Pack Smart When You Travel
We love to hop in the truck and take a trip. Sometimes, we may be gone for two nights and explore a new city and sometimes it may be a longer trip exploring multiple states. There’s just something super energizing about getting to travel to a new destination and spending a little time outside your normal routine. At this point, I’ve visited 46 states and feel like I have a pretty good feel for how to travel effectively and what I need to carry with me. If you are planning to travel by plane or car, make sure you pack the right stuff in the right way.
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Pack Smart When You Travel
When I travel, I think of myself as having four categories I need to pack. Each category has a specific purpose and function.
When I travel, I always wear a crossbody hydrobag or lanyard flatpack so I can keep the essentials I need on my person. I don’t want to be on an adventure and lose a backpack or have my luggage lost in an airport and not have these essentials.
- ID (driver’s license)
- Money
- Credit Card
- Insurance Card
- Hotel Key
- Car Key (if traveling by vehicle)
- Water bottle
The Wanderful Hydrobag carries essentials with two pockets — Store your travel & daily essentials in the large double-zippered pockets; The outer pocket is designed to fit the largest cell phones while the inner pocket has a place for a passport, credit cards, Airpods & more; More practical than most small bags
Purchase the Wanderful Hydrobag
I also always travel with a backpack wherever I go so that I have my next layer of supplies at all times. This backpack can also include my computer when I am traveling for work or blog.
- Flashlight
- Portable Charger
- Extra Money
- First Aid Kit
- Tennis Shoes/Socks (if traveling on a business trip wearing dress shoes)
- Chapstick/Lip Gloss
- Waterbottle
- Handzies Wipes
- Snack bar
- Drink Mix (Liquid IV)
The next level of packing is my suitcase. These are a few of the extra things I always pack in addition to my standard clothes and toiletries.
You will notice some redundancies in my packing because I don’t want to be caught off guard without something I need but this is on purpose not by accident.
- Extra flashlight
- Extra money
- Backup credit card
- larger first aid kit
My vehicle has much more space, so I keep more things that I might need on the trip.
- Snack bars and drink mixes
- Complete Keep Going First Aid Kit
- Hand wipes
- Umbrella
- Maps and GPS
- Extra charging cables for my phone
- Blanket
Are you strategic about what goes into each part of your packing or do you just throw everything in a suitcase and go? What is one thing on this list that you plan to pack on your next trip that you haven’t thought about? I’d love to hear!
Don’t Forget the Snacks
We always pack food when we travel, but don’t always want the same snacks. For our most recent road trip,
Tokyo Treat is a subscription box service that delivers a curated selection of Japanese snacks and candies to customers worldwide. Each month, subscribers receive a box containing a variety of treats, including popular snacks, candies, and beverages from Japan.
What else do you always pack when you travel? I’d love to hear!
Pack the Right Stuff When You Travel
- On Your Person
- In Your Backpack
- In Your Suitcase
- In the Vehicle
I like the idea of the lanyard—especially when flying!
Definitely makes it easier to keep up with everything important.