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Traveling is such a cool hobby not only because it’s fun but also because it’s so flexible in many ways that everyone can find what type of traveling they like. Yet, even though there are so many choices, one thing common among most of them is that you have to pack at least some stuff to take with you.
This list is a handbook of what the “must have” items in a travel bag are. All of the suggestions were shared by traveling netizens in various online communities, and since they swear by them, we can only guess that they’re useful. So, let’s see what they are, shall we?
Compression socks!!!
Family member got a pretty serious blood clot after our last long flight (they’re fine but it was scary!) so this is something to take seriously.
A big thin scarf- becomes a blanket, heat shield, towel, cover for religious sites, face wrap if it’s dusty or polluted, ties into a bag. Vital.
Power strip with a decent cord length. I often find accommodation has either insufficient or bizarrely placed outlets so it’s nice to have this to charge multiple devices
Powerbank. Don’t often need it but it’s good to have when I do
Noise canceling headphones. Take up way too much space in my bag but completely worth it any time I’m in transit
Packing cubes. Some people love ‘em some people hate ‘em. For me I know exactly what items go in what bags and it keeps me organizized
Small first aid bag with essentials (bandages, ibuprofen, Imodium, etc).
According to Statista, as of December 2024, traveling is one of the most common hobbies among United States citizens. It fell behind only such things as outdoor activities, shopping, video games, pets, reading and cooking/baking.
Some even go as far as dubbing traveling the “ultimate hobby.” After all, it’s not only a fun activity, it’s also one that enriches a person’s life in many ways.
For instance, one of the biggest benefits travelers get from indulging in this hobby is broadened horizons. Visiting places you have never been to before gives you a chance to see various people, their customs, and cultures, which can bring you out of the bubble you’re living in and prove how diverse the world is.
Hoodie fleece. Even in summer some places will be cold and if not wearing it, you can roll it up and use it as a pillow.
And while yes, in the modern connected world, the internet educates you about similar things too, it’s not the same as experiencing it yourself.
Besides culture, when traveling, you also get a chance to see new places, both coming from nature or that were built by humans. Whether you take anything educational or inspirational (why not both?) from it is up to you; maybe just seeing with your own eyes is good enough to make a lasting impression.
After all, sometimes a trip isn’t a particular place or landmark; sometimes it’s all about those impressions and memories overall. It can be a way to build stronger bonds with the people you’re traveling with, meet new folks, or even make yourself appreciate your life more and motivate personal growth. Just like destinations, the travel aims are always up to you.
Pill pack – my husband and I each do light travel for work, and big travel for recreation. We have a little pull organizer that we keep constantly supplied and always on us when traveling (whether we’re traveling together or apart)
– benadryl
– Allegra
– Pepto chewables /Imodium
– aspirin/ibuprofen
– glucosamine (we both get bouts of restless legs when traveling
– motion sick patches (2 pair)
– ear plugs (2 sets)
– individual eye drops (for long flights and locals with low humidity
– 1 dose of acyclovir (to catch cold sores before they ruin your trip)
There are other things that ppl mentioned above but this is the one that goes with us religiously. You’ll never find us on a plane/train or road trip with out it.
If you’re solo backpacking; a door stopper. So you can always be sure the door stays closed.
Yet, in order to get all these benefits that traveling offers, usually you can’t go in without some sort of a plan. While yes, spontaneous travel is a thing, as itineraries and such aren’t everyone’s thing, but typically even for this people pack at least some sort of things to bring along.
So, today we decided to make you a list of what items are considered to be essential or “must haves” during every trip. We didn’t make these up ourselves; all of them were suggested by experienced travelers in various online threads, where someone asked them to share such things.
I have young kids and always carry plastic bags. You never know when someone’s going to vomit, spill, have an accident, or when you need to stash away garbage. Ziplocks to carry leftovers. Mesh bag to separate laundry. Spare ketchup packets for my ketchup feigns. Oh and another big vote on packing cubes.
Two essentials I have that I haven’t seen on anyone else’s list:
– A “stuffable” backpack. Mine is 15L expanded and when stuffed is almost small enough to fit into a pocket. Very handy for day excursions or when you just need some extra space to bring some extra souveniers home.
– A pair of gloves. Nothing super warm, but definitely helps when you need to scrape the ice off the windshield of your rental car with one of those credit card hotel keys.
As a woman, I also really want to point out how useful these reusable silicone funnels / female urination devices are, especially when I’m places with no proper bathrooms.
In the list, you’ll find a whole variety of things. For instance, medication, like Pepto-Bismol, which is known for calming stomach problems, or Benadryl, which is used to relieve symptoms of allergies.
It also mentions different pieces of clothing, from gloves to scarves, which can be way more useful than many think.
Basically, armed with this list you’ll be prepared for any kind of emergency that might happen during a trip – whether it’s a health problem, lack of a blanket to sit on in a nice place, or whatever else. Anything can happen and when one day it does, you’ll be glad that you carried that specific item, even if it’s a bit weird.
Turtl neck pillow has been the best neck pillow i’ve found so far for long flights. it wraps around your neck and has rigid plastic inserts on one side to support your neck lying on it.
Ear plugs
Eye Mask
Those three things make my 11 to 14 hour trans-pacific flights bearable.
So, check out the list for yourself and see which items you could’ve thought about yourself and which you wouldn’t have. Of course, don’t forget to upvote those you think are most useful too!
And maybe don’t even shy away from sharing what items you would include in this list, especially if we haven’t mentioned them. After all, you know the saying: “Sharing is caring.”
I like the soft silicone earplugs that have a little nylon rope between each plug. Keeps my travel buddy’s snoring from disturbing me at night. And if one falls out, just follow the chord to find it. You can buy them on Amazon. Also handy for the airplane, if you are by cranky babies or loudly sleeping adults. I bring a few, so I can share with others.
**Try not to add – reduce! Most people overpack.** If you think you need a bag scale, you’re probably packing too much. I travel quite a bit usually a week or two at a time with only a carry-on. Carry-on is rolling backpack style. I’ve really only used the straps for cobblestones and hotels without lifts.
Cubes to organize. I pack the same every time: Shirts folded, wrapped with pants in one cube, underwear and misc in a smaller one.
Short cord with multi-outlet and a universal converter-adapter cube with USB.
I also have a travel CPAP. I’ve zip-tied/elastic the bits to foam board cut to fill that useless space in the bottom of the bag. Make easier to deploy: take out, plug-in.
Laundry soap sheets. Take no space. Hotel laundry facilities are hit-miss, but finding a local coin-op laundry can be an experience. Grab a pastry and a coffee while planning the next bit.
Dog bags. Come in a compact roll and so many uses. Bag for rubbish, toiletries leaking, feeling nauseous, covering dirty shoes before packing, make shift glove etc.
I am surprised I don’t see this, but in today’s world of cell phones and gadgets, perhaps it isn’t as useful. But a cheap and reliable watch. I have an old plastic Swatch that I take travelling. catching transportation, meeting people, getting to a booking/ or shop before it closes, it’s really handy. making sure it’s cheap and not something someone would want to steal, water resistant, etc.
• Noise cancelling headphones
• Power bank
• Luggage tags and AirTag
• Small beauty bag filled with anything I may need during my travels including sanitary products, paracetamol, tissues, bandaids, antibacterial wipes, hand sanitiser, gum, lip balm, hair ties, and a compact mirror
• Packing cubes (although I do often reuse the packing bags from Shein, they’re great for travelling!)
• Plastic folder to put my passport and any other important documents in such as boarding passes.
Dry hand soap- we get the kind that comes in sheets (Sea to Summit) and hand towels -we have some that are compressed to like quarter size and then they open up and they are washable. Bathrooms don’t always have soap or anyway to dry your hands.
And I second the ziploc baggies suggestion. We carry sandwich & quart size.
If you’re a gal or have female travel buddy, I would suggest this sports bra, that has a hidden compartment in the back, that I found on Etsy.
From Amazon:
Toilet Covers,
Toilet Paper To Go,
Soap Paper Sheets,
Laundry Detergent Sheets,
Portable mini hand fan.
A simple drybag: keep dirty clothes from making the rest of your backpack smell, keep electronics dry, works as a collapsible grocery bag in a pinch.
I most often use it to do laundry while traveling though: fill the dry bag (with dirty clothes) with warm water, add detergent, close, and knead/agitate around for a while. The agitation is what really cleans the clothes, and that is something that is difficult to achieve (just) in a sink. When done, let the soapy water out and rinse the clothes. Hang the dry bag along with the clothes to dry it, so it’s ready to use again.
I have a USB plug in fan that goes everywhere with me. Tiny and quiet, but has made some stiflingly hot nights a bit more bearable
A travel folio and a rubber duck.
– The rubber duck is a personal preference, PT goes on ALL my trips!
A folio big enough for your passport.
– I prefer one big enough for boarding passes and entry documents
I ***know*** these things will be there for **EVERY** trip:
– a spare credit card, cash, passport card, travel & covid vaccine card, travel insurance ID card
– membership cards, transit cards, my business card, photocopy of passport/driver’s license
– pen, stamps, postcard.
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