Packing, the one thing we put off and try to avoid at all costs! While the excitement begins when looking for travel deals to booking flights and planning for the destination comes days before your flight approaches. Questions like what do I pack? Do I really need this? What if it is hot? What if it is cold? Nothing fits in my suitcase! There are so many things to consider when it comes to packing the right items for an upcoming trip; the list varies based on where it is you are going and the duration of time in which you will be at the given location. But while this varies, there are a few accessories that will make traveling and packing that much easier. From portable chargers to reusable water bottles, to so much more. Today, I want to show you five of my favorite travel accessories that I absolutely cannot travel without. For this post, I want to focus on reusable water bottles, portable chargers, travel vacuum bags, mesh laundry bags, and travel door alarms.

Travel Accessory Must-Have #1 – Reusable Water Bottle

Have you ever taken a water bottle and had to pour out your water at the TSA check? Or have had to buy an overly priced water bottle in an airport or different country or state? I hope not, one of my favorite accessory must-haves when traveling is a collapsible reusable water bottle. There are so many great things about using a reusable water bottle, not only will it save space in your suitcase but it will save you a great chunk of money. Using a reusable water bottle will save you the countless overpriced water bottles that would have been bought on a trip. Not only is this water bottle saving space on your trip but it is also saving this planet and the consumption of water bottles it sees in a day. An article from Case Western Reserve University shows that “Americans on average use 50 billion water bottles per year, wasted water bottles would be able to wrap around the earth one hundred and ninety times. Nearly 38 billion bottles are thrown away, taking up to 1000 years to biodegrade” (Holliday, 2016). We are able to then decrease these numbers by using a reusable water bottle and save hundreds of dollars yearly. One of my favorite collapsible reusable water bottles is from Amazon, it is the Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle – Leak Proof Twist Cap – BPA Free, 22 oz. With a 4.3 out of 5-star rating on Amazon, it has allowed me to refill my bottle several times with zero leaks and has provided me with a new convenient way to travel and stay hydrated.

Travel Accessory Must-Have #2 – Portable Chargers

Let’s face it leaving the house with a 100% charged phone is not realistic. What also is not realistic is trying to find a seat in the airport close enough to a charging port that will charge your phone before a flight, or even having a phone die when you are about to take a picture of the most breathtaking view you’ve ever seen. Have no fear the portable charger is here! The amount of time a portable charger has saved me from disastrous situations is too many to count. This travel accessory is one of my top favorite must-haves because it is easily rechargeable and can charge up to hours in a day depending on your choice of a portable charger, as well as the size of a portable charger, it can easily fit in a purse, handbag, or suitcase without taking too much room. The best part is that it not only works for phones, but it also works for cameras, laptops, and tablets. This travel must-have is essential to any designated trip you take, whether it is for a few hours, you have children, or really just need a charger, it will be your best friend. One of my favorite portable chargers is the Novoo Waterproof Portable Charger 18w PD High-Speed 10000mAh Power Bank USB C Battery Pack Flashlight Outdoor. This charger not only will recharge my devices but is protected against any water damage, is convenient when it comes to storage space in a suitcase, provides a flashlight, and most importantly long-lasting battery life.

Travel Accessory Must-Have #3 – Travel Vacuum Bags

In addition to reusable water bottles, and portable charges, it is important to think about the space you have in a suitcase and limit the amount of clothing that goes in. After finding travel vacuum bags on Amazon, there was no going back. Although I could not pack my entire closet, because that is our first initial thought, travel vacuum bags make it easier to seal all the air that is taking up space when folding clothes on top of one another. That leaves more room for shoes, accessories, and more. The travel vacuum bags can be filled with just about anything, I find it most convenient when I am traveling to a colder destination, and find myself packing heavy, medium, and lighter jackets to keep me warm, with the compressed bags it is easier to fit them in all while still having room for my other clothes and products. As I mentioned, Amazon carries several types of vacuum bags, one of my favorite vacuum bags is the 10 – pack Lefu Vacuum Storage Bags with Free Hand Pump for Travel all for $20. This will not only save you time, but it will give you more time to pack that item you told yourself you may not need but really want to take.

Travel Accessory Must-Have #4 – Mesh Laundry Bags

Another one of my favorite bags to add to my travel must-haves is mesh laundry bags. There is just something about your clean clothes and dirty clothes blending in together and blending in odors, stains, and overall making your clean clothes not so clean. Mesh laundry bags separate any clothes that you wear on a trip so that when it is time to pack and go back home it is easier to pick out dirty laundry and clean laundry. As well as keep clean and dirty clothes separated during a trip so that clothes do not all end up dirty. One of my favorite mesh laundry bags is from Amazon as well, it is the mesh bags from Bagail coming in a pack of 5 with a variety of different sizes.

Travel Accessory Must-Have #5 – Travel Door Alarms

Lastly, one of my must-have accessories when traveling is a travel door alarm. While traveling can be fun and exciting, it is also new and unfamiliar. Travel door alarms can give any traveler that sense of safety in their rooms with the Lewis N. Clark Travel Door and Window Alarm with Flashlight 2 – pack. Traveling with door alarms allows me to feel safe in unknown places, especially when traveling alone.

Ready, Set, Let’s Fly!

While there are several different types of accessories that you can include in your suitcase when traveling. These are a few of my favorite must-haves when packing for any trip. Each of these items will save you space, save you money, keep you safe, and most importantly keep it light. Flight is booked, the room is booked, the suitcase is packed, we are all set and ready to fly! Hope to see you on the next trip, I wonder where we’ll be going next, until next week!

References

Amazon. (2021, April 1). Vacuum Storage Bags with Free Hand Pump for travel, Save 80% Storage Space Reusable for packing Clothes, Sweater, Bedding, Soft Toys, Camping Blankets, Pillows (Small 10 pack). Amazon.com. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0921T491F/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_GVKEPPRTT8ZVKSX01KSG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1.

Amazon. (2019). NOVOO Waterproof Portable Charger 18W PD High-Speed 10000mAh Power Bank USB C Battery Pack Flashlight Outdoor for iPhone 11 Pro X 8 7 6S Plus Samsung Galaxy S20 S10 Note 10 Google LG Oneplus iPad. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/10000mAh-Portable-Charger-Waterproof-Flashlight/dp/B07SSC23Z4/ref=as_li_ss_tldchild=1&keywords=NOVOO+POWER+BANK+22,500mAh&qid=1606762245&sr=8spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExSEk3VzNHWVlBOTFOJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzIxOTI4MUxTWTdCQUg4UVNEViZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjcxNDkyMjVLSUxWR0MyTlY5SiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=&linkCode=sl1&tag=walkingontrav-20&linkId=69131dd623e64beac3533babda9394dd&language=en_US.

Amazon. (2018). Lewis N. Clark Travel Door and Window Alarm with Flashlight, Blue, 2 pack. Amazon.com. Retrieved September 27, 28AD, from https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083XJKRXK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_XPVA9DPVDEHDXDJV9CGX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1.

Amazon. (2016). DP. Amazon. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017NEYOQQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_Z38ECN2K2PHQQ71JCKHP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Holliday, C. (2019, November 25). Making the switch to reusable bottles: Office of Energy & Sustainability: Case Western Reserve University. Office of Energy & Sustainability | Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved September 28, 2021, from https://case.edu/sustainability/news/making-switch-reusable-bottles.