Travel Essentials
My husband and I do a lot of traveling. We currently live in Texas, and most of our family live in different states: Arizona, New Mexico, North Carolina, and I’m constantly anticipating a surprise text from my younger sister telling me she moved to California or New York or Hawaii or the moon lol. We’ve also been lucky enough to vacation in some pretty cool places. So we travel- and we like doing it!
Long flights are my favorite because I can be productive on the plane. But J and I also love the 8 hour road trip to our hometown because we treat it like hangout time. Both of these kinds of long travel require preparation, and I can honestly say I’ve mastered our essentials list because of how many times I’ve had to prep. In turn, its made our short travel more convenient as well. To be clear, this is different from travel tips, which I definitely plan on writing about soon (I’ll come back and link it for you when it’s up). This is also different from the obvious things one would pack like snacks, weather-appropriate clothes, books or an ipad, etc.
So whether you are taking a short or long-term trip, or going by plane, train, or car, here’s what I think you should bring:
I probably own 10 different charging adapters and they’re all great, but the car charger adapter and the universal wall plug are the most clutch. For example, most airplanes have USB plugins, but I’ve encountered some that only have the wall outlet or the big round car charger port. You can also obviously use the car charger in your car BUT for road trips I highly recommend getting a car port with a standard wall plug in like this one. The universal wall adapter is self explanatory, and it does end up saving you money on adapters if you travel out of the country every few years.
I prefer the silk or satin sleep masks with the padding around the eyes in case you’re wearing eye makeup.
These are especially nice for LONG travel days (6+ hours). Throwing a pair of these on before a drive or flight prevents your feet and legs from swelling or aching.
Sanitizing spray or wipes
In a post-pandemic world, these are obvious. I like to make my own little travel cleaning spray using the Mrs. Meyers concentrate because I trust the brand, I like the smells, and I can refill my little glass spray bottle. Clean, eco-conscious, and I don’t have to sit in an environment that smells super chemically.
Scarf, shawl, or small blanket (not a jacket)
The reason I specify “not a jacket” is because in a car- and especially on a plane- it is inconvenient and annoying (to you and the people sitting next to you) to take on and off a jacket multiple times during a long trip in such a tight space. I prefer a large foldable scarf or shawl because it becomes hands free when walking through an airport, and can easily be used as a blanket when unfolded. This cashmere shawl is on my Christmas list!
Lap pillow like this one
Sure, traditional neck pillows are fine. But I find them to be outdated, uncomfortable, and a huge waste of valuable space. I always recommend this very specific pillow for 3 reasons: it’s easy to inflate/deflate so it saves a ton of room, the various holes allow airflow and make it comfortable to sleep leaning forward or to the side, and those same face and arm holes make it possible to comfortably watch a movie or show on your phone below.
I once heard Emma Watson say in an interview that she puts these Zicam swabs in her nose before every flight to prevent a cold and my sister and I have done it ever since! Again, in a post-pandemic world you can never be too careful. If I’m on a flight, I’ll usually also be wearing a mask.
Hand sunscreen
10 years ago when I entered my skincare era, I read an article (Into The Gloss maybe…?) about how your hands are just as likely to show sun damage as your face, or something along those lines. In the article, they listed a bunch of different sunscreens specifically made for your hands, which by this point I did not know existed. Ever since, I’ve kept a bottle in my purse or in my grab & go travel bag. Side note- this one can get tricky to remember to bring with you because you cannot keep this in your car. I know from experience that the product separates in the heat or worse, the bottle bursts. Another side note- this brand is the only one I’ve found that doesn’t leave an uncomfy film on your hands
Noise-canceling wireless earbuds and a backup pair of wired headphones
Self explanatory. The backup pair is for when your wireless ones inevitably die and you simply cannot survive the rest of your international flight without finishing that podcast.
Once I learned what polarized sunglasses were, I stopped understanding why anyone would make anything else. Standard sunglasses are literally just for show and do nothing to protect your eyes. Polarized lenses are ESSENTIAL, but especially during long road trips.
A slim, purse size power bank is second only to the adapters- you’ll need this when you don’t have access to a charge! A power bank becomes a necessity not just when you are traveling, but when you get to your destination. You really don’t want to be stopping to plug your phone into a wall when you’re out and about, so being able to charge it in your bag is top tier convenience.
Travel size tissues/napkins and wet wipes
You’ll need skin-safe wet wipes and tissues for both car and plane rides. Reasons for the wet wipes: sticky hands or face after eating, emergency bathroom breaks on the road, smelly armpits, etc. Reasons for the tissues/napkins: coughs, sneezes, spills, etc.
Various medicine
Self explanatory, I get a headache almost every time I travel. And having Dramamine on deck will make you popular when traveling with a group lol. I like the small pill organizers and I label each compartment for what the medicine is instead of separating them by days.
Ah, yes, nail clippers. Better known as the tiny cutting tool that TSA will allow through security. I’ve used nail clippers to cut a rogue eyebrow hair, to get a tag or loose thread off clothes, to open a container I couldn’t do open my hands or teeth, to clip a broken nail, the list is endless. Tweezers are just as handy.
Hydrating eye drops or travel size saline solution
I don’t wear contacts but I do tend to fall victim to the in-flight dry eye. My husband wears contacts so I keep saline around, but either will do!
Aquaphor or Vaseline
If I forget this at home, I will literally stop at a gas station or a kiosk in the airport to get some. Aquaphor replaces a lot of products that take up space in my travel bag: lotion, lip balm, eyebrow gel, face moisturizer, cuticle oil, eye makeup remover, even hair gel if I’m wearing a slick style. To be clear, I don’t recommend slathering this all over your face if you have acne prone skin. I do however put it around my eyes, under my nose, on my lips and all over my neck to prevent dryness.
Potential essential: I’ve been eyeballing travel wallets for a minute now. I haven’t tried one yet, but have read about how essential they are to other people. As a lover of oversized purses, I tend to throw things in my bag that I should really keep organized and handy- like my passport, phone, boarding pass, credit cards and ID. If and when I get a travel wallet, I’ll let you know if it makes the essential list!
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