When I was a beginner traveler, I made many mistakes while packing. Sometimes it was a silly mistake like forgetting to take extra socks; sometimes, it was a major mistake not to take an extra bank card. The worst mistake is forgetting your phone without which you will have no idea about many things, let alone play mobile games like Intertops Casino bonus for entertainment when you feel bored.
It takes skill and real-life experience to pack a carry-on bag properly. Or an excess to comprehensive travel essential guide like this one. Lucky you! Today I will be giving you a list of 23 travel essentials you must carry when you go on vacation. A quick tip: If you have a layover or a couple of hours before check-in or after check-out at your Airbnb or hotel, consider using luggage storage. Say goodbye to dreadful walks around the city with heavy luggage; Nannybag stores bags, suitcases, and more for as little as £6!
When you pack for vacation or leisure, the rule of thumb is to pack only important things. Now, what are the important things might be? I will tell you in the list below.
1. Passport
Yeap, that’s right! Your passport should be one of the most important things you pack. If you are traveling within Europe as an EU citizen, usually an ID or driver’s license is all it takes to travel. But some airlines require you to see your passport. If you get into any trouble, a passport comes in real handy in those situations.
If you go to a country that doesn’t require a passport, like Bhutan, I still highly recommend carrying your passport. Your passport is a strong document that can help in many circumstances.
You should check if the passport is valid or not before travel. It is safe to have 6 months before it expires.
So next time you travel, before you put your foot out the door, check to see if you have your passport or not. This small little document will have your back in a foreign land.
2. Use Packing Cube
For a luxury trip, packing cubes is like a must-have. You can use one cube for regular clothes, one for workout clothes, one for fancy clothes, and so on. Packing cubes makes it so much more organized when you have a lot of luggage. If you plan to travel between destinations on the same trip, packing cubes will make it easier.
3. Travel pillow
When traveling, you should not expect to have a proper environment to sleep like a bed and pillow every time. Sometimes you have to sleep on the go or whenever you get a chance to sleep. That’s why travel pillows are so essential for travel. Suppose a traditional U-shaped travel pillow is not your thing. Then you can try a Trtl pillow or infinity pillow. These are quite new and unique; pick one which goes with your style.
I highly recommend buying a travel pillow beforehand. Try to avoid buying an overpriced airport travel pillow or anything in general from the airport. It doesn’t make sense to pay so much extra to buy things because you are buying Them from the airport.
4. On The Go Detergent
I carry a small container of laundry detergent when I travel. I hand wash my clothes in the sink. This also motivates me to bring less and only important clothes. My backpack became much lighter, all thanks to this habit. So give this tip a try; it’s sure worth it. Something like Tide’s travel sink wash packets works great for this.
5. Underwear
Remember to pack enough underwear for your travel. You can get away by wearing the same clothes for a few days but not underwear. You have to wear fresh underwear to keep your mind fresh and avoid any nasty private area illness.
It’s a good idea to take 1 or 2 extra underwear. You can wash underwear in the sink; it is quite easy.
6. Socks
Socks are important because they protect your feet from rubbing against your shoes. You have to wear fresh socks every other day to stay physically and mentally fresh. I recommend packing thick socks when you travel to any cold place. Socks get easily torn, so always pack a few extra socks to be safe.
7. A Thin Bag
Pack a small thin bag. It could be a plastic bag or something else. You can use this bag to separate dirty cloths to clean cloths so that they don’t get mixed up. It is thin and small; as a result, it will take next to no space.
8. Headphone
You can choose earphones as they are small and travel-friendly or Bluetooth headphones that look cool on you. Headphones help you pass idle time and make you feel relaxed. You can use headphones while cooking for yourself, hiking, walking long distances,s or long travel. Music makes anything better. Music will surely enhance your experience and the stuff you enjoy on your trip.
9. Binder Clips
Blinder clips are such a small and lightweight, useful thing that many travelers don’t understand its importance. When you wash your clothes your self how will you dry them? You can use binder clips to dry them off the air for free. No need to pay extra to use the clothes dryer service.
You can use them for multiple purposes. Like using them to hold broken luggage straps together, keeping important papers together, closing bags, and much more. I always pack a few binder clips when I travel.
10. Cloths
Do your research of the place where you are going. If it is a cold place, take some cloth with warm layers; if it’s a relatively hot place, take more cloth with light layers. Don’t take a lot of top fancy cloth which are not comfortable to wear. Simple, comfortable, easy to clean clothes should be your priority.
Don’t forget about pj’s. It would be best if you had pajamas at night for a comfortable and relaxed sleep. I take 2 pairs of pj’s. You can take more or less depending on your habit, actually.
11. Eye Mask
As I said before, you might not get the most desirable place or situation to get a good sleep. That’s where an eye mask can come in real handy. It doesn’t take much space and can help you fall asleep.
12. Waterproof Mac
If you are going to a rainy place or a place where weather is unpredictable such as Europe, then a waterproof mac (rain jacket) can protect you a lot. There are many lightweight, travel-friendly macs that you can pack and forget about your worry about rain.
13. Quality Walking Shoes
If you plan for a long trip or hiking, quality walking shoes are essential. You will have to walk more for a long trip, and for hiking, you definitely will be walking a lot. It would help if you had very comfortable walking shoes for this reason. Trust me; you don’t want to hurt your feet wearing uncomfortable fancy shoes while traveling.
I recommend wearing a bulkier shoe at the airport; this can save space in your luggage.
14. Sleeping Bag
Traveling almost never goes as planned. You will face circumstances or do things that you didn’t plan to. That is why keeping a sleeping bag can be a clever idea even if you don’t plan to use it. A sleeping bag is great for people a bit germophobe. They don’t want to sleep in random places; only a personal sleeping bag can help them to sleep. Sleeping bags are easy to pack and easy to use inside tents or hostels.
You might stay at a not-so-clean hotel for reasons; then, a sleeping bag will save you from sleeping dirty, oily, tainted beds of those hotels.
15. Small Travel-Friendly Fan
If you are going to a hot place or a place that is celebrating summer, then a small mini battery-operated fan can help you cool off. If you are not used to hot weather, your journey might get hectic. Most local transport doesn’t have AC or any cooling system in third-world countries. If you have a mini fan with you, you can use that and get rid of the extra heat, even if just by a little.
This tip is not applicable if you travel to any cold place or country.
16. Medicine
By basic medicine, I meant pain killers, tablets for allergy and headache, and so on. These common problems or health issues can occur at any time at any place. Depending on where you are, you might not have access to any medical supply store. That’s why keeping these basic medicines is highly recommended while traveling.
17. Ear Plugs
You might not find a quiet place to sleep at night. Earplugs can help reduce or mute any unnecessary sound for you. I have slept in many noisy places, so trust me when I say a simple thing like an earplug can provide you with a sound sleep at night.
18. Towel
A towel is quite important. Do not pack your regular thick towel; they will take a lot of space. Get yourself a travel-friendly towel, like a microfiber towel. Microfiber towels are thin and travel-friendly. Hostels don’t provide towels, and if you stay in any other place than a hotel, then you will need your own towel.
19. Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Floss
Take mini travel-friendly toothpaste and brush with you. Without brushing your teeth a day, you won’t feel fresh. And floss doesn’t take much space, yet floss is quite important for your oral hygiene.
20. Shaver & Nail Clippers
You don’t want to waste extra money by shaving at a barbershop in a foreign land. You can try a barbershop out to get a different experience, but you need a shaver if you plan for a long trip. A beard trimmer or scissor or razor, whatever you prefer to use, pack it.
Our nail grows every day. So taking a nail clipper with you is not a bad idea.
21. Vaseline
Changing the air as you go to a place with different weather and environments might affect your skin condition. Your skin might get dry, and your lips might get cracked up. That is why carrying a mini vaseline can be a good idea.
22. Travel Charger
Travel charger or portable charger can get your phone charged up on the go. While you are hiking or on a boat, you might not get access to electricity. A portable charger a power bank can save change up your phone. We are highly dependent on our phones, and it is quite important too. That’s why making sure your phone doesn’t die off from the low battery. Keeping a travel charger can be a good idea.
23. Travel Wallet
You will take more or less stuff than you regularly take on your wallet when you travel. So a regular wallet might not get your job done. Travel wallets are specially designed to carry passports, important papers, tickets, hotel keys, and more. So getting yourself a travel wallet and using it can help you organize many tasks.
Conclusion
These 23 travel essentials you must carry with you when you go on vacation, and this list is made from my personal experience. I have tested each and every one of them out before recommending them to you. I got years of traveling experience, and I try to travel at least once every 4 months. Feel free to experiment with this list, add or exclude according to your need.
