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1. A packing list pad so you can rest assured that you DID bring everything you intended (but not more things than you'll actually need).
Promising review: "I hate packing — I mean, I really hate packing! I am always afraid I am going to forget something, and the entire ordeal is a stressful one for me. Since I have to travel a lot, this is a game changer. No more guessing if I forgot my underwear — everything I need is on this list. I am thinking of just keeping one bag totally packed, filled with the items on the list, and just add my suit in when I am ready to travel. :)" —Dr. Oceanfront
Get it from Amazon for $7.
2. An I Dew Care "Tap Secret" mattifying powder shampoo to tackle greasy roots without the aerosol formula. Cheers to skipping a morning wash for an early flight or bus...and still being able to carry on some dry shampoo without making room for it in your toiletries bag.
Promising review: "I was looking for a dry shampoo that would be easy to use on the go for a trip I was taking. I had no issues taking this through TSA and it was so easy to use on the go. You literally just pat the poof on your scalp and then rub the powder in. I do have black hair so dry shampoo is usually very visible in my hair, but I didn't have any harder time than usual rubbing this powder in. It did a really good job of soaking up all the oil and giving my hair volume. I'm not a fan of the price for the amount that you get, but it is lasting longer than I thought it would. I would definitely recommend and will purchase again." —Teresa
Get it from Amazon for $16.
3. A compact eight-compartment pill organizer so you'll have space for all the stuff you take from all the delicious food that sometimes makes you feel bad on your travels — like the legendary hot dogs at the state fair. (Totally worth it.)
Plus! As one TikToker points out, you can use any empty compartments to store your earrings.
Promising review: "My husband and I travel a lot and take a number of prescription drugs. It was always a hassle accessing our medication when needed, so I purchased this organizer to make things easier. I used a label maker and labeled each little compartment and it has performed wonderfully. I highly recommend this organizer to anyone who travels and needs medications throughout the day." —Jacqueline
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $6.97.
4. A collapsible silicone water bottle that'll make sure you stay hydrated without making you sacrifice other things in your bag or running the risk of leaving water in your bottle as you go through airport security.
I bought this water bottle before a 2.5-week trip to Vietnam (where you don't drink tap water) and Malaysia (where you do). I didn't want to bring one of my ride-or-die S'well bottles because it would take up extra room in my bag when I wouldn't be able to use it during the majority of the trip. This handy silicone bottle did just the trick! It's very easy to roll up and *stays* rolled up thanks to the just-stretchy-enough loop. Said loop was also very handy while walking through airports and just around sightseeing. The bottle is easy to clean and doesn't make my water taste weird. I'm now using it as my daily water bottle and feel confident it'll serve me well for a long time. Plus! With a collapsible water bottle it's easier to remember if you left water in it before you go through security.
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $9.99 (available in 14 colors/styles).
5. Tide sink packets with the perfect amount of detergent for a sink wash to help lighten your clothing load. Plus! These'll easily slide into the toiletries bag that you thought had no. more. room. Can you tell I love a packet/wipe sitch?!
Each pack comes with three packets. And, because they *are* liquid, they'll easily slide into the side of your toiletries bag. I've packed these on international trips to much success!
Promising review: "Taking these out of the country to wash under things is exactly the right size." —Laura Wilson
Get nine packs from Amazon for $6.59.
6. Or a pack of laundry soap sheets. This way you can save more room for souvenirs than three changes of underwear for every day of your trip.
I travel just about any chance that I get and found a WHOLE lot of success with these little laundry sheets on an almost-three-weeks European vacation this summer where I carried on only and rewore outfits several times.
Promising review: "I saw these recommended on a travel blog, and I'm glad I bought them. I used them both in a washing machine and to hand-wash some items on my trip, and in both cases, they were super easy to use and got my clothes clean while taking up a minuscule amount of space in my luggage. I would highly recommend these for extended travel." —angal2
Get it from Amazon for $11.95+ (available in four other styles, including hand soap and shampoo).
7. A set of Sea Bands with a little nub that targets the acupuncture point on your wrists meant to help reduce nausea. This'll be great in case you get motion sick in a budget-friendlier car, bus, or ferry ride.
Promising review: "These are amazing, as someone who has pretty severe motion sickness and carries Dramamine with me everywhere this is magnificent. I used these on an overnight cruise in Europe. The sea was particularly choppy that night and was miserable for me even with Dramamine and ginger. These did the trick! They were fairly tight on me (I am plus size) but the relief they gave me was immense." —Jena Freyermouth
Get a set of two from Amazon for $8.53.
8. A *solid* Neutrogena SPF 50 sunscreen that really sticks to your skin on your tropical (or just plain sweaty) vacation. Oh, and because it's a solid, it's carry-on–friendly!
I first bought this for a weeklong Croatian vacation last year when I did carry-on, and as long as you are *thoroughly* reapplying, this stuff stays on pretty well. On a beach club afternoon, I did haphazardly reapply and missed a strip on one arm, but I tend to do that with spray-on or lotion sunscreen, too. Since then, I've packed this for any trip I've been on, including a two-day Disneyland trip where I toted this around in my bag and shared with friends. I sometimes carry it with me in my purse on my everyday adventures because I know it's so easy to apply. Also worth mentioning...I am about the palest lady you've ever seen and swear by daily application of sunscreen. But when on a beach trip, I'm constantly swimming in the water and sweating. So yeah, this stuff works.
And if you're a bit hesitant about jumping on the solid sunscreen bandwagon, you can pack a stick of this, knowing you have enough sun protection to get you through to finding some spray-on or lotion SPF at your destination.
Get it from Amazon for $7.66.
9. An on-the-go Gillette razor that'll spare you some precious space in your bag without sacrificing quality. You already plotted your road trip around visiting a bunch of antique malls, so you could use the trunk space for all your cool finds!
It comes with one handle and one blade refill!
Promising review: "I love this product. After receiving it I made a road trip to Mexico and I took my razor. It's the cutest thing ever. The box helps keep your clothes safe from the blades and it fits everywhere you put it. I will buy another one for sure" —Dalia
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
10. A set of DEET-free handy mosquito-repelling bracelets in case the thought of putting something else on your skin (like smelly bug repellent) after SPF sounds like a total nightmare.
Check out a TikTok of the mosquito-repelling bracelets in action.
Promising review: "I moved last year from Southern California to North Carolina. Bugs of all types have always been attracted to me but the amount of bites I got last summer was WILD. Someone gave me one of these types of bracelets to use one day and it seemed to work SOOOOOO I decided to buy myself an arsenal to prepare for this summer. I read the reviews and about 99% of them had great results. I've only used this bracelet twice but both times I was outside and un-touched. Delivery was very quick so that was a plus. I'm not fond of the smell, I'm hyper sensitive to smells, but I'd rather have the odor than being chewed alive." —Tracey Agopian
Get a 10-pack from Amazon for $8.49.
11. A travel scarf with hidden storage in it to keep your hands free for toting back ALL the gas station snacks to the car without having to stick your phone, wallet, and keys in your back pocket.
Waypoint Goods is a small biz that specializes in travel accessories.
Promising review: "I absolutely LOVE my travel scarf. This piece is perfect for every occasion. Whether I am traveling on a plane or a road trip, at work, or trying to dress up an outfit to go out, it is perfect and functional. My phone, credit cards and keys fit seamlessly in the pocket without changing the look or fit of my scarf. At times I have put all of that plus a boarding pass and passport in the pocket!!" —Caroline
Get it from Amazon for $14.95+ (available in 14 styles).
12. A belt bag that'll double as a travel belt with a pass-through trolley loop so you can use it to secure your personal item to the top of your roller suitcase. And then when you're out and about at your destination, you can use it as a purse!
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.
Check out a TikTok of the Cincha belt bag in action. When flying with this, I rec leaving it on as the belt for your suitcase while boarding your flight. On a few flights I've been on this year, I've heard gate agents make people put their belt bags worn around their waist or cross-body into their personal item. So just be mindful of that!
Promising review: "Great little double-duty bag. Highly recommend. I could fit four passports, an iPhone, a slim wallet, and many more things in my new travel bag. A must for your next adventure." —Lindsay
Get it from Cincha Travel for $67.50 (available in four colors/patterns).
13. A pocket-sized, refillable travel perfume atomizer you simply pump on your normal size perfume bottle to keep you smelling like your signature scent while you're on the go. Yes, I paid all that dough for a Le Labo but no I won't pay more dough for their (still v pricey) travel bottles.
^ That's me pumping my signature perfume into one of these travel atomizers I've been using for about a year. 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 are perfect for those expensive bottles you don't want to travel with! Worked beautifully on my perfumes and husband's cologne for our Europe trip. Now I keep them in my purse for ease of use :)." —Jpot
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $8.65.
14. An *very popular* off-the-shoulder jumpsuit suited for just about any sightseeing needs. But it'd also make an incredibly comfy riding outfit so you'll get a number of wears out of it on one trip.
FYI, if you have Amazon Prime, you can give this a spin before you buy it!
Promising reviews: "It is the most comfortable outfit that you could dress up or down! You could actually wear it with both on the shoulders too. I wore this for a road trip back home from the beach, and it was amazing. The only thing is if you are in a bit of cold weather and have anything else on, you have to take it off to go to the bathroom ;) But it’s all worth it!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $27.99 (available in sizes S–3X and 31 colors/patterns).