Traveling can be exciting with many unforgettable memories ready to be made and activities to be had. To ensure you have a stress-free and comfortable trip without the worries of not having the important things with you when abroad then there are a few things that you shouldn’t travel without.
In this article, we will talk about some must-haves when traveling. Whether you’re looking for a Summer holiday packing list or one for the colder months, below is a good checklist of what to bring.
What are some must-haves when traveling?
Your travel documents: First and foremost it is essential to keep all your travel documents organised and in one place so you know exactly where all the important bits and pieces are located. This includes things like your passport, visa if it’s needed, travel insurance, and any other necessary documents. This ensures you’re not left scrambling to look for these documents when anything unexpected pops up.
We think a travel document holder is perfect in this situation as it does everything you’d need it to in relation to the above. This is one travel document holder that is highly rated:
Money: When travelling, it could be useful to carry cash with you just in case of an emergency or if for some reason the places you visit don’t accept your payment card.
Just so that you’re best prepared for any situation that may come up, make sure you carry a combination of local and foreign currency.
Electronics: We’ll talk more on this topic later on in this article, but essentially in this day and age electronic devices like mobile phones and Bluetooth earphones have become one of the more important things to bring along with you on your travels.
Make sure you remember to bring things like your phone, digital camera, laptop, and any other electronic devices you may need with you.
Along with the devices, remember to also bring a battery charger or two as well as the country-specific travel adapter. Depending on what devices you need earphones for the AirPods are a great choice for apple users:
If you’re not an Apple user then you can’t go wrong with a pair of these Sony WF-1000XM4’s:
Clothing: This ones very obvious but remember to not just bring an appropriate number of clothes but also bring the correct type of clothing for the weather ahead and the activities you have planned. Make sure to pack comfortable shoes and spare clothes just in case.
Toiletries: This is a very important entry for this list. Remember to bring a small travel bag with all the essential toiletries.
Important items to pack within your travel bag include your toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, shampoo, shower gel, and sunscreen (if the weather requires it). Other toiletry items that maybe aren’t as high a priority include items like deodorant, hair styling products, perfume, and moisturiser. Keep everything organised within your toiletry bag such as this popular one below:
What is the most forgotten item when travelling?
The most forgotten item when traveling is often the travel adapter.
Many travellers forget that the country you’re visiting may not have the electrical outlets you’re expecting as these may vary from country to country.
Without the appropriate adapter on you when travelling you won’t be able to charge your all-important electronic devices. Remember to always check the voltage and plug type in the country you’re going to prior to your visit to ensure you’re bringing the appropriate adapter. This will ensure your travels go more smoothly.
A travel adapter you could bring with you that is both popular and highly rated for international use is this one below:
Some other items that people tend to forget when traveling include a comfy travel pillow, a durable and reusable water bottle, and the all-important first aid kit.
Some of our top recommendations include the following.
A comfy travel pillow your neck will thank you for:
The trustworthy water bottle:
It is always a good idea to jot down everything you think you may need when travelling prior to packing your suitcases and bags. This would reduce the chance of forgetting all the important items you’d need to ensure a stress-free trip.
What other non-essential but all-important items should I bring to make my travels smoother?
As mentioned previously, travelling can be made up of both exciting and memorable experiences, but it can also be tiring and stressful if you don’t bring along the correct items.
That’s why in addition to the previously mentioned essential items above it can also be beneficial to bring with you some additional items that will make your holiday even more comfortable and enjoyable.
We’ll talk about these non-essential but all-important items, below:
Compact Travel Bag: A travel bag is highly recommended when you’re travelling because it provides a convenient and organised space to carry all of your essential bits and pieces.
The ideal travel bag to bring with you should be durable, lightweight, and have enough compartments to keep your items organised.
This way you’ll know exactly what you have and where it can be quickly located so that you’re not left frantically looking for it when it’s needed.
Travel Pillow: When going on a long-haul flight a travel pillow could be a life safer. It provides fantastic support for both your neck and head and makes it easier for you to get some much-needed rest. This would reduce the risk of developing neck pain and stiffness when on the flight.
A nagging pain in the neck is something we’ve all had at some point in our lives and it’s not something you want when travelling as it could potentially ruin your activities when abroad.
Luggage Tags: You won’t be sorry for having these handy little things attached to your suitcases and bags.
Luggage tags are really helpful in identifying your luggage so you wouldn’t need to worry about misplacing it when on your travels.
Remember to provide any necessary contact details on the tags to make it easier for someone to contact you if your luggage gets lost. You don’t need to buy just any old boring luggage tags, instead, you can get tags with funky colours or patterns.
But if you did decide on the more classic look, you can’t go wrong with this flexible and durable set of black tags:
Compression Socks: Compression socks can be very beneficial for your health, especially when it comes to long flights as these ingenious pieces of clothing are designed to improve blood circulation in your legs and help reduce the risk of getting blood clots.
Additionally, they can also help with other common issues like reducing swelling and fatigue in your legs.
Headphones: Going on a flight? Maybe you’re thinking of taking the train? Whatever mode of transport you’ll be taking to get you to your destination, putting on a pair of headphones is a great way to block out any unwanted noise on loud planes or trains.
Even if you weren’t looking to actively cancel out background noise, headphones are still a must-have to listen to your favourite music, catch up on your podcasts, or watch the latest shows.
Remember to get a pair of quality headphones as you wouldn’t want to get stuck with headphones that break as soon as you drop them. It’s personal preference but our go-to would be a pair of wireless active noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds like those from Apple or Sony:
Toiletry Bags: We find that a toiletry bag is absolutely essential if you want to keep all your personal hygiene items in one convenient place.
It’s also important to have all these items in an easily accessible location. Important toiletry items to hold within your toiletry bag include the following; toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, deodorant, and sunscreen. This is not an exhaustive list but some of the more common items that people generally pack when travelling.
Ear Plugs: This one isn’t a necessity, but earplugs can be a lifesaver if you were a light sleeper and struggled to sleep when you needed to.
Blocking out unwanted noise and getting a good night’s sleep is vitally important, especially when you’re travelling.
Sleep Mask: Are you one of those individuals who find it difficult to fall asleep quickly? Do you feel jealous of others who literally fall asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow? If you are then you should invest in a trusty sleep mask.
A good sleep mask can help block out unwanted light to help create the perfect environment to achieve a restful night’s sleep. This is very important if you need to recharge properly to get your energy levels up and ready for the next day’s holiday activities.
You don’t want to feel low on energy when travelling as you wouldn’t be able to make the most of the limited time abroad. So grab a pair of the below sleep masks today:
Travel Adapter: This one is an absolute must. One of the more commonly forgotten items when going on holiday, the travel adapter is an absolutely essential item to bring abroad for charging your electronic devices.
Your devices won’t make it very long without a top-up and these devices can be a lifesaver in sticky situations when travelling. Just make sure you bring the appropriate adapter for the country you are traveling to.
Better yet, invest in a universal adapter like the one below that’s perfect for any country you wish to visit:
Power Bank: Equally as important as the travel adapter, the power bank is an essential purchase that will keep all your electronic devices charged up and ready to go when you don’t have access to an electrical outlet.
Power banks can be especially helpful during long flights, bus rides, and even when walking around a new city when you realise you’re mobile phone is running dangerously low on battery. This power bank from Anker should do the job nicely, just make sure you have the correct cables to use with it:
Water Bottle: No matter what you’re doing, staying hydrated is so important in any holiday activity you may be doing, especially if you’re jetting off to a country with a hot climate.
Having a reusable water bottle that’s high quality and durable with you when travelling can help you stay hydrated and at the same time reduce your environmental impact. Win, win:
In conclusion, travelling can be a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experience so it is important to bring the necessary items along with you to ensure a comfortable and stress-free trip.
Make sure to pack all your priority items like your travel documents, money, medications, electronics, clothing, and toiletries. But also remember to bring the other items we spoke about above that aren’t a priority but will make your trip a lot more comfortable and enjoyable.