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1. A helpful "Pack this!" checklist that's *especially* helpful if you're left in charge of remembering to pack the easy-to-forget things for yourself, your S.O., and/or your kids. Much more helpful than having to open up your notes app every time you think of something you might forget to pack before you leave the next morning!
Promising review: "This is perfect. Whenever we travel, my kids always say 'make me a list of what I have to pack.' I always worry I will forget to tell them something random like underwear or pajamas...so now, I just check the boxes, they pack, and can review the list if they want to add anything." —AmyH
Get it from Amazon for $7+ (available in two colors and in a road trip edition).
2. A digital luggage scale because traveling with a group can almost guarantee your luggage will be heavier on the way back. This lets you know just how much it weighs so that you don't have to worry about awkwardly stopping in the middle of a busy airport to re-distribute weight. Plus, reviewers rave about how accurate it is!
You can also switch between pound and kilogram measurements.
Promising review: "Works great, a must-have when flying. Very accurate scale. Easy to read with the light on it. It's a must if you have a wife like mine who loves to shop for clothes and fill up her suitcase along with mine, or if you want to stay under that 40 pounds and avoid paying the extra for overweight baggage fees. Easy to use, very accurate, well-made, and a nice design. Very pleased. Saved me money." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in four colors and as a two-pack).
3. A set of portable soap sheets for when you need to wash your hands, but there's no soap in sight (or for your little one, who eats more with their hands than with their mouth). Simply put one in your hands, pour some water on it, and scrub away. Boom — clean hands in 20 seconds!
Promising review: "Love this product. Provides great suds as any handful of soap would. This is excellent for travel, especially in public bathrooms that don’t always guarantee soap. Discreet and great for places where you might not want to touch the dispenser. A lot comes in one container. Gave some packets away to my family." —Kerry-Ann Archibald1
Get a six-pack (300 sheets total) from Amazon for $7.99 (also available in other quantities).
4. And a pack of laundry soap sheets that'll save you quite a lot of space in your suitcase since it lets you wash a load of clothes in the hotel sink or bathtub during your stay. *Perfect* for when you thought you brought enough clean shirts for the kids, but uh... you didn't. 🙃
Promising review: "Took them on vacation so I could pack light. These worked great! My daughter was covered in mud one day, and these took out all of it. Will be ordering them for future trips! Keep in mind you do not get a ton of suds, but your clothes still come clean and smell good." —Maggie Dennis
Get 50 sheets from Amazon for $10.95.
5. Or some Tide sink packets, which have just the right amount of detergent to wash the fam's sandy bathing suits and undergarments. Now, you can truly avoid over-packing for those multi-week trips! Or use all that extra space to stuff in even more clothes — no judgment here.
Each pack comes with three packets, and they're tiny enough to easily slide into the side of any toiletry bag,
Promising review: "I have taken these packets on travels throughout the world. They are small and fit in my bag. They are good for a wash in a sink or wash bag... Glad to have them. They don’t leak either." —Barbara Jefferson
Get nine packs from Amazon for $6.95 (available in various quantities).
6. Plus, a six-foot travel clothesline so that you no longer have to find your S.O.'s swim trunks draped over the bathroom sink, your child's water shoes in the tub, and your bathing suit on the balcony. 🫠 This makes drying your clothes super easy. And you don't even need clothespins! Just hang the clothes between the braided cords.
Promising review: "Love this clothesline! We take this with us on resort vacations. It's nice to be able to wash out swimsuits, etc. and hang them to dry every day so they don't smell after days of nonstop ocean fun. This one is nice because you don't need clothespins, and it stretches pretty far. I was able to hang up two kid's swimsuits, two kid's rash guards, two adult swimsuits, and two adult rash guards, and still had room for more. This is a must if you take any tropical vacation where it's humid and hard for clothes to dry out." —Haley G
Get it from Amazon for $9.59.
7. A waterproof travel document holder if you're a mom — or just the "mom" of the group — and are left with the task of safekeeping everyone's passports and boarding passes (or else someone gets left behind 🫠). This'll keep everything organized in one easily accessible place for you.
Promising review: "I took my kids on their first international trip, and this thing was a total lifesaver. It fits easily in a fanny pack or small purse for easy access, and it fit my whole family's passports, vaccine cards, boarding passes, and a pen with plenty of room for cash and cards if you decide to use it as a wallet for your trip. It made getting checked in a breeze and helped my family keep everything organized." —Kevin Garcia
Get it from Amazon for $8.49+ (available in seven colors).
8. A versatile travel harness seat if your excited to try that restaurant you've seen a lot of hype about on TripAdvisor but want to be prepared in case they don't have a high chair for your little one. This adjustable harness converts almost any chair into a kid-friendly option for on-the-go feedings. Plus, it rolls up tiny enough to stash in your bag easily!
Liuliuby is a New York City-based small business founded by Mompreneur Mari Liu to reimagine everyday baby products after her own experiences as a new mother.
This harness is designed for ages 6 months and up.
Promising review: "This thing was amazing! Ten stars — it fit every type of chair we encountered on our Kenyan vacation! Kept our toddler controlled and made feeding on the go so easy. Very lightweight and packable, a vacation must-have!" —Kireme1
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
9. A practical tray table cover so that all the necessary knickknacks for your flight are within easy reach. Perfect to store your water bottle, your partner's book, your kid's snacks, and other little things like tissues and lip balm! Now, you can just place your bag overhead and kick your feet out while having everything right in front of you.
10. An all-in-one universal wall adapter so no matter where you go, your phone never dies and your tot doesn't miss the next episode of Bluey!
Promising review: "Probably one of the best $13 I spent on anything. If you travel a lot, especially internationally, this is a must have because you have every kind of adapter on one plug and don’t have to worry about constantly buying a certain adapter every time you travel to a different country. This has it all." —Abby Santiago
Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in four colors).
11. Plus, an Anker charging port if you're tired of calling dibs on who gets the charger when you get back to the hotel. It has six USB ports so that everyone's phone is on full charge by the time you wake up from your power nap to go to dinner.
Promising review: "Device worked just as advertised. I ordered this to use on our vacation trip to the Caribbean and it was great not having to worry about having enough USB plug adapters." —Lionel Vega
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in black and white).
12. A Trtl neck pillow with soft fleece support that might actually make a restful nap on a plane possible. Its ergonomic design keeps your head from nodding back and forth to help avoid aches and strains. Your family activity-packed trip will probably already deprive you of sleep — might as well get as much as you can on the way there!
Promising review: "I am a terrible flyer who recently took the red-eye from Dubai to Chicago (15 hours). The Trtl Pillow was a mini lifesaver! I was able to comfortably rest my head on the support and felt warm enough to actually doze off....a rare accomplishment for this skittish flyer. The Velcro works wonderfully with regards to adjustment, and I liked wrapping the fabric around my mouth and nose. Sort of felt cozy...even if I did look like a ninja in a neck brace! Overall, this product has changed the way that I fly, and I am so thankful for this invention and the opportunity to support a small company with big ideas." —S.Viruly
Get it from Amazon for $47.81+ (available in four colors).
13. Or, a memory foam travel pillow so that whether you're flying or driving, you can bend it in various ways to tailor it to *your* (or your kid's!) ideal comfy position.
Promising review: "Love how soft and flexible this pillow is; my only complaint is that I didn't get more. I have two kids, and they fought constantly over it! It's very comfortable and easy to use. My favorite thing about it is that the cover is removable and washable. I always feel yucky after a flight and love that I can wash it!" —Amanda and Pam
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in six colors).
14. A set of refillable TSA-friendly toiletry containers because going through security is stressful enough without being delayed to have all of your family's liquid products double-checked. This bag allows airport security (and you) to easily identify its contents so that you're at your gate with your latte in hand before ya know it.
Promising review: "I purchased one for myself and had a really good experience traveling with them. Nothing leaked, not even the witch hazel. I was really impressed and bought two more for my daughters and took them on our family vacation. We love these travel kits." —M
Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in 12 variations).
15. Or a waterproof toiletry bag that comes with four spacious compartments that'll help keep your whole family's self-care routine organized. It even has a hook so that you can hang it behind a door or on a closet rod. (Hello, extra counter space!) Plus, you'll be able to have all of your toiletries nice and spread out without even having to unpack them at all.
Promising review: "We are a family of seven, and this held all of our bathroom supplies for a weekend trip. This is a must-have for traveling. The best feature is it being able to hang up on a robe hook or the back of a door. It frees up hotel sinks and keeps you well organized." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $22.99+ (available in two sizes and in 12 colors).
16. A pair of backseat organizers that are so handy, it might just make you switch from passenger princess to backseat princess. With a clear tablet holder and tons of mesh pockets, backseat passengers will have all the necessary snacks, toys, and tech right at their fingertips. Now that's what we call a successful road trip.
Promising review: "These held everything from snacks, tablets, Play-Doh, crayons, baby wipes, drinks, etc. and held up well with being kicked, tugged on, and generally mistreated during a long roadtrip to the beach with two preschoolers. We left them in the car for continued use now that we're back home." —jackie
Get a pair from Amazon for $15.99.
17. Or, a universal Kindle Fire car headrest mount to keep your babies in the back as unaware as possible of the fact that they're stuck in a car for hours. And since it easily mounts onto any headrest, even kiddos with backward-facing car seats can enjoy the next Ms. Rachel video!
Promising review: "My baby hates the car and I mean HATES the car. This has literally been a lifesaver. We use it for our Amazon tablet as well as our iPad, and it is very easily adjustable. We just took it with us on vacation because we couldn't live without it." —Cam Ray Jacobs
Get it from Amazon for $15.50 (also available as an iPad mount).
18. A set of Sea Bands if you or a family member tend to get motion sickness on plane rides (or really anything that moves). It applies acupressure to each wrist and helps relieve nausea and vomiting so that you can finally enjoy your much-deserved vacay.
Reviewers swear by these nonmedicated bands for nausea relief: they've used them while traveling on airplanes, boats, and cars and for morning sickness during pregnancies. Read more about acupressure and nausea at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Check the bands out on TikTok here.
Promising review: "I have always suffered from motion sickness. My whole life I have hated long car rides, even short car rides. As soon as I get in the car and buckle in, I already feel the nausea. I bought these for a 16-hour roadtrip, and they worked 100%. I felt perfectly comfortable the whole way through. I could even watch movies and text on my phone and feel alright. My two daughters suffer from the same thing (ages 1 and 3) to the point where they couldn't keep any food down. The kids bands worked for them 100% of the time, too. 10/10 recommend. I'll be buying more for sure." —Veronica
Get a pair from Amazon for $8.51 (available in six colors).
19. A refillable sunscreen sponge applicator that's extraaa helpful if you have a little one that would rather skip the SPF and go straight to the water — this makes the necessary step of sun protection super quick! Just fill up the chamber with your go-to sunscreen, give it a shake, and the genius roller ball and sponge combo will take care of the rest.
Promising review: "Used for the first time today on my 7-year-old. First time in his life he actually enjoyed having sunscreen applied to his skin! Very easy to use and not messy at all. Extremely pleased with this purchase!" —amyj
Get it from Amazon for $15.98+ (available in six colors and in multipacks).
20. And a tube of Burt's Bees after-sun soother for that family member who can only do the whole "fun in the sun" thing for approximately five minutes before they see a sunburn start to form. Apply this nourishing blend of aloe and coconut oil and say goodbye to that terrible pain and itching.
This product is formulated without parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, or SLS.
Promising review: "I’ve had this bottle for over a year! It’s lasted with my family through Disney World, Destin spring break, and every time we go to the pool! I’ve had some bad sunburns. I slather this on and reapply after it’s soaked in and I wake up with a deep tan. Whatever is in it is like magic! The smell is kinda weird to me, but as well as this lotion works it could smell like cough syrup and I’d still happily use it." —Natalie Smith
Get it from Amazon or $17.08.
21. An AirFly Pro wireless transmitter if you're tired of having to use wired headphones during your flight. With this, you can easily connect to your seat TV screen with your AirPods and enjoy your selection of movies and TV shows without any annoying wires in the way.
It also comes with a USB-C charging cable, travel pouch, keychain holder, quick-start guide, and a manual. Traveling with a family member or friend? They can also sync their earbuds to this gadget!
See one TikTok user using it with their AirPod Pros here.
Promising review: "Got for our flight with our kids. No tangled ear buds. Even my non-tech savvy husband got it working!! Great buy for frequent flyers." —TeachMomma
Get it from Amazon for $54.99 (available in three styles and two colors).
22. A set of dry-erase travel games, a mess-free activity that'll keep your little ones entertained whether you're unwinding at the hotel before bedtime or waiting for your delayed flight (🙃).
Jonley Gifts is a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina-based Etsy shop run by a husband and wife team creating unique giftables for kids and adults alike!
Promising review: "The kids loved these on our flight and by the pool!" —Chelsea Kadish
Get it from Jonley Gifts on Etsy for $27.
23. A three-piece connectable suitcase set that makes it easy to maneuver multiple pieces of luggage with ONE👏HAND👏. Thanks to the easy-to-use fastener panels and pull strap, there are now more hands available for carrying your baby or holding your kid's hand.
Promising review: "This is BY FAR the BEST luggage set we've EVER used! QUICK and EASY to connect/disconnect making it smooth and easy to roll around with just ONE HAND as well as making the load feel feather-light even though they are fully loaded. This set has more than enough pockets/compartments to organize everything for a long trip. We get stopped by people every trip to inquire about this set and it's extremely easy to recommend them." —MRS GIB
Get a three-piece set from Amazon for $375.99+ (also available as a carry-on, a two-piece set, and in seven colors).
24. A pack of disposable potty seat covers because public bathrooms are *not* the best place to keep your kiddos away from germs, but these make it easier to do so! With long sides, these covers will help ensure they never come into direct contact with those nasty toilet seats.
Promising review: “I bought this for our vacation, and so glad I did. I have a 5-year-old and loved having these when we stopped at rest areas. The front hangs down so as she’s sitting, her legs were not touching the toilet. Not only was it perfect for her but for my whole family. Definitely will be purchasing more packs." —Juanina Mccollum
Get the pack of 24 from Amazon for $8.99.
25. A mini white noise machine to help soothe you after a long day of being a tourist with the fam. It'll block out the sounds coming from the elevator, the ice machine, and anything else with a vendetta against a good night's sleep. Plus, parents swear by it for their little ones!
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. 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 $29.96 (available in two colors).
26. A portable SlumberPod so that no matter where you go or what time of day it is, your little bundle of joy has a dark, private place to nap (even if your loud family is all sharing a room). It's got built-in ventilation flaps to make it plenty breathable and even has pockets for a fan and baby monitor.
SlumberPod is a woman-owned small business that appeared on Shark Tank as a portable way to give kids a dark, private place to sleep even when the family is traveling away from home.
Danielle: My brother and SIL swear by this thing when they travel, which is quite often, to keep their (very cute) son on a consistent sleep schedule when they're out of the house. I've helped set it up several times and can attest that assembly is quick and easy-peasy.
Promising review: "We bought the SlumberPod on the recommendation of several friends before our family vacation. Our son was a chronic early riser, especially if even a tiny bit of light got in his room. I was dreading our vacation and certain I was in for 5 a.m. wake-ups every day. The first morning after using the SlumberPod, he slept until nearly 7 a.m. (for the first time in months). Every night and for every nap, the baby went down without complaint in the perfectly dark SlumberPod and often had to be woken up from naps because he was out cold! I was also nervous that the temperature would be iffy with zipping the baby into what is essentially a tent, but it was well ventilated!! Absolutely recommend this product to any parent who wants to travel with their little ones and still ensure a good night’s sleep — worth every penny!" —Brianna
Get it from Amazon for $179.99+ (available in two styles and four colors).
27. A heavy-duty bag strap that can attach to your luggage, purse, or backpack and free you of the dreaded responsibility of having to hold everyone's bulky jackets.
28. An in-flight phone mount to use with your tray table, chair arm, luggage handle, or really any flat surface! They can dare to delay your flight again — now you can give yourself (and your little one!) some hands-free entertainment for hours.
Perilogics is a small business creating hyper-functional tool holsters and bags for carrying your stuff on-the-go.
Promising review: "Recently traveled with my two boys, and I bought all three of us one of these. They worked great! They're a little clickety-clackety, but you'll get the hang of it. We even had an airline steward tell us how cool they were! Compact, great price, sturdy, multiple positions/clamping ability. Totally worth it for not hearing your kids complain about their wrist hurting from holding their phone or that their homemade phone prop wasn't working great. Tack this onto the back of the seat in front of your or even on your tray table, easy-peasy!" —alisathegirl
Get it from Amazon for $9.97+ (available in three colors and in multipacks).
29. A freezable snack box — it's perfect if you're looking to store snacks for little ones, if you're someone with food allergies, or even if you're breastfeeding and need to store milk while away from home! It's designed with built-in cooling technology that'll keep everything in it cold all day long. (It also gives you one less thing to stress about if your flight's delayed!)
Promising review: "This will carry four frozen breastmilk bags and keep them frozen six to eight hours, which is perfect for domestic airport travel or small outings. I like to bring a few extra bags with me on trips for a night out or if it will be hard to nurse somewhere. Awesome product and less bulky that other cooler bags." —Joshua
Get it from Amazon for $17.99 (available in 13 colors and prints).
30. A foldable travel-size drying rack with a bottle brush that fits inside because you're a parent with a bottle-washing grind that never ceases — even on vacay!
Promising review: "Must-have for any type of travel! We’ve used this on a few trips so far and could not be happier with it. Compact, easy setup, and makes cleaning bottles and pump parts a breeze while on vacation. It will be coming with us everywhere we go!" —Megan P.
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
31. A roll-on blister-preventing balm so that putting adhesive bandages on the blisters on your feet at the end of long walks or hikes becomes a thing of the past. This balm magically becomes an extra layer of protection between your skin and your shoe so that you can continue exploring new landmarks worry-free.
Promising review: "My family goes to Disney World every year, and even with rotating shoes every other day, we still get blisters. I bought this before our trip two months ago, and it was worth every penny. We rubbed it all over the top, bottom, sides of our feet and toes each morning, and our feet did not blister! I highly recommend this product for long Disney days or any time you will be on your feet for a long period of time." —Cari Sanders
Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (also available in packs of two).
32. A multipurpose car seat storage bag, which is *super* handy thanks to its lined and leakproof spot for garbage, plenty of mesh storage pockets, and a dispenser for tissues or wet wipes. Now, you can take a road trip across the whole country without having your car become messy and untidy.
Promising review: "It holds a lot, so I never have trash lying around my van! Always got tissues if you need them, keep wet wipes and hand sanitizer, etc. in the pockets. I do long road trips so this is just super nice to have. The lid keeps everything inside so stuff is never falling out. I definitely recommend this to anyone with kids especially or if you take long road trips and wanna keep your vehicle tidy all the time." —Leanna Garcia
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
33. A portable door lock to use at your hotel or Airbnb (or simply for when you're staying in an unfamiliar place). This is perfect for giving you some extra security and peace of mind!
Note: This can get flagged while going through security, so you may want to put it in an easily accessible place in your checked bag to be safe.
Promising review: "I bought this to use in an Airbnb in an unfamiliar residential area. The lock system was easy to use, worked perfectly, and allowed my family to enjoy our vacation without worrying about security. It's a simple product that works!" —G. Mills
Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (also available in multipacks).
34. A collection of compression packing cubes that come in varying sizes to accommodate different suitcases. It also includes a bag that has two separate compartments that let you separate the dirty clothes from the clean ones (or for your shoes and socks!).
Just be sure to look up any weight restrictions on carry-on luggage!
Promising review: "We used these for a recent trip on a cruise. Each family member got a different color to make finding our items easier. We love the convenience of a packing cube; these exceeded our expectations! The compression feature was a must. We were able to pack for a week using just carry-on luggage with these cubes. There are little cards you can label for each of the pouches; however, we didn't use them. Maybe next time. The only con was the shoe bag. If you have large feet (like my husband and me), the shoes don't fit well in the bag. It was better used for dirty clothes and other items we didn't want to pack with our clean items. Overall, these were a great purchase." —CMS
Get a pack of six from Amazon for $38.98 (available in three sizes and 29 colors).
35. A luggage drink caddy for anyone who considers Starbucks as essential as going through TSA when it comes to the airport. This sticks right on top of your wheeled luggage and has two pockets so that you can place your *and* your S.O.'s drinks, phone, snacks, or whatever else you need out of your hands but within easy reach!
Reviewers say it's ideal for a suitcase that can roll on four wheels! If you have a suitcase that has to tilt while it rolls, just be careful if the drinks are open at the top.
Check it out in this TikTok.
Promising review: "Super easy to take out of your bag or purse and slide on. Holds my phone and sanitizer...my drink and my kid's drink. No more annoyance of everything having to be in my purse, adding weight and tearing my shoulder off in the airport." —Anne
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in 25 colors and patterns).
36. A dishwasher-friendly travel tray cup holder adaptor so that you stop having to pull over multiple times to grab your tot's Goldfish crackers. It even includes an adaptor and "Grippi" so that it can accommodate a variety of cupholders!
Promising review: "If you travel a lot or are constantly on the go, this is for you. We went on a 16-hour drive with our toddler, and this was so handy. It also has an attachment for different-sized cup holders. We were able to put all his food or snacks on there and his apple juice box or water cup. It’s a nice hard plastic, so it’s sturdy and easy to wipe down or wash." —Gabriela Burgueno
Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in seven colors).
37. A combination access portable lock box if you want to catch a few waves with the fam at the beach without having to worry about leaving your valuables unattended. This'll deter anyone from trying to snag your stuff. Swiper, no swiping!
You can also use this in your room to keep valuables protected.
Promising review: "We took this to the beach on a family vacation. All five phones went in easily, and we were able to swim in the ocean without worrying about our devices! Great product, easy to use." —Nelly Grinfeld
Get it from Amazon for $49.95 (available in four colors).
38. A mini wallet emergency kit that is packed with little, easy-to-forget trip necessities — bandages for new-shoe blisters, a mini makeup wipe, hand sanitizer, etc. Plus, you can have it printed with the city skyline of your choice!
Anne Cate is a Cleveland-based, woman-owned small business creating minimalist keepsakes to commemorate your favorite locations, with over 100 hand-designed skylines depicting cities and colleges from around the world!
What you'll get: Inside your mini wallet, you'll find a hair tie, lip balm, floss pic, sewing kit, bandage, emery board, safety pin, earring backs, makeup wipe, two bobby pins, two mints, deodorant wipe, Shout wipe, tampon, hand sanitizer, and pain reliever.
I, your resident forgetful person, bought the NYC skyline version of this to toss in my purse or work tote whenever I go out. It's filled with a bunch of easy-to-forget bits and bobs that will (and have) saved the day in a pinch, all pre-packaged in a stylish and high-quality wallet. It's my perfect little SOS kit.
Get it from Anne Cate for $25 (available in a variety of styles and in a mini dopp kit version).
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.