Travel can be equal parts exciting and stressful (especially if you're a last-minute packer and planner, like me). Sometimes it's hard to know exactly what you'll need and when you'll need it, which is why I often scour r/travel to find out which must-haves seasoned travelers swear by for all of their trips. Recently, redditor u/anonymousquestions56 asked the community to share their travel essentials that aren't on the "basic lists." Here are some go-to items people shared that you may never have thought of.
1. "Laundry detergent in the form of sheets. I got them on Amazon so I don’t have to buy laundry detergent."
2. "An S-shaped hook is always in my toiletries bag. Handy if the showers don't have a way to hang clothes."
3. "Ziplock bags."
4. "A simple dry bag: Keep dirty clothes from making the rest of your backpack smell, keep electronics dry, or use as a collapsible grocery bag in a pinch. I most often use it to do laundry while traveling, though. I fill the dry bag (with dirty clothes) with warm water, add detergent, close it, and knead/agitate around for a while. The agitation is what really cleans the clothes, and that is something that is difficult to achieve in a sink. When done, let the soapy water out and rinse the clothes. Hang the dry bag along with the clothes to dry it so it's ready to use again."
5. "I have a USB plug-in fan that goes everywhere with me. Tiny and quiet, but it has made some stiflingly hot nights a bit more bearable."
6. "I always bring a pashmina or long scarf to wear on cold airplanes. I also wear it in warm weather in restaurants that are freezing because of air conditioning."
"The pashmina is SO versatile! Also works as a mini blanket and is great for sitting on grass."
7. "If you’re solo backpacking, a door stopper so you can always be sure the door stays closed."
8. "I always bring a small extension cord so I can charge my phone on the bed."
"This. I always buy an extension cord with USB outlets and the correct plug for the country. It makes life so much simpler."
9. "A little bag with basic OTC medications (pain reliever, like acetaminophen, etc.). It's much easier to deal with a minor illness if you aren't also trying to juggle finding out where to find these things and what they're called wherever you happen to be."
10. "A reusable shopping bag. You can just fold it and put it in a purse or day pack. It can double as a beach bag or be used for grocery/snack runs. I always bring one when I travel."
11. "I like the soft silicone earplugs that have a little nylon rope between each plug. Keeps my travel buddy's snoring from disturbing me at night. And if one falls out, just follow the cord to find it. Also handy for the airplane if you are near cranky babies or loudly sleeping adults. I bring a few so I can share with others."
12. "One largish spoon and a pair of (reusable) chopsticks so that you can sometimes buy food from the grocery store on the go (or stir your coffee)."
"Some takeout places give you a plastic knife, fork, spoon, napkin, and salt and pepper in a sealed plastic bag. I always keep a few of those in the front pocket of the luggage."
13. "A retractable portable clothesline."
14. "An empty pillowcase to stuff with bulky jackets/coats for traveling. Can be folded up snug when not in use."
"I like to bring a pillowcase as well because I don’t really trust that all hotels change their pillowcases every single time, so I like to use my own. At the end of the trip, I like to stuff the pillowcase with dirty clothes (if they fit). Then I just dump all the dirty clothes as well as the pillowcase into the washer to do laundry when I get home. So easy."
15. "I often travel light (short trips on budget airlines), but regardless of how much baggage I take, I always take a couple of Compeed blister plasters in my wallet."
16. "A small roll of electrical tape. Easy to tear off a little bit and apply to every single little LED in a hotel room that seems to blaze with the light of a thousand suns when you turn off the light at night."
17. "An AirFly. It’s a little device you plug into the flight entertainment plug so you can use your AirPods with the entertainment system."
18. "A headlamp. Its usefulness may vary depending on your destination and activities planned."
"A headlamp with a red light feature is super useful when you're trying to find things in your bag in a dark hostel dorm room without disturbing other people."
19. "A small sewing kit with safety pins."
20. "Not just a charging cord for your phone, but one of those 6- to 10-foot-long ones, because sometimes outlets or USB charging ports are in stupid places in hotel rooms."
21. "Baby wipes."
22. "Charcoal tablets. Helps massively with digestive issues (although they can interfere with some medications)."
23. "Plastic zip ties (wire ties). They can fix damaged luggage straps, make hanging loops, and so much more. I even used some as a trousers belt on a weeklong sailing trip."
24. "Take photos of all your important documents, such as passport, insurance docs, rental docs, emergency contacts, etc., and email them to yourself or store on the cloud."
25. "A portable carbon monoxide detector. Saw a newscaster mention that it was something he always takes on trips. Less than $10 and gives me peace of mind."
Are there any items you swear by when you travel? Let us know in the comments or fill out this anonymous form!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.