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1. A packing list pad so you can rest assure that you DID bring everything you intended, including your water shoes for that whitewater rafting day!
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. A simple luggage strap can hold your essentials like a travel pillow, jacket, personal item, and more as you scoot along through the airport and once you land. Here's to quickly gathering all your stuff post-screen and freeing up those hands!
Promising review: "I love this little gadget. I used it to attach my jacket and computer bag to my luggage on an extended business trip. It made my airport walks so much easier. Now that I'm back home, I've been using it daily to attach my jacket or cardigan to my work bag or purse." —Michele
Get it from Amazon for $8.49+ (available in four colors).
3. An airplane seat back organizer because those seat back pockets are NEVER as big as you need them to be. With this you can actually store your snacks, water bottle, and so much more without having to get up and get stuff out of the overhead throughout your flight.
4. Plus a drink holder if you're a window seat person (what a view!) and never have all the room you need during beverage service on that tiny tray table. You can also put your phone, glasses, headphones, and other essentials there too.
Heads up — you can only use this if you're sitting in a seat that has access to a full window!
Promising review: "I used this for the first time on a 737. It was fabulous! It didn't intrude into my sitting space nearly as much as I expected. Because the actual window is recessed from the side wall, this only sticks out from the side wall about an inch. If you're considering this, you likely fly enough to know that seats aren't always aligned with the windows. If your window happens to be right beside your seat or the seat in front of you, this won't be of much use. But because it doesn't jut out as much as I thought, you can use it in more situations than I expected. And when you can use it, it's great! I love not having to have my entire tray table down just to hold a 3-inch cup. My only suggestion would be to add a place to hold trash until the flight attendant picks it up. This is very small, very lightweight, and very useful. I'll be taking it on every flight from here on." —JBC
Get it from Amazon for $17.99.
5. A portable safe that'll secure to a beach chair to keep your valuables safe or to keep your passport in your hotel room in case there's no safe or the safe isn't working. (Raise your hand if you've stayed in a small hotel without a safe. ::raises hand::)
After putting this in MANY travel stories, I bought one for myself for a summer European vacation where I found myself at several beach clubs. It was perfect for keeping mine and my friend's belongings safe while we dozed in our beach chairs or swam in the sea. Plus, it's the perfect size to hold phones or wallets, and easily carry in your beach or tote bag. Just make sure that you leave it unlocked during transit if you're flying because I've had TSA want to take a look at mine a few times.
Promising review: "I bought this to attach to my lounge chair at the beach (to safeguard my phone and credit card/cash). I had peace of mind while I was swimming or walking down the beach. It was light enough to carry in my bag. I’m glad I purchased it." —Penny Kitchens
Get it from Amazon for $23.98+ (available in three colors).
6. A collection of compression packing cubes to use over and over again without having to remember to pack a pump for sucking out the air in case you know you won't be beholden to luggage weight limits.
Again, just be sure to look up any weight restrictions on carry-on luggage. I ran into that problem last summer (it was in Croatia while flying British Airways, btw), but the person at the airport check-in counter that gave me some trouble about my bag just seemed to care about my roller carry-on. So, I'd suggest using these in a backpack or tote bag you plan to put under the seat.
Promising review: "These things are amazing. I’ve stuffed them to the max. Bought a second set because I was so impressed. So glad I spent the extra money on these, instead of some of the cheaper options I saw. I am confident these will last a very long time. They are super sturdy, functional, very attractive (I bought pink), and helped to keep me organized on my trips." —Meshelle
Get a pack of six from Amazon for $39.99 (available in twelve colors).
7. Plus a set of vacuum compression bags if you're not beholden to carry-on weight limits. (V much more of a thing for European flying these days) and tend to overpack. Here's your sweet spot ;). And in the event that security has to go through your bag (it happens!), this'll make it a bit easier for them to sort through your stuff.
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 that 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 $22.99+ (available in four sizes).
8. A TSA-friendly toiletries set you'll easily fill, clean, and then refill with your go-to regular products. The bag is sturdy as HECK *and* it comes with labels.
I own and love this set! It includes the zippered bag, four soft silicone bottles with leakproof caps, three compact jars, an two toothbrush caps. I've used this set on more than five trips, and for trips when I don't require body wash or shampoo (like to visit my parents), I use the extra room in the bag to shove in all my beauty products and daily contacts. Plus! It comes with labels that stay on the containers really well despite my thoroughly washing these containers between trips. I bought this set in spring 2019 and have, admittedly, lost a container or two. But the ones that I've held on to over dozens of trips have all held up well!
Promising review: "I used this recently on a trip to Europe. They worked great, no leaks, and got through security in my carry-on just fine. I’m glad to have these for future trips." —Rachel
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in eight variations).
9. Or if you're not in need of containers, a clear TSA-approved toiletry bag so you can Lego-fit all your liquid and spreadable bbs in there with ease.
Promising review: "I've had this bag for a year — it's gone through TSA several times, and I have never had an issue with it! I've actually been able to fit more into it than I would a traditional Ziploc bag. SO glad I made the purchase!!!" —Glenna
Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in 11 colors).
10. Plus a set of six Cadence containers that are magnetized and'll stick together in your toiletries bag. They're super sturdy, leak-proof, and even work great for a few days' worth of vitamins or holding small jewelry. They've quickly become one of my packing go-tos.
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.
But I'm not the only fan on the BuzzFeed Shopping team. 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).
11. A trifold travel wallet so all your important documents are in one place and you're not wearily holding up the line when it comes time to show the TSA agent your passport and boarding pass.
The wallet has a passport pocket, boarding pass compartment, three credit card slots, an ID slot, a slim card pouch, slim pocket, a ticket slot, a cellphone pouch, a coin zippered pocket, key holder, and pen holder.
Promising review: "I went out of the country for the first time and am so glad I bought this wallet. It holds all my documents and IDs, and makes going through airports easy with everything right at hand. It's a good size and fit nicely in my crossbody travel bag. So, if you need a nice travel wallet, give this one a go. It's a good quality and price." —khaleesi
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in 33 colors).
12. A luggage-mounted cup caddy with a pocket for your bagel or croissant (look at you being fancy so early in the morning!) so you can steer your way to your gate with your caffeine in tow.
Promising review: "Bought it for several planned trips and glad I did. Most of the airports I stopped at did not have cup holders. In the past, I'd place my drinks on vacant chairs, my lap, balancing on my carry-on, in my purse, etc....and hope it didn't spill. This product is easy to place on my hand-carry and easy to stow away when needed. I can also leave my drinks in the travel cup holder when moving from one gate to another. Great purchase!" —Betty C
Get it from Amazon for $15.99 (available in various and patterns).
13. An Apple AirTag for each bag to give you peace of mind even if you're driving to your destination and are just leaving your luggage at the hotel before check-in time!
Storytime: After traveling last summer carry-on only, and being a person who tries to carry on whenever possible, I finally bought a couple of Apple AirTags during Black Friday sales. And I am SO grateful I did. My normal carry-on bag was too big to fit the Lufthansa luggage requirements (and BOY, do they check that!), so I had to check my bags for a December 2022 trip to Vienna and back from Prague (with a layover in Frankfurt). My bag didn't make it onto the plane in Frankfurt, and once I landed in Newark, New Jersey, I pulled up the app on my phone and saw that yes, my backpack AirTag was indeed with me, but my suitcase AirTag was still in Germany. (The screen grab is from an Amazon review, but you get the gist.) The AirTag also helped me track FedEx's delivery of the suitcase to my parents' house, where I was spending the holidays immediately after my Europe trip ended. I was even able to see it on a highway less than an hour's drive from my parents' house. TL;DR: I think AirTags are very much a worthwhile investment if you travel a few times a year. And I'm not the only one who thinks so.
Promising review: "I bought a pair of these AirTags for a trip to France, and I’m so glad I did! First of all, the setup is super easy. I had zero problems, and both were done in, like, five minutes. I put one in my purse and one in my suitcase. On the way back home, the airline lost my luggage. Checked the Find My Friends app where the AirTag is tracked, and I could see that it never left the Charles de Gaulle airport. I felt more assurance being able to track my bag through the app as it made its way across the world back to me. 10/10 would recommend!" —Lindsay Kirby
Get it from Amazon for $29 (also available in a four-pack for $89).
14. A universal travel adapter so you always have a way to juice up your devices or use your US-friendly plugged item in a different outlet. You can plug up to five devices in this at a time...and it covers 160 countries! It's much easier to pack this than multiple adapters that'd also require multiple outlets where you're staying. I should know. I own this and it's SO handy.
But remember that this is not a voltage converter!
Promising review: "I just came back from a three-week trip to Europe. The travel adapter works like a charm. So glad I have it to use with all my travels outside North America!" —Merlina
Get it from Amazon for $19.95 (available in two colors).
15. A five-year Global Entry membership that'll *also* include TSA PreCheck for when you're getting out of Dodge. It'll seriously shorten your security line times and end up being a great value if you get out of the country at least once a year and fly domestically a few times annually. (This combo is $22 more than five years of PreCheck alone.) Also, you won't have to take off your shoes or pull out your Kindle and laptop when going through domestic security. Truly a win!
I put off getting TSA PreCheck and even Global Entry for YEARS despite flying ~10x a year because I'm a person who likes to get to the airport early and have getting through security down to an efficient routine. However, my breaking point was July 2021 when I had to wait soooo long at the airport when coming back to the country from Croatia (I had Mobile Passport at the time, but the machines were broken so I had to wait in line with everyone else). I went to Italy about a month later after signing up for Global Entry and coming back into the country was a breeze. I just had to let a machine take my picture, print out a receipt with said picture, and then place it in a nearby TSA agent's open palm. Then onto baggage claim! I've since used the Global Entry portion seven times and the TSA PreCheck about two dozen times since getting it. So I feel as if I've already gotten my money's worth in less than two years.
Apply with the Department of Homeland Security for $100. Once you're approved, you have to do an in-person interview and if approved on the spot, you can have your TSA PreCheck and Global Entry privileges available immediately. I just so happened to find a date for my interview the day before I flew to Italy and was able to update my boarding passes and flight reservations with my info to reap the benefits ASAP.
BTW, check out my tips for travel during the pandemic.
16. A handbag organizer with LOTS of pockets to help you easily track down your ID, a pouch to take off those giant earrings before going through security, that half-drunk bottle of water you've gotta toss, and just about anything else you'll need to take out and put in a tray.
Promising review: "I have always purchased handbags with lots of pockets and sections because I hate having to dig around trying to find something in the gaping hole of purses with no sections. But I have passed up so many cute bags because of this, and I was frustrated with having to do so. I purchased this medium size organizer, and I couldn't be happier!! It is very well-made, and it has so many great pockets to organize everything I need. THE BEST PART is, I can easily lift it out of one purse and put it into another one, and I always know where everything can be found. I wish I had gotten one of these years ago. When I first ordered this organizer, I didn't realize it had two zipper compartments on each side, and I was tickled to discover even MORE storage!!! With all the fun colors and patterns, it was hard to select one, but I've always been partial to polka dots. I love it and can't imagine anyone not being has pleased with this as I am!" —Ronna
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in sizes S-L and in 27 colors).
17. A travel belt can help you easily secure your personal item (aka, a large purse or backpack) to the top of your rolling bag. See, getting through airport security *can* be a cinch. (Sorry.)
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 $40 (available in 15 colors, can be monogrammed for an additional $15).
18. A handmade leather cord organizer to keep your wired listening BFFs from getting tangled up in your pocket, making it so much easier to empty said pockets for the security line. And then for when you're actually on your trip, this'll easily fit into a jacket pocket.
Promising review: "No more tangled headphone cables! I bought a pair for my desk at home, and I'm purchasing another pair for my office. I love how neat and untangled my earbud cords are when using this organizer. It's leather, which I'm sure will last many, many years for such a great price." —Jane M
Get it from Amazon for $4.99 (available in six colors).
19. An electronics organizer with a place for just about every one of *your* and every member of your family's devices and corresponding cables so you don't get everything tangled up while placing items in the security line trays.
Promising review: "This is the perfect travel companion. It fits everything including an Apple TV, HDMI-to-VGA-converter, and multiple lightning and micro-USB cables. I haven't been disappointed at all. Plus, it packs nicely in a backpack and goes everywhere." —iamtheoneoff
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in four sizes and four colors).
Or if you're traveling solo (like I normally do), you can get away with sticking your electronics cords into a zippered pencil or makeup pouch that'll also slip easily into your personal item.
20. Or a 30-pack of waterproof zippered pouches to help you organize a variety of things. Parents in the reviews rave about using these to get their family organized for travel. And because these are transparent, you can easily sift around in your carry-on to track down what you need to put in a security bin and push aside what can stay in your bag.
Promising review: "I bought these for a trip for my family of five. I like to plan in advance to make sure no one forgets anything! These were a life saver packing for three kids! I was able to create a carry-on, toiletries, wires/chargers, and snacks pouch for everyone! I used clear sticker paper to create name labels, and it all worked perfectly! Would definitely recommend if you need to travel with family and need to set things out and pack." —mommyandbri
Get them from Amazon for $17.99.
21. A fashionable travel scarf that, yes, can help add that one last accessory your ensemble needs and keep your neck toastier. But! It also has secret pockets so you can stash your valuables inside, away from unsuspecting pickpockets.
Waypoint Goods is a small business focused on creating travel and lifestyle accessories for women to empower them to explore the world safely. Their Travel Scarf was debuted in 2015 on a Scandinavian urban cycling trip where the founder, Caitlin, realized a purse was not an option. Each color and style has a unique story behind it that inspired the design.
Promising review: "Fabulous scarf for traveling. Hidden pocket is very discreet and large enough for cash, passport, credit cards, etc. Sturdy zipper and beautiful design. Just got back from three weeks in China. I was able to easily carry all of the above, leaving my hands free. Superior product, practical and discreet. I've since purchased two more!" —Florida Girl
Get it from Waypoint Goods for $26.25+ (available in 16 styles).
22. And the TripIt app, which consolidates reservations from your email inbox to this app in a timeline for each trip. It captures confirmation numbers and time stamps at a glance so you don't have to dig in your inbox or separate airline or travel apps.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.