1. Battery pack and charging cables – While you shouldn’t pack these in your checked luggage, it will come in handy to have a small battery pack in your backpack and/or purse. I like both the small cylinder style and the slim card style batteries for their portability. They provide 2-3 full charges for your phone.

3. Neck pillow and eye mask – If you are like me, you have tried all kinds of neck pillows in the hopes of sleeping better during a long flight. Most of us fly in coach where we can’t lay down flat and are faced with sleeping sitting upright or not sleeping at all. I tried so many pillows and even tried to tie an airplane pillow around my neck with a ribbon but always wake up with a stiff and sore neck… that is until I was gifted a Trtl neck pillow.  It looks unconventional and it isn’t soft, so I was skeptical. When I used it on a 14-hour flight to Taiwan, I was so happy that it worked! I got 7-8 hours of sleep on the flight. The pillow holds your neck upright so that it stays in place. It is wrapped in a warm soft fabric and is quite comfortable. Give it a try! It’s price is higher than your average neck pillow but for good reason… it works! You can also try the standard memory foam pillows that conform to your neck and head.  

4. Water bottle – Traveling with a good water bottle is a must. I use 2 different ones depending on the destination. The first is a nice, filtered water bottle. This will come in handy if you are visiting places that may not have the best quality water and placed where bottled water is expensive, and you want to save some money. The second type of bottle that I use is a collapsible one. It’s easy to carry and expands to different sizes. This one was very handy in Italy where they have water fountains with good fresh water in most major cities. Regardless of which you use, adding a carabiner clip will help tremendously. It allows me to clip my bottle to my purse or backpack easily!  

5. Cross body bag and antitheft clips – I have a few different bags that I use. I like the baggellini that can be worn as a cross body and has a purse look. I also have the curved anti-theft shoulder bag. It hugs your body and has anti-theft zippers and a pocket for your phone and for a water bottle. I also use anti-theft clips for my backpack. They are small metal clips that you can attach to and connect zippers on any bag that deter theft as they have to be unclipped and that makes it difficult for a thief.  

6. Adapters – Travel adapters are essential for international travel because electrical outlets and plugs vary significantly between countries. Your devices, designed for your home country’s electrical system, simply won’t fit into the outlets in most other places. A travel adapter allows you to physically connect your device’s plug to the foreign outlet, enabling you to charge your phone, laptop, camera, and other essential electronics while abroad. It is important to note that travel adapters do not change the voltage of your electronics, so items like hair dryers and other small appliances won’t work and can become damaged. Most hotels and airbnb’s provide hair dryers so I don’t pack one. Some people like to travel with a universal adapter that can be used in most countries. I choose to take 2-3 specific type adapters with me as I know I will need more than one. I usually use one in the bathroom for my curling iron and another by the bed for charging my phone and laptop. I like this brand that sells a set of 3 adapters. Each one has multiple sides. Just confirm the type you need first.   

7. Hanging toiletry bag – This was a game changer for me! So often when traveling, you have limited space in the bathroom and may not have the counter space you need for your toiletries. That problem is solved with a hanging toiletry bag. Hanging the bag frees up space on the counter. They come in different sizes and are affordable. I also keep a couple of clip on metal hooks handy as they are inexpensive and have multiple uses. 

8. Apple Airtag – I keep an Airtag in my suitcase so I can see it’s location when I’m traveling. This small affordable (under $25) device has given me piece of mind when I have flight connections. I can go to my phone and find the location of my suitcase. While I haven’t had a bag get lost, I have heard that these trackers are very helpful in those situations. If you don’t want an Apple product, there is an Android compatible device called Tile.  

9. Packing Cubes – Packing cubes are small, zippered bags that organize and compress clothes within your luggage. They save space, make packing/unpacking faster, and help keep your belongings organized and protected. I usually use a small one for undergarments and socks and medium to large ones for other clothing items (tops, pants, skirts). I also find that rolling my clothes allows me to fit more into the packing cube. They are wonderful travel companions!  

10. Luggage scale – Most airlines have limits on how much your carry on and checked luggage can weigh. Usually, it is 40-50 lbs. If you go over, then you are faced with costly overage fees or having to remove items from your suitcase to get the weight down. An easy way around this is to purchase a small digital luggage scale and take it with you when you travel. This way, if your bags are too heavy, you can figure out a solution before you are at the airline counter at the airport.