Just because you’re traveling doesn’t mean you have to part ways with all of the conveniences of home. So when you’re going on the road, be sure to add these travel accessories to your travel-gear repertoire. From luggage to headphones, I’ve rounded up my must-have travel accessories for any trip.
Related post: Travel Gift Guide
Travel Checklist
Depending on where you’re going, the following items should be packed.
Below are a few travel accessories I love!
Before and During the Flight
My packing cubes from Shacke Pak are one of my favorite travel items. They’re also effective when going through airport security, because the screeners don’t sift through all of my clothes–they can just lift each pack, unzip and rezip, if necessary.
I also create a color palette and group different outfits or different types of items like underwear and swimwear in separate cubes.
When I’m on long flights, I love to bring the Samsonite 2-in-1 Magic Pillow, a product I featured as a recommendation to NYMAG’s The Strategist. It’s great, because it’s soft and comfortable. It also folds into a pocket, which can also be used as a square pillow!
Storage and Organization
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Tumi Voyageur bag so much, I even use it when I’m not traveling! This makes it a must-have travel and non-travel accessory, too.
It allows me to conveniently store all of my cosmetics, deodorant, travel-sized toiletries, lotion, cotton balls, and toothpaste/toothbrush in one neat place.
The plastic pouches protect contents from spills, and it comes in several great colors from grey floral print to ocean blue. In my opinion, such a bag is a must, because there are so many small items that can be hard to find when they’re not organized.
Though they’re best used to store food, I always take both large and small food storage plastic bags (i.e., Ziploc) on every trip.
Not only are they good for storing snacks, but I use them for everything but the kitchen sink–hair accessories, even toothbrushes, and anything that can leak while traveling.
For large liquids greater than 3 ounces, like sunscreen or insect repellant, I use painters tape around bottle caps and place the liquid item in a large storage bag to prevent leaking inside the suitcase.
However, I’ve been reducing use of single-use products, so I also use Stasher food-grade reusable silicone bags. While they are perfect for snacks, these BPA-free, non-PVC, and non-latex bags can also be used for non-edible items, too.
Luggage
I totally fell for the Delsey Chatelet Soft Air Weekender Duffel due to its clean design made with vegan leather trim. This same line of Delsey Chatelet products also comes as a beautiful luggage set with three different sizes of hard case luggage!
Clothing
When I fly, I like to dress in layers, which often includes a scarf. Funky Junque offers a versatile infinity scarf that keeps you warm and can be worn in a variety of ways. I also have several pairs of Sockwell compression socks that I wear during flights to promote leg circulation.
To travel with a little flair without sacrificing comfort, ballet flats are the way to go. These Rothy’s shoes are no exception, and they are easy to slip on and off and pair well with many clothing styles. Plus, each shoe is made from recycled plastics, so these shoes are also environmentally-friendly.
Tech Items
Tech items have become a huge part of the travel experience, because they allow you to bring entertainment with you and stay connected.
For an all-in-one travel adapter, EPICKA has four USB ports and is compatible with all devices.
Other than sleeping, I pass the time while flying by working on my laptop, listening to music or audiobooks, and watching movies. The Mpow 059 Bluetooth Headphones are a very affordable option to other brands and have soft ear muffs that make them comfortable to wear.
One of the coolest gadgets this year is DJI’s OSMO Pocket Handheld Gimbal. This lightweight, easy-to-use camera with stabilizer ensures you can snap photos wherever you go and record smooth videos, too.
At the Beach
Once winter is over, you’ll want to escape to sunnier, sandier pastures. But one problem with heading to the beach is getting all of the particles of sand out of your toes, bags, and towels. That’s where the Original Sand-free Mat and the sand cleaner wipe-off mitt come to the rescue. These products are designed to free you from all the places sand will go.
And you won’t last long at the beach without a great pair of sunglasses. My pick is Burberry’s Black Square BE4160 sunglasses. They’re stylish, and I take them everywhere!
What must-have travel accessories do you always pack?
For more travel tips, download my book, Get Your Travel On!
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