My Amazon Travel Game Changers
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You’ve heard of Oprah’s Favorite Things? Well, these aren’t *as* fancy but will be just as good when you’re traveling and feel that sense of organization and preparedness, ready to conquer anything your adventure throws your way!
This list is all about real-life functionality, keeping you organized and prepared for anything. All without breaking the bank – I cannot say the same for Oprah’s Favorite Things.
Travel Gear & Bags
If there’s one thing I can recommend to anyone, it’s these packing cubes. If you have regular packing cubes, throw them away – they’re not the same thing. The extra space you will save in your suitcase is crazy. I’ve packed for two weeks to Europe in a carry-on using these.
Trust me, when you’re schlepping a full size 50 pound suitcase over cobblestones, up and down stairs and broken escalators in train stations (because half of them are always broken) you’ll wish you spent the extra $40 on these.
My favorite hack for packing light – this packs down to about the size of a clutch. This is ripstop and weather resistant. You can also carry it as a backpack or a tote. It is the perfect bag for daily exploration or if you have an excursion planned. We used this in Costa Rica on a 7 hour excursion and as a beach bag, it was the perfect size.
This is the best price conscious suitcase we’ve found. We’ve taken these on over a dozen trips each, including two international trips and they held up beautifully.
This is the backpack I use as my personal item and it’s easily one of my top favorite purchases, it’s very decently priced, too. I’ve more than gotten my money’s worth out of it already. It’s super spacious but not too terribly big so things get lost in the abyss.
I love that the zipper on the main compartment opens all the to the bottom. I’ve had a few backpacks where it only zips halfway and that makes it really difficult to pack efficiently. This has fit under the seat in every flight I’ve been on. Highly recommend.
When I’m traveling in the airport, I always use this so I can have all my essentials readily available at all times. I typically only use a belt bag when traveling anyway, especially abroad (because pickpockets).
I’ll put my passport in here (because if you’re not checking for your passport every 2 minutes, do you actually have anxiety? If not, please tell me what that’s like), my wallet, phone, chapstick, lipgloss, hand sanitizer, face sunscreen, AirPods, the backup wired headphones for when the AirPods inevitably die.
My husband and I use these as our permanent toiletry bags. This is the starting place to becoming a carry-on pro. I know they seem impossibly small and you’re thinking you could never fit all your things in there – but as a recovering over packer, I’m here to tell you, you can do it!
I do have a separate bag for my make-up, travel brush, and bits and bobs.
For Goodness’ sake if you’re flying through Heathrow, and have liquids in multiple bags (THIS INCLUDES MAKE-UP). STOP before security. Find a station with a provided clear bag. Combine all your liquid items in said provided bag, and make sure the bag closes 🙃. This will make your life so much easier.
This fits perfectly in my travel make-up bag. I like to bring it just in case I need to do my make-up on the go. This mirror can also stand up by itself with the handle.
Electronics
I’ve tried out several portable chargers. I’m really liking this one because it’s magsafe and you can also plug it in for faster charging.
Something unique about this one is that it has a battery display on the bottom. With most portable chargers, it seems to be a fun surprise with how much battery you actually have left. But, with this one, I know exactly where I’m at and if I need to recharge it before we leave the hotel (just in case).
Most hotels do have USB plugs available now, but it’s always good to bring an international plug adapter when traveling out of the country just in case. Especially if you bring a curling iron or something you actually have to plug in.
If you’re like me and have entirely too many electronics (phone, laptop, iPad, wireless charger, second screen if I’m working) that need to be charged, the typical 2 USB outlets that hotels provide just don’t cut it. This is the perfect little travel companion that will have your excessive charging needs covered.
This compact case is perfect for my most-used cords and my wireless charger. The bulkier chargers, for laptops and other devices have a home in a separate bag. This way, on flights, I can grab exactly what I need without digging through a mess of cables!
Wellness
Ok, this might sound weird – but this is a great remedy for motion sickness and it’s the size of a chapstick! I have vestibular migraine (basically chronic vertigo) and traveling with that has been an adventure on it’s own, let me tell ya.
Speaking of motion sickness, Dramamine is a staple in my medicine bag. I will always take one before international flights. Except that one time I didn’t, and really, really regretted it.
This is big enough for a week’s plus worth of meds and then some OTC meds to keep on hand such as Aleve, Tums, etc. I put this in a little pouch with band-aids, Neosporin, my extra Vicks VapoInhaler, Dramamine, and any other loose medical items.
I’m pretty sensitive to sound, so I always bring earplugs with me. These are a great option that come with a little carrying case. They’re perfect for large crowds or if you happen to be sharing a room with someone who may or may not snore (we don’t judge around here).
One morning in our hotel in beautiful La Jolla at 6:30 am, I was jolted awake by our lovely adjoining neighbor’s alarm. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for them. Their alarm went off for the next 45 minutes to an hour. Was this karma for how many alarms I have and how often I press snooze in the morning at home? Nah.. But, I immediately purchased a travel size sound machine.
I know you can have a sound machine app on your phone, but what if I want to use my phone to mindlessly scroll through TikTok or Instagram? I can’t do both at the same time.
A collapsable water bottle to take through TSA so you can refill for free at the water stations instead of buying the insanely expensive water at the airport. I like this one because it has a carabiner so it can clip on your backpack.
I had one that rolled up a while back and I really didn’t like that design. It was super frustrating to pack it back up every time. This one is much easier.
TIP: you can ask Starbucks or Coffee Bean (whatever coffee shop is available) for a cup of ice before filling you water bottle up because that water station water is a bit too warm for my liking.
Clothing
Leggings
These are my absolute favorite leggings of all time. I’m talking I prefer these over Lululemon Aligns – and they’re 1/4 of the price. So you can buy a pair of each and then one extra for the cost of one pair of Aligns (Girl Math). I probably have 6+ pair of these and I will most likely buy more.
These really suck you in on all the right places and I think the fabric is softer than Aligns. They definitely hold up after a million washes because my Aligns did not – they got so pilly and dog hair would get embedded in them and with these Amazon ones, not a pill in sight and the dog hair slides right off.
This is one of the staples I like to pack with me because it can typically be worn a couple different ways. Also – it’s so, so soft and comfortable.
This is a staple in my backpack. The amount of times it’s come in handy as a pillow, blanket, and even it’s intended purpose (an actual scarf) is infinite.
Another hack for being able to travel with just a carry-on, is occasionally washing your clothes in the sink with this sink laundry detergent. Some hotels we’ve stayed at in Europe actually have had a laundry line in the bathroom to hang up clothes to dry. Otherwise, you can just stick them on the side of the tub or shower overnight.
RELATED: Carry-On: Your Ultimate Guide to Stress-Free Travel
