I travel a lot, so I have a lot of travel gear. Most of it is worth the money, and some of it just isn’t. However, there are a handful of things that I will never travel without anymore, and they tend to be some of the most random items.
And that’s what I’m here to show you today. This list contains all the random small things I use all the time that have made my trips so much easier. And the best part is that they’re all under $15 (and most of them actually cost less than half that). I hope you find something here that makes your life easier too.
My random but essential travel gear
Read on for the full description of each item along with photos and some of the ways I use each one. But here’s the quick list with links:
- Small ziplock baggies
- Suitcase bungee cord
- Phone lanyard
- Diaper pins
- Zipper clips
- Reversible black/brown belt
- Poo-pourri
- Braided clothesline
- Silicone body scrubber
For everything else I always travel with, you can find it all in my Travel Essentials Amazon storefront here.
1. Small ziplock baggies
I use these small ziplock baggies just about every single day of my life–whether on the road or not. They are the handiest thing I think I’ve ever discovered. You can buy them in tons of sizes for just about any possible need.
For example, I use the:
- 1.5 x 2 inch – For pills, earrings, tiny hairbands
- 4 x 4 inch – For soap bars, eye makeup remover pads, Q-tips, business cards, tea bags
And really, the possibilities are endless. I honestly don’t know what people do with this stuff if they don’t use little baggies like these. They come in so many different sizes and shapes; there’s a tiny ziplock bag out there for anything you could possibly want to pack. And you can get 100 of them for less than $7 in most cases.
Shop for tiny ziplock baggies here
2. Suitcase bungee cord
One thing that drives me crazy when I travel is when I have to leave my luggage at the hotel (either because my room isn’t ready yet or I have to check out early). Because I always travel with a suitcase and a backpack, I get so afraid that my backpack (with all the important stuff) is going to get separated from my luggage.
And actually, it usually does, because hotels often insist on putting just one tag on it. As if sitting the backpack on top of the suitcase is enough. So, I found a solution.
Now, I travel with this suitcase bungee cord. This lets me connect my suitcase and my backpack in a super quick and easy way. No more trying to use my backpack straps to desperately tie the two together in a hurry. It keeps everything tightly together and organized, and it’s still easy to wheel around when they’re combined.
Get your suitcase bungee cord here
3. Phone lanyard
Maybe I’m a little late to the game, but I now won’t go anywhere without my phone lanyard. I first learned about these while preparing for a trek through the Sahara Desert. My friend had one solely to prevent herself from dropping her phone from high up on her camel. (And yes, I did drop some stuff from up on my camel.)
I love these phone lanyards because of how widely useful they are:
- They help you not drop your phone when taking pics on boats, from rooftop viewing decks, from moving trains, and just about any other weird travel scenario.
- They help prevent cell phone theft.
- And they help me know where my phone is at all times. No more sitting it down and forgetting where I put it because it’s always on me.
This is such a clutch purchase but it costs so little. The value far exceeds the price for sure. These kinds of lanyards come in tons of designs and colors, and even in 2-packs.
Get your own phone lanyard here
4. Diaper pins
Do I have a child? No. Do I wear diapers myself? Definitely not. But do I feel these diaper pins are one of the most useful travel tools you can buy? Yes!
I first bought these for the time I set off on a 10-day trek across the French/Italian/Swiss Alps. These diaper pins are a great way to secure things to your hiking backpack; way better than traditional safety pins and with more uses than carabiners. They’re super sturdy and secure and much bigger than regular safety pins so they have many more uses.
I use them to pin not-yet-dry clothing items to my pack so they can air dry. You can pin your socks and underwear together when doing laundry abroad so you don’t lose anything. Use them to secure a scarf when it’s cold or windy. You can pin zippers together in a pinch, and much more. I always pin a couple to my bags when I travel just in case (and always find new uses for them).
Pick up some diaper pins here
5. Zipper clips
I almost always travel with my anti-theft bags, but sometimes I use a purse or backpack that doesn’t already have safety locks on the zippers. When that’s the case, I use these small zipper clips. They discretely clip the zippers together to help prevent someone from pick-pocketing you.
They don’t lock, but they do deny the opportunists the opportunity of stealing from your bag. Instead, they’ll move on to someone else who isn’t as travel savvy as you. You can even get them in different colors to match whatever bag you’re using. I may travel without an anti-theft bag sometimes, but I never travel without something that still helps prevent it.
Get your zipper clips here
Also check out: 21 Must-Have Travel Safety Items
6. Reversible black/brown belt
I am so happy to have found this reversible black/brown belt. This is such a simple thing that can make your travel so much easier. Why pack two belts when you only need to pack one? (And why buy two in the first place?) It’s as simple as that.
This belt easily switches back and forth between black and brown and you can’t even tell it’s a different color on the other side when you’re wearing it. You can get it with either silver, gold, or “black” buckles. (“Black” is more like a very dark silver; that’s the one I have.)
Get your reversible black/brown belt here
7. Poo-Pourri
If you haven’t tried Poo-pourri yet, you definitely should. I have no idea how it works but I’m convinced it’s straight-up sorcery. And whether you’re traveling with someone else or just by yourself, you’ll be glad you have this in your toiletry bag.
Poo-pourri is a nice-smelling spray you spray 2 or 3 times into the toilet bowl before you poo, and like magic there is no smell. At all. Sorcery. This is a game-changer for hotel rooms. It comes in all kinds of scents and sizes, even these little pocket-sized travel bottles.
Check out Poo-pourri here
8. Braided clothesline
Because it’s so small (but so useful) I bring my braided clothesline on all my trips. Sometimes I’m able to do laundry at an actual facility, but that’s pretty rare. Usually, I wash my socks, underwear, and whatever else in my hotel sink. And to dry them I use this braided clothesline.
It’s easy to hang up just about anywhere. But my favorite part is that I don’t need hangers or clothespins to hang my stuff up. The braided bungee rope makes it so I can just thread my stuff through the gaps and everything hangs up nicely. Afterwards, it folds up really small so I can pack it without taking up a lot of space.
Pro tip: For doing sink laundry, I also swear by my Scrubba Bag and some Dr. Bronner’s soap.
Get your braided clothesline here
9. Silicone body scrubber
I used to travel with a small loofah, but I’ve since found a much better solution: this silicone body scrubber. I’m able to feel like I’m actually getting clean with this thing after long days of exploring, hiking, whatever. Most hotels don’t offer washcloths, and simply washing with soap just doesn’t cut it sometimes.
This scrubber is easily packable and dries super fast so you can pack it back up and move on to the next destination. It’s definitely cleaner than a loofah and lasts so much longer.
Get yourself a silicone body scrubber here
More info for your upcoming trips
Like this post? Have questions about any of these travel items? Let me know in the comments below. Have fun on your upcoming trips!
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