33 Things That'll Help Make Packing For Your Next Trip So Much Easier
1.A helpful "Pack this!" checklist that'll ensure you've got allllll the things you need for your trip — and some you may not have even thought of. So long to the haunting feeling of "did I pack my phone charger?!"
Promising review: "I hate making lists trying to figure out what I need, and this is PERFECT for trying to figure that out. It has a lot more on the checklist than I would ever take on a trip, but it does accommodate for every kind a trip, from a simple vacation across state lines, to a business trip, to a wedding halfway around the world. I'm pretty pleased!" —Alyssa Kauffman
Get it from Amazon for $7.
2.A compact contact lens case designed to prevent carrying around extra weight when you'd rather wear contacts instead of your specs. This lil' thing is so chic and useful — you can keep all the essentials in a purse-friendly marble case that even has a mirror inside.
This kit includes: A mirror, contact lens case, a mini solution bottle for your contact solution, a contact tweezer tool for pulling out your contacts from the lens case, and a contact remover tool used to remove and put on your contacts.
Promising review: "Great product! Love it. Been using everyday for the past month and it’s worked perfectly. Good quality. It’s beautiful." —Adriana Rodriguez
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
3.A simple yet remarkable felt insert created to slip into any sort of bag and *poof* instantly organize it. Overcrowded purse or carry-on? All now neatly arranged with roomy compartments, so you can stop burrowing in a black hole for your keys and specs.
And this comes in so many shades you'll easily find one to match the interior of any of your bags!
Promising review: "When you spend a LOT of money on a good bag, the last thing you need is a pen to leak or a dirty mark to ruin the lining. I couldn’t believe my luck when I discovered the EXACT product I was thinking of right here. I have the Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM with a light pink lining I wanted to protect, and a pink liner fits perfectly. You can remove the middle section if you wish, to hold more books, folders, etc. or keep it in (it has hook and loop strips at each end to hold it in place). I love that everything has a place, including a zipped compartment and the key strap lanyard, and of course if you want to change bags you can just lift it out and place all those essentials right into another. Highly recommend this item." —BritGirlUSA
Get it from Amazon for $9.90+ (available in sizes S–XL and 14 colors).
4.A handy travel wallet complete with a RFID-blocking shield to stash and organize all your many important docs in one safe place. It's also great for having your ID readily available so you're not *that* person in line at security.
The wallet has a passport pocket, boarding pass compartment, three credit card slots, an ID slot, a slim card pouch, slim pocket, a ticket slot, a cellphone pouch, a coin zippered pocket, key holder, and pen holder.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this wallet. I needed a new travel wallet, and this holds everything I need all in one place, and it still closes nicely and stays flat! I can fit my boarding pass, passport, ID, credit cards, money, checked baggage tickets, receipts, and more in it, yet it doesn’t bulk up or look like an overstuffed mess. It's just amazing. The description says it only holds US money, but I just used the boarding pass flap to hold all my Japanese Yen, which are larger. I didn’t use the zippered pocket for coins as I much prefer a separate coin purse for that sort of thing. I definitely recommend to anyone who travels a lot!" —Anthony Luu
Get it from Amazon for $12.99 (available in 35 colors).
5.A set of packing cubes you'll want to take a top-down shot of because you'll be impressed with how tidy *and* Insta-worthy they make your stuff look. It's just a bonus that over 4,000 reviewers love these for their ability to make packing, unpacking and retrieving belongings, and then repacking a buttload more efficient.
The set includes three different size packing cubes, one bra and underwear bag, one shoe Bag, and one bag for your toiletries.
Promising review: "When I first became aware of packing cubes, I thought they seemed completely unnecessary and a waste of precious suitcase real estate. Then a friend gave me these as a gift to celebrate my impending trip to Iceland. I'm now a devout convert! These little devils saved me so much time and aggravation I still can't believe it. When I got to my hotel room, it took me exactly six minutes to unpack and put stuff away. Getting dressed in the morning was faster because used items were in cubes separate from fresh. Packing to return home was faster because, well, I was already basically packed. I just popped the cubes back in the suitcase and voila." —Robin Osbourne
Get the six-piece set from Amazon for $16.99 (available in 14 colors).
6.A pair of buttery-soft hybrid leggings plus joggers so glorious, they serve the purpose of two different kinds of pants and barely take up any room. Admirers are noting that these feel like strokable velvet ideal for chillier days *and* have a breathable quality for temps best described as "sticky."
Promising review: "Last month I bought a pair in olive, just to try them out. Love! Immediately bought two more, the heather charcoal (more love!) and the black with the orange print zipper. I like the black but the fabric is not the same, not that yummy soft buttery feel. But the fit is great like the others and I like the zipper on the pockets. Then I found this dark camo with the zipper, with the same soft fabric. Had to have it. And it’s now my favorite. Bonus: These pants are perfect for traveling, they fold up to half the size of regular pants and never wrinkle. The only problem is you have to stop yourself from buying too many." —nancykou
Get them from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in women's sizes S–3X and dozens of colors).
7.Some itty bitty laundry soap sheets you'll need so you never have to face running out of clean undies, or worse... suffering from the stains of spilling on the *only* white tee you packed. Simply add some water for some on-the-go hand washing.
Promising review: "This came SO in handy during my vacation to Europe! I was making lots of different stops to places with different types of weather. With these laundry soap sheets I was able to wash my clothes in the sink — letting me pack just the right amount of clothes for all the different places I went." —Katie Fujarski
Get a 50-count pack from Amazon for $7.19.
8.A mini lightweight flat iron that'll give you the same jaw-droppingly smooth results as your full-sized one — but this can actually be stuffed into your case without you even noticing it ??.
And you'll get a lil' heat-resistant pouch to carry it wherever you go!
Promising review: "I got this nice little and compact hair straightener for my trip to the beach. It is small and lightweight. Perfect for a trip. It heats up really fast, with in seconds it is very hot. It comes with a pouch to tuck it away in. You do need to move slowly through your hair because the heated part is small but it does a good job. I made a little video to show how nice it is. Also I like the comfort of the design to hold it. Fits nicely in my hand. Not heavy like the bigger bulkier ones are. I took my time and shopped around for a travel one. I think this will be good to use every day. It doesn’t take up much space either." —Connie Cunningham
Get it from Amazon for $16.57.
9.Hero Cosmetics Mighty Pimple Patches available in a variety of sizes to consolidate your skincare products and tackle zits on the go. Slap on one of these suckers overnight to combat *all* your pimple-based emergencies. See ya, whiteheads, you're officially on the no-fly list.
This pack contains: 12 Mighty Patch Original patches, 12 Mighty Patch Invisible+ patches, and 2 Mighty Patch Surface patches.
I personally love this little zit kit. There are two different types of patches for single zits and a longgg one to take down a cluster of them. Their effectiveness definitely varies depending on the stage of the whitehead, but I like to think of them as my security blanket when I'm traveling or when I know I'm going to be wearing my mask for a long period of time. The most effective method I've found is to use the Original Patch at night and then the Invisible+ one on the same spot during the day. You barely feel or see the patch, for that matter, and I know it's getting to work on sucking the gunk out and healing the area without me even having to lift a finger. After a couple of uses, my spots appear less inflamed and intrusive — and I don't have to do any picking or popping...I mean what more could a girl ask for?
Promising review: "I have tried at least six different types of pimple patches, and these are the absolute best. They are the only ones that stick to my body acne — others just fall off, even if I clean the area well before sticking them on. These stay on all night, through tossing and turning and everything. Also, I've accidentally left the house in the morning with them on my face and neck because I forgot they were there — they stick so well, the edges don't peel up, so they stay invisible. Truly great. For best results, clean the area well with a toner or soap and water, and dry thoroughly before applying the patch." —Hero Cosmetics Customer
Get it from Hero Cosmetics for $13.99.
10.Leakproof travel capsules so cute and useful, you can carry *and stack* all your essentials together in one spot on the go (without having to forego your routine). Now pills, creams, and jewelry can all be encased in lil' TSA-approved magnetic containers.
I love my little containers that allow me to downsize but still carry my necessities while I'm traveling. They're not only cute to look at but they're pretty practical. I have used mine to store my vitamins, earrings, and face cream and have not run into any issues. They have tight, screw-on tops so you know everything is secure *and* you can customize their labels so you know exactly what's in what. Oh, and the fact that they're magnetic? Genius. This way, they stay tightly together in your case or can be conveniently stored in a makeup bag.
Cadence is a woman-owned small biz that helps people from many different walks of life stay on top of their personal care routines no matter where they go. The capsules are made from recycled ocean bound plastic in an effort to clean existing plastic off of beaches. One Cadence capsule = one travel-sized bottle worth of plastic removed from shores.
Promising review: "My day job keeps me on the go constantly, traveling locally and nationwide. Whether I'm in my car, on a flight or in a hotel room, Cadence has simplified my life in ways I never thought possible. I used to have to compromise certain products over others due to lack of space, which would often lead to feeling a little less confident throughout the day. I used to worry about my products leaking during travel. All of these worries are gone. Whether it's mints, lotion, vitamins, jewelry, etc. I'm covered with Cadence, and I refuse to go back to the way it was. The fact that they use recyclable material is the cherry on top. I recommend them to everyone!" —Cadence Customer
Get it from Cadence for $74 (available in individual capsules, bundles of three or six, and six colors).
11.Or some squeezable silicone travel bottles with pre-printed labels so you can fill 'em up with all your usual shampoos and conditioners while never being without your holy grails.
And it comes with a handy, clear zipper pouch!
Promising review: "Just took a trip to the Dominican Republic and used carry-on luggage only throughout the entire trip, never once was questioned about the size. The bag they are in seems thin but it worked great to put bottles back in as well as some smaller items fit in the bag too, like lip gloss, mascara and such. The holes are big enough to get your product in to the bottles without any complications. My fiancé and myself had plenty of shampoo, conditioner, sunblock and lotion for seven days. Highly recommend these bottles, they are perfect for carry-ons!!" —Stephanie Miller
Get a set of four 3oz bottles from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in a variety of sizes).
12.A digital luggage scale that I, a habitual overpacker, would not have been able to travel without. I can't tell you how many times my scale has saved me from the inconvenience (and embarrassment) of paying overweight fees....
Promising review: "This luggage scale is so handy and is great for weighing your luggage. I was a little concerned before I got it because I wasn't sure how accurate it would be. When I used it when I went on vacation, it was dead on to what the airport said, so I highly recommend this. Plus, it’s easy to pack in your bags." —Teresa Daniels
Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in packs of one or two and five colors).
13.Curie Whipped Body Wash made with a frosty, non-liquid (aka TSA-approved), looks-good-enough-to-eat soap. Now you can pass on the hotel cosmetics and lather this all over your bod, or use it on the areas you choose to shave (since it doubles up as a shaving cream!) for your most moisturizing vacay shower yet.
I use this gem as a delectable shaving mousse. It's florally scented — if you like that kinda thing — and helps me achieve a close, super-smooth shave. I personally just love scooping this out of the jar, because it literally feels like a dessert! (I mean...tell me that doesn't that just look like a dollop of ice cream on my hand!) And it lathers up really well so my legs feel smooth, moisturized, and full of life after each and every use.
Curie is a woman-owned brand that launched a clean, aluminum-free deodorant in 2018, and quickly grew a cult following because it actually works. Since then, they've expanded their product selection to include natural hand sanitizers and body oils.
Get it from Curie for $16 (available in three scents).
14.An electronics pouch created to organize your most-used devices and their forest of tangled wires. Keeping everything in its place will not only ease the accessibility of your belongings, but also tame your disposition when you don't have to spend minutes (read: hours) unraveling cords.
Promising review: "My husband and I both bought this about two years ago and still use them daily! They are still like new! Perfect fit for our chargers and extra cables. Also fits easily into carry on bags, backpacks, and larger purses!" —Beth Wilson
Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in three sizes and four colors).
15.A 6-foot-long, extra wide travel blanket so you can be fully prepared for flights that are so cold, you feel like you can see your own breath. This rolls up tightly into a carrier and will be your best friend on domestic and long-haul ventures.
40 Winks Travel is a small biz founded by Jennifer Klekas who has created a shop filled with ultra-functional travel essentials that are simple yet beautiful.
Promising review: "Love the weight of this blanket! Super fast shipping." —Etsy Customer
Get it from 40 Winks Travel on Etsy for $34.
16.A TSA-approved toiletry bag that'll stash all your travel-sized goodies and ensure they're easily identifiable. No holding up security lines here!
Promising review: "This bag held surprisingly more than expected. I put tiny travel jars for my skincare creams and other small toiletries in it with room to spare. I definitely feel like it was easier to pack and was also easy to grab out of my bag for security. It feels sturdy with nice, thick vinyl. The double zipper moved easily, and I was pleased that it opened completely for ease of getting the items I needed out of it." —Mrs M Tate
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in 11 colors).
17.A chic, fuss-free fanny pack with a slim and versatile design that can be shoved into your case with ease, and will go with every outfit (we're talkin' the 55 'fit options) you packed.
Promising review: "This is a perfect bag for lots of travel and comes with a shoulder strap as well as a belt! The bag fit my phone, my passport, some cards, cash, and small hand sanitizer. The clasp held strong for my whole week of travel. I used both the shoulder strap and belt which worked well!" —Ariana
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in five patterns and 18 colors).
18.A waterproof Kindle that is *chef's kiss* for any traveling bibliophile. No room in your case for multiple reads? No problem. Plus, you can take this to the pool without the worry since it'll even survive in the splash zone.
Abby Kass / BuzzFeed, Amazon
My co-author Abby Kass has this and says: "I've been an avid Kindle user for the past four years, but when I saw the new version, I knew it was time to upgrade. The main selling point is the fact that this one is waterproof. So waterproof, in fact, that it can be in up to two meters of fresh water for more than 60 minutes. Plus, it's lighter, has more storage, and the battery lasts for WEEKS. I took this on vacation with me and was so impressed. I was able to sit on the ledge in the pool and read without worrying about getting the device wet. And I even put it in the water to test, and it still works perfectly. I used it every day and didn't have to charge it the whole time I was on the trip. Plus, I was able to load more than five books on it for the trip, and it was so light to slip in my carry-on. That gets a big gold star in my book."
Get it from Amazon for $109.99+ (available in 8GB and 32GB and in four colors).
19.A set of shoe organizer bags so your sneakers can stay neatly packed away from your clean, folded clothes and your fancy suede shoes can remain scuff-free while traveling. What's also great? The lil' windows. Now you can find your heels with ease without having to play the guessing game with nondescript plastic bags.
Promising review: "These are perfect for packing shoes when traveling. They are reasonably priced. Exactly what I was looking for." —PB from Pennsylvania
Get a set of five from Amazon for $8.88 (available in medium and large and in four colors).
20.A carry-on garment bag you can count on to keep your ~fancy~ 'fits that mean business crisp and wrinkle-free. And unlike regular (read: boring) garment bags, this carrier has mesh pockets and other compartments that'll store your coordinating accessories in one spot.
Promising review: "I recently purchased this bag to be able to accommodate a couple of suits for business trips without having to check a large garment bag. This worked perfectly! It was easy to pack, I had no issues placing it in the overhead bins, and my suits were in great condition when I unpacked at the hotel. Overall, it's a great value." —PSTEENSON
Get it from Amazon for $54.80+ (available in black and gray).
21.A jewelry organizer that folds into a neat wallet-sized pouch to store your vacation-ready accessories. It also provides some assurance that your necklaces won't become a bundled-up mess (which always seems to be a thing no matter how far the journey).
Promising review: "I would give this more stars if I could. It's exactly what I've been looking for forever!!! It has plenty of room for my clunky jewelry, and enough separate pouches that things don't get tangled. I LOVE it." —Carrie Minturn
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
22.A reusable water bottle with a daily pill organizer so you can stay hydrated and on track with medications — even when you're a few thousand miles away from home!
Promising review: "This water bottle has helped me so much with the convenience of taking my meds at night. I always forget or say I’ll do it later bc I have to grab a drink for the meds. So I have a daily alarm now and my meds and water are right at my bedside. No issues whatsoever. I love that I can stand the bottle or lay it down, it doesn’t spill or leak, and the top doubles as a cup. Worth every penny." —Natalie Hayes
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in five colors).
23.A sleek and stylish July suitcase capable of transporting all your essentials for an extended getaway. Some highlights: A sneaky inner laundry bag, a compressive strap to keep all your layers tucked — which, get this, creates more space — *and* a stain-resistant lining to protect your case from lotion explosions.
And this comes with a lifetime warranty, 100-day trial, *and* free returns! You can also get it personalized — for FREE.
July is an Australian-based luggage startup that was founded in 2018, and is now the official luggage supplier of the Australian Winter Olympic team.
Promising review: "I bought the checked monochrome and I love it. It looks great and the quality is top notch. I really like that the TSA lock is on the top. The material of the interior is great. The leather trims look and feel fantastic. The compression strap is also extremely durable. I did not realize the zippered flap had a pouch so that was an added bonus. The wheels are silky smooth as well. The personalization also looks amazing with the black on white." —July Customer
Get it from July for $275 (available in nine colors).
24.A travel toothbrush that folds and stores easily so you can keep your smile fresh (especially if you time traveled and missed your nightly brush).
Promising review: "These are great! I travel around a lot for work, and also have Invisalign, so I like to keep one in my work bag as well as my travel bag. The best part is the convenience. I used to carry a tooth brush in a case that took up a lot of room in my work bag as well as my travel bag. Now I just use these. They are small, durable, easy to use, and the brush is full covered when it is fully closed, which is what I was a little worried about at first. It was exactly what I was looking for in a travel toothbrush. I highly recommend, and I will be purchasing again." —Demetri
Get it from Amazon for $5.99+ (available in three styles).
25. And BPA-free covers designed to fit toothbrush heads that can be exposed to all kinds of bacteria if they're just flung into your cosmetics bag. With this, you can keep bristles *and* your mouth nice and clean.
Amazon
Promising review: "Fits my double brush electronic toothbrush perfectly. Cleans easily. A perfect accessory for health and cleanliness of the toothbrush. Great idea; and I like the way they look." —a l brock
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $11.99+.
26.A memory foam Ostrichpillow neck cushion that's easy to store since it compresses to 60% of its original size for easy transportation. One reviewer even mentions using this like an actual pillow, so you can nap your way through to your destination! (The best way to travel, if you ask me.)
Promising review: "I bought it for a trip that had two long haul flights as well as various shorter flights. It is almost impossible for me to sleep on a plane, unless I get the full row to lay down. This thing helped me fall asleep almost immediately without waking up every time my head bobbed. I also used it as a nap pillow: your face can fit the hole perfectly as well as the back or side of your head, so it really works well for that too. I highly recommend this pillow!" —MSC7
Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (available in two colors).
27.Or a chic and secure travel belt to attach extra book bags and totes to your suitcase, so it feels like you have one solid piece of luggage as you sprint to your terminal.
Cincha is run by a BIPOC couple based in Oakland, California, who believe traveling in style should also be secure. They've been making the chic travel belt since 2019.
Promising review: "Such a simple yet brilliant solution for the ever falling bag when trying to juggle all your luggage. It definitely made traveling less stressful." —Samantha
Get it from Cincha for $40+ (available in 13 colors).
28.A convenient six-port USB charger that'll just give you one thing to pack for all your devices — instead of having to lug every single brick charger in your collection. Less luggage weight = less stress.
Promising review: "This USB charger has been awesome for travel since it allows me to skip packing a separate USB brick for each of my devices. It is smart enough to determine whether the device has the capability to quickly charge via higher amperage output and automatically delivers the appropriate output to each device. The LED that indicates that the unit is receiving power is a nice touch, especially when many hotels I stay at seem to have dead power outlets. I use it with an iPad, iPhone, portable Bluetooth speaker, and a portable recharging pack. It handles those devices well and charges them quickly." —Sam Ellis
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in black and white).
29.A designated dirty laundry bag so that your gross, sweaty sightseeing clothes can be neatly zipped up and kept away from your still-clean items.
Promising review: "I love this bag for travel. It's the perfect size. Unlike so many travel laundry bags, this one is the perfect size for clothes and undies. So many are too small like a lingerie bag or too big like a bag to take to the laundramat. This is cute and folds up into itself." —N. Newman
Get it from Amazon for $9.75.
30.Vacuum seal bags for a serious space-saving solution. Now you can get away with packing a couple extra things, just in case you end up going to a fancy dinner, or if there's a drop in temperature, or you end up swimming one extra day....It's always good to have options, right?
I swear by these bad boys not only for general storage purposes, but also if I know I'm going to be traveling for an extended period of time. As someone who tends to pack for every eventuality (who doesn't like to be prepared?!), I have learned that it's better to travel with them than without — especially since it's more or less a guarantee that my clothes are gonna take up a ~substantial~ amount of room in my suitcase. And if I can use something that's gonna shrink the size of my bulky hoodies and/or big tees in order for me to create more space, I'm sure as heck gonna do it. Plus, the satisfaction is indeed guaranteed because when you see those chunky layers flatten into a pancake...it's just *chef's kiss*.
Promising review: "I've used these bags before and they are so helpful. Even use the medium one for travel and I have tons of extra suitcase room. The clothes don't come out wrinkled at all as long as you fold them nicely before placing in the bag, then the air sucks out keeping them safe and sound and very compact." —Susie Kochsmeier
Get a 3-pack from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in multiple sizes or a variety pack).
31.A Dagne Dover duffle bag so deceiving, you'll look at it and think pffft there's no way I'm fitting *everything* I need for my flight in that, but multiple interior and exterior slip pockets along with a key leash make this THE one. And this can tuck right under the airplane and train seat in front of you so you don't have to fight for overhead space.
BuzzFeed Shopping's Emma McAnaw says, "My Dagne Dover duffle fits soooooo much more than it seems (especially when you fight to the death to fit everything as I do), and it's a super easy carry-on! I just put it under the seat so I don't have to fight people to get the overhead bin space. Also, I've gotten away with bringing it for free on airlines that try to charge for carry-ons because it looks so small."
Get it from Dagne Dover for $110+ (available in five sizes and five colors).
32.A heat-resistant silicone mat for when you don't have the time to wait for your hot curling iron to cool before your journey to the airport. Wrap it up and toss it in your carry-on without fear of it burning a hole in your bag. (It can also be used to protect countertop surfaces, too!)
Promising review: "This is great for travel! I love that I no longer have to wait for my straightener to cool down all the way when we are traveling. Now, I can let it cool a little then wrap it up and pack it away, saving me tons of time. I love that it has the slit to keep the cover on the iron. I also like to rest the straightener on it any time I use it to protect our marble countertops. Definitely recommend it!" —IDesign
Get it from Amazon for $10.95.
33.And a How To Pack book, because packing is a science and the sooner you nail it down the sooner you can put your feet up and start daydreaming about how you'll be at your destination in mere hours.
Looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? Check out all of BuzzFeed’s gift guides!
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.
