On every trip I go on, I always forget at least one necessary item. There are so many packing guides out there, this is not one of them. This is just the list of things that you didn’t know you needed until you actually had them. Not necessarily necessities, just things that have made my travel life a whole lot easier and I just want to share my packing secrets with you!
The issue while packing is always space and weight.
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A THIN FABRIC TOWEL
No matter where in the world you’re going, you’ll be happy to bring a towel with you. A fabric towel, like one from SandCloud is extremely useful because it is thin enough that it will dry quickly and it will take up minimal space in your bag (and they happen to be super cute).
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PACKING DIVIDERS
I didn’t hop on the packing divider train until fairly recently but they truly are a lifesaver! I got a set from Amazon that was inexpensive and came in a great variety of sizes. Not only did they make packing and unpacking 100x easier, I could actually find everything in my suitcase without having to dig! They’re now a necessity for me!
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A 7 DAY PILL CONTAINER
No one wants to feel sick while traveling. One thing I always always do is bring a 7 day pill container with a variety of pills for any emergency.
The pills I always make sure to bring are Excedrin (i’m prone to headaches), Dramamine (you may not need it but someone you’re traveling with might. better safe than sorry), probiotics (seriously helps with any worry you may have for getting sick from the local food and water), ibuprofen or Advil (general pains), a sleep aid like melatonin (nothing is worse than missing sleep due to a new environment), and TUMS (tummy problems are very common while traveling)
Travel buddies always call me “mom” while traveling because of this tip but they’re always extremely grateful. At some point or another EVERYONE will need one of these things. Because you have them on hand, you won’t have to pay for the exorbitantly overpriced pills that they sell in hotels or tourist areas. Your wallet and friends will thank you every time.
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SANITARY WIPES
You will be very glad you brought them. Long travel days always leave me feeling gross. Sanitary wipes will help you feel freshened up no matter where you are. They are particularly useful when you’re in a town or country with minimal running/clean water.
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A PORTABLE SPEAKER
This one isn’t a necessity but I am always glad when I bring it along! The speaker I bring is the Bose Mini Soundlink. Any portable speaker that is relatively small and water resistant would do the trick! Having the option to listen t music on the beach or in your hotel room makes such a difference.
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AN OVERSIZED TOTE
In more cases than one, I have needed a dinky bag to carry all of my stuff and a purse isn’t enough. I always always bring a thin fabric bag with me on any trip I go on. This can act as a beach bag, a shopping bag, or a bag to carry anything you may need. The best thing for me has always been one of those Free People bags that you get after shopping there. It is free (with any purchase at their store), VERY compact, and essentially weightless. Any canvas bag will also do the trick! Bonus: this is also very environmentally friendly because you will not have a need for shopping bags!
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TEA BAGS
Extremely small, extremely lightweight, will save you a solid amount of money while traveling if you’re a tea/caffeine junky like me. my favorite brand right now is Bon Temps because of their great variety of flavors, gorgeous packaging, and incredible support for and focus on women!
