure it for those windy days at the beach! Some options are below:
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20. Travel Tripod
If you are a photographer like myself, or just want to be sure to get that perfect shot, a steady hand might not be enough. Sometimes you need a tripod; something to keep the camera stable and give you that crisp, clean image you desire! A tripod is mainly used for when you want to take long exposure photos. While there are a ton of them out there; here are some of my favorites! I hope you can find one that best fits you and your camera needs!
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