Essential Travel Essentials for Disorganized Individuals: 27 Items to Pack for Smooth Journeys
Looking for adventure and organization on your next trip? Check out these 27 game-changing travel essentials that'll keep you organized, prevent losses, and enhance your travel experience.
- Apple AirTag: Keep track of your luggage, wallets, passes, and other vital items with this lightweight tracker. Attach it to the object of your choice and use your phone to locate it if it goes missing. With a built-in speaker, it can even make little noises for easy finding. Amazon
- TikTok demo: Link
- Promising Review: "This gadget was a lifesaver during my Europe trip. I'm unable to utilize carry-on luggage due to physical limitations, so it was terrific for keeping track of my checked luggage. Additionally, it helped me find my way back to my hotel room while in Europe!" -Writing Rider
- Slim Phone Power Bank: Enjoy a quick charge on your phone without lugging around a bulky power bank. This device can charge an iPhone up to three times and is compact enough to easily fit in your pocket or bag. Amazon
- Promising Review: "I love the solid and sleek construction. It fits easily in my pocket. Most importantly, it works! Fast charging, enough capacity to charge my phone many times over several days, and it can withstand numerous drops and awkward cable yanks." -Joe Hull
- Adhesive Phone Card Holder: Keep your credit cards, cash, and IDs on you at all times by attaching this cardholder to your phone. It's a perfect solution for those who always seem to lose their wallets. Amazon
- Wallaroo Wallets: A small business specializing in minimalist wallets with unique designs. Q: Have you used Wallaroo wallets? A: Yes, I have used them for four years now, and they are worth every penny! Mine last about six months before they get dingy enough to replace, and easily hold three cards and a five dollar bill. I've never had any issues with them un-sticking off the phone case, and they're super easy to pull off.
- Promising Review: "The Wallaroo phone wallet is a must-have for any cell phone owner. The quality of the leather and design is superb. I recently went on vacation and purchased my Walleroo before my trip. It was so convenient to carry my ID, credit card, and hotel key and not have to carry my actual wallet. This is a great product that I highly recommend." -Todd Smithson
- Bag Strap Gripper: Prevent forgetting your belongings by using this strap to secure shopping bags, jackets, and other accessories. The gripper will keep them from slipping off and being left behind. Amazon
- Promising Review: "I bought two straps to use for my trip. It was so worth it! It held my family's light jackets and kids travel neck pillows. We also used it to hold our water bottles on our hikes. I wish I knew about these sooner!" -Lisa H
- RFID-Blocking Travel Wallet: Keep all your travel documents (passport, boarding passes, IDs, etc.) organized in this compact and functional wallet. Amazon
- Promising Review: "I bought this wallet right before a business trip. I wanted something that was small but still had room to carry necessities. This wallet did that and more. Besides my ID and credit cards, I carried my passport and organized my receipts. It held a lot but didn't take up much room in my purse. It was also cute to carry alone as a small clutch. I'm actually planning to buy more as gifts." -Sherlethia
- Waterproof Family Travel Document Holder: Keep all your family's travel documents together and easily accessible in this waterproof holder. Amazon
- Promising Review: "I took my kids on their first international trip, and this thing was a total lifesaver. It fits easily in a fanny pack or small purse for easy access, and it fit my whole family's passports, vaccine cards, boarding passes, and a pen with plenty of room for cash and cards if you decide to use it as a wallet for your trip. It made getting checked in a breeze and helped my family keep everything organized." -Kevin Garcia
- Time-Marked Water Bottle: Stay hydrated while traveling with this water bottle that shows you exactly how much water you've consumed. Amazon
- Promising Review: "The flip-up straw is awesome! I travel a lot for work and it's so easy to be driving along, flip the top, and drink without taking my eyes off the road! Easily hitting my intake levels, too - it's really that easy to use! The carry strap is great when I have my laptop, tablet, and files to carry into the office. I've recommended it to several friends and coworkers - one of my best purchases on the road to a healthier lifestyle!" -Cindi Wheeler
- Sunglasses Strap: Prevent losing your sunglasses while traveling by using this floating strap. It's an excellent solution for avoiding the "lost water bottle" situation common on trips. Amazon
- Promising Review: "Family and friends did a three-day rafting trip this summer. I bought these Uke straps as a safety measure. Day three, raft flipped over on Class 4 rapids, my prescription Maui Jim sunglasses were gone! They were my only pair and I was so upset about it. Ten minutes after as we all got back into raft and headed back down river, someone in our party found my sunglasses floating in the river, all because of these awesome straps!!! Everyone in our party was so impressed that they all wanted to purchase Ukes when we got home. Thank you so much for making these!" -Amazon Customer
- DSLR Camera Strap: Ensure your camera stays securely around your neck with this comfortable strap designed for travel. It's easily adjustable and can be worn in multiple ways. Amazon
- Art Tribute: A small business specializing in guitar straps, camera straps, and purse straps. Q: Have you used Art Tribute camera straps? A: Yes, I have used these straps for four years now, and they are worth every penny. I can wear it in three ways (crossbody, shoulder, and around my neck). The lining makes it. Honestly, so much better than the original strap it came with! I can't review others because I'm not switching!
- Editable Travel Packing List: Make sure you don't forget anything with this printable packing list. Planner Gate
- Promising Review: "This was so helpful. It made packing for a trip much less stressful! Thank you!" -Erin
- Weekly Pill Organizer: Keep your medications organized while on the go with this push-through silicone lid organizer. Its magnetic bases allow you to take a day or a few days worth of pills with you and leave the rest behind. Amazon
- Sagely: A family-owned small business that specializes in stress-free pill storage solutions. Q: What sets Sagely pill organizers apart from others? A: The silicone lids are super secure, but also designed for gentle and easy opening and closing to account for users with dexterity issues. The company spent three years designing the ideal pill storage solution.
- Promising Review: "Love this thing!!! The little slots to push in pills is fantastic and the containers are very large. It keeps my huge vitamin pills on either side and could fit over 10 large ones if needed. Love this thing. Worth the price and looks like it'll last forever. I do wish the magnets were stronger. They just keep them in place but will slide off if bumped. I assume this is helpful for people with arthritis. It's an easy fix. I take down one day's worth of pills, set it on my counter, and now I'm not too lazy to take my pills!" -Chicken McNugget
- Pocket Pharmacy Case: Keep your travel medications organized and labeled in this cute case. It comes with a sticker sheet for popular over-the-counter pills and a link to a Google Drive folder for printing additional labels. Pocket Pharmacy Case
- Promising Review: "I love this medication organizer! It's the perfect size to carry in your purse and shuts securely so pills don't spill out. The labels are well made and so many to choose from! I definitely recommend ordering one or more to give as gifts!" -Kate P.
- Roll-Top Dry Bag: Protect your wet suits, towels, or shoes from getting other items in your suitcase damp with this roll-top dry bag. Dagne Dover
- Promising Review: "I took this bag for a summer trip, and it exceeded my expectations. I had this with me when I was poolside, in the pool, on a catamaran, during water-based excursions, and all items inside remained dry! This bag also works well for non-water-based activities." -Deja C.
- Travel Backpack: Carry all your essentials easily with this water-resistant backpack that includes two laptop sleeves, a shoe compartment, an anti-theft pocket, a USB charging port, and a wet bag for keeping sweaty clothes or liquids away from your tech. Amazon
- Promising Review: "I recently took a cross-country flight with my three kids. I really didn't want to worry about checked bags getting lost so maximizing our carry-ons was a priority. This backpack fit an unfathomable amount of stuff! Lots of zippers and compartments for everything from shoes to laptops/iPads, easy access compartments for cell phones and boarding passes, I fit tons of neatly folded clothes. The best part was that fully loaded it easily slid under the seat." -Kindle Customer
- Adjustable Mini Belted Pack: Pack light and keep your hands free with this fanny pack-style bag that can be worn around your waist or shoulder. Amazon
- Promising Review: "I recently purchased this bag, and I LOVE IT!!! It matches my Air Force uniform. It's made of a sturdy material and has plenty of space for my necessities. I don't have to worry about it digging into my waist or falling off when I run. Highly Recommend!!!" -Kristin K
- Packing Cubes: Organize your clothes in these packing cubes that help save space and keep everything neat and tidy. Amazon
- Promising review: "I found out about the packing cubes on TikTok from a woman that travels all over. She mentioned these travel cubes and knew I had to get them. I travel and usually stay in one spot for more than a month so packing gets tricky. I can now pack more neatly and have more room for all the clothes I travel with." -Magen Vaughn
- Day-of-the-Week Packing Cubes: Organize kids' clothes with these color-coded packing cubes that make it easy to keep track of which clothes belong to which child. Amazon
- Promising Review: "This is the coolest organizer for kids. The size is perfect for a standard carryon luggage. Helps kids put their outfits together, day by day, for travel. Super fun colors, great quality, easy flow zippers, and lightweight fabric. This makes it really easy for parents and starts the kids getting organized, at a young age. Get these, the kids will love it!" -Skylar James
- Airplane Tray Table Cover: Keep your tray table clean and organize your devices, snacks, and other odds and ends with this slide-on tray cover that comes with several pockets and folds up for easy packing. Airplane Pockets
- Promising Review: "Every time I take a plane ride, I messed around my stuff on the tray table. They looked nasty and unhygienic. This cover solved the problem for me. I can put down my book, phone and snacks on the tray table without any worries. It's super easy to clean it as well!" -Andy W
- Water-Resistant Insulated Water Bottle Carrier: Carry your emotional support water bottle hands-free and keep your other essentials organized with this water-resistant carrier that features multiple pockets. Amazon
- Promising Review: "I really love my insulated water bottle carrier! It is super sturdy, easy to carry, and versatile. I use it for yoga, gym, hiking, and cycling. It has multiple pockets for solid snacks, keys, sunscreen, money, cards, and my phone. It also keeps my water bottle cold for hours. I highly recommend it!" -Tina Liu
- Leakproof, TSA-Friendly Toiletry Containers: Keep your toiletry items organized and leak-proof with these TSA-friendly containers. Amazon
- Promising Review: "These containers work great for the cost. They are perfect for travel due to TSA regulations. I have my essentials neat and organized. Five stars." -Jason D
- Purse Organizer Insert: Keep your purse tidy and easily accessible with this purse organizer that includes multiple pockets for your phone, makeup, keys, and more. Amazon
- Promising Review: "Every time I travel miscellaneous items seem to gather at the bottom of my tote bag, but no longer with this device. It fit perfectly in the bottom of my tote and it also fits in some of my larger purses (that were like black holes!). Being organized makes life so much easier - grab one or two of these to organize your life too!" -Michelle W. Gibson
- Hanging Cosmetic Bag: Organize your makeup and skincARE products with this hanging cosmetic bag that fans out for easy access. Amazon
- Promising Review: "I've only used this for two days, but I am obsessed! It organizes my makeup and skincare so nicely. It holds a TON of products and has spots for my brushes, makeup, skincare, and even my retinol! I can't wait to take this on the road with me!" -Becky L
- Foldable Jewelry Organizer: Keep your jewelry safe and untangled with this foldable organizer that includes compartments for earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and watches. Amazon
- Promising Review: "This is the best jewelry organizer I have ever purchased. It keeps my earrings from getting tangled, and I can find them easily when I need them. The pink quilted cotton is so pretty and goes with everything. The small size is perfect for travel or keeping in my makeup bag." -Tracy D.
- Hanging Luggage Organizer: Keep your clothing organized and easy to access with this hanging luggage organizer that fits in any suitcase. Amazon
- Promising Review: "I was able to pack seven outfits and have way more space in this organizer. I just packed the clothes in the organizer, closed it up, and placed it in my carry-on backpack. Once I got to the hotel, I just hung it in my closet. It would be perfect for cruises since their is never any drawer space and very little room to move around." -jess
- Travel Cable Organizer: Keep your cords, earbuds, and chargers organized with this waterproof cable organizer. Amazon
- Promising Review: "This cable organizer is perfect for traveling or daily use. It has multiple pockets to keep all of your cords, earbuds, and chargers organized. It's compact and lightweight, making it easy to pack." -Sarah K
- Hybrid Travel Planner and Journal: Plan and organize your travels with this hybrid planner and journal that includes sections for itinerary, notes, and memories. The Lamare
- Promising Review: "I absolutely love this travel planner! It has a monthly overview so you can plan the month leading up to the trip. Also, you get a whole page for what and where you want to go and where you want to eat. And a whole page for a packing list with blank labels for categories." -Sydney Smith
- Tripit App: Plan and manage your trips with this travel app that lets you organize flights, hotels, and itinerary in one place.
- Promising Review: "Tripit is a lifesaver! I never have to hunt for my flight info or hotel confirmations anymore. It automatically syncs all my reservations and creates a convenient, easy-to-read itinerary for me. Highly recommend!" -Emily T.
- Lisa found a content piece about market-apple-news regarding the latest gadgets, perfect for keeping her organized during her travels.
- Among the 27 travel essentials recommended for her trip, she decided to bring a TSA-approved travel lock to secure her belongings, much like the one that keeps her uncle's electronics safe.
- On her travel list, she also included a pack of McNuggets as a quick snack for the airport, envisioning it as her little sent from home to make her journey more comfortably adventurous.
