15 Travel Must Haves for Every Trip

Need help with your packing checklist to make sure you have everything you need for an enjoyable trip? These items are what set apart novice travelers from frequent travelers. Some may be obvious items you can't believe you didn't think to pack before. Others are things you would have never thought of and will soon find make a big difference in your comfort, health, or sanity! Below is a list of travel must haves to pack for every trip no matter what your destination!

See my other travel tips including:

9 TIPS FOR TRAVELLING WITH FRIENDS & FAMILY

BEST WEEKEND GETAWAYS IN THE USA – TOP 10

TRAVELLING LIGHT – HOW TO SIZE DOWN YOUR BEAUTY BAG

TRAVEL SAFETY TIPS – WHAT TO DO BEFORE DEPARTURE

AFFORDABLE TRAVEL – 10 BUDGET TRAVEL TIPS

Travel must haves to Pack for every trip!

It took me a while to ditch the idea that backpacks are for high schoolers. Guess what, backpacks are cooler then ever now and becoming more popular with adults, businessmen, AND travel gals! A good backpack has quickly become one of my top essential travel items. I appreciate that brands like Tumi and Kate Spade are making backpacks for women that are extremely functional and fashionable. I have a smaller Kate Spade backpack for when I'm traveling light and a larger Tumi for when I'm packing my computer or other bulkier items. I typically purchase anything packing or luggage related from ebags or amazon since they have the best prices. 

One big mistake travelers make is not drinking enough water and becoming dehydrated. Find a water bottle and pack it along. I like the S'well water bottles that are 17 ounces since they keep my drink hot (when I made tea) on cold all day.  The 17 oz. size is big enough to get you between refills but small enough to fit in your backpack or purse. Simple Modern has a similar option that is a little cheaper.

This is a big travel must have if you want to save money while traveling AND be environmentally friendly...assuming you are in a country that has safe drinking water. Instead of buying water fill up for free in cafés, restaurants, etc. If you feel better with filtered water check out the Brita water bottle that comes with a mini filter in the straw.traveling

Don’t be one of those travelers that doesn’t pack an umbrella unless there's rain in the forecast. 90% of the time it rains at some point during my trips and I’m glad I pack my umbrella. Also, I'm not forced to waste money buying another. I recommend a windproof umbrella with Teflon coating. This Repel umbrella has both qualities and is super compact and light. ​​​​

A travel must have for that long plane ride with a crying baby behind you. Also wonderful for when those thin hotel walls fail at buffering outside noise or when you need to get some work done in a noisy café. The Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones are your highest quality option. I love how comfortable they are and wireless is pretty much necessary now that most phones are nixing the headphone jack. If noise canceling headphones aren’t in your budget you can get earplugs for super cheap! If you're looking for essential travel items to give as a gift these are a sure winner.

Even if you think you have feet made of steel and you will have the willpower to wear those cute shoes all over the streets of Paris, pack your tennis shoes. At some point you will cave and be so thankful you packed comfortable shoes. I usually pack a workout pair of shoes that look decent enough to wear around town and then a sporty pair of sneakers like the Adidas Cloudfoam Advantage (only $40 on Amazon). I love these so much I have them in 3 colors and ordered the men's version for Jake! I highly recommend getting a black pair since they won't show dirt and scuffs as much as the white ones. I also LOVE the Cole Haan Wingtip Oxfords. Not only are they super comfortable but they are washable and SUPER light and great for packing light.

That clean diet you eat at home probably goes out the window during vacation. Pack some detox tea to help your body deal with the added toxins from your travel diet. I really like the Yogi Peach Detox because it actually tastes pretty good.

Sticking to the idea of combating your travel diet, probiotics are a healthy and digestive travel essential. This will help with stomach and digestive issues and help keep you regular while on the road. Be sure to get one that does not require refrigeration. I have found Garden of Life Primal Defense works best for me.

If you read my post “10 HEALTHY TRAVEL TIPS – STAYING HEALTHY WHILE TRAVELLING” you will be familiar with green powder and already know it's one of my go to travel must haves. I always pack powdered greens with me so I can replace a few afternoon meals with a green juice and give my body a break from digesting heavy meals. Choosing a juice over a meal not only is healthier and will leave you feeling lighter but can also be enjoyed on the run while you are walking to your next destination. I really like the Garden of LIfe Superfood Powder, Detox Organics Chocolate Superfoods, and Jarrow Green Defense.

Your phone is likely to die before the day comes to an end with all the Instagram pics you are snapping. Bring a portable charger so you don’t miss any photo opps. I have the Anker PowerCore 10000 and have been really happy with its charge power and how small it is. 

Pretty sure no explanation is needed for this one when traveling to another country. I recently upgraded to a convereter that has several USB slots and it's game changer! No more fighting over who gets to charge their phone first!

I don’t know about you, but I get super dehydrated on the plane and when traveling in general. I always pack plenty of eye drops, lip balm, and hand cream to keep me from feeling like a wrinkled-up piece of paper. 

I have my Google Pixel 3 when I want to pack super light. I’ll bring my Sony Alpha 6000 mirrorless when I know I’m going to have some incredible photo opps and need a higher quality lens.

This will be one of those travel must haves you probably never thought about. This is an essential travel item if you are a rockstar at packing light and rewearing your outfits. Don’t put yourself in the situation where all of a sudden you have no clean socks or underwear. I always pack a travel bottle of laundry detergent so I can wash items as needed in my hotel sink.

Yes, I am that person that wears dorky cozy socks on the plane. There is something about this added bit of comfort that makes the plane ride less gruesome. It’s also nice to have a pair of these if your hotel has bare floors or is cold.

The multipurpose scarf! I pack at least 2 or 3 on every trip. It helps to make your outfits look different (even though you’ve worn that shirt and pants 4 times already). I love this scarf from Nordstrom that doubles as a wrap when it gets cold. Caslon brand scarves from Nordstrom have some wonderful lightweight options. 

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