Travel Essentials

After doing a ton of traveling in the last couple of years and lots of international travel in the past year, there are a few items that I now never travel without. I admit, I used to be an over packer, but now I almost exclusively only use a carryon suitcase and one carryon messenger bag, that doubles as a purse once I’m at my destination. A big part of the slimming down of my suitcase has to do with only bringing the items I know I’ll use and wear.

seven items I never travel without

1. Passport holder wallet – this wallet is large enough to hold a passport, multiple credit cards, and cash. My favorite feature has got to me the tiny SIM card pocket, which is handy when you’re traveling abroad and need to swap out your phone’s SIM card. It’s RFID blocking too.
2. Hanging toiletry bag – toiletries have always been the items that take up the most space in my suitcase. I now only bring this bag that’s large enough to hold everything I need but also small enough that I can carry it with me when I’m in an airport lounge.
3. Travel umbrella – always a must even if blue skies are in the forecast! This one is one of the smallest models I’ve even seen.
4. Odor eliminator spray – since I almost always wear many clothing items multiple times, a couple mists of this spray really help remove any odors on clothing without adding a perfumey scent.
5. Deodorant removing sponges – these things work like magic! Perfect for removing deodorant on dark clothing. I’ve found they also remove toothpaste stains pretty well too.
6. Timbuk2 Sutro messenger bag – this bag looks pretty plain but it’s now my go-to travel bag. It’s loaded with tons of pockets and even has a padded sleeve that fits a 12″ Macbook perfectly. It also has a back pocket that fits and iPad Air too. My favorite feature are the two interior mesh pockets—I use one to hold a water bottle and the other to hold my sunglasses case.
8. Suitcase bag bungee – this simple looking instantly frees up your hands. It attaches to a roller-bag and can be used to hold another bag on top. I’ve also used then for holding my heavy winter coat on top of my bag too.