My Travel Essentials
/When it comes to traveling, I like to keep things as simple and organized as possible. There is nothing I hate more than being unable to find what I packed, being unable to carry everything I need to bring, and not knowing where to put things. Last year, I decided to update my travel essentials to make my trips so much easier and it was worth every penny. These are items you can use for every single trip, year after year. I felt so organized that I knew I had to share everything with you just as travel season is upon us again.
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Packing Cubes- I recently upgraded to these packing cubes and for the first time ever, my bag actually had some space! I used 3 cubes plus my beauty bag, and I had room to spare. It was pretty amazing. I also love that they’re neutral colored, and you can always use iron-on vinyl to label them. These come with so many sizes, including a shoe bag, a hanging toiletry bag, and a small pouch.
Clear Pouches- These are essential for air travel, since you need a quart size bag for liquids. I find that this one is a little bit more structured and reusable, which I prefer. It’s perfect for placing your phone inside at the beach to prevent sand, or for carrying snacks as you go.
Mini Bottles- I love these silicon bottles because you can get every last drop out of them, which I didn’t find to be true with the plastic bottles I was using before. Plus, they’re reusable which is perfect for avid travelers, and way more economical than purchasing travel size containers of shampoo, conditioner, mouthwash, etc.
Sunglasses Case- I purchased these soft sunglasses cases after I scratched my husband’s glasses by placing them in my bag unprotected at Disney World. Whoops! This time, I went prepared and had this soft case, which takes up almost no space and kept my glasses safe for the whole trip.
Travel Backpack- This is probably my favorite travel update that I made, and I highly recommend this backpack to anyone that commutes or flies! It held so much stuff- my laptop, charger, water bottle, purse, sweater, a blanket scarf for the flight. You name it, I had it in there and it was perfect. Plus, it has a strap in the back which connects to your luggage handle for easy pulling without it falling off. And, you can connect your portable battery to charge on the go.
Portable Battery Pack- There can never be enough power when you’re on the go, snapping pics and texting family back home. I like to carry this portable battery with me. It’s not the lightest but it does hold a lot of charge, which is prefect for charging multiple devices. I bought this when we went to Disney, and it helped me charge my phone while waiting on rides with bored kiddos.
Beauty Pouch- After years of using this hanging toiletries organizer, I recently switched to a zippered pouch that opens up. It holds a lot and really doesn’t take up much space, which I can’t say for my previous toiletry bag!
Jewelry Pouches- My prior approach to traveling with jewelry was wrapping them in tissues and placing them in my bag. Not the best approach- they could be mistaken for ... you know, snots.. and end up thrown away. This time, I got some cute little pouches to hold my earrings. The pouch is faux suede with a clear window so that you can see what’s inside. The pack comes with 6 which is perfect for a short trip.
Mini Hair Brush- I found this brush to be the perfect size and the open style means it won’t get full of hair and gross.
Laptop Case- I recently upgraded my laptop to a MacBook Air 11 inch, which was way smaller than my old 15 inch. So, I needed a better case that would offer better protection. I love how classy this one looks, plus it comes with a small pouch for your charger. I used it to carry my camera, which I love to bring when I travel!
Mirrorless Camera- Mirrorless cameras are great because you have all the perks of a fancy DSLR but the “see it as it will shoot” viewfinder you might remember from typical digital cameras. This means that you can see exactly what the shot will look like as you shoot it, in real time. It has a vari-angle touchscreen that shows your images and lets you “click” the focus point. I have the older model of this camera, and bring it on all my trips. PS- also purchase an extra battery to ensure you’re always fully charged up!
Memory Cards- You can never have too many memory cards in my opinion. I like to use 32 GB cards because it holds just enough photos without getting confusing. And, I like to keep 2 or 3 in my travel bag to ensure I have enough memory for the entire trip.
Toothbrush Covers- This is a silly little one, but no one wants a dirty toothbrush so it’s a necessity. I purchased this 4-pack and had enough for the whole family. Nothing much to say about this, but it stayed clipped to my toothbrush and didn't take up a lot of space which is all you can ask for.
Sunglasses- These sunglasses are great. They’re strong but affordable, making them perfect for travel if you don’t want to ruin/lose fancy designer sunglasses you might own. I use these everyday in my car and they are awesome. They’re polarized so you can actually see the world, and the lens color isn’t too crazy.
And there you have it! My top picks for travel to keep you organized while still looking really good. We’re going on a trip in late July and I’m soooo excited to pack up my stuff and go! We’ll be hitting the water parks, so I’m going to have another list with my Water Park Essentials coming soon, along with some other lists of my fave items! Be sure to follow me on Instagram to see all the newest posts.
