We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A collapsible water bottle that can be rolled up to a super small size so it won't take up precious cargo space when it's not full.
Promising review: "Well this is the coolest thing ever! I travel quite a bit, and I usually don't take a bottle with me because they are big and bulky, and I usually lose it! This collapsible water bottle is a perfect traveling accessory. It stays collapsed until after security, and then I fill it up for the trip. It's a good size and fits in my side compartment in my travel backpack and the cap screws in securely so I don't have to worry about it opening accidentally and spilling all over the place. I follow the instructions on how to clean it and it works just fine." —M. Lyons
Get it from Amazon for $34.95.
2. Or this reusable water bottle equipped with a built-in pill organizer — a two-for-one deal! This will make it easy to keep up with your daily pill regimen when you're 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 $14.99+ (available in red or pink).
3. A bar of natural, plastic-free solid shampoo that is small enough to fit into any toiletry bag and will last you multiple trips. And you don't have to worry about your shampoo leaking in your bag!
Promising review: "I was definitely skeptical about a bar shampoo and conditioner, but I travel a lot and really wanted to cut down the use of plastic products as much as possible. I honestly am in love! I got the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar and the Wonderbar conditioner, as well as one of their eco-friendly bamboo and sugar cane storage containers, and my very long, fine oily hair, which I do have to wash daily looks and feels great. I recommend anyone on the fence to definitely give it a try! It works! So wonderful for travel too!" —M.A.
Get it from Amazon for $12+ (available in nine varieties).
4. A waterproof Kindle Paperwhite to let you keep as many books as you want at your fingertips instead of having to lug around heavy hardcovers when you travel. Plus: the glare-free screen makes it great for beach reading.
Promising review: "I will start by saying this is my fifth Kindle, so I’ve been using Kindles for many years. I can honestly say this is now my favorite ever. Loving the larger screen. I never noticed much difference from my previous Kindle editions before until this one. More text fitting into the larger screen is great for larger fonts. Also love the faster page turns. This was something I noticed immediately after turning it on. The Kindle just works faster on page turns and this makes a big difference for me. The screen color is great. As you can see the color of the new Kindle 11th generation seems less white. At first I thought I would not like this, but I find this color is easier on my eyes. You can also adjust the automatic warmth color. I love this so much especially when I’m reading at night. USB-C charging is fast. I can’t tell on the battery life yet but it charges a lot faster than my previous Kindles." —Lorena Frith
Get it from Amazon for $139.99+ (available in three colors, with or without ads, and in two storage sizes).
Check out our full review of the Kindle Paperwhite here.
5. A set of six Cadence containers so you don't have to bring your huge bottle of face wash on every trip. Now you can store just the small amount you need of each beauty product, leaving so much extra space in your bag. Each container has a leak-proof lid and comes with a label so you know what's inside each one.
Cadence is an AAPI woman-owned small business that was founded by Steph Hon as a way to eliminate single-use travel-sized plastics. The containers are made from recycled ocean-bound plastic.
My co-worker Abby Kass has these and loves them! Here's what she has to say about them: "I recently got a set of four of these, and, wow, I love them so much. I used them on a six-day trip recently, and they were perfect. I customized the label so I knew which one was my shampoo vs. conditioner and did a general label for any other things I wanted to bring along. They do hold a surprising amount. According to the brand, they hold approximately one to two weeks of skincare products, more than two weeks' worth of serum, two to three days' worth of haircare, and more than 15 tablets (for medicine and such). And while two to three days worth of haircare might not seem like enough, I found it held more than that for me, but I also don't wash my hair every single day. They were small enough to slip right into my toiletries bag and go through TSA with no problem. The container was easy to open in the shower (even with wet hands), and I had no leakage from them (like I did from my face wash bottle that will not be making the trip with me next time. SMH). These are an incredibly useful tool anyone who travels will want in their luggage."
Get a set of six from Cadence for $76 (originally $84; available in eight colors).
6. A fanny pack for a travel-friendly way to carry all of your essentials on your trip. The best part: it's small enough to stash in your carry-on so you have an extra bag to carry around once you get to your location!
It has a hidden pocket on the backside to keep all of your valuables extra safe.
Promising review: "Very happy with my purchase. Got this for my trip to Colombia. I was looking at more expensive fanny packs but settled on this due to the reviews. It’s very well-made for the price. It withstood many hikes to waterfalls, horseback riding, and city tours among others. I love the fact that there’s a pocket that’s hidden that sits on my chest at all times where I kept my passport, extra cash, and travel documents. I was able to fit my camera, iPhone, earbuds, shades, charger, and a couple of other knickknacks without a problem. Wasn’t a fanny pack guy before now but I’m a believer LOL." —IWG MD
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in two sizes and 31 colors).
7. A Dagne Dover duffle bag roomy enough to carry all of your necessities but small enough to fit under the seat in front of you. Anything that can help you avoid fighting over overhead bin space is a win in my book!
BuzzFeed'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 like 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 $125+ (available in five sizes and seven colors) or from Nordstrom for $125+.
8. Or this leather duffle bag to match the refined, worldly traveler that you are. With a huge main compartment plus extra pockets on the side and front, this durable bag has enough room to comfortably fit a week's worth of clothes!
Promising review: "So worth the money!! I have been searching for a nice leather duffel bag. I have found a few that I wanted to buy but couldn't bring myself to pay $300–$400 for one right now. I figured I'd check Amazon and came across this bag. I read all the great reviews and figured why not? I was skeptical though because the bag was under $100. Let me tell you every review is spot on. Such a nice bag. Big, too. I'm in love with it. This company does a great job. Quality stitching, leather, zippers, etc. Don't hesitate; it's well worth the money!!!" —john
Get it from Amazon for $57.32+ (available in four sizes).
9. A mini white-noise machine, because a good night's sleep is important, especially if you're traveling for business or have a full itinerary the next day. You'll slumber peacefully as this machine drowns out the sounds of rowdy next-door neighbors or loud street noises.
Promising review: "I travel a lot for work and need some kind of noise to cover up sounds from the hallway in hotels. This little device is the best one I've found. I've found one of the sound options that sounds just like an AC unit that puts me to sleep in an instant. And no worries that the hotel AC stops running in the middle of the night as they usually do and you wake up to a silent room and can't go back to sleep. The sounds on this little guy are the best ones I've heard. Buy this for travel and you won't be sorry!" —KJ
Get it from Amazon for $34.99.
10. A pocket-sized, refillable travel perfume atomizer so you can still take your favorite perfume on your trip without having to pack the whole dang bottle. This pumps perfume directly from your normal-sized bottle, and it's basically the size of a lipstick!
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Elizabeth Lilly loves this! Here's her review: "As the reviewer down below mentions, it's great to just throw in your purse on the reg for a fragrance re-up throughout the day. As you can see, it's about the size of my thumb and therefore takes up very little room. Plus! It's smaller than most rollerball travel fragrances you can pick up. This first one is working so well, that I just have the other three in storage. But if this one bites the dust this summer during travels, I'll be OK about digging into my stores to use one of the remaining three...especially at this price point."
Promising review: "These work so great. Love it!!! I put my favorite perfumes in each one. When I wear a perfume I put the matching one to the perfume I’m wearing for the day in my purse. So I can freshen up my scent later! I like to smell pretty all day!!! They are small and compact but hold enough before you have to refill as well." —Nikki
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $7.55.
11. A travel belt — since you've committed to just a carry-on and a personal item, you can use this to attach that purse or backpack to the top of your rolling suitcase so you can give your body some relief as you rush through the airport.
The travel belt is adjustable to 38 inches to fit most bags. The belt itself is vegan leather with elastic accents and a quick-release buckle.
Cincha Travel is a small business in California that develops adjustable travel belts made out of vegan leather. The brand donates 100 airline miles for each purchase, which are used to reconnect separated migrant families.
Promising review: "Love this! I am constantly struggling between holding my jacket and two carry-ons. This is the perfect solution! I can’t wait to start using it when I’m back to regular business travel." —Allison
Get it from Cincha Travel for $39.99 (available in 16 colors)
12. A hanging toiletry bag so roomy, you'll be amazed at how you can fit your entire skincare routine, all of your makeup, and your hair products in it and still have room to spare.
Promising review: "Seriously?! Do you see how much this holds?! Full shampoo bottles, face washes, hair brush...everything I could need or want to bring, FITS IN THIS ONE BAG! And it’s so cute! Feels like great quality too — all the hardware came with protective wraps to keep from scratching and the zippers feel very hardy. The hook at the top is also VERY WELL-SECURED to the bag, it’s double stitched to the top panel and almost feels like seatbelt material. And I love the extra pockets and netting inside. I would absolutely recommend this!" —mahea_c
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in six colors).
13. A Pocket Blanket capable of folding up so small, it can literally fit in the palm of your hand. It's perfect to take on flights, but you'll also want to take along this waterproof blanket on any outdoorsy trip — it has tethered corner stakes, so it'll stay put no matter how windy it gets.
Matador is a small business that creates innovative, durable, and long-lasting travel and outdoor products, and, in fact, the Pocket Blanket was the first product they ever created.
I have this blanket and it really, truly fits in your pocket! When folded completely out, it fits two people lying down and would probably fit up to four people sitting. It's super thin without being flimsy, and any water, dirt, or sand just rolls right off of it. I did get some sunscreen on my blanket the last time I used it, but I threw it in the washing machine when I got home and hung it to dry and it was as good as new. I took this to the beach this summer, and the stakes in the corner and the sand pockets were super helpful at keeping it from flying away in the wind. It also has a very subtle stitched guide on the blanket that you follow to fold it back up to pocket-sized. This blanket is so great and is a must for spontaneous hiking trips, beach days, or even a date in the park.
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in two sizes and three colors) or from REI for $34 (available in three colors).
14. A Hackwith Design House shirt that can be worn six different ways! That means you can take a few of those tops you packed "just in case" out of your suitcase.
Hackwith Design House is a woman-owned small business. Their sustainable designs are made to order and sewn in their Minnesota studio. Their sizes run from XS–4X. On Mondays, they also release limited-edition designs so you can be one of only 25 people to own a piece!
My colleague Chelsea Stuart owns this and loves it. Here's what she has to say:
"All credit for its discovery goes to TikToker @jennifer.bianca who I happened to stumble across on my FYP. It checks all my boxes: black, comfortable, versatile, and durable. My initial worry was that I wouldn't feel secure in it (I have a 38DDD chest and most wrap tops/dresses I've tried haven't stayed where they're supposed to), but I haven't had an issue with this! I've worn it tied in the front giving me a square neck (like the middle picture) and tied in the back giving me a V-neck up front (just like the photo on the right) — both were super comfortable and I didn't have to adjust myself at all. As someone whose weight fluctuates, I also appreciate that this piece can handle pounds gained and lost. The fabric is medium weight so I'll be wearing it season to season and there's just enough elasticity in the arms that if you roll up your sleeves, they won't fall back down. All that is to say trust that I will be buying additional colors!"
Get it from Hackwith Design House for $145 (available in women's sizes XS–4X and in five colors).
15. A sun visor as stylish as it is effective at getting the sun out of your face. Plus: it's packable and retains its shape, even after being shoved into your luggage. Way better than lugging around a big hat that you can't fit in your suitcase!
The wide brim provides much more UV protection than regular caps!
Promising review: "I have long hair and always avoided hats because I hate having my hair sweating against my neck in a low bun or ponytail. With this sun visor-summer hat combo, I can keep my hair in a top knot and still keep my face and neck protected from the sun while catching a nice breeze. This is perfect (although a little large in circumference and I have a big head 7 3/4 hat size) and it’s adjustable and can fit any head size. It rolls up well and has an elastic to keep it rolled. I’ll be recommending this item to all my friends!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $21.99 (available in 13 colors).
16. Color-coordinated packing cubes that make the dreaded act of packing for a trip so much easier. You'll be so amazed at how much you can put in your suitcase when you use these!
Promising review: "These little things are the bomb! I would highly recommend using packing cubes. I always thought they might be just an extra thing to deal with, but let me tell you they helped me so much on my recent trip to Scotland. We were gone for 14 days and had a limited amount of luggage that we could take. In addition we were staying at different places and traveling throughout the country. Separating your items into these little cubes really made me feel like I got more packed into my bag. Who knew something so simple could make such a difference!" —Tammy L. Kilgore
Get a set of six from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in 13 colors).
17. An Alleyoop Pen Pal so you don't have to pack your huge, bulky makeup bag on your next trip. This has an eyeliner, lip liner, brow pencil, and highlighter — pretty much all the makeup essentials you'd need in a pinch!
Former BuzzFeed Shopping editor Jasmin Sandal has this and loves it. She says:
"I didn't realize I'd ever use a makeup product in my 20s that had the ability to transport me back to something I used in sixth grade, but here we are; and here I am using a multitool pen... for my face. I gotta say, I love the concept of the Pen Pal from Alleyoop! After using all of the functions (eyeliner, highlighter, lip liner, eyebrow pencil) and as someone who LOVES makeup but was applying as little as humanly possible during lockdown, I think it’s a great tool for anyone looking to streamline their routine. It's ideal to use for touch-ups come the end of the work day, or a subtle, minimalist way to apply makeup in the a.m. The brow pencil is particularly soft and pigmented, and filled in my eyebrows quickly. I just adore the ease of application of each product, and appreciate the universal, does-it-all-for-you concept. Plus, it saves me so much room in my already overflowing makeup bag!"
Promising review: "Such a time saver to have this 4-in-1 tool! I use it daily and love that it is so compact." —Lauren F.
Get it from Alleyoop or Amazon for $25 (available in three shades).
18. A set of four *washable* market bags you can stuff into the corners of your suitcase so you'll have an extra bag on your travels to use as a grocery bag, beach bag, or whatever you need it to be!
19. A bodycon midi dress that might just be the most versatile piece you'll pack — pair it with sneakers and a jean jacket for a casual sightseeing look, or wear it with heels and flashy earrings if you're headed to a fancy dinner. We see so many potential outfits being made from this!
Promising review: "I am in love with this dress! It is so soft and stretchy but looks sexy and chic even though it’s only $17. It wasn’t see through at all. It hit me at the perfect midi length and it was great being able to slightly adjust the straps. I wore it with nude heels for a fancy dinner out and got so many compliments, but it would also be great layered with tights and boots and a sweater for fall/winter. I 100% recommend this dress! Best Amazon purchase ever! I can’t wait to wear it again." —Sarah L.
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in women's sizes S–XL and seven colors).
20. A lightweight, waterproof raincoat just in case rain pops up in your travel forecast. Now you can be prepared but not have to pack something super bulky.
Promising review: "I got this a little bigger to go over my sweatshirt and it was perfect. It is super lightweight and kept me dry. It also helped lock in some extra warmth so that was a bonus. It's the perfect little rain jacket for the price." —Amie Linsday
Get it from Amazon for $28.99+ (available in women's sizes S–XXL and 31 colors).
21. A pack of laundry soap sheets if you'll be traveling for a few weeks but only have space in your luggage for a week's worth of clothes. Thanks to these dissolvable sheets, you can wash your clothes anywhere so you'll have fresh-smelling outfits, even on day 19 of your trip.
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 it from Amazon for $11.08.
22. A curling iron/straightener — now you don't have to schlep around two separate hair tools every time you travel. Anything that can help you cut down on your packing list is a serious win!
Promising review: "I really like this curler and flat iron. Heats up fast, cools fast, and the travel bag is perfect with the inside protected from the heat. Size is great and the end of the iron has a place for fingers not to burn. Very much worth the price to have flat iron and curling in one." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $44.95+ (available in two sizes).
23. A travel backpack so roomy, you might think you actually bought Mary Poppins's magical never-ending bag. It's basically a hybrid between a suitcase and a backpack, which means you can pack it full with as much stuff as you would put in a normal carry-on, but you have the convenience to carry it on your back.
Promising review: "A real weekender! This item is more of a soft-sided suitcase with shoulder straps than it is a backpack. The way it opens up and the way the interior is laid out is more like a standard piece of luggage. The three things that make it stand out from other soft-sided luggage are exterior pockets, a compartment dedicated to your laptop, and shoulder straps. So, this really is a hybrid. And, it's a very good and functional hybrid at that. With room (and dedicated inner bags) to hold everything you might want or need for a weekend getaway, it's also super easy to load, unload, and carry. I packed everything I could think of, enough for a three-day excursion, and still had room." —Mikel Berry
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in 13 colors, two sizes, and with or without three packing cubes).
24. A TSA-approved transparent organizer designed for you to see all of your cute little travel-sized shampoo and lotion bottles at once. It even comes with a handle for easy carrying.
25. An on-the-go Gillette razor so you can still have a high-quality razor during your travels, but in a pint-sized version. The carrying case keeps it protected in your bag!
It comes with one handle and one blade refill!
Promising review: "I got this for a vacation and it was great! The little carrying container is awesome, and keeps you from having a weird, loose razor floating around in your suitcase. Plus the heads are the same as a regular-sized razor, so you can keep using it when that one is worn out!" —Tegan H
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
26. A compact travel adapter if you're traveling internationally and don't want to take up tons of space with lots of adapters that may or may not work. This one can fit in a front pocket of a backpack and it accepts plugs from more than 150 countries!
It has a side for American-type, British-type, European-type, and Australia-type inputs.
Promising review: "This unit is not too large so it fits in carry-on or backpack very easily. I like how I can use this for other traveling abroad, as well. You just push out the correct plug part that is needed in the other country. I also really liked the options of USB ports on there to plug in our phones the same time as the computers. It did everything we needed it to do." —DKMese
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in four styles).
27. A set of silicone travel bottles so you can leave those full-sized bottles behind. Just squeeze enough that you need into these and you'll be good to go.
28. A set of compression bags that allow you to truly take advantage of every square centimeter of space in your bag. This will help you fit in a few more items while still sticking to your carry-on!
And they come with a hand pump for travel!
Promising review: "This is a great product. I have a memory foam pillow that I try to take on trips, due to neck issues, so I purchased this product and put it to the test to see if it could flatten the pillow so I can also carry my clothes and the pillow in the same bag, carry-on size travel bag. The pillow's been sitting in the vacuum pack for the last three days now and hasn't let any air into the package at all. The pump removed so much air that the foam is as solid as a rock with less than an 1/8 of an inch of give when I press on it firmly with my thumb." —4-H Shooting Sports Instructor
Get a pack of five from Amazon for $20.99+ (available in four sizes).
29. Or a collection of compression packing cubes if you don't want to worry about packing a hand pump to get all the air out. And you can reuse this over and over again — and you could even throw them in the wash if they get a little dingy.
Promising review: "My daughter challenged me to travel her way with just a backpack on our recent five-day trip to Portugal. When I found these on Amazon, I thought they were just what I needed. I have cubes, but they don’t compress. I was so impressed that I bought a set for my daughter and son-in-law. The large one contains a swimsuit, cover-up, sun shirt, windbreaker, shrug, dress, cardigan, T-shirt, capris, and underwear. My husband’s medium bag contains, swim trunks, shorts, two shirts, one long sleeved T-shirt, and two pairs of underwear. The small contains misc. items." —Trish
Get a pack of four from Amazon for $25.99 (available in three colors and also available in an eight-pack).
You comfortably packing everything you need in your carry-on:
