35 Things I Always Have in My Suitcase
Anyone who has ever traveled with me knows this… I love to be prepared! And so my bags have endless items that I (magically) have ready and available for any use, issue, or problem. So beyond listing the obvious items I pack (clothes, shoes, cosmetics, etc.) here is a list of at least 35 things you will find in my bag, whether I am away for 2 days or 30 days going around the world for 3 weeks or more.
And I maintain that its sometimes better to pack a bit more (and pay the fees) than to be without “x” and then have to spend time looking for whatever you didn’t pack and spending money replacing what you need.
1. Non-negotiable. Not subject to my clothing “packing rules” of chic, light weight, multi-use, and necessary. One outfit that is completely comfy and will immediately make me feel at home. During the winter its a cozy cashmere sweater and my favorite jeans, for summer white jeans and whatever cool shirt I’m loving at that moment.
2. My favorite selection of tea (and a few packages of instant Starbuck’s Hot Chocolate in the winter). No matter where I am, I will feel at home with my things.
3. Mini Super Glue the single use ones. I was able to quickly repair my earring after I dropped it and the stone broke.
4. An extra cel phone battery (fully charged of course), to use when I don’t have time to recharge my phone.
5. Basic OTC medicine (Sudafed, saline nose spray, hydrating eye drops, Aspirin, Advil, Pepto-Bismal, Band-Aids and alcohol swabs (which are good for everything from cuts, tray tables, to cleaning my cel phone).
6. Nutrition bars (I love Mojo bars- they are sweet and salty), always some dark chocolate, and nuts. Sometimes when out and about sight seeing I get hungry and need a little pick me up.
7. Vitamins, especially Vitamin- C for jet lag bounce back. Calcium to help me relax and sleep well. Charcoal in capsules- I take them if I think I ate something bad, and it will absorb the toxins and prevent it from being absorbed.
8. My book of the moment - and a few of my favorite magazines. They immediately relax me and make delays and long travel days easy.
9. Movies and TV shows loaded on my computer or iPad. Love to have them there if I want to watch something.
10. Pictures of my family, friends, and loved ones- both small ones and loaded in my iPhone/iPad.
11. Verbena hand wipes - they smell lovely and can be used anywhere, anytime.
12. Extra cash - “emergency back up” money, at least $150.00 USD and alway some Euros and GBPs.
13. My passport and an expired passport, which I have been advised could possibly be used to re-enter the US (in a pinch) if my passport is lost or stolen.
14. An world adaptor that works for all countries, plus my Callpod to charge everything else.
15. Bath salts - if I have a great bath tub on my trip.
16. Baby powder – Good for the obvious, plus excellent in shoes in the summer, can be used instead of pressed powder (to blot oil), it works wonders when at the beach to get sand off your feet (!!), and as a quick fix/dry shampoo if you need to freshen up your hair.
17. Egyptian Magic - An amazing 100% (olive oil, bees wax, honey…) natural face and body all purpose skin “creme” that will heal and repair skin. Its actually a solid, and won’t count towards your 3.4 oz min (ok, in London’s Heathrow Airport, they confiscated my jar saying it was more 100ml and it looked like a gel/paste. Grrrr. ).
18. A leather travel tray – (that will unsnap and collapse) to keep my watch, jewelry, etc. all in one place.
19. A flash light - in case of emergency in the hotel at night. Plus I have the “Flashlight” App on my iPhone (very cool) that I use. And I also carry the headlamp that was on the “buy” list for “My Island Experience.”
20. A travel smoke hood- in case I need to evacuate a burning hotel.
21. Earplugs – (several pairs) for sleeping in loud cities/airplanes or for the winter months when its cold and windy outside.
22. Sachet - its small and keeps my suitcase smelling fresh, especially when I have shoes in my bag. A good clothes dryer sheet will do the job too.
23. Terry cloth flip flops - Great for hotel pool areas, spas, and walking around the hotel room.
24. Plastic utensils- knife/fork/spoon/napkins. I have had impromptu picnics in parks and on the beach, with cheese and fruit- happy to have an extra set of utensils.
25. Wine opener - Same reason as above.
26. Clorox/alcohol wipes- to clean the hotel remote, my cel phone, and other things worthy of being cleaned.
27. Grapefruit seed extract. Nature’s cure for colds and flu.
28. 2 Longchamp nylon travel bags. A large and XL. and They fold up and weigh nothing. Perfect for an extra bag or 2 to hold all my shopping.
29. Madame Paulette Stain Wipes/Shout Wipes- to fix the little stains.
30. Extra quart/gallon size bags- good for back up and also things like shells, etc.
31. Canvas bag for laundry - I save the canvas bags my handbags come in. They weigh nothing, keeps my fresh clean and dirty clothes separate.
32. Digital camera - and my iPhone as a back up.
33. Essential oils -I carry a spray bottle of my favorite essential oil mixture. Its the freshest scent, made with lemon grass, geranium, pink grapefruit, sandalwood… it completely freshens up my hotel room, etc.
34. Eyeglass repair kit- Just the other day I loaned it to a friend so he could fix his sunglasses.
35. 15X mirror – I love knowing I can always see and remove that microscopic fuzzy or eyelash in my eye that I can’t find with a regular mirror.
Editors’ Note: Carolyn Paddock writes about products and services that are beneficial for travelers. The products and services mentioned are neither commissioned by nor written in cooperation with the product company or manufacturers.
2 comments
Breath of fresh air!
Eyeglass repair kit? That’s a first, but you never know
Rouge Ratings!
Thank you. Yes, sometimes its the little things (like packing the eyeglass repair kit) that truly make a difference.
Leave a Comment