Favorites: My Travel Must-Haves
My Go-To items for Going Everywhere!
In the past year I haven’t spent more than 2 months in one place in the world - that means a lot of travel! From this spring in Belgium, Paris and Amsterdam to a rugged twenty day adventure through southeastern Türkiye and a month-long trip back to the States, these are my must-haves! Are there more? Sure are, but this will get you started! From my favorite shoes to the backpack that expands my carrying capacity and a 3-in-1 makeup/moisturizer/SPF combo and more!
I’ve tried (and returned) dozens of things so you don’t have to and these are the items I’ve settled on. I aim for a mix of affordability, utility and durability! A number of these items have been bought by friends and family and they’ve loved them as well.
The List:
Backpack - check price +5% coupon on Amazon!
Meets airline requirements for carry-on baggage, fits in overhead compartments and under your airline seat. It has tons of pockets, comes with 3 packing cubes, a laptop and ipad padded area and has a flexible side pouch is designed to carry your water bottle. At 40L it’s pretty big, but I can pack for quite awhile in this backpack and if I add the carry-on luggage below, I can travel for weeks!
Carry-On Luggage - Check it out!
Hardside, expandable, spinner wheels, TSA lock, USB port, 20-Inch. I bought green so it’s easy to keep track of while moving through the airport! This easily fits my clothes in packing cubes and expands quite a bit to squeeze in extra items I’m bringing to friends and family!
Apple Air Tags - Buy Now
Absolutely mandatory. Our luggage was left in Frankfurt once and the airline agent at our next airport didn’t want to hear about it. We were able to track it every day and contact them showing the exact location despite them saying it was on it’s way! I’d never travel without it! Put it in your purse, backpack and one in your luggage - I prefer a 2 or 4-pack!!
Packing Cubes - Shop this under $20 necessity now!
Basic, under $20 and will save you so much space, sanity and time. Put all your shirts in one, all your shorts in another, pull out just your underwear and socks easily! These are a no-brainer for travel!
Packable Duffle Bag - Under $20!
Bought too much stuff abroad? Or if you live part time out of the country like me you know the need to move sweaters for winter in one direction and gifts for family in the other! This is a quick solution for under $20 to stuff shoes and clothes in if you have to check a bag! One of us almost always needs it and it saves us from buying yet another overpriced piece of luggage.
Airpods - check prices
Don’t haul around a pair of oversized noise canceling over-ear headphones. Yes, they are nice, but boy are they big! My airpods are a go-to for music, podcasts, noise canceling and pretending I can’t hear other humans when I’m not in the mood!
Seamless Thong Underwear - Get matching underwear with me :)
Yes, underwear! If you’ve ever spent a long day of travel in discomfort then you know why this is here. These are my daily faves and they are great for travel, running, lounging - everything. Seamless, they wash well in the sink while traveling and they’re cheap!
Moisturizer/Foundation/SPF - check price + $2 coupon!
I am not a huge makeup wearer but I love to look put together, am a fan of daily moisturizer and am always outside and need SPF! This is a lightweight solution that will even your skintone without making you look like you’ve got makeup on.
Travel Sandals - Under $35!
I like these so much I’m on my 3rd pair and it’s not that they don’t last - they do! I ride these hard through endless daily miles in the village up and down cobblestone streets, dirt paths, airports, abroad and they’ve been my accidental hiking shoes more than once! The best part? They dress up super cute for a nice dinner too! If you bought these and love them - let me know in the comments below!
Allbirds Shoes - On Sale now!
I hate wearing shoes. I hate packing bulky shoes. I hate my feet being hot. I love these Allbirds :) They’re stretchy, lightweight and pack down to nothing meaning I can wear them to travel in or not! I have a darker colored pair for winter and a light colored pair for summer and I love how easily they slip on and off and I can walk miles and miles around the world in them!
Battery Charger: Non-negotiable travel accessory!
Nothing is worse than being in a strange city and not having a map at your fingertips, being able to contact friends and not speaking the language… the way we used to have to travel decades ago! Always keep a charge and be ready to navigate, translate and more!
Journal - check price now!
LEUCHTTURM1917 makes gorgeous lay-flat journals. This is a soft (but durable) cover and I love them ruled and in a fun color! Journaling is a fantastic thing to add to your morning routine and a great way to catalog your travels!
Hairbrush - travel size or full size
If you have curly hair or you know someone who does - this is mandatory! A friend got me hooked on this brush years ago during the triathlon days (Hi Tracy!) and it’s been a part of my daily life ever since! The travel size is packable and around $4! PS: Curly girls - brush your hair in the shower with conditioner, not after you’re out! You’re welcome.
Necklace Holder - Check prices!
This is a new addition to my bag, but a great one! I don’t save things for special occasions - life IS a special occasion! That means I want to wear beautiful things! I have a gorgeous necklace that must travel flat. This is a beautiful way to keep it safe, protected and with me!
Shawl/Wrap/Cover Up - buy now!
This is another item I’ve sent to tons of girlfriends who love it! Cold on the plane? Need to cover for modesty in a church or mosque? Need a swimsuit cover up? Wrap this as a skirt, shawl, scarf, or whatever your heart desires! These are cute, lightweight and have beautiful patterns!
Summary
I hope you find this useful. Are you looking for anything else? Let me know in the comments below! I’m thinking of sharing the list of items I had to carefully pack and bring back from the United States to our little village on Lesvos, Greece!
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With Love,
Rose Cameron
