Okay, I’ll admit. I’m addicted to TikTok. But only as a lurker. I’ve never made a video and I don’t intend to, but there are some cute prompts that come up so I thought I’d write it in a post instead of a video. So here are things in my suitcase that just make sense.
A dry bag. Use it for a wet swimsuit, muddy boots, or dirty laundry, but it’s always nice to have.
A solar power bank. You may not always have access to an outlet but as long as you have light (natural or artificial), you will be able to charge your devices. I have a $30 one that once fully charged itself can charge my phone three times. It’s also perfect for outdoor adventures.
Water bottle. This one is obvious but I just had a conversation with someone who was complaining about the prices of bottles of water at airports and I was the first person to tell him to bring a reusable bottle from home. It has to be empty to get through security but fill it at a drinking fountain near your gate. I bring a water bottle even on road trips. We swap to a water bladder that holds 3 liters for hiking trips.
Dry soap. Similar in size to Listerine strips, you can get dry sheets of soap for hand washing, laundry, etc. Doesn’t need to go in your liquids bag and is super lightweight. I also use non-liquid hair products. My favorites are Gemz, but I also have bar shampoo and conditioners that I bring for certain trips.
Vaccine card. It’s now going to be a staple along with your ID. Many restaurants and other places are requiring it so it’s better to have it tucked away in a pocket than in a drawer at home. Get a plastic cover for it do it doesn’t get destroyed. And I’m not sure if this is totally legal or not, but I thought I lost mine. You know when you put something somewhere for safe keeping and then hide it from yourself? So I called the location I got my vaccine from and they were able to mail me a new one. Well, of course the day the new ones cam in the mail, I found the old ones. So now I have two. It’ll be nice to have a back up if I ever need it.
Packing cubes. Some people get compression cubes and claim it saves them space. I’m all for that, but my reason for packing cubes is organization. It’s so much easier to find what you need when it’s organized. For certain trips I organize each cube with complete outfits, and for others, I organize by category (tops in one, socks in another). I also have more than a dozen small fabric zipper bags that I use to organize my electronics, medicine, toiletries, etc. I cannot live without them.
Nintendo Switch. Lately, my partner has been bringing along his Switch and I’m not mad about it. It’s nice to be able to play games together on the plane.
Bonus: I no longer bring with me
A pen. We used to recommend bringing a pen to fill out customs papers on international flights but now there is an app called Mobile Passport Control where you can fill it out digitally. Plus, there is a separate line for people using the app that goes way faster!
Are there any hidden gems you always bring?