As someone who enjoys traveling and shopping (and shopping while traveling), I’ve ended up with more gadgets than I’d like to admit—many of which have claimed they’d make my life easier. Is that true for some of them? Sure. Others have proven to be a complete waste of money and precious space in my luggage. (Which is the ultimate sin TBH.) Luckily, my screen time is embarrassingly high and my For You Page knows me so well it can pretty much predict my every thought, so I’ve found some of the best travel items that would actually earn a spot in my carry-on. And because I know you’re busy enough tracking flights to sift through the BS, I put together a list of essentials you should immediately add to cart.
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Beis Backpack That Could Literally Fit A Weeks Worth Of Clothes
I’ve never been influenced faster than the day I saw someone “pack with me” in this backpack. I hit the “add to cart” button pretty much immediately. It might sound dramatic, but this bag is truly magical. Listen, I know we all hate when people brag about packing everything in their carry-on, but when I can pack 10 days worth of stuff in my Beis backpack, you better believe I am screaming it from the rooftops.
Shop it: The Backpack, $78.00, Beistravel.com
Bluetooth Adaptor for Two So You Don’t Have To Share AirPods (Ew.)
In-flight screen time is truly sacred. I don’t want to waste it watching something I don’t care about—I want to guilt my fiancé into watching a RomCom with me that I may or may not fall asleep in the middle of. This dual bluetooth adaptor allows us to watch together and ensures he doesn’t start the movie a half second before I do, preventing him from spoiling all the good parts.
Shop it: MEE audio Bluetooth Wireless Audio Transmitter Adapter, $49.99, Amazon
Budget Airline Bag Your Wallet Would Be Proud Of
Bringing a personal item on a budget airline is truly a gamble—you never know if today’s the day they decide it’s too big. For my sanity, I got this $10 bag that’s specifically made to avoid this risk. I don’t travel budget airlines often, but I figure if I’m risking it all to save a few bucks, I’ll at least make it as stress free as possible.
Shop It: Foldable Travel Duffel Bag, $14.99, Amazon
Portable Squatty Potty Because I Know You Dread Leaving Home Without It
Okay, if you’ve crossed the bridge into being a Squatty Potty user, you know there’s no turning back. There’s nothing delicate about my digestive system when traveling and finding out they make a portable version that folds up and fits in your bag was life changing. No more worrying about how you’ll survive a week without it.
Shop it: Squatty Potty Porta Traveler, $29.99, Amazon
Suitcase Drink Holder To House All Three Essential Travel Beverages
No matter how many times I go to the airport, I always enter into a state of absolute chaos. My hands are constantly full of everything I own, and I always manage to misplace my phone even though I swear I just had it. Add an overpriced coffee and a freshly-filled water bottle (post-TSA, duh) to the mix and I’d be screwed. Now I just add it all to this drink holder hanging from my luggage, because that’s the only way I can physically manage all of it.
Shop it: WALNEW Luggage Travel Cup Holders, $14.99, Amazon
Feature Image Credit: Vlada Karpovich on Pexels
It’s that time of year again when I pretend I’m still in college and escape somewhere warm for spring break…even though technically spring break is non-existent in the corporate world. And while I’d like to think I’ve matured since the all-inclusive, binge drinking, spring break bikini days, my packing habits certainly haven’t.
What can I say? I’m a procrastinator. I tell myself that I work well under pressure, but really I’m just too lazy to be bothered until 30 minutes before I have to leave for a flight. Because I’m a last-minute packer, I always end up bringing 15 bathing suits, 10 pairs of shoes, and enough anxiety to run a small town into the ground—and that’s just a 5 day trip. Thankfully, I’ve found a few tricks through the years that have helped transform my suitcase from a dumpster fire to feeling like I (sort of) have my shit together.
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These Packing Cubes That Will Keep Your Sh*t Organized
Once you try packing cubes, you’ll literally never go back. It’s truly a game changer if you’re the kind of person who tends to overpack. (In other words, all of us.) It helps you organize the different types of clothing you’re bringing while the compression lets you pack twice as much shit in one carry-on. That’s a win-win.
BAGAIL Compression Packing Cubes, $29.99, Amazon
Toiletry Bag For Your TikTok Influenced 10-Step Skincare Routine
The only time I’m actually proud of the way I store my beauty products is when I’m traveling. When I’m home, I pretty much just throw everything under the sink in such an disorganized way that I’ll be swearing that, “my sister must have stolen it” when I can’t find my favorite lipstick. This solves that issue and makes it so easy to ensure I have every step of the 10-step skincare routine I learned on TikTok with me at all times.
BAGSMART Toiletry Bag with Hanging Hook, $29.99, Amazon
Travel Containers So You Don’t Risk Losing Your Full-Size
Speaking of my 10-step skincare routine—there’s literally no way in hell I’ll be risking an explosion of my new vitamin C serum on the plane. Plus, if I put all my full-sized skincare products in one carry-on, that’s all I’d be packing. This set offers so many different container options, from sprayers to jars. The possibilities are endless.
Morfone 16 Pack Travel Bottles Set, $22.58, Amazon
Cord Organizer So You’re Not a Hot Mess On the Plane
This might feel a little high-maintenance, but I’ve never been more thankful for this organizer than when I’m sitting in a coach seat made to fit a toddler, rifling through my bag looking for a phone charger. You’ll thank me later, I promise.
FYY Electronic Organizer, $12.99, Amazon
Travel Jewelry Box Upgrade From a Ziploc Bag
For as long as I can remember, I literally packed my jewelry in a ziplock bag. And every time, while trying to untangle a bangle from a necklace, I would swear that I’d never do it again. I’ve finally come to my senses and purchased this jewelry case. It’ll keep your jewelry more organized than Khloe Kardashian’s pantry.
Travel Jewelry Case, $50, Shop.Betches.com
Laundry Bag To Keep Your Clean Sh*t From Smelling
No one talks about the struggle of packing your shit up at the end of the trip. I would venture to say it’s one of the most depressing times of life. Let’s not forget the struggle of keeping clean and dirty clothing separate. Kind of like the packing cubes, this helps organize your dirty clothes and keep them away from your clean ones, so they don’t infect your entire suitcase with the smell of BO.
