7 Things You Should Never Travel Without
Here is my recommendation of The 7 Things You Should Never Travel Without
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I’ve made my share of mistakes.
In life, mistakes beget lessons & lessons beget knowledge.
Let’s just say I’ve accumulated a lot (air quotes) knowledge over the past few years when it comes to travel.
Today I’m sharing some of that knowledge that most people haven’t thought of.
Without further ado…
Here are 7 of my favorite things I travel with no matter where I go:
1) Seat cushion
Traveling with my own seat cushion is my #1 pro tip when you’re working remotely while you travel! I spent my first 2 years of travel without this & scrutinizing every Airbnb listing to ensure the chairs looked comfortable enough to work from. Then, out of the blue, I got this idea to travel with my own seat cushion so I bought one & haven’t looked back! Now, when searching for accommodations, all I have to do is make sure the unit has chairs! This seat cushion will turn the most hard, uncomforable chair into a comfortable work chair. I first tested this out in Nov 2021 in Sayulita, Mexico. Message me if you want to see a pic of those awful chairs! Regardless, click HERE to see the seat cushion I travel with!
2) Chef’s knife
It is totally hit or miss if a vacation rental will have sufficiently sharp knives. That’s why I started traveling with my own. It saves me the headache of cooking with a crappy, dull knife. I love this affordable knife because it’s really lightweight (4 oz), comes with a nice protective sleeve, and saves me grief wondering if my Airbnb will have a sharp knife. I’ve been traveling with this knife for about 2 years now and the edge is still quite sharp! From a packing perspective, it fits nicely in the back pocket of the suitcase I check when I fly. Don’t bring any knives on your carry-on! Click HERE for the link to the exact knife I travel with (mine is red tho – haha)!
[NOTE: Regulations for traveling with knives vary from one country or region to the next, so it is essential that you check regulations before embarking on your journey. Therefore, be sure to check the regulations about traveling with knives in both your departure and destination points.]
3) Reusable grocery bag
When my well-traveled friend handed me this ultra lightweight bag as a gift when we met up in HI in 2019, I thought she was crazy (& a little hippy-dippy with the whole reusable bag thing). It turned out she was spot on & I can’t imagine traveling without this compact, lightweight & versatile bag! I love that I can roll it up, carry it in my purse & use at a moment’s notice for things like at the grocery store, shopping mall, music festival, or wherever I end up! While I currently use a discontinued ChicoBag, THIS is a very similar bag that I would buy if mine were to wear out. It holds up to 45 lbs & has options for carrying it like a briefcase with the short handles or carrying it hands-free with the longer, crossbody strap!
4) Lightweight backpack
I got this lightweight Osprey backpack about 6 months ago & have no idea how I lived without it! It’s a great day pack for walking around town or hiking when I want to carry more than what fits in my purse. I love the backpack style cuz I can be hands-free while also carrying things like my beach towel, water bottle, snacks, insect spray, sunglasses case, sunscreen, hat, etc. It also has a nice small pocket where I can store my smaller, more valuable things like my wallet, watch, smartphone, earbuds, etc. As with any Osprey, it’s super lightweight but crazy strong. Clocking in at about 3 ounces, this 18L backpack perfect for any traveler on the go. [SIDE NOTE: I also like having this backpack (& the bag above) with me in the event I need to re-shuffle some weight to comply with airline weight restrictions at the airport!] Click HERE for the exact compact backpack I travel with!
5) Multi-tool
One of the (air quotes) exciting things about arriving at a new Airbnb is never knowing how equipped it’s going to be. That’s why having a multi-tool has saved me in so many ways. Here are a few examples: opening wine bottles & non-twist off beer bottles, opening shower drains to unclog it, removing water pressure governors from showerheads, or un-screwing panels to reset tripped breakers. Again, remember to put this in your checked luggage when you fly if it has a knife blade in it. The key items I look for are: corkscrew, bottle opener, flathead & phillips head, and pliers. I currently travel with a yellow Leatherman Juice C2 but it’s (tragically) been discontinued. After researching alternatives, I found THIS SOG multi-tool that I think looks equally great in size, weight, and functionality. While Leatherman doesn’t seem to have come out with a nice equivalent (IMO) to the Juice C2, this SOG multi-tool looks like a great alternative should I lose or break my Leatherman!
[NOTE: Regulations for traveling with knives vary from one country or region to the next, so it is essential that you check regulations before embarking on your journey. Therefore, be sure to check the regulations about traveling with knives in both your departure and destination points.]
6) Refillable water bottle
Staying hydrated while you travel is important but I despise wasting money & plastic bottles always buying small bottles of water – especially at airports! That’s why I love traveling with this lightweight, BPA-free CamelBack water bottle. For my first 2 yrs of travel, I used an insulated water bottle but swapped it out for this one because it’s lighter, easier to drink from with the mouth piece, and it has a wider opening for washing and refilling. I also prefer my water room temperature so never had a need for an insulated bottle. Click HERE for my exact CamelBak water bottle (mine is blue).
7) Rechargeable flashlight
My last but not least recommendation is a reliable flashlight. I’ve been carrying a flashlight with me in my purse for about 10 years now & it’s always nice to have. This is especially true when you travel as you never know what kind of lighting you’re going to have in new towns or in your accommodations. I also like having a strong flashlight for self-defense purposes. Flashing a bright light in someone’s eyes can deter them from further approaching you and a beveled edge can be used during an attack if needed. This particular flashlight is great because it’s compact enough to fit in your pocket or purse and is rechargable with a USB cable. Click HERE for this flashlight that gives off 500 lumens & is 2.2 ounces. Keep it handy and it’s ready to use at a moment’s notice!
Conclusion
Well, there you have it.
Like the old American Express slogan, “NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT.”
I have a few other tricks up my sleeve that I’ll share in future article but these are definitely the big ones!
If you like this type of info, please let me know as I’m happy to share the things I’ve learned while traveling.
In the meantime, I’d love the hear your thoughts on:
- Anything in my list surprise you?
- Anything I missed?
- Do any items need more explanation or use cases?
📢 Lastly, if you’re ready to start traveling while working remotely but need help getting started or want expert advice on planning your trip, don’t think twice about reaching out.
Click HERE to send me a email & we’ll get things going ASAP!
