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The Ultimate List of Travel Essentials for Lives on the Go
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items I travel around the world as a destination expert with National Geographic Expeditions and Smithsonian Journeys — and these are some of my favorite things to take on every adventure.
Sections
5
Organization
Health and hygiene
Electronics
Misc
Websites and Apps
Organization
Hands down my favorite sling bag for travel. This is my everyday carry — it can fit everything I need in a day (including my mini ipad) but is still fairly compact.
The Anywhere 5L Sling - Pakt
I love that these travel cubes not only help organize your clothes, but they also have compression! A second zipper flattens the cube so you can fit even more into your suitcase :)
TRIPPED Compression Packing Cubes
This hanging organizer keeps my clothes in order while traveling, especially when I'm only spending a night or two in each locale. Note: check the dimensions of the organizer against your suitcase — I've found that it fits best in my suitcase when I ...
Hangmates Hanging Zipcube
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I always carry a dry bag traveling, just in case. The little ones are always handy for protecting electronics if you get caught in the rain. The big ones are useful for doing laundry on the go!
Sea to Summit Dry Bags | REI Co-op
I always carry one or two of these with me while traveling for carrying snacks and goodies pilfered from the hotel breakfast :)
Reusable Silicone Bags | Reusable Snack, Sandwich ...
What can I say? I'm a sucker for a cute zipper pouch.
Zippered Pouch Set - Garden Party
A travel organizer for toiletries is always helpful for a smooth travel experience. This one has tons of pockets and a clear insert for liquid bottles.
Explorer PLUS™ Toiletry Bag - Packing More
A great travel bag, whether you're a casual traveler or a pro. It was designed for photography, but works for many uses. The design allows you multiple access points to items in the main compartment, so you don't have the black hole issues of many ot...
PRVKE: The Award-Winning Travel Camera Backpack & Bag
Health and hygiene
I transitioned to traveling with shampoo bars rather than liquids this year and love the fact they're compact and eco-friendly. This one from Lush has lasted me for many washes, smells great, and has a surprisingly good lather. Make sure to also get ...
Seanik Solid Shampoo Bar - LUSH | Ulta Beauty
If you use solid shampoo bars, you'll need a holder to keep it safe. The round travel tin from Lush is too close in size to their shampoo bars, so it's very hard to get the bars in and out when fresh. This tin is slightly larger, and as a bonus has d...
Shampoo Bar Travel Tin | Eco-Friendly Aluminum Case with Raised Base and Drain Holes
Laundry sheets are a light-weight and easy way to travel with detergent. They dissolve *MUCH* better than powder and don't have the leak risk of liquid detergent. I frequently do sink laundry en route, so I always make sure to slip some laundry sheet...
Laundry Detergent Sheets | Free & Clear - Cleancult
I've traveled with these tubes for the last couple of years for lotion/conditioner and never had an issue with spillage.
humangear GoToob+ Large Squeeze Bottle - 3.4 fl. oz. - Package of 3 | REI Co-op
After trying out a variety of masks, the Flo Mask Pro has become my go-to for travel. While a bit pricey, the silicon gasket at the edge of the mask seals it snugly against my face. They also list results from multiple tests of their filters (includi...
Flo Mask Pro
I try to limit Amazon links, but they're one of the few places that stocks these pill boxes. And I really love them. They're compact and include a range of different sizes for different types of pills for my mini travel pharmacy of emergency meds.
2PCS Travel Pill Organizer Box, Portable Pill Case
A simple and small addition to toss in your bag! I like keeping some of these wipes around to clean up messes or wipe down surfaces while traveling.
Wet Ones Antibacterial Hand Wipes Travel Pack Fresh
Fingernail clippers can be surprisingly useful when traveling. While they're great for clipping nails, you can also use them for a variety of other cutting needs from cutting a slit in plastic packaging to make it easy to tear open, removing stray th...
Fingernail Clipper and File
Electronics
Perfect to keep track of your valuables. I hide one of these in my checked luggage so I can track its progress to my final destination. There was one time the airlines couldn't locate my bag, and I was able to check the airtag and let them know it wa...
Apple AirTag (4-Pack)
Perfect to toss in your bag for a quick charge on the go.
Anker 621 Magnetic Battery (MagGo)
My **favorite** headphones. These work through bone conduction, so they go over and not in your ears. They're also the safest to use for runs or hikes because you can remain aware of your surroundings. PRO TIP: If you want to listen to the Shokz in n...
Shokz - OpenRun Pro 2 Mini Bone Conduction Sports ...
This is a must for anyone interested in travel vlogging or capturing memories in video. The camera is super compact but records extremely high-quality video. The built-in gimbal keeps shots steady, even on the rockiest of bridges and boats.
Osmo Pocket 3 - For Moving Moments - DJI
This is an updated version of the electronics organizer I use — it has lots of pockets and ensures I can quickly find any cord I need.
Thule Subterra Powershuttle | Electronics Organizer
If you can't tell, I'm a fan of Thule products. They're well made and have lasted me through years of travel.
Thule Gauntlet Laptop Sleeve Laptop Case for 16” Apple ...
I love this adapter for international travel. It has plugs for countries all over the world and also includes USB and USB-C ports so you can plug things in directly to the adapter. NOTE: This is not a voltage converter. Make sure the voltage in the c...
Universal Travel Adapter with 3 USB C and 2 USB Ports
Multi-port chargers are ideal for travel so you don't have to lug multiple blocks wherever you go. While the Anker ones are bit pricey, I find the extra cost is worth it in the long run. I've had so many cheaper blocks break or not supply enough powe...
Anker 735 Charger (Nano II 65W)
This is a great light weight power station if you need extra ports. ALSO it works with input voltage up to 240V so can be a voltage adapter for international travel.
Anker Nano Charging Station (6-in-1, 67W)
This is a fun bonus to take while traveling, if space allows. This tiny printer connects to your smartphone, allowing you to print mini instant photos on the go. They're fun to share if you're traveling with a group — or with friends you make during ...
INSTAX MINI LINK 3 Smartphone Printer
Who doesn't need and love a good cable? I always travel with an extra USBC cable, and love the soft braided cords. These from Anker are a little more expensive than the ones you might find in a gas station, but they are built to last.
Anker USB-C to USB-C Cable (6 ft, 240W, Upcycled-Braided)
Misc
This is such a nifty little clip. Hang your bags and gear from bathroom stall doors, table edges, and each other! I also use these when I need to hang up wet clothes, very useful and small bit of gear to add to your travel kit.
HEROCLIP Medium Hanger - REI Co-op
I love wearing these on planes, trains, and busses to help filter out some of the background chaos. I have some sensory issues and these help me navigate a variety of situations while traveling. (BONUS: Combine with loops with the Shokz headphones to...
Loop Earplugs
This is a bit of an unusual travel pillow, but works surprisingly well to keep your head from lulling while sleeping on planes or buses
Trtl Travel Neck Pillow
This is another neck pillow I've used in the past and enjoyed. It's a bit bulkier than the other suggested pillow on this list, but it is more squishy :)
Evolution Earth Deluxe Neck Pillow
This is an extra luxury BUT if you have the space to throw a travel blanket in your supplies, it's a nice addition for chilly airports. This one has a clip to keep it on around your neck and and a feet pocket to keep your toes warm.
Layover Travel Blankets
Websites and Apps
I use eSIMS for all my international travel — they're a lot more cost effective than the international phone plans with my providers. Airalo makes it easy to purchase, install, and monitor data usage of eSIMS anywhere in the world.
Airalo eSIMs