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42 Carry-on Essentials T+L Editors Can’t Travel Without in 2024

We put together this list of travel products our team of globe-trotting editors love to pack for journeys of all types.

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Travel + Leisure / Alli Waataja

Travel + Leisure editors are always on the go so we asked our team of globetrotters to share their favorite carry-on essentials. Along with a slew of product recommendations, they delivered helpful tips and recommendations to consider for your next trip, too.

From handy tech gadgets you didn't know existed to travel-size skin care products for in-flight facials, our team knows a thing or two about getting the most out of a flight with the help of these 42 travel products that are travel-editor approved. Plus, all the items are TSA-approved and small enough to fit in your cabin bag.

White+Warren Cashmere Travel Wrap

White+Warren

“Regulating the air temperature on board a plane is always a bit of a challenge — I find it’s best to layer, that way if you get too hot you can take off a sweater or jacket (and vice versa). One ‘layer’ that proves to be useful, time and again, is a cashmere travel wrap from White and Warren. You can use it as a shawl to keep warm; a blanket while you sleep; even as a pillow, folded delicately into a tight little square. It also looks great when you step off the plane, wearing a chic accessory!” — Jacqui Gifford, Editor in Chief

Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment

Rhode 

"My lips can get extremely dry while traveling so I'm a big fan of the Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment. The formula is glossy and hydrating, which means it soothes my cracked lips while adding a stunning sheen to finish the job. I love the vanilla scented one but the unscented option is nice as well, since it truly doesn't have a scent." — Anna Popp, Commerce Writer

Cadence The Originals Set

“I love beauty products almost as much as I love organization. Cadence combines the two as I can fit a shocking amount in these little 0.56-ounce capsules — about a week’s worth of cleanser and even more for serums and toner. My favorite part is that you can customize the magnetic label ’tiles’ with whatever names or icons you want (and get different hues to color code your products and order additional tiles separately to swap). They take up very little space and are great for skin care, or even jewelry and medicine, too. The tops screw on securely and it’s so easy to get every last drop out — with or without spoons — before cleaning (especially compared to standard reusable bottles). If I just add makeup and these larger 3-ounce pouches for my hair care, my entire at-home routine is sorted on the go.” — Morgan Ashley Parker, Associate Editorial Director

Bioderma Makeup Remover Wipes

“I like to have makeup wipes (like these Bioderma wipes ) in my carry-on bag so I can take my makeup off during a long-haul flight and freshen up before I reach my destination. I always have a good moisturizer on hand, too, like this one from Drunk Elephant , to combat that dry plane air and keep my skin hydrated and happy.” — Elizabeth Rhodes, Special Projects Editor

Vlando Small Travel Jewelry Box

“When most people think of travel organizers, they picture large packing cubes meant to be stuffed in checked luggage. But when your checked bags end up lost for hours (or even days) at a time, you’ll wish you’d stowed a few extra items in your carry-on. At 4 x 4 x 2 inches, Vlando’s Small Travel Jewelry Box is compact enough to easily store in any carry-on bag, yet it’s spacious enough to hold nearly a dozen pieces of jewelry and other small items like makeup and medicine bottles. It even comes in 28 colors and with removable dividers, so you can customize it to fit your specific travel needs.” — Hillary Maglin, Associate Commerce Editor

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation)

“I'm a firm believer these are the best earbuds Apple has released. I fly between coasts every few months, which means I'm sitting on long flights frequently and I always keep my AirPods in since they block out the pesky airplane engine hum. They easily fit in my pocket, purse, or carry-on and the different-sized rubber ear tips make it easy to find the most comfortable fit to wear the buds for hours on end without ear pain.” — Anna Popp, Commerce Writer

Ekrist Portable Charger Power Bank

“I basically never leave the house without my portable charger power bank, especially when I’m traveling. When you use your phone for so many essential functions, from texts, calls, and social media to maps, photos, and your calendar, it’s bound to run out of battery at the most inconvenient time. This fast-charging power bank can charge your phone up to eight times and can even charge multiple devices at once. It’s totally worth it for long travel days and everything in between.” — Sophie Mendel, Commerce Editor

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

“Dry airplane cabins can really do a number on your lips, so just any travel ChapStick won't do. This mask is packed with vitamin C and antioxidants. It's meant to repair dry lips overnight, but I use it day and night — and always, always in flight.”  — Nina Ruggiero, Digital Editorial Director

Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet

“I find that I get my best reading done on vacation, but I hate taking up the precious space in my suitcase with books. The Kindle Fire has been a mainstay in my carry-on since I got it for my birthday years ago, and I even recently learned that you can connect it to your local library to check out books throughout your trip. It's super compact, and also holds a charge all day long which is essential for longer flights.” — Merrell Readman, Commerce Writer

Bevledge Airplane Window Organization Station

"This nifty little cup holder has made enjoying in-flight refreshments so much easier. There’s no more juggling multiple beverages (hey, I always need a couple) while trying to fit my laptop or meal on a tiny tray. It also has a slot that’s great for keeping track of my phone, and a space to hang up my glasses for naps. I’ve used it on four different airlines and several different planes so far, and it has fit neatly on the window frame every time." — Lydia Price, Senior Commerce Editor

Travalo Milano Perfume Atomizer

“I've always been a big fragrance and perfume lover who likes to change them up daily depending on my mood. Traveling with perfumes can be a hassle, especially in a carry-on when you have to worry about delicacy and bottle size. With the Travalo Milano, you fill them up directly from any and every one of your favorite fragrances. They're shatterproof, leakproof, pressure-tested, and TSA-approved. Plus, their fun-colored vegan leather casing keeps them looking chic and sophisticated. With an affordable price point you can even get a few of their trio set to bring as many fragrances away with you as desired.” — Alessandra Amodio, Associate Photo Editor

USAMS Multi-Charging Cable

“I always toss this handy multi-charging cable in my carry-on since it never fails to come in handy at some point during my journey – even if it's just while I'm sitting on the plane. Use it to charge your Kindle, phone, Airpods, external battery, and more, all at the same time. It's such a time saver, especially if there are limited outlets in your hotel room.” — Sophie Mendel, Commerce Editor

Care.e.on En Route Essentials 5-piece Kit

“This cute little set has everything I need for a mid-air spa day. I can sanitize my hands before using the other three goodies — hydrating pads, a skin mist, and a creamy mask — to treat my face. I've used it both during the flight and in the airport arrivals lounge before heading out for the day off a red-eye.” Morgan Ashley Parker, Associate Editorial Director

Owala FreeSip Water Bottle

“Ever since I read a T+L article about why you shouldn't drink water from the plane during your flight, I've become insistent on packing an empty water bottle in my carry-on that I can fill up in the terminal before I board. This Owala water bottle is perfect because it has a built-in straw as well as a locking cap so I never have to worry about spilling all over myself (or my belongings) during the flight. Plus, it has a slim design that easily fits into the pocket of my favorite backpack.” — Merrell Readman, Commerce Writer

Hill House Home The Ellie Nap Dress

Hill House Home

“I’m always nervous that my checked luggage will get lost, so I always stick a packing cube filled with the essentials in my carry-on bag (even if I’m just bringing a personal item on board). For me, that means underwear, socks (I love these Bombas socks when I travel), a hairbrush, deodorant, a light sweater or jacket, and an easy dress I can throw on after getting off the plane. For my last few flights, I’ve packed a Hill House Nap Dress in my carry-on so I can change out of my ’plane clothes’ as soon as possible when I arrive.” — Elizabeth Rhodes, Special Projects Editor

Dagne Dover Ace Fanny Pack

Dagne Dover

"As someone who still struggles to pack light (working on it) having something like a sling bag or a small purse really helps me keep my most important travel items within close reach. I love this one from Dagne Dover because it's the perfect way to keep my passport, chapstick, credit cards, and other valuables closeby. I'm also a fan of the lightweight and cozy neoprene material." — Jasmine Grant, Senior Commerce Editor

Quip Adult Electric Toothbrush with Metal Handle

“I always pack my toothbrush in my carry-on because you don't want to get stuck without a toothbrush if your luggage gets lost or your flight gets delayed overnight. This one comes with a cap so it's easy to throw in your bag.” — Jackie Cucco, Commerce Testing Editor

Away The Insider Packing Cubes

"I can’t believe there was ever a time that I traveled without packing cubes, but now I won’t pack my carry-on without the Insider Packing Cubes from Away. The various sizes ensure that everything that I need for my trip has a place and together, they help me save space and stay organized. For short trips, I’ve used the smaller cubes as bag organizers and toiletry bags — they’re so versatile." — Emily Belfiore, Commerce Editor

Rare Beauty Blot & Glow Touch-Up Kit

“My dry skin tends to over-produce oil to compensate, so after a few hours on a plane or in a car, my face looks pretty shiny. An easy way to combat this (and arrive at my destination looking somewhat made up without busting out my foundation and concealer) is to mattify my skin with Rare Beauty’s Blot & Glow Touch Up Kit. It comes with a pre-powdered makeup sponge as well as oil-absorbing sheets, which I usually alternate between a few times during my flight and throughout the day. The products are neatly packed into a mirrored compact which easily fits into a purse or carry-on.” — Hillary Maglin, Associate Commerce Editor

Pacsafe Women's Citysafe CX 17L

“I’ve owned this backpack for years, and it’s my go-to bag for travel. Its professional style and padded laptop sleeve make it perfect for work trips , but I also love it for general travel — it has locking zippers to keep my belongings safe, a trolley sleeve for easy carrying with a suitcase, and two outside water bottle pockets.” — Jamie Hergenrader, Commerce Director

Garnett Hill Cashmere Socks

Garnett Hill

“I’m a firm believer that you can look cute while traveling without sacrificing comfort so I turn to quiet luxury travel accessories like these cashmere socks. It’s basically like a soft and cozy cashmere sweater for your feet and the socks look nice while on, too. Best of all, they aren’t even the slightest bit itchy or too hot.” Anna Popp, Commerce Writer

Veriphy Core Trio Gift Set

“This skincare set is the perfect addition to your in-flight toiletries. I love a skincare routine that's easy to follow and keeps my skin clear and glowing, and Veriphy absolutely does it all in four easy steps. Plus, the bottles are absolutely beautiful so you'll love leaving them on your counter whether at home or at your hotel.” — Taylor Fox, Commerce Updates Writer

Carhartt Knitted Cuff Beanie

“Trains and planes always have the AC on blast, which is why I always pack a knit cap like this one. On long-haul flights in particular, it's toasty — and also doubles as an eye shade that never gets lost.” — Paul Brady, News Director

Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones

 Amazon

One of our picks for the best noise-canceling headphones on the market, this pair impressed us with superior noise-canceling abilities that could block out sounds like a screaming baby, an ambulance siren, and car honking.

“[They are] equally adept at blocking out the chaos and noise of a busy airport, as well as flight noise, and light enough to wear for the entire trip.” — Mark Prigg, VP Commerce

Twelve South AirFly Pro

“I'm not a fan of airline-supplied headphones, so this genius Bluetooth wireless audio transmitter always has a spot in my carry-on. By plugging it into the headphone jack, it connects with my AirPods to allow me to listen to the airplane seatback TV and even lets me share audio with another set of AirPods. I love this because my fiancé and I can enjoy the same in-flight movie at the same time without having to split a pair of headphones. “ — Kayla Becker, Senior Commerce Editor

Tom Beckbe Field Hat

“I'm all about a durable hat these days, since they help me to keep cool and protected on any adventure-focused trip. This field hat from Alabama-based Tom Beckbe is easy to pack since the crown can be crushed--not every hat has that capability. It is also made from wax shelter cloth, ideal for rainy days or time spent fly fishing.” — Jacqui Gifford, Editor in Chief

Pear Compression Crew Compression Socks

“While I love the anti-swelling benefits of compression socks, I don’t want to struggle to put them on (or take them off) after I’ve left home, especially if I’m wearing leggings. The typical knee-highs look like something I’d definitely want to cover up (and remove ASAP), but these short compression socks are so cute that I find myself wanting to keep them on — and even display them on top of my pants. Personally, I’m a fan of the 'Be Kind’ style if you can find them in your size but the Sporty Crew’s cute, too.” — Morgan Ashley Parker, Associate Editorial Director

Ouai Hair Oil

“It can be hard to justify splurging on travel-sized toiletries, but a little goes a long way with this Ouai hair oil that I've been using for months now (at home and on trips) to help keep my hair frizz-free in even the most humid environments.” — Alexandra Domrongchai, Commerce Writer

Mark & Graham Hanging Packing Cube

Mark & Graham

“I am a very strategic packer but once I get to my destination, it can turn into a tornado of clothes and shoes very quickly. I love using this hanging packing cube since it’s basically a portable dresser with shelves to keep things off the floor and organized. It fits into a carry-on perfectly and all I have to do is hang it up in a closet for effortless organization.” — Anna Popp, Commerce Writer

Rothy’s Mary Jane Flats

"I recently hopped onto the Mary Jane trends with no other than the pair that ignited the revival in the first place. These Rothy's Mary Jane's are a best-seller for a reason, and consider myself influenced. They hardly take up any room in my suitcase and are my secret weapon to elevate any look. Even better, they're also incredibly comfortable, and feel like I'm walking around town in slippers." — Alexandra Domrongchai, Commerce Writer

Dieux Skin Forever Eye Mask

"I'm all about optimizing my time on the plane whether it's doing work, catching up on e-mails, or indulging in a skincare ritual. These reusable eye masks are easy to travel with and I slap them on in flights to multi-task. (I was admittedly self-conscious the first few times but fellow travelers always end up paying a compliment and/or asking where it's from.)" — Susmita Baral, Travel Edito r

Marshall Marshall Monitor II ANC

Courtesy of Best Buy

I love over-the-ear headphones (due to a totally realistic fear of losing an earbud in my seat) but the cases for most models take up way too much room in my personal item. These headphones not only sound great, they fold up to a compact size fitting in an included canvas sack that slips inside my purse or can be attached to the outside of my bag with a carabiner. — Morgan Ashley Parker, Associate Editorial Director

Vapur Flexible Water Bottle

"I haven't flown without a refillable water bottle in years but recently swapped out my longtime favorite aluminum bottle for this ultra-lightweight collapsible one from Vapur. It holds the same amount of water as my bulkier, heavier bottle, folds up compactly, is nice to drink from (vibe: drinking a Capri Sun pouch full of water, but without the annoying straw), and it makes my carry-on noticeably lighter." — Skye Senterfeit, Deputy Photo Editor

Coach Lowline Low Top Sneaker

“The cool sneaker revolution continues! I love packing a fun, comfortable, statement pair of trainers in my carry-on to get me through anything: a business meetings, a long day of touring a city, even an impromptu workout.” — Jacqui Gifford, Editor in Chief

Topicals Faded Under Eye Brightening & Clearing Eye Masks

"As an editor, I stay on the go, which means a lot of flights. The airport hustle may be exhausting, but I ever look like it when I land because of these eye masks from Topicals. The cooling hydrogel cools, hydrates, de-puffs, and fades dark circles so I always look ready for business. Plus, they make for cool selfies on social." — Danielle Pointdujour, Senior Travel Editor

Satechi USB Type-A to Type-C Adapter

“These days it seems like every smartphone and tablet uses a USB-C power connector. And that's a problem when you realize that most planes only offer in-seat power by way of a USB-A connector. The fix is this super-affordable adapter that lives full time in my go-to carry-on bag.” — Paul Brady, News Director

Dagne Dover Mila Toiletry Organizer

"There are some toiletries I always keep in my carry-on, like a toothbrush and deodorant, in case my flight gets delayed or my luggage gets lost. This toiletry organizer doesn't take up much space but helps me stay organized with adjustable compartments to keep bottles upright. It also comes in a larger size if you want something bigger for your full-size bottles." — Jackie Cucco, Commerce Testing Editor

Ekster Tech Case

“Between my phone, iPad, laptop, headphones, and camera my charging cords become an absolute mess when I travel unless I assign each item their own space. This tech case makes that organization simple (and beautiful) so I avoid tangles or forgetting any charges behind as I travel from place to place. It even fits some of my smaller items like earbuds and portable chargers to keep everything I need together.” — Taylor Fox, Commerce Updates Writer

Nuebiome Hand Cream

“I’m a nervous flier with dry skin, so I always end up picking at my nails and cuticles. One way I curb this is by traveling with a hydrating hand cream, and my current favorite is the Amaretto and Biotic Hand Remedy from Nuebiome. It’s intensely moisturizing and silky while still being lightweight and fast-absorbing, which means no uncomfortable greasiness, stickiness, and general unpleasantness. It also has a lovely scent that instantly relaxes me.” — Emily Belfiore, Commerce Editor

Lush The All Rounder Bodycare Discovery Kit

“Curating the perfect toiletry kit can be tough, and after years of subjecting my skin to whatever travel-sized toiletries were the cheapest at the drugstore, I've discovered my new go-to kit from Lush. This particular kit stays ready-to-go in my travel bag that keeps me moisturized, clean, and overall feeling good. I also have always loved everything from Lush, and admired their clean ingredients and products that genuinely work.” — Alexandra Domrongchai, Commerce Writer

Hobo Fern Belt Bag

“I've never in my life been a fanny pack person, but this small and sleek leather belt bag from Hobo converted me. I like to keep it in my carry-on so I can throw it on crossbody-style as soon as I land and be ready to shop, eat, and see the sights. It's the perfect hands-free option, too, which is convenient when I'm also carrying my luggage around. I've worn it all over the world and it always looks stylish, no matter my outfit or the time of year.” — Hillary Maglin, Associate Commerce Editor

Dr. Scholl's Time-off Sneaker

“I actually bought my first pair of Dr. Scholl's sneakers from an old T+L article from 2019. I had no idea that this pair would go on to accompany me to over 100,000-plus steps, multiple international trips, sprints through TSA, and everything in between. They're always the first thing on my packing list and I can't recommend them enough.” — Alexandra Domrongchai, Commerce Writer

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

Commerce writer Anna Popp writes various researched and tested roundups. She has been travel writing since 2018 and product testing since 2021. Anna collaborated with T+L editors to create a list of carry-on essentials our editors can’t travel without.

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45 Business Travel Accessories You’ll Need for Your Next Work Trip + Packing Tips!

Tips on How to Pack for a Business Trip

People think going away on business trips all the time is so fun and relaxing but what they don’t see are the long waiting hours at the airport, lack of sleep, and the many phone calls from home. That is why aside from the right accessories for business travel, you also need to know some helpful tips and tricks to make every work trip not as tiring as it would be. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Plan your look before you pack. Three things you must remember: First, know what the weather is going to be like where you’re going. Then, build your outfits around a single coat so you won't have to pack two or more, losing valuable space in your luggage. And lastly, choose versatile clothes that can be mixed and matched so you can create different outfits.

2. Put your best pair of shoes forward. Make sure to pack your best, comfiest, and most stylish pair of business travel shoes. But don't forget to pack a pair of cozy walking shoes for when you're strolling around the city during your spare time.

3. Wear your heaviest and bulkiest clothing items. Save space and luggage weight by wearing weighty garments to the airport rather than packing them.

4. Know when to roll or fold. Generally speaking, rolling is recommended for t-shirts, casual dresses, swimsuits, pajamas, and other small and flimsy pieces of clothing. Button-up shirts and pants, on the other hand, must be folded to prevent getting creases in them.

5. Travel with carry-on bags only. Mobility is of the essence when traveling for business. You have all your important documents and techs in there so you'd want to keep an eye on them all the time. Packing light is always the best way to go on a business trip.

6. Keep separate, ready-packed travel essentials. This will minimize your time for packing, especially if you’re a frequent business traveler. Have extra toiletries, chargers, office supplies, and business cards ready so you can just grab and pack them in your bag each time you travel.

7. Use dry cleaning bags or dress cubes for dress shirts. The best way to  prevent wrinkles in your dress shirts when packing them in your suitcase is to use plastic bags from your dry cleaner or use a dress cube . As for your suits and other formal shirts, you can have them laundered and pressed when you arrive at your hotel.

8. Pack your electronics and liquids in an easy-access place. Knowing TSA's security protocols when passing through security checks will definitely make your business trip smoother. Place your laptop and other electronics in the front pocket or on top of your garments so you can easily reach into your bag and grab it. Have a TSA-approved toiletry bag ready with your liquids, gels, and creams in 3.4 ounces containers or less.

9. Invest in your business travel gear. Don’t hesitate to splurge on quality travel accessories that will last you for all your business trips and can make every bit of it more bearable. Upgrade your travel system every now and then to make sure it fits and meets all your travel needs.

10. Bring items that will help you sleep and rest well. Make sure to bring a comfy pillow, headphones, eye mask, a nice playlist, or whatever it takes to help you be comfortable when sleeping at a hotel or on the plane.

Must-Have Travel Accessories for All Business Travelers

Make your next business trip as productive and stress-free as you’d want it to be by investing in these business travel accessories that you must not leave without. Whether it's an overnight or a week-long business trip, these accessories will help keep you organized, energized, and relaxed.

✅ For Packing

1.  AmazonBasics Oxford Expandable Carry-On Suitcase

Frequent business travelers need a bag that's both time and space-saving exactly like this AmazonBasics Oxford Expandable Suitcase. It has a fully-lined interior with multiple zippered pockets and ample space just enough for organizing all your travel essentials, from the smallest to the biggest, so you won't be tempted to overpack. This awesome spinner luggage is scratch-resistant and expandable so you can have extra space for bringing home some souvenirs and gifts.

2.  UGRACE Laptop Backpack

This stylish bag makes a great daypack for both men and women with impeccable style for business travel. What we genuinely love about this bag is that it's built to keep you organized. It has front zippered pockets for storing small travel items and a large main compartment for keeping flight essentials. It's made with wear & tear resistant Oxford fabric that keeps rain and grime away. It has adjustable ergonomic shoulder straps designed for the ultimate comfort.

3.  Starter Set of Clear Packing Cubes

The best way to pack in an organized way for your business trip is to use packing cubes. These cubes are available in different sizes so you can store clothes of various sizes as well. This is the perfect way to keep your items neat and organized to help lessen the creases and wrinkles. Plus, it's very easy to unpack as well; just unload the packing cubes from the suitcase to the drawers and set them up on any flat surface (or drawers) and you’re done.

4.  Clear Dress Cube

Worried about getting wrinkles or creases on your suits and formal dresses in your checked luggage? This spacious dress cube is to the rescue! It's made of sturdy Cordura and vinyl covering, with an easy-grip handle, a two-way zipper, and reinforced stitching for extra durability. Plus, it's clear and splash-proof so you can easily see what's stored inside and protect your formal clothes from getting wet in case something happens to your suitcase during transit.

✅ For Clothing and Shoes

5.  Van Heusen Men's Traveler Dress Shirt

Go for business shirts that don't easily wrinkle like this traveler dress shirt from Van Heusen. It's made with fabric that's wrinkle-resistant so you won't have to bother with ironing. It’s also stretchable and comfortable so you can move easily the entire day. This is a great casual staple both for attending meetings and strolling downtown, just wear and pair it with either a pair of dress pants, blazer and tie, or your favorite jeans and you’ll still look proper.

6.  LEE Women’s Business Pants

For all the #ladybosses out there, try a pair of these LEE Women’s Business Pants . They have a loose fit at the waist for a natural and relaxed fit, which is very comfortable especially when sitting. These pants are designed with a classic look that you can wear to any evening events straight from the office and still look great.

For men, there will be no more wrinkly pants when you're off to your business trips with a pair of these Amazon Essentials Men’s Chino Pants . This pair of dressy pants looks very classy but feels super comfy. It's made with wrinkle-resistant, durable, and soft fabric to give you that timeless relaxed fit. Get ready to rock any business meetings and on-the-side casual sightseeing trips.

7.  Lark & Ro Blouse for Women

Get comfy in this Lark & Ro formal blouse made from high-quality fabric and gain the ultimate confidence in facing business meetings and conferences. It's a button-down shirt with a classic, versatile look that you can wear at the office, business trips, seminar, or just for day to day casual wear. Look good and feel good with this feminine, stylish, and comfy blouse!

8.  Cable Stitch Women's Work Dress

We absolutely love, love, love this perfect little black sweater dress for business travel! Its fabric is smooth, almost silky and it's not itchy or bulky like others tend to be. The turtleneck is perfectly loose but not floppy, and you can dress it up or down according to the occasion. Who says you can’t look your best while attending a meeting or conference? 

Pro Tip: Keep a monochromatic scheme. Go for darker colors because they go well with almost everything and look more formal and business-like.

9.  Retractable Lint Roller

Have this compact lint roller with you wherever you go so you can look as presentable as ever whether you're at a meeting or just casually strolling in the city. It’s very small and measures just 5.5 inches when closed so barely takes up any space in your work bag. It's made with high-quality adhesive so you can get pet hair, dust, and everything in between out of your suit and pants. It's retractable, portable, refillable, and easy to use, so basically, it's everything you need in a lint roller for travel!

10.  Travel Folding Boards

Having trouble folding your clothes? These travel folding boards will guide you. Now you can fold your clothes perfectly and precisely on-the-go! This set of three comes with three different folding board sizes so you can fold all sorts of clothing items from the smaller to the larger ones. There are printed instructions on the shirt folder so you know exactly what to do step by step until you get the hang of it.

11.  Plastic Collar Stays

Look professional and presentable with your collar on point using these plastic collar stays. They're 3 times the thickness of the flimsy plastic stays that come with your shirts, making your collars stiff all day long. These collar stays are available in different sizes so you can choose the ones that best fit your collar.

12.  Wurkin Stiffs Magnetic Collar Stays

Wurkin Stiffs can straighten and smooth out any collars with stubborn curls. Designed with power buttons, these magnetic collar stays can tame and straighten unruly collars so you can look sharp during your business trip. First, insert the metal collar stays in your collar, then tuck the power buttons under your shirt, and finally adjust your collar to any position you like. It's that easy!

13.  Downy Wrinkle Releaser

Wrinkles and creases on formal clothes can be very undignified especially when you have important business meetings to attend to and you're facing important clients. Have this Downy wrinkle eraser with you so you can spritz the wrinkles on your clothes away very easily!

14.  Travel Laundry Bag

Separate your dirty clothes from your clean ones using this drawstring travel laundry bag. It will prevent the stench of used clothes from sticking to your clean clothes and the insides of your suitcase. This travel laundry bag can be washed and reused over and over again so it's a very smart investment for all your business trips. It's lightweight and can be folded and packed in the extra spaces in your luggage.

  15.  Steamfast Mini Steaming Iron

If there’s one thing business travelers should never leave without, it would be this mini steaming iron! Your hotel room or accommodation might have faulty or rusty ones so you best be ready with your own iron. Don't worry, this one's pretty tiny - fits right into your hand - so you can pack it right into your carry-on suitcase like it's nothing. This little iron may be small but it heats up quickly so you can get right on to ironing when you get to your room. The steaming feature helps sanitize your clothes by killing 99.9% of germs and bacteria on it.

16.  Travel Shoe Bag

Don't let your dirty shoes stink up your luggage and other clean clothes by storing them in this travel shoe bag. It's a drawstring bag that lets you fit a pair of shoes or two! It's machine washable so you can reuse it again and again for all your trips. It folds neatly into a piece of nothing so you can simply insert it in your suitcase and you won't feel the weight or space difference. Definitely a business travel must-have!

17.  Stone & Clark Shoe Shine Kit

Keep your shoes clean, shiny, and stylish on your business trips to make the best impression. This kit can help ensure you always put your best foot forward. It's small and lightweight and comes with a convenient, sleek travel case. It also includes a black shoe polish tin, soft horsehair shoeshine brush, a sponge, a shoehorn, and a durable shine cloth. You'll have your shoes looking good as new in no time!

✅ Toiletries & Other Essentials

18.  TSA-Approved Toiletry Bag

This TSA-Approved Toiletry Bag will be the best storage for all your travel-sized liquids in containers not exceeding 3.4 ounces. It has a clam-shell opening so you can easily access your essentials when needed and a clear design so you can see your essentials at a glance. The durable reinforced stitching and comfortable handle means it will last a long time. Be sure to place it in an easy-access place for easy inspection when you get to the security checkpoint.

19.  Ammax Travel Bottles for Liquids

Get yourself some of these TSA Approved silicone travel bottles to store your carry-on liquids. They're made of food-grade, BPA-free silicone material that's 100% approved by the FDA, making it safe for your liquids to be stored in. These bottles have no-drip valves which help in preventing leaks and spills.

20.  Wet Ones Anti-Bacterial Wipes

One of the most important travel items to pack for business travelers, especially in this time of pandemic, would be these antibacterial wipes. It's made of eco-friendly recyclable packaging, and it's free from BPA, bleach, alcohol, paraben, dye, and cruelty! You can use these to sanitize any handles, doorknobs, and other surfaces that you might come in contact with during your trip. Make sure to pack a good amount of these antibacterial wipes enough for the duration of your travel.

21.  Eco Finest Hand Sanitizer

This hand sanitizer is the perfect travel size item to fit in your TSA-approved toiletry bag. But don't worry, recent TSA policy on hand sanitizers have changed during this pandemic. Each passenger is now allowed to bring up to 12 ounces of hand sanitizers on the plane. But if you still prefer to travel light, this will be the best option for you. It contains 75% ethyl alcohol with moisturizers and Vitamin E so it won't dry your skin as much as other hand sanitizers would.

✅ Electronics and Entertainment

22.  Sony WH-1000XM4 Noise-Canceling Headphones

These incredible bluetooth noise-canceling headphones fold up really small in its travel case so it fits right into your personal items bag. When you wear them on the flight and activate the noise-canceling feature, you'll have your very own peace and quiet zone. You can also plug it into the entertainment unit of the airplane with the little adapter they come with.

23. Tablet  / Laptop

Whatever type of traveling you're doing, packing light is always the right way to go. Choosing to take your tablet over your bulky laptop is a wise choice for a smart traveler like you. Although more compact and handy, a tablet can do as much work as a laptop so you wouldn't feel like you're leaving behind so many things. You can include a portable keyboard to go with your tablet so it wouldn't be too hard for you to type or edit something. But if you’re more comfortable using your laptop for doing business transactions, you can get a laptop that can double as a tab when folded. Also, make sure that your tablet has a protective case to reduce the impact of damage should it happen.

24.  iClever Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard

It would be wise to travel with the least technology as possible when going on a business trip. If you're going to take a tablet only, make sure to have this foldable bluetooth keyboard as well. It has a mouse touchpad that lets you control your device easily. It's compact, convenient, and foldable so you can easily pack it in your suitcase and not worry about it taking up too much space.

25.  3M Privacy Screen Filter

Protect your screen from prying eyes with this laptop privacy filter. It'll prevent anyone who's sitting beside you from seeing the personal or confidential information you're keeping on your computer. It blocks out the views from both sides while allowing you to have a clear screen from your point of view. It's black, frameless, lightweight, and has a glare-reducing matte finish to it that you can easily attach using either attachment strips or slide-mount tabs. Make sure to select the size that fits your laptop screen.

26.  Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle

Do you have trouble sleeping? Why not read a page or two of that book you've been trying to finish for a long time? Instead of packing a few paperback novels or magazines, bring a Kindle instead and download your favorite books to help you relax or fall asleep.

27.  Satechi Portable Power Bank

It can be a bit difficult to find a power source while traveling. Having a portable charger lets you easily charge your devices while you're on the go. This compact charger has two USB-C PD ports and a USB-A port so you can charge three devices simultaneously up to 100W. It's an intelligent charger that adjusts its power output according to the connected devices. Very convenient for business travel!

28.  Toshiba Portable Hard Drive

Another necessary item for business travel is a portable hard drive that lets you save bigger files and have access to them right away when you're on your trip. It's also very convenient when you need to transfer files from one device to another (like when you’re printing). This hard drive has a compact design and up to 2 TB storage capacity to store all your files and content. It has a storage backup software that you can download to retrieve your files if ever something happens to your hard drive and a storage security software that you can also download so you won't have any problem with unauthorized access to your data.

29.  TP-Link Portable Hotspot

Hotel WiFi may be the only internet you have access to while you're on a business trip and it may still be too slow or expensive to use. With this pocket-sized wireless portable travel router, you can easily access the internet anywhere, anytime without worry. This device will enable you to create a secure WiFi hotspot so you can send an email or get some work done on-the-go. It can reach up to a speed of 300 mbps so you can comfortably work lag-free. 

Pro Tip: Make sure to use a VPN when you're using public wifi connection to keep your information safe.

30.  Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device

If you're looking for the best downtime entertainment, this Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device is the perfect business travel accessory for you. It's a powerful streaming media stick that enables you to watch all your favorites from Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, HBO Max, and more! It's the perfect device to help you relax, recharge, and recover from jet lag.

31.  Kensington International All-in-One Travel Plug Adapter

If you're going on an international business trip, you must have this worldwide adapter so you can plug in on foreign outlets and power up your devices. Each plug is built into the adapter so you can easily choose the right plug that you need with just the push of a button. It also has a built-in safety release button and internal fuse to ensure that you and your devices are protected from external shock and short circuit when charging. It's practical, functional, durable, safe, and high quality so you can comfortably charge your devices at the same time.

32.  Cocoon Accessories Organizer

Being organized is key to any travel experience, and even more so when you're on a business trip. You're going to need something that can help you organize your phone, chargers, keys, passport, credit cards, sunglasses, and other travel necessities. You can't just stuff everything in your pocket or your bag because these things tend to get tangled, sink to the bottom, or magically disappear when you need it. You need this Grid-It gadget organizer so you can travel with your chargers, cords, headphones, and other handy gadgets in perfect harmony.

✅ Safety and Security

33.  AirBolt

Get a smart TSA-accepted lock like this Airbolt, that you can conveniently access and control from your phone through an app. This makes it super easy to lock and unlock your luggage especially when you're on a business trip.  It has customizable security settings that lets you create tons of ways to get it unlocked and you'll be the only person that knows about it. This is perfect for those who always forget their luggage lock combination. Don't worry, it has a backup code so you can still unlock your luggage if ever something happens to your phone.

34.  Portable Door Lock

This safety device is great for additional security especially if your business trip involves going to a place that you're not familiar and comfortable with. You can install this device without any tools. You just simply insert the security bracket into the door latch pocket and simultaneously turn the doorknob. Close the door to lock the bracket into place. Then, slide on the security bars, and your door is secure. It serves as an additional portable security system in your hotel room by preventing any unwanted key entry in your private space. It's small enough to fit in your pocket and can be used on most doors that are hinged.

35.  Fossil Women's Leather RFID-Blocking Wallet

Protect your credit cards and other important IDs when going on a business trip using this minimalist RFID leather wallet. It has 12 credit card slots, 1 ID window, 4 bill compartments with 1 back slide pocket and 1 back zipper pocket on the exterior. It can protect and fit all of your important cards, cash, and IDs without looking too bulky. This is the perfectly sleek product that you will need in any trip!

36.  Emergency Alert KeyChain Whistle

This device is especially useful for businesswomen going on frequent business trips in places they're not familiar or comfortable with. This innocent-looking keychain actually serves as a personal alarm system that lets out a loud sound and bright light that startles attackers and alerts people within the vicinity of the emergency situation. Just pull the pin, press and hold the button to activate the alarm with flashing light whenever you feel in danger. Be safe and stay safe with this smart device!

✅ More Business Travel Essentials

37.  IRIScan

A scanner on the go? Sign us up! This smart and simple scanning device is the perfect business travel accessory if ever you need to scan your documents on the go. It's portable, compact, and rechargeable so you can use it multiple times during your trip. It can connect through WiFi, USB cable, or SD card and doesn’t require a computer to work. With this portable device, you can scan any documents hassle-free anywhere in the world.

38.  FitKicks

Wearing a pair of comfortable shoes is of the essence when going on a business trip.  And what could possibly be more comfortable than a pair of these FitKicks foldable shoes? They're the best shoes to wear especially when you're on long-haul flights. They slide on and off quickly so getting through airport security will be a breeze. They're foldable and don't take up too much space in your luggage so they can fit right in together with your other travel essentials.

39.  ThinOptics

You don't have to carry your reading glasses around on your trip when you can have these bendable and foldable glasses instead. ThinOptics glasses come with a universal case that attaches to your phone or any hard, flat surface. You can take these glasses anywhere with you. They are made to fit comfortably and stay put on your nose when in use.

40. Anti-Nausea Travel Wristband

If you feel queasy during flights even though it's your tenth time flying for business, this wristband can help you find relief! It works by applying pressure on the wrist with the built-in plastic stud to help restore balance in the body. Just wear the wristband and position the button between the two tendons on the underside of the wrist. Press it for two minutes until you feel relief.

41.  MLVOC Travel Pillow

Don't let a stiff neck or aching back throw you off your A-game on your business trip. This memory foam neck pillow will keep you comfy when you’re sleeping on the plane, on the train or anywhere else. It provides the ultimate support to keep your neck and head from falling forward, relieving you of neck pain during travel. It's made with a sweat-resistant design, breathable and super soft fabric that can be washed so you can use a fresh and clean pillow for all your journeys.

42.  Ovener Travel Luggage Tag

Never lose your luggage again with these bendable and flexible silicone luggage tags that come with an ID card. They're extremely durable, compact, lightweight, and easy to spot on the baggage claim area. It has a sturdy steel loop that you can easily attach and remove on your luggage's handle.

43.  Buzio Insulated Water Bottle

Keep yourself hydrated during your business trip with this Buzio insulated water bottle with straw lid and flex cap. This bottle is made with a unique TempArmour technology that keeps your beverage cold for up to 2 days and hot for an entire day. It's made of non-toxic durable food-grade stainless steel that protects that water flask from oxidation and flavor transfer so your drink remains clean and fresh all the time.

44.  Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook

For writing down ideas or coming up with an outline for business proposals, this environment-friendly Rocketbook smart reusable notebook will be your best bud. You can easily wipe the pages off clean with a damp cloth and write new ideas again. Your notes will also be saved online so you can keep a digital copy of your thoughts and ideas and organize them on your phone. Just download the app on your phone, scan the notes on the page, and voila! It will be automatically saved in your folder.

45.  Clear Circle Pouch Set

These pouches are great for organizing any loose travel items that you have lying around so you won't miss anything. These cute pouches are made of vegan leather piping and suede interior lining with durable plastic sides that lets you see what's inside. You can use it as a clear cosmetic bag, toiletry bag, charger and earphone pouch, clutch bag, or a storage for any other travel-sized items you might have. These can be easily kept in your tote bag or carry-on luggage for better organization.

More Useful Tips and Tools For a Smooth Business Trip

Hold on, we’re not done just yet. Here are other helpful tips to make your business trip as smooth as possible. With the best business travel accessories and these tools and hacks for travel, you’ll be looking forward to more business trips in the future!

✔️ Join rewards programs - Does a flight upgrade to first class seats, access to free meals in an exclusive airport lounge, free stay at a hotel, and other lucrative perks sound good to you? If it does, well, you better get yourself some travel rewards cards and save up on miles or points so you can earn premiums and discounts for your next business trip. You can find everything you need to know about travel rewards cards and how to get one right here .

✔️ Charge electronics before you fly - Forgot to charge your phone? No big deal. Just make sure you’ve got your power bank all juiced up and ready to go before you leave. While you’re at it, make sure your laptop, tablet, and other handy tech you’re planning to bring with you on the trip are at 100% so you can use them whenever necessary.

✔️ Use trusted traveler programs that speed up your travel - There are a handful of trusted traveler programs that you can apply for. There's TSA Pre-check , Global Entry , Nexus , and more. If you become a member of any of these programs, you can use expedited lanes at the U.S. airports where these programs are available, and even when crossing international borders. In other words, no more removing of shoes, laptops, belts, or jackets or wasting precious time standing in line going through security checks. Each program has their own perks so make sure to check out which suits you best.

✔️ Book non-stop flights - For a faster and more convenient way of getting to your destination, make sure to book non-stop flights. Without stopovers or connections between cities, you will encounter very few unexpected airport delays. This will be more expensive than connecting flights but it will save you precious hours, allowing you plenty of time to rest or prepare for your meetings.

✔️ Pay for an airport lounge membership -  Having airport lounge access can significantly improve your entire business travel experience. Aside from having your own cozy space away from the busy and noisy airport, your peace and quiet also comes with complimentary snacks, drinks, reading materials, free Wi-Fi, and some even have shower facilities. Check out this article on how to score airport lounge access .

✔️ Print important confirmation numbers - You can't really rely on your phone all the time, especially when all your confirmation numbers and emails are in there. Even though the chances of losing your phone when going on a business trip may be highly unlikely, it can still happen. If not, you may run out of battery just when you need your boarding pass or confirmation number. Make sure to print a few copies of these important documents and keep them in an easy-access place.

✔️ Download useful apps for business travel - A busy corporate traveler such as yourself needs mobile apps that can keep up with your needs for your trip. For example, cancellations or delays are sometimes unavoidable and you will need a mobile app that will enable you to adjust bookings or modify accommodations in real-time. Or you may need to snap photos of your receipts and file them, or perhaps digitally sign a document, and many more! These useful business travel apps will make even the toughest business trip seem like a walk in the park.

In a recent article , American business magnate Bill Gates says that more than 50% of business travel will disappear in the post-coronavirus world, which will pave the way for a new approach in conducting business trips. This doesn’t necessarily mean that going on business trips will vanish entirely, only that it will be less frequent. Despite the gripping effect of the pandemic altering the way people travel for business, these business travel accessories, as well as the tips and tricks, will still prove useful to your future trips.

Have a safe and productive business trip ahead!

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Business Travel Essentials: 15 Products to Simplify Your Life

Business , Electronics , LUGGAGE

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Traveling for business has its perks, but packing for it is another story. While many business travel essentials are great for leisure travels as well, there are a few things you should definitely have on your work trip!

Business Travel Essentials

Table of contents.

Business travel can be exciting and fun, but making sure you’re fully prepared can be a bit tedious at times. If you’re constantly on the go for work, these business travel essentials will be amazingly helpful while on the road — and many are awesome for leisure travel as well!

Top Business Adventures to Pack

Compass Rose Packing Cubes

Packing Cubes to Keep Your Luggage Organized

If you’re headed out on a business trip, you’re going to want to be well-organized, and the best way to organize your luggage is with packing cubes !

Here at TFG, we love packing cubes because they can keep your things coordinated, easy to access, and help you travel carry-on only, which if you’re headed out on a business trip is a good idea.

Watch the packing tutorial on Youtube !

Watch this packing cubes video tutorial to learn how to maximize space and never check a bag at the airport again. These are the top 12 reasons why I prefer packing cubes to other organizers .

The secret to traveling light is to create a functional but minimalist capsule wardrobe. Learn more in my guide !

pack-all Water Resistant Travel Shoe Bag

Shoe Bags to Protect Your Favorite Shoes

Speaking from experience, you can easily ruin your favorite pair of dress shoes by throwing them into your suitcase with everything else.

These pack-all shoe bags will keep your pretty shoes clean and protected, covering your business trip essentials in the appearance department.

Readers also love that they are useful to stash wet or muddy running shoes or anything else you need to sequester from clean clothes. 

Travelpro Luggage Maxlite 5 Rolling Underseater

An Underseat Carry-On to Travel With Ease

If you’re hopping on a plane for work, then underseat carry-ons should be listed as business travel must-haves. Readers love Travelpro’s Maxlite 5 rolling underseater as it features incredible organization and is designed to fit under the seat of most airlines. 

Plus, while most underseat luggage tends to have too many compartments limiting their use to business documents, this bag has a spacious interior where you can fit just about everything you need for a simple travel itinerary. An added bonus is that it’s lightweight. 

We’ve rounded up a list of the best under seat luggage and we’re showing you how to pack strategically to make the most of low-priced airfares!

Away Weekender

Weekender Bag for a Quick Trip

If you’re heading on a few-day trip and just need a change of clothes or two, a weekender bag is a perfect option that’ll make your travels easy breezy! 

Away’s The Everywhere Bag will fit all the essentials and has interior and exterior pockets and a 15” laptop sleeve to keep everything neat and organized. It’s finished off with a durable, water-resistant shell and a trolley sleeve. The Lo & Sons Catalina Deluxe is another TFG favorite. 

A weekender bag makes a great carry on for a longer trip, too!

Lo & Sons Rowledge

A Travel Purse or Bag to Keep Your Things Organized

If you’re headed out on the road for work, one of the most important business travel necessities is the right travel bag, specifically one big enough to hold your laptop in it.

If you choose a bag like the beautiful Lo & Sons Rowledge backpack , you’ll have plenty of room to hold all your essentials, including your laptop. Readers love that it slides easily over your carry-on handle so you can wheel it through the airport, and it’ll easily fit underneath the airplane seat. 

It has a minimalist design with maximum organization, and will be perfect for your next business trip!

Find out which of these anti-theft purse options our readers love the most!

Travelon Anti-Theft Convertible Clutch

A Travel Clutch to Grab-And-Go

The best thing about Travelon is that they make travel friendly and anti theft bags which are definitely business travel essentials.

It’s always nice to have a compact purse or clutch on a trip, especially if you’ve packed for work, not travel. Chances are you won’t want to lug around your laptop bag everywhere!

The Travelon Anti-Theft Convertible Clutch is a super choice for a grab and go clutch. It’s slash resistant with locking compartments and the card and passport pockets are RFID protected. 

Having a clutch on-hand is great because you can use them to keep your essentials organized in your laptop bag, and then pull it out to use as a purse at lunch or dinner with colleagues.

Travelon Anti-Theft Crossbody

Anti-Theft Crossbody to Protect Your Things

While having an anti-theft clutch is a great idea because it’s easy to pack away, it doesn’t necessarily fit the bill all the time. Sometimes it’s not big enough to hold all of your things!

In that case, using the anti-theft crossbody from Travelon is perfect! A bag like this should definitely be on your business travel essentials list. 

It is also travel friendly, made with slash resistant material, has locking compartments, an RFID protected card, and passport slots. Plus, it has ample room for organization and comes in a bunch of cute colors.

Anker Portable Charger

Portable Charger to Keep You Going

Having conference calls and multiple emails can drain your phone’s battery quickly. This Anker portable charger can really change your life while on a business trip.

This is our readers’ top portable charger pick, loved for how compact and lightweight it is while holding a LOT of power (over 2 full charges for an iPhone)! 

When it comes to business trip essentials, and just travel essentials in general, TFG readers agree that this is right at the top of the list!

Find out the best portable power bank chargers for your next travel!

Newvanga Universal All-in-One Travel Adapter

Travel Adapter with Multiple Charging Options

Hotels never seem to have enough outlets –  even those that cater to business travelers. This is something that will always baffle me! To help combat electronic musical chairs, bring your own portable charge strip. 

If you’re traveling to multiple countries in Europe or around the world, for example, you’ll want to bring a universal adapter, which is much easier than taking several different adapters for each country. 

And this one will help you make the most of limited hotel charging space! It works in over 150 countries and can charge up to three devices with its two USB ports and a universal plug.  

Take a look at this power outlet guide for travelers to see a full list of plugs and outlets by country! And then dive into more of the top power strips for travel here !

Bagsmart Travel Cord Organizer

Travel Cord Organizer for Your Tech Gear

As a business traveler, you’ll no doubt have lots of cords , chargers , flash drives, and all kinds of tech accessories to keep track of. Keep everything untangled and neat as can be in a travel cord organizer! 

The TFG reader top pick is this cute cord organizer from Bagsmart , which has variously sized mesh pockets and elastic loops to keep everything secure, visible, and easy to access. Plus, it’s water-resistant and padded to keep your gear safe! 

These bags take up very little space and will be immensely handy when you’re on the go! 

S’well Insulated Water Bottle

Sleek Reusable Water Bottle

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Seriously! Staying hydrated is an important part of staying healthy and alert while traveling, even for business. 

A sturdy and cute water bottle like this S’well stainless steel insulated water bottle is definitely a business travel essential. It’ll keep your water at an ideal temp and is much better for both you and the environment, rather than the cheap plastic found in disposable water bottles. 

Plus, you’ll also save money, especially in airports where everything is notoriously overpriced!

FaceShadow Double Glasses Case

A Cute Case to Protect Your Glasses

Whether you’re traveling with eyeglasses, reading glasses, blue-light blockers, or sunnies, you’ll need to keep them safe from dust, scratches, and damage while keeping them handy, so be sure to bring along a durable glasses case. 

Readers love the FaceShadow double glasses case , which features two slots so you can easily switch back and forth between pairs, or keep them both securely stored at the same time. They have spongy padding and are made of soft microfiber that comes in a wide range of absolutely adorable prints! 

Having your classes kept clean and easy to reach during a work day is super helpful, but these are truly great for any kind of travel, and for day-to-day excursions, too! 

PurSteam Portable Garment Steamer

A Portable Steamer to Keep You Looking Sharp

Chances are if you’re headed out on a business trip you’re going to meet people essential to your job, so you’ll want to look professional. 

Wrinkles are a really fast way to take your business fashion down a level. But fear not, the PurSteam Portable Garment Steamer is the work travel essential to solve your problems!

This bad boy is quick heating and compact making it a great and easy addition to your morning routine.

The Downy Wrinkle Releaser spray is a great alternative that’s great for wrinkles that aren’t as severe. Perfect for removing wrinkles from your clothes after a flight! 

Choose the best travel steamer for your next journey!

Quince Eye Mask

An Eye Mask for Restful Sleep

Staying rested and ready for whatever the day brings is essential on a work trip, but it can also be tricky when flying on red-eyes, switching time zones, or just adjusting to a new environment. A sleeping mask is a great way to enhance your rest and get hours of rest in.

Quince’s silk eye mask is a dream — readers love that it feels so soft and light while efficiently blocking out light, and the silk fabric has amino acids that are nourishing to the skin!

SanDisk Ultra USB 3.0 Flash Drive

Flash Drive for Digital Storage

Flash drives allow you to easily share documents (especially large file sizes—like presentations), make back-ups, and print documents from hotel business center printers (never fun); so it’s a need for any business trip.

Personally, I keep at least one flash drive in my laptop bag at all times, so there have been many times when I was grateful to have my Sandisk flash drive .

Wandf Packable Duffle

Packable Duffle Bag for Any Occasion

If you’ll be displaying items at a trade show, bringing samples to clients, or snagging some freebies, a packable duffle is a way to go. 

This Wandf packable duffle bag is spacious and sturdy but surprisingly lightweight, and it folds up super small to take up very little room in your luggage! It’ll fit in overhead bins or under airline seats and can even slide over a suitcase handle. 

Plus, a packable duffle is great for bringing home souvenirs or some great shopping finds, too! 

Bose QuietComfort 45 Wireless Headphones

Noise-Canceling Headphones to Keep Your Focus

Whether catching up on work in a busy cafe, taking an important call while on the go, or drowning out the noise on a flight, noise-canceling headphones are a must for the business traveler. They’ll offer crystal clear speech on a phone call, get rid of any unwanted background noise, and help keep you focused. 

Bose’s QuietComfort 45 Bluetooth headphones are amazing! Readers love that they connect wirelessly to any of your devices, have a comfy, adjustable fit, stellar battery life, and have both quiet and aware modes depending on your situation. And your music will have never sounded better!

Apple AirTag (4 Pack)

Apple Airtags for Peace of Mind

If you’re checking a bag or traveling with valuable items, Apple Airtags will allow you to easily keep track of your belongings, even if they’re far away! 

These little trackers are SO handy for travel, and so many TFGers don’t go anywhere without them in their luggage, handbags, and clipped to their valuables. They’ll make lost luggage, misplaced keys, or any other travel mishaps a lot easier to deal with, as the “Find My” network on your iPhone will track these items in real time and give you a precise location. 

If you don’t have an iPhone or want an alternative option, these Tile trackers are amazing, and you can take a look at our post on the best luggage tags and trackers here ! 

What are your business travel essentials? Tell us in the comments!

For more tips on travel essentials, please read:

• Women’s Business Clothes for Travel
• Airplane Essentials: Top Items to Make Flights More Enjoyable
• Female Travelers Love Ponte Pants. Find Out Why!
• Best Messenger Bags for Women: Functional and Adorable Options

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Hope you liked this post on business travel essentials. Please share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Author Bio:  Emily is a lifelong travel fanatic who is constantly making additions to her “upcoming destinations” list. (Yes, she is also a list person.) She is currently based in the Netherlands, where she lives with her husband.

I’m headed into some more international business travel next month and this list is such a great reminder of what to add to my pre-flight checklist. I almost forgot to pack my noise cancelling headphones! Based on some other TFG articles and recommendations I now have the Lo & Sons OG 2 bag – and I think I prefer it to a weekender or backpack for business trips. It holds everything in a super organized way and looks chic for business travel.

I need to buy the air tags TODAY! I am also checking out the other items, also! Thanks for a great article!

Great article! I’ve already purchased several items from this list. The eyeglass case, Away weekender and headphones are great!

For someone traveling three times in a month, this list of business travel essentials kept me top of the game. I ended up sharing this with so many of my friends and co-workers. Thank you for putting this together

I agree on the Swell water bottle and the packing cubes for sure! I’ve tried so many water bottles and always go back to Swell. They keep my drinks cold and never peak. Ever! These particular packing cubes are the most rugged I’ve found—and I have MANY brands. Don’t sleep on these!!

I was just looking for something else and came across this list which reminded me to put my wrinkle releaser in my bag! Thank you!

Just starting back to doing business travel. The suggestions and top picks are great. Thanks

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18 Simple Travel Essentials for 2024 & Beyond

Whether you’re headed out for a quick business trip, a monthslong world tour, or a laid-back weekend at the beach, our list of 2024’s best travel essentials has you covered.

Sure, some necessities are obvious — toiletries, medications, snacks, phones — we know you’ll pack those. We’re here to cover the game-changing items you may not have thought of that’ll help elevate your packing list and make life easier on the road.

Whether it’s a minimalist wallet, a compact Bluetooth speaker, a lightweight laptop case, or something else, we bet you’ll find a piece of gear here that will add value to your travel bag. We know this because we’ve traveled extensively with every item on this list and stand behind each recommendation.

Packing is a juggling act, so let’s dive into the must-have gear we’d never travel without.

Travel Essentials for Men & Women

• Personal Item Bag: Our Top Picks
• Travel Organizers: Our Top Picks
• Minimalist Wallet/Purse: Slimfold & Travelambo
• Bluetooth Headphones: Apple AirPods Pro
• Titanium Water Bottle: Our Top Picks
• Laptop Case/Sleeve: tomtoc 360º
• Phone Case: OtterBox
• Lightweight Power Bank: Nitecore NB10000 Gen II
• Compact Bluetooth Speaker: JBL Go 3
• Travel Adapter: Anker
• Cellphone Kickstand/Tripod: The Pocket Tripod
• Ultralight Camera Clip: Peak Design
• High-Quality Travel Journal: Moleskine
• The Write Everywhere Pen: Space Pen
• Noise-Blocking Earplugs: Howard Leight by Honeywell
• Merino Wool T-Shirt: Wool&Prince & Wool&
• Versatile Travel Pants: Slim Dungarees & Vuori Ripstop
• Do-It-All Travel Shoes: Our Top Picks
• Tips for a Perfect Packing List
• Final Thoughts: Travel Essentials for Men & Women

Essential Travel Gear & Accessories

Personal item bag our top picks of 2024.

Here’s our top essential: A personal item bag that’ll hold and protect the stuff you need close at hand, every day and everywhere. We’re talking about travel documents, snacks, personal care items, electronics, changes of clothes, and assorted accessories.

Browse through our favorite personal item bags for a wide variety of lightweight, weather-resistant, and feature-rich options. I often take a duffel bag for longer trips, but backpacks and messenger bags are more convenient for hands-free sprints down the concourse near departure time.

What to Look for in a Personal Item Bag: Search for a comfortable, airline-complaint bag suitable for one-bag travel and will help you avoid extra boarding fees by stashing underneath the seat in front of you.

Travel Organizers Our Top Picks of 2024

I like keeping my belongings nice and tidy inside my bag, so travel organizers are lifesavers. I rely on them to help me find essential toiletries, packing cubes, ditty bags, cables, adapters, and all the other miscellany of life on the road. ‘Tidy’ is satisfying.

Trust me, travel organizers make packing and unpacking much less of a hassle. I especially love the transparent and zippered bags that keep everything visible, secure, and easily accessible. Travel is stressful enough; we don’t need the extra burden of chaotic clutter.

What to Look for in a Travel Organizer: Search for durable, water-resistant packing solutions that fit your belongings comfortably and have the proper dimensions to stash inside your main travel bag without restriction.

Minimalist Wallet/Purse Slimfold Soft Shell Wallet Travelambo Purse

A purse or wallet designed for travel is another sanity saver. Monitoring your spending is easier with a lightweight, compact, minimalist front-pocket wallet — we highly recommend the Slimfold Soft Shell wallet pictured above.

Women may want a stylish but minimalist purse with organized storage for the basics. The Travelambo we recommend will efficiently stash your ID, cash, credit cards, and not much else. Minimalism is a good thing when traveling.

Why We Travel With the Slimfold Soft Shell Wallet: It’s soft and stretchy yet durable and sports RFID protection to thwart hackers and thieves. Its lightweight and minimalist design helps reduce bulk in our pockets.

Bluetooth Headphones Apple AirPods Pro

Wireless headphones are a top travel necessity for anyone listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks that muffle their noisy surroundings. I use my Apple AirPods Pro daily when I travel. High-quality Bluetooth headphones like these are a no-brainer.

AirPods are my favorites as they have excellent sound and solid battery life. Plus, you can use their built-in microphone to talk on the phone when a call comes in. And, of course, they’re cordless, so the aggravation of tangled cords will be a non-issue.

Why We Travel With the Apple AirPods Pro: They pump out quality sound and use active noise cancellation to block out background noise. If you’re an iPhone user, they connect to your phone automatically once you put them in your ears.

Lightweight Titanium Water Bottle Our Top Picks of 2024

You need to stay hydrated, whether you’re summiting a mountain or wandering crowded city streets. I recommend sipping your beverage from a titanium water bottle; they’re rugged, ultra-lightweight, and won’t leach off any flavors to your drink.

Titanium water bottles come in all shapes and sizes and should fit easily and compactly in your bag. And by saying ‘no’ to single-use plastic containers, you’re doing your part to combat pollution, including microplastics in the water supply.

What to Look for in a Titanium Water Bottle: Opt for a single-wall bottle if your focus is keeping it lightweight. Go for double-wall if you want to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot. We love the Snow Peak Aurora, pictured above, over all others.

Laptop Case/Sleeve tomtoc 360°

Laptops have become essential for traveling, whether watching Netflix, working remotely, or keeping in touch with loved ones. Packing your laptop without proper protection is a big no-no, so grab a laptop case or sleeve for extra protection.

I like the Tomtoc 360° because its plush padded shell includes corner reinforcement and a decent amount of storage for accessories. I’ve dinged-up laptops in the past, so I’m a big advocate of protective cases and sleeves.

Why We Travel With the tomtoc 360°: It’s the lightest and most straightforward laptop case/sleeve for our needs. It fits our MacBook Pros like a glove, and its zippers are buttery smooth. There are ten colors to choose from!

Durable Phone Case OtterBox

Many people choose an OtterBox as their go-to phone case, and so do I. They’re the market’s most trusted brand, and their cases are definitely ‘engineered to endure.’ There’s a wide variety of stylish designs and colors, so grab one to protect your precious phone.

Imagine trying to travel the globe with a smashed phone. Not a pleasant picture, is it? Too many phones are BSB designs — “Beautiful, Slippery, and Brittle” — so protect your phone and your investment with a rugged case from a trusted brand.

Why We Travel With an OtterBox: OtterBox is the OG in smartphone protection and has a reputation for putting out sturdy, reliable, and ergonomic products. They come in various colors and styles and offer MagSafe options for iPhones.

Ultra-Compact & Lightweight Power Bank Nitecore NB10000 Gen II

Letting your gadgets run out of juice in the middle of a busy day is a rookie move. Use a power bank like the Nitecore to top up your device batteries. Despite its compact size, this will keep your electronics alive until you can return to your home base to charge up and wind down.

This Nitecore is a medium-duty 10,000mAh power bank sized for phones, tablets, and cameras. However, if you also need to charge laptops and other power-hungry devices, consider splurging for a bigger, more powerful unit.

Why We Travel With the Nitecore NB Gen II: It’s the lightest and most compact 10,000mAh power bank on the market. Its carbon fiber enclosure is sleek, durable, and IPX5-rated water resistant.

Compact Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker JBL Go 3

Do you like to listen to music as you get ready in your hotel room or soak in a sunset on the beach? Then, grab a portable Bluetooth speaker. This may not seem like ‘essential’ travel gear, but many of us (myself included) consider it a necessary comfort of home when out on the road.

The JBL Go 3’s sound quality makes it an easy recommendation, as does its portability, waterproofing, and value. I use it to listen to podcasts, create white noise for sleeping in noisy environments, and to motivate myself during bodyweight travel workouts .

Why We Travel With the JBL Go 3: For its size, it cranks out respectable sound and punchy bass. It’s lightweight, portable, waterproof, and dust-proof. At $50, it’s a good value that should last for several years of travel.

Compact International Travel Adapter Anker 735

If you’re a globetrotter like me, you already know that reliable and powerful travel adapters are must-haves. This is the lightest and most compact charger I’ve used that can charge my MacBook Pro, and it keeps all of my other electronics powered and ready to go. Ironically, I use it to keep my Nitecore power bank topped up… a charger for a charger.

Frequent travelers stay in touch and find their way using their digital devices, so it’s wise to recharge with a compact and reliable product. We rely on our adapters, and it’s good to know that Anker has a reputation for reliable and innovative products.

Why We Travel With the Anker 735: It’s about 40% the size of a standard MacBook charger and has two extra USB charging ports; it’s as compact and lightweight as you could ask for. Anker products are as rock-solid as they come.

Compact Phone Kickstand/Tripod The Pocket Tripod

Your phone’s camera will take better low-light photos if you stabilize it with a tripod. And this tripod is the size of a credit card, making it a perfect travel companion. It’s also a kickstand to hold your phone steady while it plays videos as you nod off during the flight to your next destination.

Versatility is why I chose The Pocket Tripod as a travel essential. It’s a convenient and innovative piece of gear that I always have on hand, ready for the next great photo opp. A steady camera means less image blur, better self-portraits, and more hands-free video chats.

Why We Travel With the Pocket Tripod: It reliably props up phones when filming adventures, chatting with loved ones, or watching movies on an airplane. It weighs half an ounce and can be stashed away virtually unnoticed in a wallet or purse.

Ultralight Camera Clip Peak Design Capture

When I travel with a camera, I keep it close at hand with the Peak Design Capture clip. I no longer have an excuse to leave my camera behind because I don’t want to bother with straps or cases. Always having my camera within reach means no more missed opportunities for the perfect photo.

I prefer the Peak Design Camera Clip to tangle-prone camera straps. It’s lightweight and easy to attach to a backpack, bag, or belt. Use it if you travel with an expensive camera to keep it hands-free until the moment you need it.

Why We Travel With the Peak Design Capture: We travel with expensive cameras that must be protected at all costs. Not only does the Capture protect them, but it also allows us to forego annoying and cumbersome camera straps.

High-Quality Travel Journal Moleskine

Travelers keep journals to document and make sense of their lives. Paper journals have been around for centuries, and they’re a tradition that’s far more intimate than typing notes into a cell phone. Moleskine journals are legendary — Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, and David Bowie all captured their thoughts on those distinctive creamy ivory pages.

For me, journaling is calming and therapeutic, especially in nature. My thoughts and memories seem to expand when I write by hand. It’s a ritual I cherish, and traveling inspires me. Set your smartphone aside and give it a try. It’s delightful.

Why We Travel With the Moleskine Soft Cover Journal: Information comes at us from a million different directions while traveling, and we need a journal to make sense of it all. The Moleskine is durable and has 240 no-bleed pages.

The Write Everywhere Pen Fisher Space Pen

High-quality journal pages deserve high-quality pens, and that’s where Fisher Space pens come in. They were designed for astronauts floating in zero-gravity environments! I’ll bet their journal entries are slightly different from yours and mine.

Fisher Space Pens have a no-nonsense heft, plus a special ink with a velvety glide. Their compact Bullet Pens slip easily into purses and pockets, and writing with one puts me in the mood to jot down my day’s adventures. Life’s too short to use Bic pens.

Why We Travel With the Fisher Space Pen: This bad boy will write underwater and in zero gravity, in case your travels take you somewhere out of this world. It’s compact, rugged, streamlined for smooth writing, and will last forever.

Noise-Blocking Earplugs Howard Leight by Honeywell

Moving from Point A to Point B often exposes you to plenty of noise — jet engines, city traffic, crowds, and much more. Battery-operated noise- canceling headphones have their place, but simpler, old-school noise- blocking methods like earplugs are also worth considering.

Traditional earplugs like these colorful inserts from Honeywell can block many of the noises you’ll encounter when traveling. I use mine regularly on airplanes when I’m tired of my headphones but still need relief from the cabin soundscape or Jerry from Omaha snoring loudly in the seat next to me.

Why We Travel With the Howard Leight by Honeywell Earplugs:  Whenever you inevitably cross a screaming child in an airplane, you’ll thank us for this recommendation. These are comfy, contoured, and soil-resistant to prevent dirt build-up.

Essential Travel Clothing

Merino wool t-shirt wool&prince (men’s) wool& (women’s).

Clothes designed for travel enthusiasts should be lightweight, comfortable, and well-fitting. That’s why I suggest Merino Wool T-Shirts from Wool&Prince (for men) and Wool& (for women). W&P is a top supplier of Merino wool clothing and my favorite brand on the market today.

W&P shirts are super soft, anti-microbial, odor-resistant, and perfect for travel. Banish smelly clothes that cause discomfort over the course of a day. The best part for travelers is that these shirts can remain odor-free for several days — quite a benefit for those on the go.

Why We Wear Wool&Prince While Traveling:  We can get away with wearing wool clothing for days, if not weeks , at a time between washes while traveling. Seriously. Wool&Prince shirts are true to size, fit incredibly well, and don’t shrink.

Lightweight & Versatile Travel Pants Outlier Slim Dungarees (Men’s) Vuori Ripstop (Women’s)

I’m a travel pants nerd. When searching for the perfect pair, do your homework and choose one that balances comfort, functionality, and style. You’ll spend long hours wearing these travel pants, so you’ll want to be comfortable and good-looking.

Slim Dungarees and Ripstop pants are two of our absolute favorites. I’ve sampled several pairs of pants and travel jeans , and Vuori is one of my favorite brands. They’re versatile, and I wear them for everything from hiking to bouncing around town.

Why We Wear Ourlier & Vuori While Traveling: Both brands make incredibly stylish, comfortable, and durable pants that fit well. They’re durable enough for year-round use and breathable enough to wear in hot and humid climates.

One Pair Do-It-All Travel Shoes Our Top Picks of 2024

For the no-checked-luggage traveler, I recommend bringing only ONE pair of do-it-all shoes. That can be tricky, especially if your trip involves a mix of city streets and hiking trails. Versatility and comfort should always be your top priorities, but never discount the value of a stylish pair of shoes or boots.

We’ve simplified your choice by listing our favorite footwear for both men and women. From sneakers to loafers and slip-ons to athletic shoes, you’ll likely find several varieties that might pique your interest for your upcoming trip. I only travel with one pair of shoes, so they must be versatile and comfortable.

What to Look for in a Pair of Travel Shoes: Search for a comfortable and lightweight pair of shoes that’ll let your feet breathe as you pile up the steps during your adventures. Bonus points for kicks that can be dressed up and dressed down.

Six Tips for a Perfect Packing List

Efficient travel requires a savvy mix of preparation, planning, and organization if you’re going to thrive out there. No matter the length of your trip, you must learn to prepare and pack wisely. To help you, here are a few tips for putting together the perfect packing list:

If It Doesn’t Add Value, It’s Not Essential

Avoid packing items that don’t serve a purpose or add value to your travels. Leave it at home if it doesn’t make the trip more enjoyable, productive, or efficient.

Define your essentials based on your activities — backpacking, camping, hiking, or visiting a new city. Pack only the essentials: clothing, footwear, technical gear, and personal care essentials that add value to your travel.

Focus on Multi-Purpose Essentials

Have you ever regretted your packing choices while out on the road? To avoid that feeling, pack items that serve multiple purposes. This will save time, and you’ll have fewer items to track.

For instance, select shoes or pants ideal for multiple activities, such as hiking and sightseeing. Another great multi-purpose item is an all-in-one bag like a fanny pack or backpack that can also be worn crossbody.

Aim for Compact and Lightweight Gear

Selecting the right items can be daunting, so if you’re a ‘just-in-case’ packer, you’ll quickly end up with an overstuffed bag. Stay focused on proven methods — lightweight and compact packing is the way to go.

Look for items that’ll pack up tightly and fit snugly in your bag or suitcase. Choose clothing and other items that will last the entire trip and can fold up neatly. Opt for shoes or sandals with lightweight soles that offer grip and traction but won’t overload your bag.

Do Your Homework Before You Buy

Avoid making terrible travel decisions, and always read reviews thoroughly before purchasing. This is especially true when making a rushed, last-minute purchase. Learn from customer experiences and insights into the product’s performance in different conditions and climates.

For example, if you’re shopping for technical apparel or a multi-purpose tool, tap into the wealth of knowledge out there. Solid research could lead you to buy something that performs well and lasts for years.

Embrace Minimalism

If you’re a minimalist traveler, you know the truth of the saying “less is more.” Minimalism is all about embracing the principle and avoiding the temptation of packing too much stuff. Clutter will drag you down and hold you back.

Start by looking for versatile items of clothing and footwear that can be used interchangeably in different settings or scenarios. And when you return home, keep track of the items you used most and decide what can be left behind next time.

Invest in Quality — Buy Once, Cry Once

Last but not least, invest in quality travel gear. The up-front costs of high-quality items are often offset by their greater utility and longer lifespan.

If you have to replace cheaper items every few trips, are they really saving you money? Probably not, especially if the higher-quality items have a solid warranty and offer reputable customer service.

Final Thoughts: Travel Essentials for 2024

Are you ready to draft your own perfect packing list for 2024? Our list of travel essentials for men and women may not match yours, but we hope you found a few items that will add value to your next journey. The goal is to find gear and clothing that will add consistent value to your life on the road.

Please share any tips or gear recommendations you have in the Comments section below. We’re especially interested in hearing what’s worked for you (or not) regarding trip planning, organization, packing lists, and any advice you may have on travel-friendly clothing or general-use gear.

We’d also love to hear your thoughts on the minimalist lifestyle, specifically regarding travel. What kind of travel do you do, and how much do you pack? Have your definitions of ‘must-haves’ and ‘luxuries’ changed over the years? After all, being a nimble traveler is both a physical and a philosophical journey. Let’s share and compare our paths.

Last Updated on March 19, 2024

Lauren De Almeida

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12 packing essentials on every business traveler’s list

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Everyone has the packing essentials they never travel without , but the list can look a little different for business travelers, who tend to take shorter, more frequent trips and must juggle packed schedules once they touch down at their destination. 

Business travelers need to stay organized, connected, comfortable, and well-rested as they shuffle between time zones. Anything that helps achieve this balance makes for a happier — and more effective — businessperson, so before you send your most trusted employee off to the international office, make sure she has these products and services packed. 

There are the obvious options, like a reliable, expandable carry-on suitcase and a portable battery pack , but also consider smart and innovative additions like work shoes you can actually walk a whole day in and a notebook that saves all your meeting scribbles to the cloud. 

Here are 12 things that should be on every business traveler's packing list. 

Wireless earbuds.

Jabra Elite 65t Wireless Earbuds, $109.90, available at Amazon

While over-ear wireless headphones offer better sound quality, earbuds are better suited for travel when you have limited bag space. The battery life of these earbuds is five hours (15 hours with the charging case) and once you're off the plane, you can make clear phone calls because they're optimized with four-microphone technology. They're also Alexa-, Siri-, and Google Assistant-compatible. For an affordable, under-$100 option, check out these  SoundCore wireless earbuds from Anker .

A foldable Bluetooth keyboard

Jelly Comb Pocket Size Portable Bluetooth Keyboard, $29.99, available at Amazon

If you're not packing your laptop but want to get some work done, this foldable keyboard that can connect to your tablet or phone will let you do so without taking up as much space. It's light and sturdy, but a drawback to its portability is that the key positions are squeezed together, so typing might not be as seamless of a process as usual. Still, the convenience might be worth the compromise . 

A battery pack

Jackery Bolt 6000 mAh Power Bank with Built-in Lightning Cable, $26.99, available at Amazon

It's always a good idea to have a battery pack on hand when you travel, and this doesn't change when you travel for business. While there are many battery packs on the market to choose from, our pick is Jackery's because its built-in cable charges your phone twice as fast as the original charger, and it's neither so small that it can only charge your device once nor so bulky that it weighs you down. 

Performance workwear that never wrinkles

Shop the Men's Kinetic Collection starting at $145 at Ministry of Supply here

Shop the women's kinetic collection starting at $125 at ministry of supply here.

Instead of worrying about how you're going to pack your best suit without damaging it, simply get one that always stays wrinkle-free . Ministry of Supply's stretchy, comfortable, and water-resistant suits and dresses prove that you can have it all, without paying more than you would for normal workwear. The styles are sleek and classic, so you'll always be prepared for meetings, coffee chats, and lunches. 

A fast pass through airport security

Enroll in a two-month free trial of CLEAR here using code "INSIDER"

Seasoned business travelers will already have TSA Pre-Check to help them breeze through the nightmare that is airport security, but another security service that's worth adding on if you want to save even more time is CLEAR. The CLEAR lane at the terminal verifies your identity with a biometric screening (a fingerprint or eye scan) so you can skip the part of the line where the TSA officer checks your ID. 

An expandable carry-on bag

Travelpro Platinum Magna 2 Carry-On Expandable Spinner Suitcase, $246.28, available at Amazon

You want a carry-on bag that will comfortably fit your clothes, last through countless trips, and is easy to maneuver. Travelpro's suitcases are a flight crew staple because of their organized compartments, durable nylon exterior, and signature MagnaTrac technology that keeps the bags rolling in one straight line. This one also comes with a removable garment bag. 

A travel pillow

Trtl Pillow, $25.49, available at Amazon

Business travel means putting your body through its paces and realizing quality sleep is a precious commodity that shouldn't be taken for granted. Recover and recharge in the plane or bus with the Trtl travel pillow , which will keep your neck supported for a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. It might look a little strange, but it's soft and comfortable, not to mention easy to store. 

A travel wallet

Bellroy Travel Wallet, $119, available at Amazon

Checking in to your hotel or flight becomes much less stressful when you're not fumbling for your documents and you know exactly where they are. This wallet organizes everything you need as you travel between offices and airports: your passport, boarding pass, bills, cards, and IDs. It even comes with a small pen so you'll always be prepared to sign documents or fill out forms. 

A good unlimited data plan

Join T-Mobile ONE here

T-Mobile's unlimited plan is the best of the major carriers because you get 50 GB of 4G LTE data and unlimited talk and text. You still get unlimited 2G data and text in more than 200 countries, so you never have to deal with hotspots and new SIM cards and can start connecting with people immediately. Select flights will also offer free Wi-Fi for T-Mobile customers. 

Comfortable work shoes

Shop Wolf & Shepherd dress shoes starting at $229 here

For men, Wolf & Shepherd makes beautiful Italian leather dress shoes that you can actually run in — the founder confirmed this claim by wearing them during the 2018 Running of the Bulls in Spain. They feature sheepskin lining, plush memory foam insoles, and an "HDeva" heel that absorbs the shock of heel strikes. They're pricey but worth the comfort and you'll find yourself wearing them for any work occasion, travel-related or not. 

Day Glove, $115, available at Everlane

For women, the Everlane Day Glove is the flat that truly fits like a glove . These simple, rounded leather flats come in a variety of versatile colors and can transition seamlessly from office to dinner. With a back pull tab, small side vents, and a cushioned insole, they're just as functional as they are stylish.  

A small smart notebook

Rocketbook Everlast Reusable Smart Notebook, Executive Size, $29.97, available at Amazon

Rocketbook combines the convenience and satisfying feeling of physical note-taking with the organization and eco-friendliness of digital note-taking . After you write in the pages with the included pen, you can send your notes to your cloud service of choice, then wipe the pages clean and use them all over again. You'll never lose notes in the shuffle of traveling with this smart notebook. 

Hand sanitizer

Purell 1 oz. 8-Pack Travel-Sized Jelly Wrap Bottles, $9.51, available at Amazon

Germs abound in the airplane and hotel room, and you'll be shaking a lot of hands. Keep yourself and others healthy with a quick rub of hand sanitizer. Purell's one-ounce bottles are discreet and fit conveniently in your bag. 

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• Main content

The Best Gear for Travel

By Wirecutter Staff

Traveling well can be one of life’s great pleasures, whether you’re alone or with family and friends.

But what does it mean to travel well? We’d say that along with traveling safely (of course), traveling well involves avoiding hassle, carrying a single bag (if possible), and bringing only the necessities.

“Traveling well is a fine balance between finding inspiration in the unknown while being grounded in something,” said Wirecutter founder Brian Lam. “Sometimes that is a memory of home, a family, a significant other, friends, etc. Sometimes it’s just the familiar, reliable stuff in your bag.”

Over the past 10 years, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing dozens of products to find the most dependable items that will help you travel well. On top of that, we sought the advice and wisdom of Doug Dyment, author and creator of OneBag—a traveling businessman and public speaker, he has logged millions of miles over the past few decades—as well as travel-gear reviewer Eytan Levy, the Snarky Nomad.

And we relied heavily on the experiences of Wirecutter staff, an especially mobile group of individuals. Our staffers have worked remotely from every continent except Antarctica—the five most frequent flyers among us travel about half a million miles in any given (normal) year.

The research

Flying/riding, just in case, travel tips.

A well-packed bag is one that contains less than you think you need but everything you actually need. If possible, fitting everything into one carry-on and personal item will give you more freedom compared to checking a bag or two. You’ll be glad you did if (and when) things don’t go according to plan. While carry-on-only isn’t feasible (or advisable) for every trip—especially extended business trips or weddings where you need multiple outfits to maintain appearances—if in doubt, it’s better to cut.

Carry-on backpack (non-roller)

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L

A versatile small pack for a week or a weekend.

The Allpa’s clamshell design makes organizing your things simple. The strap design lets you easily wear this durable bag on your back or carry it in your hand while you’re on the move.

Buying Options

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

An easily customizable large bag for long trips and expensive gear.

This bag was built with photographers in mind, but most travelers will appreciate its easy accessibility and clever tuck-away straps, and the elegant way the bag expands and contracts depending on how much you’ve packed. The accessory cubes cost extra, though.

We spent six months testing 22 bags, and in the end we chose two as our top picks for travelers determined to never check luggage again: the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L (for most trips) and the larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . Both bags are exemplary carry-on travel backpacks that are designed for comfort, durability, and organization.

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L features an easy-to-pack clamshell design and highly adjustable straps that make it a great all-around bag for any traveler who’s dedicated to packing light, or for a smaller person who wants less to carry. Handles on all four sides of this bag make it easy to grab no matter where you’ve stowed it, and the Allpa’s straps are contoured to comfortably fit people who have large or small chests. It’s not a specifically gendered design, but our female tester noticed the improvement right away.

The bag is protected by a full lifetime warranty and has the build quality to back that up. Its front panel is made of a waterproof, TPU-coated 1,000-denier polyester (a strong fabric covered in a flexible plastic coating), which means you can lay it on its back in a wet field or in gravel without worrying about moisture soaking through or jagged edges ripping the fabric. The rest of the paneling is made with 1,680-denier ballistic nylon, which feels similar to a strong canvas but with a more prominent weave. After four years of testing, this single backpack (plus a personal item to store under the seat) has replaced nearly every travel bag or piece of luggage that Kit Dillon, Wirecutter’s senior staff writer who covers luggage, uses.

One caveat: The Allpa has a minimal amount of administrative organization—places to keep pens and papers, spaces to hold tickets, and so forth—which is where the personal item comes in handy. As the name suggests, “personal items” are very, well, personal, and no one bag will work for all travelers; we offer a range of recommendations in our full guide to them .

The larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is the Swiss Army knife of backpacks: adjustable, customizable, and (if you spring for the extra cubes and organizers) an almost perfect system for a photographer or gearhead on the move. Most bags’ expanding mechanisms aren’t worth the extra zipper they’re built on, and they look about as attractive as a boiled ham splitting out of its plastic packaging. Not so with the Peak Design: It looks just as good fully packed at 45 liters as it does compressed to a 30-liter daypack. You can access the bag through a back panel, which doubles as a computer and tablet pouch, as well as through a front one, if you unzip the pass-through divider. You can also get into the main compartment via two wing-like trapezoidal flaps that run along each side of the pack. In its natural shape, the Travel Backpack holds 35 liters, but an expansion zipper lets the bag swell to 45 liters.

If you want to use the bag as a daypack, you fold in the top corners and snap them down, reducing the bag’s volume to a slim 30 liters. It still feels larger than a normal daypack, but we think that’s a small compromise for the ability to use one backpack as both your travel bag and your daily explorer. The bag itself consists of 400D nylon and polyester fabrics—it feels tough, but not as tough as the Cotopaxi Allpa. As for flaws, it is expensive, especially if you commit to the entire system of packing cubes and camera cubes . The adjustable design and multiple zippers do add complexity, and complexity adds potential weaknesses, though Peak Design covers all of its bags with a lifetime warranty.

Finding the right bag is a personal choice, and no single bag will appeal to everyone. That’s why we have picks in our full review of carry-on travel bags that can double as traveling offices , bags that are easy to carry while you’re walking long distances , and budget options for travelers who want to give the one-bag strategy a try.

Carry-on bag (rolling)

Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Carry-On Spinner

Great features, great value.

This spinner carry-on offers the best balance of size, value, reliability, and durability, with high-end details. It’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

Since 2015, we’ve researched several dozen suitcases and gone hands-on with the 67 most promising candidates in a variety of tests—including having active flight attendants test bags for us in a fake plane fuselage in their training facility. We determined that for most people the  Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Expandable Spinner  offers the best balance of features, durability, and price for most flyers who log less than 25,000 miles annually.

It features smooth-rolling, user-replaceable wheels; solid and comfortable, telescoping handles; and a hard-wearing nylon exterior propped up by a solid internal chassis. The Elite only improves on past iterations in the Platinum line by reducing the size of the stowed handle (which used to jut out about an inch) and adding a second zippered, exterior pocket for easy access on the go and a USB pass-through extension that lets you insert your own battery pack for charging your phone. And at 7.8 pounds when empty, this carry-on bag is about half a pound lighter than its predecessor. Compared with other bags in this price range, you also get surprisingly high-end components and a warranty that covers anything, even airline damage, for the life of the bag (as long as you register the suitcase within 120 days of purchase, which is easy to do on any smartphone).

Upgrade pick

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner

For frequent flyers.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles a year, invest in a bag with unique features, superior details, and plenty of expandable room. This manufacturer guarantees your satisfaction.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles annually and you’re willing to invest in a higher-quality product, we recommend the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22-Inch Carry-On Expandable Spinner. It can fit more clothing than any bag we tested, thanks to a cavernous interior and clever expansion and compression system that can adjust to variable levels beyond open and shut. Over a five-year period before the pandemic, Wirecutter’s founder, Brian Lam, put more than 150,000 miles on his. His only complaint was that longer pants will need an extra fold, or to be rolled. In taller bags, pants will only need to be folded over once.

Checked luggage

If you need to pack more stuff than a carry-on and a personal item can hold, our first piece of advice would be to reconsider whether you need that extra outfit “just in case.” But you’ll have times when you need to travel with several pairs of shoes, formalwear, a winter coat, special equipment (like diving or camping gear), or all of the above. In these cases, there’s no way to avoid checking a bag.

Osprey Farpoint 55 Men’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with taller torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Farpoint has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

Osprey Fairview 55 Women’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with shorter torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Fairview has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

If you’re going somewhere where you’ll need to walk a lot (particularly if there’s dirt or cobblestone roads), we recommend a travel backpack. We like the Farpoint 55 and the sized-for-smaller-torsos Fairview 55 because they’re comfortable and have plenty of room to store, and separate, our essentials. The front of the main pack unzips like a suitcase, so you can easily fit and access a week’s worth of clothes and toiletries. The daypack, which attaches to the front of the larger pack, has room for camera gear, daily essentials, and a small laptop (via a built-in sleeve). It’s also easy to stow. The main pack’s straps can tuck behind a zippered flap, so they won’t catch on anything if you check your luggage.

These bags are made of a heavy-duty recycled polyester that stands up even to long trips–one of our testers has traveled with a Farpoint 55 for years, across dozens of countries for months at a time, without damaging it. If something does happen, though, Osprey has a lifetime warranty.

Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner

The best checked bag for most travelers.

The bag provides a luxury feel at a reasonable price, with a capacity, warranty, and reliability that should suit most travelers. The 25-inch model should offer plenty of room for most people without going over airline weight limits.

If you don’t plan on walking around while carrying all your stuff, the  25-inch Travelpro Platinum Elite Expandable Spinner Suiter is our favorite piece of checked luggage for all of the same reasons we loved the carry-on size: It has excellent organizational features, it’s especially durable, and it has a better warranty than anything in its price range.

Luggage tags

Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag

Strong and easy to see.

Rugged silicone and a metal cable mean this tag (which comes two to a pack) may well outlive your luggage. The brightly colored case displays its owner’s name but keeps other personal information out of sight.

A good luggage tag should be durable, simple to use, and discreet. Ultimately, a tag should allow someone to get your luggage back to you quickly and easily, and it should withstand the wear and tear of being thrown onto conveyor belts time and again. After researching the top-rated and best-selling models, reading existing luggage-tag reviews, and comparing fourteen tags , we recommend the Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag for most travelers because it’s the only one we’d trust to survive being smashed by other bags, jammed into walls, and generally abused by baggage handlers. It’s the most durable tag we tested, and it comes in a wide selection of colors to help any bag stand out from the rest.

The Ovener tag’s silicone body seems nearly indestructible and is available in a rotating selection of colors (you get two tags per pack). Whereas other tags also feature metal cables, this tag has a metal grommet to keep the cable from eventually wearing through the silicone case.

Should you lose your bag, the Ovener makes it easy for a Good Samaritan to find your contact information. To fully access the info card, you have to unscrew and remove the metal strap; this lets the card slide out of the case. Most luggage tags we tested secure their info card in this way. It isn’t a difficult or time-consuming process, but it is an extra step compared with using a tag that displays all of your information openly. Still, for anyone who wants to keep their contact information out of view, the extra step is worth it.

Another approach to increasing privacy is to hide information in a QR code, as the Dynotag Smart Deluxe Steel Luggage Tag  does, or to provide a user ID number, as the Okoban UID Luggage Tags do. But these seem like overly complex solutions to a problem that doesn’t really exist.

Compression sacks

Originally designed for reducing the bulk of lofty sleeping bags, compression sacks are stuff sacks modified with additional nylon end caps that can be pulled together by strings or straps to remove air and create a smaller, denser package that’s easier to pack. Most travelers use compression sacks to condense socks, underwear, and other stuff you don’t mind getting wrinkled into a package with half as much overall volume. For example, an 8- to 12-liter sack can compress a fleece jacket and a long-weekend’s worth of socks and underwear into something that fits in one hand. They also make a decent pillow in a pinch.

Osprey StraightJacket (8L)

Easier access, less compression.

It has a full-length zipper on its side that allows access to the bag’s entire contents. However, it doesn’t compress as tightly as traditional designs.

Most compression sacks require you to empty out the stuff at the top to get to the stuff below it, but the side-zipper design on the Osprey StraightJacket allows access to the entire contents of the bag at once. The compression straps attach sideways, and are less likely to get tangled and twisted like on most compression sacks with lengthwise straps. It can also sit up on its own, and the handle design lets you break it out as a last minute carry-on to avoid an overweight-baggage fee. However, it doesn’t compress down as compactly as the traditional designs we tested so it’s not the best option if compression is your top priority.

GobiGear’s SegSac takes a different approach to solving the same access issue: It has four inner dividers that run the length of the sack in order to keep your socks separate from your underwear, winter accessories, towel, what have you. This means you don’t have to take out your T-shirts to get to your socks. Unlike the Osprey, it compresses just as much as a normal compression sack, but it loses points for versatility because the segmentation prevents it from handling large items like a down jacket or sleeping bag.

Packing cubes

Packing cubes could change your life. (Okay, maybe just your traveling life.) Packing cubes are basically bags to hold your clothes that you organize within your luggage. Though seemingly superfluous, they’re brilliant in action. If you imagine your suitcase as a dresser, you can think of these cubes as individual drawers: Put all your underwear and socks in one container, all your shirts in another, and your workout clothes in yet another. Then pull out only the cube you want. They make packing and repacking wonderfully simple.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set

Well built with easy access.

Simple and solidly constructed, these packing cubes keep your bag organized while you’re traveling.

The three-piece Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set keeps a week’s worth of clothes organized and moves easily from suitcase to hotel dresser. We’ve been recommending the previous version of these cubes for years, and after testing this updated set, we now recommend this version.

The full-size cube is great for shirts, shorts, and insulating layers. The half-cube and quarter-cube are perfect for underwear, socks, and other thin fabrics such as stockings or sleepwear. These cubes are made of 300-denier polyester (a strong fabric) and stay upright when empty, so they’re easy to pack. The Pack-It cubes’ windows are made of the tightest mesh link we tested—better for resisting snags—and the smooth zippers close easily around all corners, even when a cube is overstuffed.

The Eagle Creek cubes have the ability to unzip fully to allow full access to their contents while sitting in a dresser drawer. That means your clean clothes stay protected against some potentially dicey motel dressers. In 2022, Eagle Creek updated the design of these cubes, and now the company no longer uses YKK zippers, which are widely accepted as the best around . That said, we couldn’t tell any difference between Eagle Creek’s zippers and other brands’ YKK zippers, even with a magnifying glass, and their performance was indistinguishable. (For what it’s worth, an Eagle Creek product manager assured us that the proportion of zipper-related warranty claims hasn’t changed since the company made the switch from YKK.)

Most travelers are likely to be well served by the Reveal set. But if you value lightness above all, the more expensive Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate Cube Set is about 50% lighter than similar-size competitors (just over 1 ounce for a medium cube, whereas the Eagle Creek classic style weighs about 4 ounces). Unlike the Reveal set, this set is water resistant. However, the Isolate design’s thin sides—which don’t allow the cubes to stand up on their own—make those cubes a bit more challenging to pack than the Reveal cubes.

Buying the right gear can help organize your existing travel kit, but it’s a red herring if your goal is better portability. “It’s mostly the clothing that allows you to reduce what you need to carry,” explains veteran traveller Eytan Levy, better known as the Snarky Nomad . That’s because clothing, which is very voluminous, makes up the bulk of what’s in your bag. He recommends traveling with basic-looking clothes because you can always buy or rent something nice in a pinch, whereas lugging around formalwear just in case will always be a pain. It also helps if you can avoid cotton and stick to merino and synthetic fabrics, which dry faster. This allows you to do laundry by hand in the sink as needed to reduce the amount of clothes you need to carry.

Travel underwear

Good travel underwear keeps you feeling fresh and clean, even when your destination is gritty.  To find the best , we researched an array of underwear designed for men and women to find 37 pairs meeting our criteria: moisture-wicking and breathable, quick-drying, odor-resistant, stretchy, stylish, and cut to fit a variety of body types.

We then conducted rigorous pretesting (wearing the underwear for two days at a time, machine-washing them repeatedly, and tracking their drying speed when hung on a clothesline) before taking them out into the real world. Our testers went backpacking 215 miles throughout Portland, Oregon; hiking in the Canadian Rockies, including walking from the lowest point in the Continental US to the highest; and road-tripping to the national parks of the West. Testers who flew to their destinations wore the underwear on the plane, too.

Afterward, we checked for signs of wear, such as seam breakage and pilling on the fabric. As we continued to test the finalists, we repeatedly checked for durability problems. In addition to comfort and fit, we noted whether each pair seemed lightweight and packable.

ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief

Best for most men.

Durable, quick-drying, and relatively inexpensive, this soft-fabric version of ExOfficio’s time-tested Give-N-Go undies will get the job done for years.

The ExOfficio Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief is the best men’s underwear for travel because it balances fit, comfort, odor-proofing, and value better than anything else we’ve tested. The Sport Mesh fabric excels at breathing and wicking and has better odor-resistance than other fabrics. It feels soft on the inside and smooth on the outside so it slides against your pants instead of creating friction, reducing potential for chafing. It also features a sculpted crotch area that gives wearers some much-appreciated support, without feeling stifling. These boxer briefs dry quickly, pack compactly, and weigh less than almost all the other boxer briefs we tried—basically they’re everything you’d want from a pair of excellent travel underwear.

Patagonia Women's Active Hipster

Best for most women.

These light, stylish, quick-drying hipsters stay in place whether you’re walking, flying, or hanging upside down.

The Patagonia Active Hipster doesn’t appear special upon first glance. Only after trying everything else and living through their failures to stay put did we remember what “special” really means in a pair of underwear: Feeling as if you’re wearing nothing at all. The Patagonias have the best fit, comfort, and style out of all the panties we tested. The nylon material is fast-wicking and better than most synthetics for odor-proofing, making it well suited for athletic activities. The Active Hipster is lightweight and packable, and is the fastest-drying underwear we tested—making them perfect for minimalist travelers who go weeks at a time with just one or two pairs. But these same characteristics make them great for any traveler looking for comfortable, packable panties, regardless of where you’re going or what you’re doing.

Budget pick

Uniqlo Men Airism Boxer Brief

Comfortable, compact, and fast-drying, these are a great value but don’t fit quite as nicely and aren’t as supportive in the crotch.

Uniqlo Women Airism Ultra Seamless HipHugger

Similar fabric to the Men’s Airism, with a no-ride cut for women, these underwear are the least expensive of any we tested and among the best performing.

May be out of stock

If you want to spend as little as possible without sacrificing performance, the Uniqlo Airism line has long been a great choice for men and women who can wear sizes small and medium. In recent years, both lines have expanded their size range somewhat (men to 3XL, and women to XL). If these fit, you can replace an entire underwear drawer on a tight budget, as long as you can deal with the slightly odd cut and less-effective odor-control treatment.

If you’ve never traveled with merino wool socks, you’re missing out. These aren’t the scratchy wool socks your grandpa wore in the army; they are soft and stretchy ones that have natural sweat-wicking and odor-resisting properties that keep your toes comfortable under all conditions—even when wet. This combination of odor, moisture, and temperature regulations makes them ideal for traveling. "Because of its natural anti-bacterial properties, washing merino wool on a daily basis isn’t absolutely necessary,” explains Snarky Nomad , "after letting it air dry overnight while you sleep, it’ll seem brand new.” The only major downside is that merino tends to be a bit pricier than synthetic counterparts. But it’s a worthy trade-off, since you can go for longer with fewer pairs.

Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (Women’s)

The best quality for women.

The best mix of comfort, durability, and cushioning in a versatile height.

Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (Men’s)

For the best quality.

The same great versatile sock as the women’s model, but in different color options and more sizes.

Darn Tough’s Light Hiker Micro Crew socks (both the men’s and women’s versions) have been our favorite hiking socks for years. Darn Tough made its name through its quality guarantee : “Our socks are guaranteed to be the most comfortable, durable, and best fitting socks you can buy. In a nutshell, if you wear a hole in them, we will replace them free of charge, for life.” Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers (hardcore backpackers who walk from Mexico to Canada in one continuous trip) praise them for their durability, comfort, and blister resistance. When you hold a pair of Darn Toughs next to a pair of Smartwools (which only have a two-year guarantee ), the difference is clear. The Darn Toughs are more tightly knit, the yarns are finer and feel sturdier, and the stitching is tighter.

Darn Tough Women's Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool women’s hiking sock.

This midlevel cushioned sock for women is the best synthetic option for most climates and terrains.

Darn Tough Men's Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool men’s hiking sock.

This synthetic men’s sock is perfect for day hiking in most weather.

If you are sensitive to wool, prefer a vegan product, or want a cooler option for the summer, we also like the Darn Tough Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock, which comes in women's and men’s sizes.

We appreciated how breathable this sock felt. While wearing the Coolmax Micro Crew in hot summer weather, our testers’ feet stayed dry and sweat-free. The shorter micro-crew height makes the Coolmax Micro Crew suitable for both boots and shoes, too. And like all Darn Tough socks, this model comes with a lifetime warranty.

Indosole Flip Flops (women’s)

A quality flip flop in women’s sizes.

These stylish beach sandals come in a wide range of colors. Be careful, though: Indosole sizes tend to run a little small.

Indosole Flip Flops (men’s)

A quality flip flop in men’s sizes.

These beach sandals are the same as the women’s version but cut a bit wider; we still think they run a little smaller than regular shoe sizes.

A good pair of travel flip-flops should be lightweight, comfortable, and waterproof. The men’s and women’s Indosole Flip Flops offer the best combination of quality, comfort, and easy packability. Unlike many flip flops, which slap against the ground with every step, the subtle arch support of this flip flop kept it secure against our feet. Plus they’re made from waterproof, recycled materials. Keep in mind, though, that our testers found these shoes to run a bit small, so we suggest sizing up for the best fit.

Clothesline

While doing laundry at home can be a large weekly event, OneBag author Doug Dyment recommends approaching travel laundry as a part of your daily routine, especially if you’re trying to pack as little as possible: “The laundry should be more like cleaning your teeth—something you do everyday. It only takes about five minutes to do it. Every night, do your socks and underwear and you’ll have clean socks and underwear everyday.”

A secure, hassle-free option

The Flexo-Line attaches easily to a door handle or faucet and grips garments securely between its loops.

Check out OneBag’s laundry packing list if you want specific tips on how to do it and what you’ll need, but it’s a pretty simple setup: All you need is a toiletry bottle of powdered detergent, a towel to help expedite drying, and a travel clothesline to finish the drying process while you sleep at night.

Specifically, you want a braided—not twisted—surgical latex clothesline with looped ends, which means you want a Flexo-Line . The Flexo-Line can stretch up to 7 feet long, which is enough to span most hotel bathtubs, and it has loops that you can attach easily to a door handle, bath spigot, or faucet. The braided construction is superior to twisted designs made from other materials because the latex does a better job of gripping garments securely between the loops, which means you don’t need any additional clothespins.

Dyment has tried them all, but the Flexo-Line is the one he comes back to. As he explained to me in an interview, “There are others that are fine, but there are far more that are not fine.” More specifically, Dyment says to avoid anything that’s not made of latex , because clothes will inevitably slip out of them. He also says to never, ever trust a suction cup: “They don’t work, period.” If the Flexo-Line is unavailable, Dyment says that the Rick Steves collection from Kiva Designs also makes a nice braided line that is a bit more expensive. If you have a latex allergy, Dyment recommends going with a length of cord ( paracord is nice because it’s durable and you can use it for other things as well) and stainless steel safety pins meant for cloth diapers , because they take up far less space than a clothespin and won’t rust. In fact, it’s worthwhile to get these items even if you can use a latex line because they’re great for making luggage repairs and performing other MacGyver-ish tasks in a pinch. To hang up the clothesline, we recommend using a bowline knot on one end and a taut line hitch on the other. These knots work well together because the bowline creates a simple, slip-proof loop to anchor one end while the taut line hitch allows you to adjust for tension and locks tightly in place. If you could commit any two knots to memory forever, these are the ones to learn.

Laundry detergent

Minisoak Travel Packs

A travel size version of the best delicates detergent.

Perfect for traveling because you don’t even need to rinse it out.

When you’re washing your underwear in a hotel sink, you want a fast and easy experience. For this, we recommend the no-rinse detergent Soak . That’s right, we said no rinse . You just add a drop to the sink, fill with water, and leave your garments to soak. Then press out the water and hang. Done.

In our tests of delicates detergents , Soak cleaned almost as well as our top laundry detergent, Tide; plus, it comes in individual packets of powder  that are great for traveling, as well as in  travel-size bottles of the liquid version . In addition to unscented, it's available in a variety of scents, although Lacey and Celebration are not the most descriptive of scent names. They all smell nice, not overpowering. Soak also comes in an assorted travel pack with two single-use packets of each scent, if you want to test-drive one or two before you buy. In that mini size, you get eight packets for $11 currently, but you really need only a squeeze, not the the whole packet, to wash a couple of pairs of socks and underwear.

One downside to Soak is that you won’t find it in a grocery store or big-box store. But it is available online at Soak’s site . And if you really want to walk into a store and put your mitts on a bottle, you can find it at most local yarn stores.

Don’t feel like buying Soak or bringing along a bit of your own detergent? Shampoo also works pretty well for cleaning garments in a pinch, so make use of that free bottle from the hotel. But a caveat: Neither Soak nor shampoo contains enzymes , which are biological molecules in laundry detergent that break down certain stains. If you have especially stinky or stained clothes, you might need to break out the Tide .

When we first published this guide, this section addressed only toiletry kits and bottles, razors, and packable towels. The times, and traveling, became more complicated. One thing we've learned in the past few years is that face masks can be useful whenever you’re sick and don’t want to share your misery. Fortunately, compared with early 2020, medical-style N95s and KN95s (which many experts recommend as the best protection) are widely available. They’re easy to tuck into a bag, which we do now whenever we travel. 

Toiletry kit

We’ve researched dozens of travel toiletry bags and dopp kits over the past several years, and we tested 23 of the top-rated contenders in our most recent round of tests. After packing and unpacking a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries, conducting spill tests, and living out of the top performers on the road, we have a few different picks that stand out thanks to their style, packability, and quality of construction.

Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small)

A space-saving hanging bag.

This lightweight, well-organized bag fits a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries into a compact package. It’s meant to be hung, which makes it good for tight spaces, but it doesn’t have much in the way of internal structure.

The Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small) is compact and durable. It’s small enough to stash in a backpack or laptop bag, but it holds enough travel-size toiletries to keep us supplied for a week. You can open it and hang it from a shower curtain or towel rod to easily see and grab your items. It comes with a shatterproof mirror, two micro-mesh zip pockets and an open pocket for toothbrushes, lip balm, and tweezers, and a large compartment for bulky lotions and hair-care items.

L.L.Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag

For more stuff and longer trips.

With a 6.4-liter capacity and over a dozen compartments, this toiletry bag has a place for everything—and everything will stay put during transit, too. It can also accommodate non-travel-size bottles.

The L.L.Bean Personal Organizer (medium) is a great option for longer trips and people who travel with full-size bottles. Its 6.4 liters of storage spread across a dozen compartments means there’s a dedicated place for pretty much everything you could want to bring on a trip—it even has a removable mesh shower caddy for shampoo and body wash. This level of organization is crucial for larger toiletry bags because, as we discovered after years of traveling with our picks, contents that aren’t securely fastened can shift around in transit, which increases the chance of spilling. The downside of all this organization is that the L.L.Bean weighs 14 ounces when empty, so it’s not ideal for carry-on travel.

If neither of these bags seems right for you, read our full review of the best toiletry bags and dopp kits to learn more about our picks and everything we tested.

Toiletry bottles

Sea to Summit TPU Clear Zip Pouch with Bottles

These six TSA-friendly bottles are sturdy and smartly designed, dispensing liquids more precisely than any of the other bottles we tested.

For traveling with liquids in your carry-on, the Sea to Summit set is your best bet. All six bottles conform to TSA size limitations; three of them can hold 3 ounces of liquid each, and three can hold 1.5 ounces each, for a total of 13.5 ounces. Despite the set’s name, the bottles themselves are made not of thermoplastic polyurethane—“TPU" refers to the zip pouch—but a high-density polyethylene material, much like what you’d see used in most plastic milk jugs. It has an almost-smooth, semi-transparent surface just textured enough that it’s not slippery when wet. The plastic is also flexible enough that you don’t have to squeeze very hard to get your shampoo or liquid soap or whatever going. An insert at the mouth of each bottle helps regulate the flow, and the screw tops prevent liquids from leaking in transit.

Razor (faces)

Gillette Mach3

The best manual razor for most faces.

This classic razor’s three widely spaced blades provide the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. Its handle is comfortable and well designed, and replacement blades can be had for a fair price.

With clipped on-page coupon

We researched more than 100 and tested 11 manual razors for our full razor guide , concluding that the Gillette Mach3 is our top pick for manual razors. Although the three blades require a little extra time for a closer shave, it performs comparably to the latest and greatest offerings for as little as half the price.

The Gillette Mach3 provides the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. The Mach3’s simple, round handle is easy to grip and maneuver, and its three blades offer a close shave without over-irritating the skin or getting clogged with hair. And the price of Mach3 blades—$2 per cartridge or less, whether you buy them online or in a store—came close to, or even beat, the pricing of shave-club rivals, and the Mach3 shaved better than those competitors.

Razor (legs/body)

Gillette Venus Smooth

The best body razor.

This classic Venus is one of the easiest razors to grip and maneuver and its three-blade design keeps the blades remarkably free of hair.

Disposable razors (both the completely disposable and replaceable-cartridge variety) are fine to take through airport security , and among them we like the Gillette Venus Original best for traveling. Although it’s now the runner-up pick in our guide to body razors —it was formerly the top pick—we believe that its simple aloe lubricating strips, which don’t become tacky when wet, make the Venus more travel friendly than our new top pick . Plus, as with any Venus, the Original’s body is compatible with any other Venus head and many heads from Gillette’s facial razors, making replacement heads easier to find when you’re on the road.

The Original’s head has three blades separated by considerable slats of space, making it far easier to clean the head between strokes. The Original is intuitive to hold and secure to maneuver, thanks to a contoured handle with corrugated chevrons of rubber. Though our testers have a wide range of hand sizes, no one found the Original difficult to grasp. Despite the significant ribbing, it doesn’t feel too bulky. Gillette claims its razors have lasted for five weeks; we think one razor for a weeklong trip should be fine.

(Know that, confusingly, the Venus appears for sale on some retail sites under the name Venus Close and Clean or Venus Smooth. It’s the same razor. If you’re unsure which Venus model you’re looking at, check for the Original’s three blades and trademark sea-foam blue color.)

Towel (packable)

PackTowl Personal

The best all-around packable towel.

The PackTowl Personal Towel is lightweight, soft, absorbent, quick to dry, and odor-resistant.

With store pickup or REI membership (limited patterns)

(limited patterns)

We put 20 top-rated towels through a battery of tests including regular shower use, a trip to the beach, camping, and a 48-hour stay in a ziplock bag under the hot Hawaiian sun. After all was said and done, the Packtowl Personal Towel is still the best all-around travel towel for most people. In addition to being the softest lightweight towel we tested, it was more absorbent than competitors made of similar materials. It had the best odor-resisting abilities and comes with a convenient mesh carrying pouch. We also have alternate picks for ultralight and all-natural towels below.

The Personal Towel’s suede-like material was the softest of the thinner towels. The Personal Towel also had superior absorption when compared with other similarly constructed towels such as the Sea to Summit DryLite —in our tests, it absorbed 2.8 times its weight in water, while the others absorbed between 2.3 times and 2.7 times.

One of just two we tested that featured an added antimicrobial treatment, the Personal Towel was only a little musty smelling after 24 hours in a sealed ziplock bag, and remained unchanged at 48 hours.

If you’re looking for a budget option, consider the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel , which is a tad smaller than our other picks and is made from a seemingly lighter-feeling fabric. Unlike most budget options, it has an antibacterial coating and still managed to carry a pleasant smell after being testing in different environments.

Regardless of how you get to your final destination, it’s likely you’ll be stuck in a seat that’s less than ideal. Travel gadgets that claim to reduce this misery, such as compression socks, are popular. But when they take up precious luggage space for the duration of your trip—not just the flight or train ride–they need to be worth every cubic inch of space. The less you can make do with, the better off you’ll be.

Neck pillow

Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow

More support for most necks.

Its tall memory-foam walls let it offer more support than any other pillow we tested. It’s also shaped to sit flush against a headrest, and it compresses to a manageable size.

The uniquely angled back on the Travelrest Ultimate sets it apart from other travel pillows we tested because it can lay flat against the seat back. Most other pillows have a rounded back, which pushes your head away from the headrest. The Travelrest also has rubber grip dots to prevent slipping while sleeping. This pillow’s spongy memory foam cushions the entire circumference of your neck, preventing your head from leaning far in any direction, and its adjustable Velcro strap ensures it can fit most necks. The pillow’s cozy velour exterior is removable and machine-washable. Although it doesn’t pack flat, the Travelrest weighs less than a pound and compresses to a quarter of its size when rolled into its Velcro-strapped carrying case. Our only complaint is that the Travelrest’s high walls, though supportive, can push over-ear headphones off of the ears of people with shorter necks.

Noise-cancelling headphones

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

The best over-ear noise-cancelling headphones.

The Bose 700 headphones deliver excellent noise cancellation in a comfortable, lightweight design that’s traveler friendly—but they carry a high price.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 over-ear set has the most versatile active noise cancellation we’ve ever tested. With 10 levels of noise reduction to choose from, everyone should be able to find a setting that meets their needs. We also enjoyed the lightweight and comfortable design and the easy-to-use controls. What distinguishes the Bose 700’s ANC is the amount of adjustability it gives you: Most noise-cancelling headphones offer controls for only on/off or maybe high/low/off, but with the Bose 700 pair you can set the ANC level from 0 to 10, so you have more flexibility to dial in the ideal setting for your comfort. The 20-hour battery life, while not the best we’ve seen, is more than sufficient to get you to most destinations. We have additional options—including earbuds and surprisingly good budget options for  over-ear headphones and earbuds —in our full guide to noise-cancelling headphones .

Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs

For blocking out the most noise.

These blocked the most noise in our controlled testing and got the most votes from our subjective sleep panel.

When you’re traveling, it can be difficult to fall asleep to unfamiliar noises. That’s why we spent several hours researching new contenders and tested four top-rated models while sleeping in a house that was next to an airport in order to determine that Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam earplugs are the best earplugs  for sleeping.

The Mack’s 37.1 dB noise reduction rating was the highest among the models we tested. According to Cooper Safety , that’s enough to reduce the volume of a gas lawnmower to that of a normal conversation. What made the Mack’s earplugs so effective is the fact that we could insert them and rest assured that they would stay in the whole night. Meanwhile, the Howard Leight MAX1 might be a favorite from crowdsourced sleep-aid review site Sleep Like the Dead , but the earplugs would inevitably fall out in the middle of the night. Thus, they failed to block out the noise of planes landing and taking off throughout the night, despite the MAX1’s 33 dB noise reduction rating. The Howard Leights also made our ears ache on occasion, whereas the Mack’s has a tapered shape that was consistently comfortable night after night.

The Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs cost about 20¢-35¢ per pair when purchased in a 50-pair pack. They come in a plastic case is about the size of a large coffee mug, which is small enough to toss in a large bag or suitcase. Many other ear plugs like our runner-up, the 3M’s E-A-Rsoft OCS1135 , can only be ordered in industrial-size lots that, while perhaps appealing to those who travel constantly (or run a hostel), are annoying to store and often lack a reusable container of any sort.

Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask

For air travelers and back-sleepers.

The lightweight and contoured Nidra mask is a light-blocking win for most face shapes, with deep eye cups that allow the wearer to blink freely and arrive feeling refreshed.

When bright lights hamper peaceful shut-eye, we recommend the light-blocking, contoured Nidra Deep Rest sleep mask. Of the 14 masks we tested , the Nidra blocked the most light on the most faces. It’s contoured to rest on your face like a pair of soft goggles, with fabric lenses that sit around your eyes (instead of directly over them). This design provides more space for your eyes to flutter during REM sleep, ensuring that you come through red-eye flights with less redness in your eyes. Makeup wearers will also appreciate that, with the Nidra’s elevated eye cups, there’s a smaller chance of smudging.

Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask

A flat, silk mask.

A silken exterior material, a flat design, and an adjustable strap make this mask a fit for almost any face, but it puts pressure on the eyes.

Mzoo Sleep Mask

A smooth, contoured eye mask.

Soft, structured, and contoured, this mask stays on all night and prevents any light from seeping through

If the Nidra Deep Rest doesn’t fit your face quite right, we also recommend the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask and the Mzoo Sleep Mask . The Alaska Bear mask lacks contoured eyecups and thus applies some pressure to the eyes overnight like any regular eye mask does. But its flat design easily conforms to fit your face, and its silk exterior feels smooth and soft against skin (the padding is made of cotton). Its relative lack of structure makes it more difficult to knock off when you’re tossing and turning.

The Mzoo mask’s eyecups have a convex gap so your eyes can open and close. That gap is surrounded by a memory foam padding that rests on the perimeter of your eye sockets. The effect is such that you don’t feel like your eyes are being forced closed, but there is a bit of compression near your temples, eyebrows, and cheekbones. Most—though not all—of our testers found this sensation soothing. One liked how the contour of the eyecup kept the mask from brushing against their eyelashes, which makes it a good choice for people who wear eyelash extensions.

Few things are better than landing at an airport, turning on your phone, and having it just work. No hassles, no stress, no worries about brutal roaming fees. You can check in with loved ones, scope out the route to your lodgings, and maybe post an Instagram story or two—because your phone works just like it does at home. This is especially freeing, and it makes travel so much easier. (Of course, phones aren’t the only useful tech to bring: Check out our accessories reviews for guides to the best cables ( USB-C , Lightning , and Micro-USB ), Wi-Fi hotspots , Bluetooth speakers , and more.)

Unlocked mobile phone

One of the most useful gadgets for international travel is an unlocked smartphone that’s compatible with cheap, prepaid phone plans you can sign up for at your destination. Unless your carrier offers plans including high-speed data that you can access internationally (i.e., you’re with T-Mobile or Google Fi), traveling with a phone under contract with a major carrier means paying an arm and a leg for data. Being able to access data-guzzling apps like Google Maps or Google Translate on the fly is worth the hassle to unlock a phone. Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp are free, easy ways to communicate with people you meet on your trip and people from home. Plus there’s checking email, TripAdvisor, banking, social media, and so on.

An “unlocked” phone means you can buy prepaid SIM cards in the country you’re visiting, letting you access their local network for significantly less money than the roaming fees incurred by your home carrier. With a prepaid SIM, your phone effectively becomes a new phone with a new (now local) phone number. Instead of seeing “Verizon,” “AT&T,” or “Sprint” at the top of your phone, you might see “Vodafone,” “Yes Optus,” “M1,” or whatever provider you choose in the country you’re visiting. The first thing to check is if your phone will work where you’re going. If you’re unsure if your phone will work where you’re going, check the Wikipedia page for your phone or contact your provider.

Your phone will also require a removable SIM. (If your phone has an eSIM, as all new iPhones do, check out our blog post about those.) Most countries require a passport or other ID to buy a prepaid SIM without a contract, but switching the SIMs is easy. Most stores will do it for you while you’re there. Depending on the country/provider, this could take as long as 10 minutes but is often faster. The next question is easily the most complicated: Can you unlock your phone? Each carrier has different rules and criteria. Generally, if you have a brand new, expensive phone, they may not let you unlock it (there’s usually a waiting period after the purchase date). But if it’s a little older, or if you’ve paid it off, they probably will. The thing to remember is that a provider can deny an unlock request without giving a reason. You might be lucky, though; certain phones on certain providers are unlocked by default. Here are Verizon and AT&T’s pages on unlocking. Alternately, you can buy a pre-unlocked phone just for travel. Amazon and Best Buy, for example, sell unlocked phones. This is also a good option if you think you might lose your expensive phone and a cheaper one will suffice while you travel.

Plug adapter

Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

Best universal travel adapter.

With four plugs that will work in most countries, plus faster-charging USB ports (and more of them) than its competitors, this adapter is the best all-around choice.

In a sea of almost-identical travel adapters, the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter stands out, combining the best of the features we look for. It contains the three most common international plugs and a US-style plug, which should cover you in the majority of countries around the world. It has the most USB ports—four of the standard USB-A and one USB-C—of any universal adapter we tested, and it charged more of our devices faster. A replaceable fuse and an included spare should take the brunt of any accidental, unfortunate, or shockingly bad connections. The Epicka is fairly compact and well built, and it even comes with an extra USB cable and a nylon case.

However, no universal travel adapter is truly universal, and they’re all a lot bulkier and more expensive than simple plug adapters. If you want the smallest adapter possible, or if you’re going someplace where a universal adapter won’t work (more on that in a minute), a plug adapter could be what you need.

Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set

The best plug adapter.

Individually, these tiny plug adapters are smaller, lighter, and cheaper than any universal travel adapter. To juice up multiple devices, though, you’d need a separate multiport charger too.

The tiny plug adapters from Ceptics are barely larger than the prongs they convert. Small, simple, and cheap, they’re perfect for someone who wants to carry only the adapter they’ll need and who already has a multiport USB wall charger they like. Like our universal adapter picks, this set contains the three most common international plugs and the US plug. However, it also includes a somewhat rarer plug used in some European countries that has two thick, cylindrical prongs. This means that the Ceptics set will likely cover you in even more places—as long as you pack the appropriate plug adapter. These charts should help you find the shape you need before you order.

However, getting your gear to work in different countries isn’t quite as simple as it should be, and there’s no single solution that’s guaranteed to work for everyone. Our picks should work for you, but you may have some random piece of equipment, or be traveling to some country, for which our “good for most” picks just won’t work. (Case in point: One Wirecutter editor visited Iceland a few years back. The house she stayed in had outlets unlike anything on those charts, and the plug adapters she had used elsewhere in Reykjavik didn’t fit at all. It turns out the mystery sockets belonged to an obscure Italian system from the 1960s that was popular in Iceland for a time. Luckily, the hosts had power strips in the house that her adapters fit into.) The world is a big place, and when it comes to electricity and wall outlets, there’s a lot of variation. That’s important to keep in mind.

Whether two-prong or three-prong, an adapter just changes the shape of your plug, not anything about the electricity coming through the wires. However, this usually isn’t a problem because almost every power brick that comes with modern electronic gear is capable of accepting both the 110-volt standard used in the US and the 240-volt commonly used abroad. If your device has a power block on the cord, it likely says something like  “100-240 V ~ 50/60 Hz”—that’s the all-clear to use it without a voltage converter so long as the range covers the voltage of the country you’re visiting . This includes the vast majority of modern laptop and USB chargers.

Products without some sort of power block at the end or with a non-detachable cord—in particular, things with heating elements like hair dryers and curling irons—are more likely to need a voltage converter. Putting 220 V through a US 110 V device would be like attaching a firehose to a drinking fountain—you’re likely to blow your face off. But voltage converters are tricky devices, and most of the inexpensive ones have awful (or dishonest) reviews. Since hotels and hostels will often have hair dryers and most newer gear can do the full range of voltages, we strongly recommend that, whenever possible, you only bring items that work with a much simpler (and more reliable) adapter.

Wire/gadget organization system

Now that every device has a battery, every battery has a charger, and every charger has a cable—never mind power-plug adapters if you’re traveling abroad—the sheer quantity of accessories needed just to keep your gadgets running can take up more space than the devices themselves. And unless you organize them, you can bet on having to blindly fish them out of the least convenient spot at the bottom of your bag. Unfortunately, our pick for carrying tech necessities, the Incase Nylon Accessory Organizer, has been out of stock for a few years. It will, however, be coming back in 2024, according to Incase. If you prefer mesh to easily see your contents, or simply can’t wait for the Incase organizer to come back in stock, we also like the Container Store Micro Mesh Pouches .

The Incase cable organizer is a poly-nylon blend, so it’s durable. It is a soft-shell bag, however, so its contents can distort the bag’s shape when it’s full. But the bag’s edges remain rigid—so the seams don’t pucker—its contents don’t fall out, and zipping and unzipping the bag is still easy. We have other picks in our full guide to bag and cable organizers , including a roll-up bag and a stylish duo of cosmetics travel pouches ; we’ll also start testing other options to replace this one.

USB battery packs

A USB battery pack (also called a power bank) can keep your small electronics—from phones and cameras to tablets and more—going while you’re on the road. Although the length of your trip will determine exactly how much extra juice you’ll need to have on hand, whatever your requirements, we have a great USB battery recommendation for you. The Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K weighs about half a pound, and its rounded edges make it easy to hold or slip into a pocket. Its USB-C Power Delivery (PD) port can charge most handheld devices and recharge itself at top speed (with the right USB-C cable and wall charger), and it can pass power to another device while being recharged from a wall outlet. It only comes in one color, but it has enough capacity to fully charge most smartphones up to three times, as well as built-in USB-C and Lightning cables that are easy to slide in and out of their holsters.

If you’re traveling for leisure, try not to get too wrapped up in technology because you might miss what you’re actually there to do: experience a new place. OneBag’s Doug Dyment said in an interview, “Wearing headphones and staring at a screen is like putting a digital wall around yourself when you’re traveling. It makes you seem unapproachable and uninterested in what’s around you.” That may be a good thing if you do truly want to be left alone, but Dyment went on to say that some of his most memorable traveling experiences were the result of just looking lost and getting help from the locals. “One minute, you’re a lost foreigner in an unfamiliar village, then someone asks if you need directions. Before you know it, you’re eating dinner with his family.”

Travel binoculars

Athlon Optics Midas ED

The overall best binoculars.

Amazingly affordable with great optics, these binoculars have performance comparable with that of many models that cost thousands more.

Our top pick for binoculars is durable and great for near-home hikes. In hot or dusty environments that may call for a clearer optical boost, the Athlon Optics Midas ED 8×42 binoculars deliver top quality. Its focus dial offers a wide range of depths that makes it easier to see whatever it is you desire—birds, grass or darkened areas of the forest. Our recommendation comes with the assistance of a professional ornithologist who spent over 100 hours putting 17 pairs of binoculars to the test in the mountains of Southern California and the rain forests of southern Mexico.

Although the Celestron TrailSeeker ED binoculars don’t offer a clear edge-to-edge view to the same degree of the Athlon Optics Midas EDs , they’re a comparable runner-up model that’ll be lighter on your wallet if having binoculars while traveling is a must. The TrailSeekers are equipped with great light-gathering qualities, close focus, and impressive optical resolution. Or, if you’re concerned about saving space, we liked the Pentax AD 8x25 WP binoculars. While not quite as powerful as our other picks, this compact pair of binoculars is well made and easy to fit into a carry-on while traveling via plane.

Ebook reader

Amazon Kindle (2022)

The best e-reader for most people.

Amazon’s most affordable Kindle is also its most portable, and it’s finally been upgraded with sharper text on its 6-inch screen and support for USB-C charging. Those features bring it in line with much-pricier e-readers.

The entry-level Amazon Kindle finally got an upgrade and is now our favorite e-reader , with the same crisp display and USB-C charging as the pricier Kindle Paperwhite has (and with double the storage space of the previous entry-level model). Amazon’s well-stocked ebooks store remains its biggest selling point, along with the ease of checking out library books via Libby and sending them directly to a Kindle.

Even if you don’t have time for pleasure reading on your trip, it’s worth investing in a Kindle because many major travel guides are available in fully searchable ebook formats now. Furthermore, e-texts will also work on your phone, tablet, and computer, thanks to the Kindle ecosystem.

Packable daypack

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack

A pack that fits in your palm.

Toss this lightweight, phone-sized packable bag into your luggage or coat pocket, and you’ll never get caught without a spare bag again. If you need something to carry every day, though, we think you’ll prefer one of our more-structured picks.

Packing a stowable daypack, one that stuffs down to fit in your luggage when not in use, is a relatively small investment of space in exchange for a high return of function and flexibility. After researching dozens of packable daypacks across a spectrum of portability, features, and prices, and then packing, unpacking, loading, wearing, and drenching the top-rated finalists during multiple rounds of testing, the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack is the smallest and lightest packable backpack we recommend. Packed up, it is very discreet: nearly the size of a keychain accessory.

The bag itself is a no-frills sack made from a paper-thin siliconized Cordura nylon, which means it’s very light and water-resistant. It has reinforced stitching at stress points, allowing the Ultra-Sil to carry more weight than you would expect. That said, since this pack is made of such thin, light material, carrying large or awkwardly shaped loads is somewhat uncomfortable, especially when compared with our more structured picks.

If comfort or waterproofing is important to you, check out the alternative picks in our review of packable daypacks for travel .

Field Notes 3-Pack Original Kraft Memo Books

For ultimate portability.

Field Notes are cheap but contain high-quality paper that earns praise from pen and stationery geeks across the web.

For writing your adventures as you travel, you can’t beat the portability, practicality, and romanticism of a pocket notebook. There’s nothing better in that category than Field Notes (three-packs available in a variety of styles and types ). These pocket-sized notebooks are widely praised for their excellent paper quality, and the Pen Addict’s Brad Dowdy tells me “Field Notes is pretty much the runaway pocket notebook champ.” Dowdy has praised it for the lack of feathering or bleedthrough with almost any pen, as well as for the light brown ruled lines, which are easier to write over than solid black. Austin Smith of Art Supply Critic told us in an email that his recommendation is “Field Notes has it, no question.” The Well-Appointed Desk has reviewed a slew of different Field Notes variants for those looking for something a bit more interesting.

Field Notes Expedition

A weather-resistant option.

Weather-resistant Expedition Field Notes are great if you’re writing in wet conditions, but don’t get them if you don’t need them. The synthetic paper feels weird and can cause some inks to smear.

If you think you’re going to be writing in foul weather, Field Notes also has the waterproof Expedition version with pages made from a synthetic water-and-tear resistant paper. You should only get these if you really need them, because otherwise, they just feel unnaturally slick and are more prone to smearing ink. At least one user has said that the paper shows less soaking through when wet than the similar Rite in the Rain books . The one caveat is that the synthetic paper will only work with pencils and certain inks ; thankfully, the Uni-ball Jetstream RT , our pick for best pen , definitely makes the grade.

Things can go wrong while you’re traveling, both where you are and where you’re not. Though you can’t prepare for every worst-case scenario, the peace of mind that a little bit of preparation grants will allow you to focus on what’s in front of you, instead of having to worry about what could go wrong. But preparation doesn’t simply mean buying more stuff just in case; it also means making efficient use of what you already have.

Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit

For the best combination of sewing tools.

The Merchant & Mills Rapid Repair Kit is the only travel kit we found that had objectively high-quality thread and scissors.

There’s nothing quite like a wardrobe malfunction to put a damper on vacation, especially when traveling with limited clothing. A good travel-size sewing kit allows you to mend a popped button or ripped seam on the fly—or even tackle more pressing issues like fixing a tent, sleeping bag, or backpack. After 15 hours of research, interviews with sewing teachers and avid home sewers, and tests of six travel and full-size kits, we found the Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit had by far the best tools and was the easiest to keep organized. Standard travel sewing kits usually contain mediocre thread and plastic-handled scissors that break easily. They can also be hard to keep organized (a truth we confirmed when testing six top-rated travel and full-sized kits). The Merchant & Mills set was the only one that had high-quality thread, all-metal mini scissors (don’t worry, the TSA shouldn’t stop you ), and a durable tin case (about the size of a deck of cards) to keep everything well organized.

Because the sewing pins are neatly stuck into paper inside a slim envelope and the three needles are housed in a mini glass vial, this kit also limits the risk of losing a sharp object in your bags. We found the Merchant & Mills needles easier to thread than others (no need for a fussy needle threader!) and we also like the vintage-looking safety pins that come clipped together along with two small white buttons. Although this kit only comes with black and white thread, the thread is strong and there’s more of it than you’d get in a flimsier set with shorter strands of multiple colors. We do think it would be nice if the kit included a more durable measuring tape than the paper one included, but overall everything about this kit is leagues ahead of anything else we considered. We didn’t find editorial reviews for any of the kits we tested, but the Merchant & Mills rapid repair kit was recommended by several sewing bloggers and is sold in many reputable indie fabric shops.

Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella

The best umbrella for most people.

This is a solidly built, easy-to-find umbrella that holds up in high winds. It also comes in a variety of colors.

price may vary by color or style

An umbrella you take traveling should be small, light, sturdy, and affordable. After putting in 66 hours of research and evaluating a total of 48 umbrellas across five rounds of testing (including one thunder-snowstorm), we found that the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella is the best umbrella for most people. Its durable, nine-rib construction held up admirably against gale-force winds, and it’s as sturdy as umbrellas that sell for more than twice as much.

The Repel folds up to an 11½-inch long, 14-ounce package that fits easily into most bags and glove boxes. And it forcefully expands at a touch of a button to reveal an ample 37-inch-diameter canopy that protects your head and torso from precipitation in all but the windiest of conditions. Its lengthy, textured handle is easy to grip for hands of all sizes. We also appreciate that the Repel comes in a wide variety of colors, so it’s easier to pick yours out of a crowded umbrella bucket. Finally, despite its affordable price, it’s backed by a lifetime replacement guarantee, but only if you purchase directly from Repel and register the item under the company’s warranty.

Packing method for clothes

While packing cubes and other organization tools are helpful for maximizing your bag’s usable space, efficient packing is also achievable without the aid of tools and compartments. One Bag’s Doug Dyment tried all manners of folding aids and compression products but was unsatisfied with their claims of compression and wrinkle prevention. Frustrated, he developed his own method of packing clothes compactly called the Bundle Method, which he’s used and perfected over several decades of traveling.

The Bundle Method involves layering your shirts and pants at opposing angles on a flat surface, then wrapping them around a small “core” parcel (e.g. a packing cube full of underwear and socks). We won’t get into details, but Dyment does on his website ; you can watch this easy-to-follow video from NBC . The resulting bundle is compact and has no sharp creases that will require ironing out later on. Additionally, Dyment explains that “the slight tension created in the fabric by the wrapping process, along with the anchoring of the resulting bundle, greatly reduces the chances of wrinkling.” You then put it in your bag and use the tie-down straps to provide just enough pressure to keep it together.

While simple to perform, this packing method isn’t something you can master in one go. It takes a bit of practice, but once you get it, it’s like riding a bike. The downside is that you can’t just leave your clothing packed and expect to be able to access your underwear without fully unpacking your clothes first. But unpacking is a good habit to get into anyway, as it allows your clothes to breathe and avoid wrinkles or mildew. Wirecutter founder and frequent traveler Brian Lam says that unpacking the moment he enters a room has a grounding effect that allows him to feel a bit more at home in a new environment.

If this sounds like too much of a hassle for you, you can do what we did before we found out about bundling: roll up your socks and underwear tightly and place them in packing cubes, then put your wrinkle-prone items (shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, jackets) in a garment folder—we used the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Garment Folder . This is also travel guru Rob King’s preferred method of packing. Though the garment folder is not quite as space-efficient as the bundle method due to the added bulk of the folder and folding board, the plastic backboard does go a long way towards preventing wrinkles. Just be aware that if you leave your clothes in there for longer than a day, they’ll begin to develop unsightly creases that require an iron to get rid of.

A big thank-you to the Hotel Lucia in downtown Portland, Oregon, for lending us a suite to use for the photos in this guide.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Meet your guide

Wirecutter Staff

Mentioned above

• There’s more to a great in-flight personal item than being small enough to stuff under a plane seat. Here’s how to choose the right one for your travel needs. The Best Underseat Luggage and Personal-Item Bags  
• The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L is our backpack pick for most travelers. We also have picks for other travelers, including those who want to carry a bit more. The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks  
• After 10 years of airport dashes and overhead-compartment stashes, the Travelpro Platinum Elite is still the suitcase we want to carry. The Best Carry-On Luggage  
• After researching 30 models, we found that Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner is the best suitcase for most travelers who check bags. The Best Suitcases for Checking  
• We chose five luggage tags that will help you identify your belongings in a sea of similar suitcases. The Best Luggage Tags  
• After researching and traveling with packing cubes for more than five years, the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set is what we keep in our luggage. The Best Packing Cubes  

Further reading

How to Sleep Well (or at Least Better) While Traveling

by Christine Ryan

Our sleep and travel editors recommend gear for coping with travel-induced insomnia, vetted through hours of testing and years of personal experience.

The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

by Haley Perry

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

Road-Trip Essentials

by Eve O'Neill

We spend a lot of time driving each year, and this is our list of essential road-trip gear to include in your packing list.

Tools and Emergency Supplies to Keep in the Car for Winter Driving

by Rik Paul

Here are the essential—and nonessential—items to carry in your car during winter driving to ensure you get to your destination.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

Travel Essentials: What Everyone Should Have in Their Arsenal

By Laura Lajiness Kaupke and Talia Abbas

All products featured on Vogue are independently selected by our editors. However, we may earn affiliate revenue on this article and commission when you buy something.

Travel essentials—whether you have diamond platinum airline status or occasionally get away—are the key to a successful in-transit experience. First, the obvious necessities, like suitcases from  the best luggage brands to start, be it a large checked style or  carry-on roller. Our favorites are crafted from sleek aluminum or durable polycarbonate and feature double-spinner wheels, interior compression boards, and scuff-resistant finishes. For shorter trips, it’s all about  weekender duffles ,  travel backpacks , or a roomy tote—ideally, ones made from sturdy yet lightweight canvas, leather, and nylon and built with comfortable handles and adjustable shoulder straps.

Vogue Editors’ Must-Have Travel Essentials:

• The Checked Suitcase: Rimowa Essential Check-In luggage , $1,150 
• The Convenient Carry-On: Away The Bigger Carry-On , $295
• The Roomy Overnighter: Paravel weekender , $295
• The New Parent Backpack: Lululemon backpack , $198
• The Chic Makeup Bag: Cuyana leather travel case set , $168
• The Jewelry Organizer: Mejuri travel case , $78
• The Passport Holder: Smythson Mara croc-effect leather passport cover , $190  
• The Travel Pillow: Slip Frequent Flyer 4-piece travel set , $150
• The Noise-Cancelling Headphones: Apple AirPods Max , $539
• The Non-Drying Sanitizer : Aesop hand wash , $10
• The Hydrating Hand Cream: Chanel Le Lift la crème main , $70
• The Nourishing Lip Mask: Kiehl’s Buttermask lip treatment , $28

Then, there are the smaller  travel accessories , like a jewelry case,  toiletry bags , and packing cubes to streamline what’s inside. Your call whether or not to Marie Kondo your clothes, toss it all in, or abide by the rolling method—when it comes to  packing style and tips , to each their own. Of course, what’s on the outside of your luggage counts as much as the interior—who can resist lovely travel aesthetics like minimalist lines in neutral tones and pastels, vintage-inspired leather detailing, or a fun terrazzo print? And let’s not forget even smaller necessities, like a beautifully-made luggage tag and passport holder for securing and protecting your most valuable information. Don’t forget—these all make  great travel gifts . 

Going beyond luggage and the functional accouterment are the  comfort extras like travel pillows, blankets, and eye masks to make the journey far more enjoyable. There’s nothing like luxurious cashmere, plush faux fur, or supportive memory foam to make an in-transit nap infinitely more sound. 

Speaking of sound,  noise-canceling headphones are another key player in a joyful journey—investing in a good pair will make any sojourn less arduous, not to mention comfier for your eardrums. And  pet parents —you haven’t been forgotten. A stable but attractive-looking carrier or car seat for fur babies is as crucial as your suitcase. If not for your personal taste’s sake, for their comfort and safety.

Keep scrolling to shop  Vogue’s edit of the best essential travel items, from luggage to in-flight accessories. 

Checked Suitcase

Whether you’re packing for a long trip or a chronic over-packer, a large checked suitcase is your savior—Rimoma, Tumi, Monos, and Bric’s make some of the best. 

Essential Check-In luggage

NEIMAN MARCUS

short trip wheeled packing case

large check-in

Bellagio spinner trunk

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

Carry-On Suitcase

The carry-on suitcase is your ultimate journey essential for light travels and short trips alike. Opt for slightly larger options from brands like Away for a little extra room that’ll pass at security. What’s more, luxury versions you’d dare not check are worth the investment in this luggage size.

Bigger carry-on

Aviator carry-on plus

Clifton carry-on

Steamline Luggage

Editor rolling carry-on

Weekender Bag

As it’s said, the clue’s in the name—a weekend bag, oversize tote, or duffle is a must-have for quick, one or two-night trips. Paravel has a great under-$300 pick, while Métier and The Row have timeless styles you’ll enjoy for years (and trips!) to come. 

Perriand XL suede tote

NET-A-PORTER

Margaux 12 leather handbag

Boxford L travel bag

Travel Backpack

The travel backpack is another roomy bag option for shorter stays. The best feature multiple compartments to keep your belongings organized, including a separate section for shoe storage—so clutch. New parents will also love Lululemon’s thoughtful design, which includes pockets for a host of essentials—think snacks, wipes, and diapers—plus (especially clutch!) a changing mat.

ReNew transit backpack

Re-nylon and saffiano leather backpack

New Parent backpack

leather backpack

Cosmetics Case

Toiletries are the bane of many travelers’ existences, but with an excellent cosmetic case in tow, it’s undoubtedly less of a pain point. Fingers crossed for no spills. 

leather travel case set

Ophidia cosmetic case

Bottega Veneta

beauty pouch

BOTTEGA VENETA

Leatherology

LEATHEROLOGY

Travel Jewelry Case

Avoid tangled necklaces and misplaced earrings in transit with a travel jewelry case specifically sectioned for baubles. 

travel case

Caroline large jewelry portfolio

Panama textured-leather jewelry box

Globe-Trotter

Safari jewellery case

GLOBE TROTTER

Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are, indeed, a lifestyle—if that’s your travel vibe, look to these sets for easy separation. (Psst: Those who love a monogram will appreciate Paravel’s set, which can be customized with up to three initials.) 

set of 4 compressible packing cubes

packing cube quad

Insider packing cubes

packing cubes set

Luggage Tag

Don’t overlook this small travel accessory—a durable travel tag crafted from leather will ensure your luggage always finds its way to you. We hate to say it, but the possibility of a lost or delayed bag is real. 

Bell'Invito

monogram luggage tag

Royce New York

leather luggage tag

BERGDORF GOODMAN

luggage tag

Passport Holder

Your passport is a very important document. Keep it protected and easier to find in your travel bag with a stylish cover—bonus points for a custom monogram. 

Mara croc-effect leather passport cover

embossed passport holder

passport case

Grenelle passport cover

Let’s face it; a genuinely restful nap in transit is virtually impossible without a comfortable eye mask. The coziest are crafted from cushioned cotton, cashmere, washable silk, or lined with velvet—trust us, it’s worth the extra spend.

elasticized silk sleep mask

Campo Beauty

sleep remedy kit

luxe leather sleep mask

solid vegan silk sleep mask

Travel Pillow

A travel pillow can be cumbersome to carry. But if you’re willing, a good one makes travel infinitely more comfortable, from silk-covered memory foam—Slip’s is an editor favorite—to hypoallergenic down and compressible ergonomic designs. 

Frequent Flyer 4-piece travel set

Ostrichpillow

Go memory foam travel pillow

The Pillow Bar

Jetsetter down pillow

Nook pillow

Travel Sets

Is there anything worse than being trapped on a bus, plane, or train that feels like an icebox? Plan ahead with a so-warm and, of course, stylish travel blanket made of cashmere, organic cotton, or faux fur. Pro tip: opt for one with a case to minimize the space it takes up in your luggage when not in use. 

Pink Lemonade

reversible stripe blanket travel set

Sofia Cashmere

Emilia 3-piece cashmere travel set

horsebit print travel set

Naked Cashmere

NAKED CASHMERE

Noise-Canceling Headphones

Comfort isn’t solely about pillows and masks—sound is a hugely significant component, especially if you’re trying to work or relax in transit. Never journey with a pair of noise-canceling headphones again, and prepare for your trip by downloading a selection of podcasts, movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and music.

AirPods Max

QuietComfort earbuds II

Galaxy wireless buds

Bang & Olufsen

Beoplay H95 headphones

Pet Carriers

Pet parents know how difficult it can be to find stylish and safe travel carriers and car seats. Labels like Max Bone, Wild One, and Diggs have become go-to’s for sleek and minimal designs, but equally stylish is Hill House Home’s whimsical tote with interior safety clips and the perfect head-peeking cutout. 

travel carrier

travel pet carrier

all-in-one travel carrier

Hill House Home

HILL HOUSE HOME

Silk Pillowcase

If you’re a silk pillowcase die-hard, chances are you won’t travel without one. Secure a travel-specific style or two to keep in your luggage—even better if it comes with a coordinating eye mask. 

silk pillowcase

Mulberry silk pillowcase

Handbag Essentials

Your suitcase is zipped up, your seat is confirmed, your travel outfit is laid out—all that’s left now is for you to pack your handbag. As for what to absolutely include, other than your passport and ID, of course? Sanitizer and hand cream is a great place to start. We love Aesop’s rinse-free gel, best paired with Chanel’s hand cream and Kiehl’s lip mask to prevent hands and lips from losing too much moisture due to dry cabin air. A nail file is never a bad idea to have around either—manicures and zippers just don't get along. Then, to keep hair tidy, we love a big claw clip, plus a travel-friendly set of brushes and combs.

Le Lift la crème main

Kiehl's

Buttermask lip treatment

VIOLET GREY

URBAN OUTFITTERS

big effing clip

comb and petite brush set

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35 Travel Essentials for Any Length of Trip

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There’s something about traveling that is equal parts excitement and stress, especially when it comes time for you to bust out your suitcase and prepare to pack. What comes along with you can vary tremendously depending on the length of your trip and the occasion. Thankfully, the Cut Shop team has traveled far and wide, and has picked up a few tips, tricks, and essentials for packing well. Regardless of whether it’s a quick weekend escapade or a whole month abroad, here are the 39 best travel essentials worth taking along, listed according to the length of time spent away from home .

For Overnight Trips

Whether you’re only traveling ten minutes away for a staycation or venturing to a nearby city for a day, overnight trips can be just as challenging to pack for as longer ones. Our best tip is try to be strategic about stowing all the necessities in a larger tote ba g.

Keep all your chargers and cords organized and untangled in one place. This little case makes sure you can actually find what you are looking for, especially in the depths of a big bucket-shaped bag.

The Nap Dress is comfortable enough for any road trip or train ride or even to sleep in. You really can’t go wrong — it’s like wearing your pajamas but still looking totally presentable. We particularly like the wrinkle-resistant navy dress for easy wear on the road.

This three-pack of pouches might be one of The Cut Shop ream’s favorite purchases. Perfect for everyday use, the pouches are great for housing everything from makeup to dirty clothes to receipts. We always have one in our bags, no matter if we’re leaving the house for a night, an hour, or a whole week.

Perfect for event-specific travel, this tote doubles as a garment bag, protecting those special-occasion outfits. It has just enough space to also pack a pair of shoes you do not want to commute in.

One of the best tinted moisturizers out there, this option from Saie offers hydration and some SPF and will give you light coverage with a dewy glow. When you can’t bring your entire medicine cabinet, this is a great option that combines a bunch of products in a multistep routine.

Because hydration is always important, especially when you’re traveling.

Just because you’re not doing your skin-care routine in your bathroom at home doesn’t mean your skin should suffer. This ice rollers will fit perfectly in your toiletry bag and come in handy first thing in the morning.

Sometimes on those quick trips, we push washing our hair an extra day (or three) so we can leave all our heat tools at home. With some dry shampoo and a cute hair claw , no one has to know.

Weekend Trips and Excursions

Whether you are heading out of town for a wedding, trying to get away for a little R&R, or traveling for work, when it comes to packing a weekender or a smaller suitcase, organization is key.

There are so many options out there for weekender bags, but this water-repellent tote from Béis ticks all our boxes including the trolley pass-through pocket to attach to your suitcase and save your shoulders. This one is just over $100.

Most of the time, travel is associated with flying, but whether by choice or not, sometimes the trip involves hours of car time. A phone mount changes the game on a long road trip and is definitely safer.

For those longer flights where you are in a confined space and not moving around as much (looking at you, window-seat fliers), compression socks can help reduce swelling and discomfort in the legs and feet.

Weekend trips can sometimes mean a jam-packed itinerary, so when you want to sleep, you want to snooze uninterrupted. Enter Loop, a reusable silicone earplug that allows you to get the ultimate fit (it comes in four sizes) so you can get in that power nap.

Forgetting your sunglasses on vacation, especially when headed somewhere sunny, is a rookie mistake, which is why this pair from Le Specs is perfect to just keep in your weekend bag so you are never without.. They’re stylish, sturdy, and under $70 , in case you end up losing or breaking them.

Normally, travel containers are not the most stylish or multifunctional. But these Cadence capsules are both of those things. Unlike traditional travel containers, these can be used for anything from storing pills and skincare products to necklaces and hand cream. Plus, you can design your own set to include different labels and colors

You can never go wrong with a classic button-up . It’s a must-have for any trip, especially a weekend one when space is limited. Wear it on its own, with a dress or pants, or as a bathing suit cover-up.

The Tower28 spray is our skin-care savior , and if you’re looking to pack minimally for weekend trips, this needs to be in the toiletry bag. Perfect for sensitive skin, it’s multifunctional, and a spritz delivers a refreshing dose of hydration and soothes stressed-out skin.

Not only do books take up valuable real estate in a carry-on, they add a bit of weight too. A Kindle is so low profile and light that we do not even think twice about tossing it in our bag. It also saves us time doing the math on how many books we should be bringing on a trip because our next read is just a Wi-Fi connection away.

Anywhere From Five Days to a Week and a Half

A full-fledged trip that still limits you to a carry-on may be the most difficult to pack for. Europe,Cabo, our parents’ house, it’s all about making the most of the room you have, even if you can’t help but pack all your sunglasses , expensive skin care, and cute outfits.

This cashmere cardigan is amazing on its own or as a layering piece in case you get chilly en route or in your hotel room. When you’re packing a carry-on, the more pieces you have that you can wear multiple different ways, the better.

Sometimes you just can’t decide which sunglasses to bring, especially if you are going somewhere extra-sunny. This protective case from Dagne Dover allows you to bring three pairs in a very compact and convenient case that is easy to hang up when you get to your final destination.

There is a reason you can’t travel without seeing one of these suitcases. It fits in the overhead bin of most major U.S. airlines and allows travelers enough room to store all their belongings while remaining light, sturdy, and sleek. Plus, it comes in seven attractive colors and has a USB external battery for those extra-long travel days. It is an essential for the majority of trips you will probably take.

We love using packing cubes when we need to keep a duffel bag from becoming total chaos or for just staying organized when we’re traveling somewhere where we will be doing a wide range of activities that require very different wardrobe options. These packing cubes from Calpak are cute and will help bring some order to a carry-on.

Whether you are in the window seat and do not want to disturb your neighbors to wash your hands or need to do a quick clean after pumping gas on a road trip, having some sort of hand sanitizer while traveling is a good idea. This one from Aesop obviously smells amazing.

Senior writer Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz swears by bringing this foldable sun hat no matter the amount of time you plan to spend in the sun. It packs up so small, it’s easily justifiable to toss in your bag. If nothing else, it’s cute for a photo op or two.

Two Weeks or Longer

Wearing trousers on a plane not only saves room in your suitcase but also makes you feel more put-together on the go. These comfy but tailored pants from Uniqlo can be worn casually or dressed up, making them the perfect pair to travel in for long periods.

A two-in-one product that is perfect for face and lips is a godsend on the road, and this Merit lightly tinted balm is highly rated. It is the perfect product to throw in your bag for when you want to do a real quick touch-up, no matter where you are. Not to mention it’s one of our senior shopping editor’s favorite cream blushes .

The pinnacle of traveling well comes down to one word: Rimowa. The cases are classic, luxurious, and durable, though definitely a splurge. If you’re traveling for long stretches of time, and often, they can be worth the price point.

Pets under 20 pounds are allowed to fly in a carrier under the seat in front of you, and this stylish option from Wild One opens into a bed so your pet can relax at the gate before you both board.

Most fragrances do not come in a three-ounce bottle, and it can be quite a risk to send a glass bottle in your checked bag, so it might be safer to opt for something like this. Even when you are not traveling, these little cases are convenient to throw in a bag so that you always can carry around your favorite scent.

A Month or More

We’re way past suggesting hand cream and new luggage because, at this point, you’re practically moving to your destination. These are the things that upgrade you from a casual traveler to a pro and will make your longer flights and longer stays more comfortable

Carrying an extra six pounds might seem a bit excessive, but if you’re on a long flight and you’re staying over a month in your new destination, you might as well be as cozy and comfortable as possible. This travel0size weighted blanket from Bearaby comes in its own duffel bag, so it can easily be your personal item or be checked in with no problem.

Want to be able to still do full glam while you’re away? This rechargeable and slim travel vanity mirror will help your makeup look flawless no matter your lighting situation.

You may have seen this on your TikTok FYP. It allows you to connect your Bluetooth headphones (hello, AirPod Maxes ) to airplane screens, so you can watch your favorite comfort movie or episode of Sex and the City without worrying about bringing a corded pair or needing to purchase those cheap plane headphones in the air.

Like a weighted blanket for your eyes, this eye mask is sleep enhancing (perfect for long flights and jumping through timezones) and made from super soft silk.

Chances you’ll come back from vacation with more clothes than you went there with are high, so consider packing this foldable nylon tote to hold all your overstock.

Travel with ease knowing that your necklaces won’t get tangled and all your earrings are safe and sound in one place.

This pill case also came from our TikTok FYP and is small enough to fit in any purse, but has enough storage to hold all your medicine, vitamins, and supplements.

• always shopping

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Editor’s Picks

67 Most Useful Travel Accessories: Must-Have Travel Items 2024

By: Author Milijana

Posted on Published: October 11, 2023  - Last updated: April 21, 2024

Categories TRAVEL TIPS

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Wondering what to carry while traveling? Here are the most useful travel accessories and top travel items you need to have on your packing list to travel smart. Here are the things that make travel easier beyond traveling essentials!

AWESOME TRAVELER ACCESSORIES – Travel Must-Haves

If you are into a digital nomad lifestyle or simply into travel long-term, here’s a list of must-have digital nomad gear, travel supplies, and travel equipment. But if you are a seasonal traveler, the next travel accessories will make your travels easier and more comfortable.

It doesn’t matter if you work remotely and long-term travel is your lifestyle, or you take short business trips and prefer short weekend gateways to recharge your batteries in your leisure time but opt for distant exotic destinations only for your vacation.

What matters here is traveling . Even more, comfortable and enjoyable travel .

Therefore I am listing here the must-have traveling accessories and the best accessories for travel .

Here you will find must-have travel items and best travel items, top traveler accessories ( must-have travel accessories and best travel accessories, but also cool travel accessories and unique travel accessories ), and travel gadgets (must-have travel gadgets and best travel gadgets) every smart traveler has. In short, the things you need to take traveling.

Take a look at my list of the best things for travel, vacation must-haves, favorite digital nomad gear, and the best travel gear every traveler should have … to pack like a professional traveler. [no_toc]

Here’s my travel accessories list with the best items for travelers :

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED LINKS. PLEASE READ MY  DISCLAIMER FOR MORE INFO. 

67 INCREDIBLY USEFUL TRAVEL ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR ULTIMATE TRAVEL PACKING LIST  (2024)

BEST THINGS FOR TRAVELING: SMART TRAVEL ESSENTIALS AND SMART TRAVEL ACCESSORIES

Travel must-haves

Let’s start with travel essentials and must-have traveling accessories.

1. HAND SANITIZER WIPES

One of the cheap and useful travel items that can make a big difference to your health while traveling. Hand sanitizer wipes are one of those essential travel items and small travel things that make a big difference. Seemingly banal but one of the best items for travel health-related. They are the most needed travel accessories these days. Take care of your health, always!

2. FOLDING TRAVEL TOOTHBRUSH

A  small on-the-go travel toothbrush is an essential travel thing. The folding feature puts travel toothbrushes on the list of the best things for travel. Again, a foldable travel toothbrush is one of those must-have small and useful travel things.

3. TRAVEL TOWEL

A quick-drying and a space-saving towel is a travel must-have . Don’t bother with big fluffy towels when traveling. Instead, opt for a towel to go, a small absorbent towel, and a quick-dry travel towel. A microfiber towel is among my top 10 travel essentials! It served me well, especially on my long-distance hiking trips, such as the one-month-long Camino del Norte in Spain , when I carried all my stuff in my hiking backpack for one month. A lightweight and space-saving microfiber is one of the best travel items, I highly recommend! Rainleaf Microfiber Towel is a lightweight microfiber travel towel you need to have. It is a great microfiber beach towel, an excellent microfiber gym towel, an amazing microfiber camping towel, and a great microfiber backpacking towel. Pack your small and fast-drying travel towel with you!

4. TRAVEL PILLOW

A good travel pillow is a must-have for travelers.  Scarf-looking and super light Trtl Travel Pillow is one of the essential travel items on long flights. This essential travel pillow is a one-sided neck brace, adjustable to your neck and head for maximal comfort. And what’s important, it’s an ultralight travel pillow. If you are looking for a tiny travel pillow and the best travel neck pillow for long flights, the Trtl neck support travel pillow is your best bet! Forget blowing inflatable travel pillows and check out Trtl Travel Pillow .

5. TRAVEL WALLET

Another super useful travel item is a multipurpose RFID-blocking travel wallet. This tri-folded RFID-blocking travel wallet keeps safe and well-organized your international travel essentials and valuables: your passport and ID card, and your credit and debit cards. Keep your valuable documents and cards safe, and get your RFID blocking travel wallet .

6.  TRAVEL SPACE BAGS

Travel space bags are some of the best travel products. Roll-up compression bags save space in your suitcase or backpack. Even more, good travel space bags protect and organize your clothing. I can’t image traveling anymore without using traveling space bags. Sometimes I use only small zipper bags to separate my tiny carry-on travel items. I can find my tiny travel products in a minute! Zipper bags are super practical packing travel tools! Make your packing easier and go for travel space saver bags. Trust me, space-saving travel bags are some of the best backpack travel accessories and suitcase travel accessories.

7. TRAVEL PACKING CUBES

You don’t like the sound of roll-up compression bags, but still want to keep your clothing protected and organized? In that case, these awesome travel packing cubes are for you. Travel packing cubes are some of the top must-have travel accessories! Travel packing cubes, with space-saving travel bags, are the perfect packing tools for travel!

8. TRAVEL SHOE BAG

The waterproof and transparent shoe bags for travel separate your dirty shoes from clean clothing. A travel shoe bag is especially useful after hiking trips when you need to separate your dirty hiking boots from the rest of your clothing. Travel shoe bags are must-have traveling items! They are simple packing tools for travel, cheap travel accessories, and highly useful travel accessories!

RELATED READ: 15 Amazing Women’s Hiking Boots Top 18 Women’s Comfortable Sandals For Walking Best Gifts For Hikers Check out my Amazon Influencer Store for some great travel accessories ideas!

9. TRAVEL LAUNDRY BAG

Interested in some more top travel products? I would argue, that travel laundry bags are essential for travel! A machine-washable laundry bag that keeps the dirt and smell of your laundry away from your clean clothing is essential. Unnecessary to say, that this travel laundry bag is a highly useful travel accessory and one of the best backpack accessories and suitcase accessories you need to take on your travels with you.

10. TRAVEL SHEETS LAUNDRY DETERGENT

These eco-friendly sheets are must-have travel items if you are planning a longer trip. These detergent sheets are travel-friendly. They are not messy, unlike liquid and powder detergents. You can’t spill them. Just toss them in with your laundry and that’s it. Cut a sheet in half and use one half for smaller loads. And, use one sheet for larger loads.   Laundry Club Sheets dissolve completely and clean the clothes.  Laundry sheets belong to the most useful travel items! One package comes with 50 sheets. If you are making a shorter trip, you can pack just a few sheets in a Ziploc bag.

11. SHOE CLEANING TRAVEL KIT

If you prefer a tidy look and would love to keep your shoes clean when traveling, consider getting the Crep Protect Cure Shoe Cleaning Travel Kit . This mini on-the-go kit includes a brush, a microfiber cloth, and a Cure cleaning solution. It does an amazing job with suede, leather, canvas, and nubuck. I especially recommend the kit for cleaning white sneakers!

12. DOWNY WRINKLE RELEASE

Dislike wrinkled clothes when traveling?! Me too! But, I found a great solution for wrinkled clothes! Downy Wrinkle Release Spray  is a game-changer and my new favorite travel item. It fixes wrinkled clothing without ironing. Just hang your clothing, spray it, leave it for a few moments… and ta-da! Trust me, it is one of the most useful travel products ever! After trying it, you will probably want to get it for home use. Check out this bundle !

13. MINI TRAVEL UMBRELLA

This super small umbrella doesn’t take up much space in your travel bag but keeps you well protected from the sun and rain. One of the travel necessities and one of the extremely useful mini travel accessories when needed, agree?!

14. RAIN PONCHO

A raincoat is a small, cheap, and useful travel accessory that you can always carry with you to cover yourself in case of unexpected showers. This travel rain poncho is a cool travel item and an exceptionally useful travel item!

 15. WATERPROOF RAIN JACKET

Sometimes while traveling rainy days can’t be avoided by any means. Especially, if you have fixed dates for your vacation. If you don’t like umbrellas or don’t feel comfortable with a rain poncho, then consider getting this top-rated super lightweight Columbia’s women’s waterproof jacket or this Columbia men’s rain jacket These rain jackets are worshiped among travelers! After all, Columbia is celebrated as one of the very best travel accessories brands when talking about travel clothing and sportswear.

16. SLEEP SACK LINER FOR TRAVEL

Looking for more useful travel accessories and small travel items?! This fist-size and lightweight Vumos sleeping bag liner is voted as a piece of the best travel gear. It is especially beloved by outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy camping.

17. POCKET BLANKET

A pocket-size travel blanket goes on the list of great outdoor gear you must have. You never know when you might need an extra blanket. And this extra small blanket is one of those ‘good-to-have’ helpful travel items!

18. PASHMINA SHAWL AND WRAP

Pashmina is one of the favorite traveling items and one of the best travel accessories for women ever . I wear it as a shawl and a scarf.  It covers my arms when visiting sacred places and when a respectful dress code is needed. But I use it as a practical travel blanket too. My pashmina is my travel essential! My pashmina shawl wrap protected me many times from the coldness caused by the extreme use of air conditioning at many international airports, on buses, trains, etc. It is one of my favorite travel items ever! Women’s pashmina is at the top of my list of must-haves for traveling!! Please, add pashmina to your list of must-have traveling accessories for women. Trust me, you will thank me! 🙂

19. COMPRESSION SOCKS

Travel compression socks go on the list of the most useful travel accessories. They are the travelers’ must-haves for long flights to prevent swollen feet on long-haul flights. Travel compression socks are some of the best travel accessories for long flights! They are some of the most popular travel accessories for a good reason! Travel compression socks are the top travel essential items for anyone with blood circulation and swollen legs issues. Have you tried them?

20. COMFORTABLE AND LIGHTWEIGHT TRAVEL PANTS

Light, quick-drying, and waist-adjustable travel pants are travel must-haves for comfortable travels. Columbia Women’s Saturday Trail Pants provide maximum comfort to ladies, while Columbia Men’s Pants provide freedom and easiness of moving to men while traveling.

21. TSA CABIN-APPROVED COSMETIC LIQUID CONTAINERS WITH ZIPPER BAG

These travel liquids containers and zipper bags are allowed as airplane accessories. For instance, if you need liquid containers for your contact lenses liquid on your flight, these TSA cabin-approved liquid containers need to be on your travel essentials list. I keep my spare contact lenses and the liquid containers always with me! They are my essential carry-on travel accessories! Travel liquid containers with zipper bags are the small travel accessories you need to have!

22. PILL ORGANIZER

Care for your health shouldn’t stop when traveling. On the contrary, a new environment seeks adjustment for your body. Don’t forget to take your vitamins and minerals with you. When you are young, you might not need them so much. But sadly, as you age, they are a must-take. This tiny folding pill organizer for travel keeps your vitamins and medicine well organized. A pill organizer is a basic travel item, but one of those traveling accessories that can make your life much easier while on the road.

23. TRAVEL TOILETRY BAG 

How many times you have found that your toiletries have leaked out onto your travel clothes in your luggage? Well, this waterproof cosmetic organizer is another item on the list of useful travel accessories that make a big difference. Having a good travel toiletries bag not only helps you easily organize your toiletries but also protects your toiletries from leaking out onto your travel clothes. Dear ladies and gentlemen, this waterproof cosmetic organizer belongs to the best travel gear for women and men. Consider getting it!

24. SOLID SHAMPOO BAR FOR TRAVELS

Solid toiletries are among the best products for travel. If you travel long-term, one of the best travel items to always have with you is a solid shampoo bar. Ethique eco-friendly solid shampoo bar nourishes you and the environment.

25. SOLID CONDITIONER FOR TRAVELS

If your hair needs a great conditioner, especially in tropical climates, Ethique eco-friendly solid conditioner will do the work.

2 6. MENSTRUAL CUP

Talking about hygiene travel products and travel accessories for ladies, Lena reusable period cup is one of the top-rated women’s travel items. Ladies know how essential a good menstrual cup on travels can be! A menstrual cup is an essential travel item for women!

27. TRAVEL MONEY BELT

A travel money belt is among the most popular travel accessories. This comfortable and adjusting travel money belt with RFID block (an antitheft protection) keeps your valuables safe every moment. A practical and extremely useful travel item, enough said.

28. TRAVEL SCARF WITH SECRET HIDDEN POCKETS

Talking about women’s travel accessories and useful travel accessories, this travel scarf with secret hidden pockets happens to be one of the best travel items. Decorative and useful. Ladies simply love it.

29. TRAVEL BOOTS WITH SECRET POCKETS  

Another stylish and highly useful travel item is ankle travel boots with secret pockets . These boots are for hard-core travelers who enjoy adventures and want to keep their personal valuables safe. These boots are available in different colors, to match everyone’s taste. But, what’s more important, they keep safe everyone’s travel valuables.

30. SUNSCREEN SPF 50

Good sunscreen is a must-have travel item. This sunscreen is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation and National Eczema Association. Please do yourself a favor and wear sunscreen.

31. COLLAPSIBLE WATER FILTERED BOTTLE  

This roll-up portable travel water bottle keeps you hydrated on your travels and takes minimal space in your travel bag. Quite a handy travel item, right?!

3 2. PORTABLE CHARGER

Talking about things you need when traveling, a mini power bank ‘on-the-go’ is one of the modern essential travel gadgets.  This Anker portable battery with an ultra-high capacity of 20100mAh is one of the top travel accessories and must-have accessories for travel. 

33. UNIVERSAL WORLDWIDE TRAVEL ADAPTER  FOR 150+ COUNTRIES 

Talking about must-have electronics, a good travel adapter is one of those international travel must-haves. Admittedly these days our phones connect us with our families, friends, and business more than ever. And to be connected to our families and business when traveling matters a lot. In that sense, one of the worst things that happen on our travels is not being able to charge the phones. And here is where this universal travel adapter for 150+ countries comes in.

34. GLOBAL DATA SIM

If you don’t have a super affordable global data plan and you don’t like the idea of depending solely on wifi when traveling, you need to know that this Keepgo Global Lifetime SIM card works in 64 countries in Europe, Asia, North, and South America. Hello, globetrotters, this global data sim card could easily become your new favorite travel item.

35. WIRELESS TRAVEL ROUTER TO MAKE YOUR PRIVATE SECURE WIFI NETWORK 

But if you prefer to use a wired network on your travels, you certainly want to have a secure one. This HooToo Wireless Travel Router is a light, small, and powerful travel thing. It changes wired networks into a private secure wireless network and enables you to safely back up your travel photos and enjoy media streaming. Looking for a  travel router Best Buy? Check out TP-Link N300 Wireless Travel Router .

36. PORTABLE USB SOLAR CHARGER

What about travel accessories for cars? This portable USB solar charger can sit on the dash in your car and recharge your phone and tablet when driving. One of the greatest car travel accessories ever.  But if you are into hiking, you can simply put your Anker USB Solar Charger onto your bag and keep charging it on the go.

37. TSA APPROVED SCAN-SMART ANTITHEFT AND WATERPROOF BACKPACK

If you want to avoid unnecessary hassle with airport security and also to avoid becoming a victim of theft on your travels,  you should consider buying a smart travel bag.   This SwissGear Smart DayPack is a  very trendy travel backpack and one of the most popular travel-safe bags ever. It is a top antitheft travel safe backpack and one of the best laptop backpacks ever. Certainly, one of the best traveling bags you can find on the market. Read more about SwissGear Smart DayPack here.  

38. UNIVERSAL TRAVEL CABLE AND ELECTRONICS ORGANIZER

Talking about practical travel accessories and things that make travel easier, consider getting electronics organizer travel accessories. This BagSmart Electronic Organizer is a travel charger organizer and electronics travel bag that  keeps your electronics and cables on your travels well organized. If you are searching for the best travel cable organizer, you consider getting BagSmart Electronic Organizer .

39. DIGITAL LUGGAGE SCALE

This small and super light luggage scale protects you from overpacking and paying extra for overweight luggage fees. A must-have travel item and a useful travel item.  If you don’t want to give extra money for overweight luggage, don’t think twice and just put FREETOO digital luggage scale onto your international travel list. A digital luggage scale is among the all-time best travel buys! Remember, small travel things can make a big difference.

40. ROLLING DUFFEL BAG 

Searching for the best luggage for frequent travelers? The best best gear for travel? It is hard to say what’s the best travel bag. But many travelers swear that rolling duffel bags are the best luggage for frequent travelers as they are light, flexible, and roomy and you can put more things in them than into hard suitcases. But on the other hand, duffel bags might be more vulnerable to theft than suitcases. In any case, this Samsonite Wheeled Duffel is a light travel bag and  waterproof travel bag you should take into account.

41.  TRAVEL SUITCASE WITH SPINNER WHEELS

A wheeled suitcase is arguably the best option for refined travelers and business travelers. A wheeled suitcase is the best gear for travelers who like to travel. in style. If you are looking for the best suitcase for business travel or the best suitcase for European travel, this Samsonite Winfield awesome suitcase is on the list of the best suitcases for business travel and the best suitcases for traveling to Europe. It could become with ease your best travel suitcase and your best business travel luggage ever.

42. CARRY-ON WHEELED BACKPACK WITH A DETACHABLE DAY BAG

Are you a light traveler who is looking for the best luggage to travel internationally with a mini travel backpack? Looking for one of those multipurpose travel bags you can easily carry around? This 3 IN 1 Bag goes as a wheeled bag, a backpack, and a day bag. A perfect travel bag, right? Perfect equipment for travelling, indeed! High Sierra AT3 carry-on can be rated as the ultimate travel bag, unique carry-on luggage, and coolest carry-on luggage. But in any case, it is the best-buy backpack. 3 in 1, remember?!

43. ULTRALIGHT BACKPACK

If you ask backpackers what’s the most useful travel item. They will say, a light backpack of course! It is one of the essential travel items after all. This TETON Sports backpack is one of the best lightweight travel backpacks and top-rated travel backpacks. 

44. LUGGAGE STRAPS

Darller Luggage Straps  belong to the travelers’ must-haves. The straps keep your suitcase tightly closed. You can also tie two suitcases together with them and keep your luggage together. Darller Luggage Straps come in vibrant colors, not only in black. The bright colors help you spot your luggage quickly at airports. There’s no doubt, that the luggage straps are among the best luggage accessories.

45. TSA APPROVED TRAVEL LUGGAGE LOCK

Some extra security gives peace to the mind. So consider adding this travel luggage lock to your luggage accessories . This small safety accessory can make a big difference on your trip.

46. PERSONALIZED LUGGAGE TAGS

47. MINI PERSONAL TRAVEL FAN

Gaiatop Mini Portable Fan is one of the best travel accessories you could wish for when in heat. It is a lifesaver in heat! It is a small and lightweight but mighty device. You can put it in your purse and use it on the go. It is one of the top must-have travel items in the summertime!

48. LIGHT LAPTOP FOR TRAVELLING 

For digital nomads and people who work remotely a light laptop is one of the business travel essentials. Light 13-inch MacBook Air is my working tool. The small and light 13-inch MacBook Air  fits perfectly into my women’s laptop backpack.

My iPhone XS Max goes in the package with my MacBook Air. My Macbook Air and my MacBook Air are my essential business tools. To sum up, my iPhone XS Max is one of my top travel must-haves.

50. UNIVERSAL WATERPROOF PHONE CASE

One of the must-have accessories for iPhone or whatever phone you have is this JOTO universal waterproof phone dry bag . You want to protect your favorite must-have travel gadget, right?!

51. LAPTOP STAND

If you work long hours in front of your laptop screen, this super lightweight, portable, and foldable support laptop stand protects you from neck pain and keeps your health. Amazing travel gadget for people who work remotely! And one of the top digital nomad accessories!

52. BLUETOOTH KEYBOARD 

Trifold pocket-sized iClever Bluetooth keyboard is another great travel gadget you can hardly resist, especially if you are a digital nomad. This is a great travel gift too. Hmm, Christmas is coming soon.

53. NOISE-CANCELING HEADPHONES

Noise-canceling Bluetooth Sony WF-SP900 headphones keep you away from sound distractions. A useful travel gadget. You can’t deny it, huh?!

54. EARPLUGS

 If good sleep on your travels matters to you, and I believe it matters a lot, then these earplugs for sleeping are a must-have accessory. Earplugs for sleeping, earplugs for swimming, earplugs for snoring … you name it. Yes, you need them. They are the absolute must-have items for traveling!

55. HEADLAMP

One of the cool items to buy for travel and useful traveling gear is a headlamp. Whether you like reading in your hostel bunk bed at night or as outdoor gear for camping and hiking, the DanForce Headlamp is a cool travel item and a great travel gadget to have.

56. MINI TRAVEL FLASHLIGHT

This super small flashlight is one of the most useful travel accessories you simply must have.

57. TRIPOD WITH WIRELESS REMOTE FOR TAKING PICTURES AND VIDEOS

A tripod with a wireless remote is one of the top gadgets for travel! Why? If you travel solo or want to have travel photos with your all family members in the photos, this Ubeesize tripod will do the work for you. A hint? It comes with a lifetime warranty.

58. CANON G7X VLOG CAMERA

If you are interested in high-quality travel videos, Canon G7x is on the way to becoming one of your favorite travel gadgets. Highly useful and essential for vloggers. And, it is another great gift for travelers.

59. GO-PRO HERO 7

Talking about gadgets for travelers, and when it comes to GoPro, a special introduction is unnecessary. The world has gone crazy for GoPro Hero 7 ! One of the best travel gadgets for adventure travelers and beyond.

60. TRAVEL FIRST AID KIT

This portable and lightweight first aid kit is one of the best travel kits. It has bandages, alcohol wipes , ibuprofen, aspirin tablets, antiseptic cotton, sterile pads, first-aid tape, scissors … Hikers, campers, …outdoor enthusiasts, and long-term travelers … simply adore it. You might too! 

61. TRAVEL DOOR ALARM

A small travel door alarm is one of those useful travel accessories that can make a big difference if you happen to need to sleep in a dodgy hotel.

62. SAFETY WHISTLE

A safety whistle is one of the cool cheap things to buy on Amazon , but it can be life-saving in case of an emergency! Your life is worth much more than the few bucks you are going to spend on buying a safety whistle , agree?! Buy it and take it with you. And let’s hope you will never need to use it.

63. PHONE SANITIZER WITH FAST WIRELESS CHARGER

Recent global events taught us that cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing are more important than ever before. This eco-friendly sanitizer cleans easily and safely a huge range of products: from phones, earphones, computer mice, and watches to USB sticks, car keys, makeup tools, jewelry, and more. It’s disinfecting everything. It is usable at home, office, and on travel. This easy-to-use sanitizer is undeniably one of the most useful travel items at the moment.

64. MEMORY FOAM SEAT CUSHION

If you are a digital nomad who works remotely, then you appreciate a comfortable office chair. This ergonomically designed gel memory foam seat cushion will make your back pain back gone or minimalized. It is great for traveling, office, home, driving (car seat), and even wheelchair use.

65. PORTABLE TRAVEL CLOTHESLINE

If you enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, boat riding, or traveling slowly, you would appreciate this elastic stainless travel clothesline with clips . Put the clothesline between trees, on the balcony, in an RV, or bathroom, and make your drying space anywhere. People who hiked Camino de Santiago , like me, know how useful this small travel item can be on multi-day treks. (Check out my Camino de Santiago packing list !) Hang your towels, socks, etc on the clothesline and get your clothes dry naturally! This clothesline is lightweight, easy to pack, and one of the most useful travel accessories for multi-day trips.

66. PORTABLE BIDET

This Portable Bidet with Travel Bag is one of the most popular travel items. Keeping good personal hygiene is important at home and on travels. The HappyPo Travel Bidet is easy to use. It doesn’t need batteries or a connection. You just need to fill it with water, squeeze the bottle, and voilà – a nice wide spray comes! It is small, handy, and easy to carry on. A portable bidet is a must-have travel item for people who like to feel cleaner on their travels.

67. PORTABLE ESPRESSO MACHINE

If you follow my blog, you know how much I appreciate good coffee. On my coffee travels around the world , I sipped fabulous Vietnamese coffee in Vietnam , enjoyed siphoned coffee in Laos, had authentic luwak coffee in Bali , cruised famous coffee houses in Vienna , indulged in Italian espresso in Italy, etc. If you are anything like me, you need a cup of coffee to start your day with. This mini portable espresso machine is a top travel item a coffee lover could ask for! It is lightweight, portable, and easy to use. This handy travel-sized espresso machine is one of the best travel items for coffee-loving travelers!

Hope you find useful my list of the best travelling equipment. You can use it as a travel checklist for packing your essential travel items and favorite travel accessories.

I did my best to cover travel gadgets and accessories, outdoor gear, travel aids accessories, smart travel items, best luggage for travel … domestic and international travel accessories. If you would like to add something to my list of useful travel accessories and help fellow travelers, please leave a comment or send me a message.

Happy and safe travels, always!

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Saturday 9th of July 2022

I was looking for ideas for gift basket for a coworker who is traveling across the country, and really loved your suggestions. It was the small ordinary things we usually overlook! Thank you

Graeme Stewart

Saturday 10th of April 2021

That's a lot of stuff to carry. I would reduce the bags to just one and save a lot of space and airline fees :)

You know that your phone has a flashlight right? That can replace the mini-light.

Otherwise, very helpful. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Stewart,

thanks for sharing your thoughts. I gave some options here, of course. Anyway, I still believe that a mini flashlight is one of the really useful travel accessories. It takes almost nothing of space and it can be helpful. It's mini. After all, we don't need to have our phones with us all the time. :-)

Thanks for reading and taking your time to comment! I appreciate it. Milijana

Tuesday 29th of September 2020

The portable solar USB charger is definitely on top of my list! As a travel enthusiast myself that is often found hiking or trekking, I can definitely soak all that natural energy and convert it into power for my electronics.

Great article!

Kim Goodwin

Thursday 5th of December 2019

Hey Milijana, You have given the quality information for the travel. It was helpful to choose the necessary gadgets for my trip. What I personally like in your blog is you've provided many safety gadgets. Keep on like these posts. I am waiting for more information post from you.

I am glad to read this. Thank you for your feedback, Kim!

Wednesday 4th of December 2019

Thanks Milijana for this quality post. Thumbs up!!

Thank you for reading and commenting.

I hope some of the travel accessories I've listed will make your next trip more comfortable, more safe, easier and more enjoyable overall.

Happy and safe travels, Milijana

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Want to pack light but don't know where to start? Let's find the perfect size bag using this quiz !

Her Packing List

Packing Lists

Ultimate female packing list for a minimalist business trip.

The following packing list for a minimalist business trip was submitted by Rachel. See all packing lists .

When I first started traveling for work , I may have appeared a little high maintenance… I packed my life into a roller bag, a giant computer bag, and my purse. I imagined myself as Legally Blonde ’s Elle Woods when I showed up to the TSA line , teetering on too-tall heels, my matching pink luggage in tow.

After being on the road for much of the last three years, my attitude, gear, and how I travel has changed dramatically : now I’m less Legally Blonde , and more Catch Me if You Can . For work I travel about 30 percent of the time to different client sites, enough so my inner adventurer gets excited about the boutique hotel and off-the-beaten-path restaurant, but not too much where I forget where I traveled last week.

My Lightbulb Moment

About two years ago, I took a trip with a colleague to Los Angeles over four days. On the way back to the airport, I noticed she didn’t have a roller bag or duffle. She only carried a Northface backpack and large purse. I asked where her bag was, concerned she forgot it. She responded with, “I only ever bring a backpack and a purse . If I can’t pack it in here I don’t need it.”

I was incredulous! I had never heard of anyone doing that. It. Blew. My. Mind. I thought maybe there’s something to it and challenged myself to give it a try .

On the next several trips I made a conscious effort to bring less stuff . No I don’t need five pairs of shoes. No I don’t need my bathing suit and towel for the hotel pool. No I don’t need a suit and a change of clothes for each day and an extra outfit—just in case. You get the picture.

I gained momentum and thought about what else I could cut, analyzing what I didn’t use and leaving anything unused behind on the next trip. I discovered packing cubes , blogs about traveling light , and new ideas sparked. I soon fit everything in my Northface and carried a purse with room to spare. Then I hit a wall…

I loved the freedom from carrying so little . BUT I didn’t feel or look particularly professional carrying a bright yellow backpack. I started looking around at airports at the different consultants on the road and saw men and women in backpacks that looked professional and comfortable . I made mental notes of brands, shapes, sizes, colors, material, etc. I quoted backpack facts to my husband whose eyes started to glaze over any time I pulled up the REI website or eBags or whichever was my favorite of the moment. Then I found the one.

>>Read the female packing guide to working from the road .

What I Pack Now

Now I pack everything in my purse and Timbuk2 Jet Laptop Pack (review coming soon). It is 30 liters of organization and compartmentalization so I know where everything is and can reach it at a moment’s notice.

A couple of the things I really like from a work travel perspective are its clean look and it fits under the seat in front of you on most airplanes. You can carry it both as a backpack and as a briefcase, and it has a separate laptop compartment. I can carry everything I need and have room for more if I pick up something new in my travels.

On the plane, I will typically dress in jeans, cardigan, and my flats (which match both my suit and casual attire). I plan my tops so when my meeting ends I can swap the skirt for jeans and be ready for a casual night around town or for a glass of wine with a colleague.

I’ll use jewelry to dress my outfits up or down, as it’s a great way to change the feel of an outfit in an instant without taking up much space in my bag.

>>Check out this versatile 16L minimalist packing list .

My Packing List for a Minimalist Business Trip:

• Toiletries : razor, face lotion, comb, floss, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, q-tips, nail kit, Kleenex, spare contacts + contact solution , face wash, menstrual cup , and depending on the hotel, shampoo and conditioner. Often times, if I know the hotel will have decent toiletries, I’ll change out what I bring and just use what they provide.
• Minimalist makeup kit
• Mini medical kit – Band aids, aspirin, Imodium, etc.
• Electronics: Laptop, phone, chargers
• Travel coffee mug
• Water bottle
• Pen set: I like color options
• Scarf: for warmth and fashion
• Book or Nook depending on the length of the trip
• 1 suit skirt and jacket (or packable blazer )
• 1 pair jeans
• 1 workout outfit
• 1 sleep outfit
• 1 pair of tennis shoes
• 1 pair of flats
• 1, 2, or 3 dress shirts (one shirt for the number of nights I’m gone)
• 1 pair underwear for each night
• 1 pair pantyhose for each meeting

Overall, my way of seeing the world has changed because of what I pack. I glide through airports in a way I didn’t before. If I’m running late I’m confident that I can physically run to the gate.

I am more hands free, and when I want access to something, I know exactly where it is. And, because I’m packing in the same way each trip with similar items, I pack faster with more consistency.

Even with what I bring, I could still cut back if I needed. With each trip I continue to experiment with the combination of items I bring, and I look forward to perfecting the system and learning how others do the same.

• Check out this awesome article on how HPL’s best minimalist packing tips can be used to organize your home !

About the author: Rachel is a consultant, outdoor enthusiast, and animal lover who travels frequently around the U.S. for work and pleasure. When not on the road for work, you can find her planning her next hike on the Appalachian Trail, half-marathon through the mountains out west, or swing through South America—and she never checks a bag (except maybe backpacking gear). She lives in Chicago with her husband and a small menagerie of pets.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using them, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps to keep this site running – thank you!

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H PL Packing Method – Learn to pack your lightest bag ever in this revolutionary packing course by HPL founder, Brooke.

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Viator – Enhance your trip experience by booking from thousands of tours across the globe.

Booking.com – Search for hotels, hostels, and apartments using this one resource. Use it for flights, car rentals, and airport taxis as well.

Trusted Housesitters – Save money on travel accommodation by becoming a housesitter. Housesitters often have extra duties, like caring for pets and gardens.

Reader Interactions

August 2, 2017 at 6:50 pm

This is so great – I went to Italy for almost three weeks with just a carryon and it was SO FREEING. But I still had too much stuff. I’ve come a long way from my younger years when I’d carry full-size toiletries items and a massive suitcase full of “options.” Now I know better and I know I’ve got favorite pieces and I should just take those. It’s way easier to just have a few things to choose from and it’s so easy to move from place to place when my bag is light and small.

August 10, 2017 at 12:07 pm

Hi, thanks a lot for this insight 😀 Honestly, it’s always like: oh I need, this and this and that and in the end you only end up using a few things, that would even have fitted into a tiny bag. One question I have to you: how do you keep your tops without wrinkles?

April 21, 2019 at 1:23 am

I lay my tops or blouses on my bed and fold each one carefully, smoothing as I go. It’s really a matter of practice. But here’s the good part! Once folded, slide the blouse or top into a one gallon zip lock bag, One top to a bag. Without moving the bag around too much, or lifting it, I suck the air out of the bag and seal it. With practice, this makes an airtight parcel that keeps the shirts smooth. I’ve even been able to slide the bag across the room without disturbing the contents, as long as the seal is unbroken! I hope this works for you!

January 7, 2020 at 7:26 pm

I’m a big believer in rolling your tops. I also tend to pick fabrics which don’t wrinkle much anyway. Lastly when I’m in my room, the first thing I do is unpack everything, hang it, and if it looks wrinkled at all, use either the hotel iron or a fun trick I learned. In the morning when you are showering, hang whatever is wrinkled in the room with you and make sure the door is closed. The heat from the shower steams up the room as well as your clothes -essentially steaming out all the wrinkles! Hope that helps!

June 6, 2021 at 6:02 pm

Great article! Just out of curiosity, what brand is the 2-in-1 makeup compact in your picture?

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The Best Travel Gear and Accessories for Your Next Adventure, According to Experts

Travel must-haves you should definitely pack.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

We carefully reviewed this article in April 2023 and stand by our picks.

At the Good Housekeeping Institute , our analysts and engineers have been testing travel products for more than two decades across our Labs. Below we feature the travel gear that’s outperformed in our tests and has been rated highly among consumer testers , ranging from reliable suitcases to comfortable walking shoes, beauty must-haves, gadgets to keep you entertained for hours and handy travel accessories . According to our pros, this is the best travel gear to bring along on your next adventure in 2023 and beyond.

Our top picks:

Best Carry-On Luggage

Away the carry-on.

Best Checked Luggage

Open story hardside luggage large checked spinner suitcase.

Best Underseat Luggage

Samsonite solyte dlx softside luggage.

Best Kid's Luggage

American tourister disney hardside upright luggage.

Best Duffel Bag

Patagonia black hole duffel bag 55l.

Best Weekender Bag

Lo & sons the catalina deluxe.

Best Travel Backpack

The north face borealis backpack.

Best Packing Cubes

Eagle creek pack-it specter compression cube set.

Best Travel Dress

Outdoor voices exercise dress.

Best Walking Shoes

Allbirds tree runners.

After our top picks in each category, read further to learn travel hacks from our experts. If your next trip is right around the corner, check out our guide to the best luggage on Amazon for two-day Prime shipping!

The Best Travel Gear for Packing

No one likes arriving at their vacation destination only to find the wheels of their suitcase broken. To enjoy hassle-free air travel, the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Textiles Lab recommend investing in a high-quality, durable suitcase. Whether you’re looking for a lightweight carry-on, spacious hard-shell or compact smart suitcase for a quick business trip, these luggage brands and packing essentials will help make preparing for your next adventure a breeze.

Away's trendy, colorful line of carry-on suitcases is a popular pick among consumers and our Textile Lab's best overall luggage brand . Our pros love that it features a spacious interior while remaining super lightweight thanks to a polycarbonate shell. We also like that you can opt for a suitcase with or without a built-in USB charger so you can charge your phone on the go. If you need to remove the battery before boarding, you can do so easily with the push of a button.

READ MORE: The Best Carry-On Luggage to Buy in 2023

When you’re looking for size, quality and value, look no further than this sleek suitcase. Our Textiles Lab analysts were impressed with the performance of Open Story luggage in recent Lab testing, noting that this durable suitcase handled drop after drop without any dents or damage. Consumers pointed out that the suitcase was easy to maneuver on various surfaces and that they found its modern design appealing.

Fighting for space in a crowded overhead compartment or unexpectedly checking your bag at the gate can be frustrating. If you don’t want to take any risks, consider this Samsonite suitcase that should fit under most airplane seats. According to our Textiles Lab experts, it comes with a comfortable handle and compartments for your laptop and toiletries. Best of all, the suitcase’s abrasion-resistant polyester exterior showed no signs of wear in tests.

READ MORE: The 12 Best Underseat Luggage to Buy

Whether or not you’re planning a trip to Disney World, your kids are bound to love this Disney-themed hard-shell suitcase that comes in popular character prints. Our Textiles pros like that it’s super compact and lightweight to make it easy for your kids to roll around without your help, and that it features oversized zippers and a wide, curved handle made for smaller hands. Though it only comes equipped with two wheels, our users still found it easy enough to maneuver.

READ MORE: Best Kids Luggage

Those planning a road trip or an adventure might want to consider leaving their suitcase at home and grabbing this lightweight duffle bag instead. Our Textiles Lab likes this top-performing bag from Patagonia, which can convert into a backpack should you get tired of carrying it on your shoulder or via the top straps. Not only is it offered in several shades, but it can be compressed into a small bag when not in use, so you don’t have a bulky suitcase taking up your entire hotel room.

READ MORE: Best Duffel Bags for Your Next Vacation

Lo & Sons The Catalina Deluxe

Sometimes you don’t need a big suitcase for a quick weekend getaway. Our pros love this Lo & Sons bag, which is not only stylish but super spacious so you can fit in all your essentials. The Textiles Lab likes that there’s a separate shoe compartment , so you don’t have to worry about your clean clothes getting mixed up with your dirty sneakers. The bag also features a trolley strap so you can easily secure it on top of your suitcase should you end up needing one.

Everything you need on your next adventure comes with this comfortable, spacious travel backpack, including a bungee system on the exterior to hold your jacket , a laptop compartment and an organized zippered compartment for all your smaller travel essentials. In Lab tests, our textiles experts were impressed with the backpack's water resistance, durability and thoughtful design.

READ MORE: Best Travel Backpacks of 2023

Keeping your suitcase organized is no easy task, but that's when these thin packing cubes save the day. Not only are packing cubes useful for keeping track of what clothing is where, but they can help maximize the space in your suitcase — a win-win. The pros at the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles Lab love these cubes' durable, lightweight design as well as each built-in handle for easy access whether you're using a backpack, carry-on or duffle bag.

READ MORE: Best Packing Cubes for Maximizing Carry-On Space

The Best Clothing for Traveling

It can be difficult to narrow down the clothing to bring with you on your trip, but it’s important to pack some comfortable, staple items in addition to all your cute outfits. You’ll be happy you brought a pair of comfortable walking shoes after a long day of exploring a new city, as well as that breezy lightweight travel dress on a hot, summer day. In addition to clothing, our pros also recommend packing a few travel accessories like laundry detergent or a travel steamer to keep your clothing in pristine condition no matter where you are.

Exercise dresses are so popular for a reason — they’re extremely comfortable and an easy item to throw on when on the go. Our Textiles experts like this dress from Outdoor Voices not only because our testers rave about it, but because it's moisture-wicking and versatile. It’s the perfect choice for a day you’ll spend hiking, golfing, biking or taking a walking tour. Best of all, it features a built-in bra and shorts for full coverage.

READ MORE: Best Travel Dresses You Need For Your Next Vacation

On days you’re going to be walking for hours, make sure to pack these comfy Allbirds sneakers in your bag. Ninety-one percent of our survey respondents from our tester panel gave this pair a perfect rating for comfort. Our Textiles pros like how you can wear them with or without socks, and once you’re back from vacation all you have to do is toss them into the washing machine.

READ MORE: Best Walking Shoes for Women

Vim&Vigr Cotton Graduated Compression Socks in 15-20 mmHg

Compression socks can work wonders when you’re seeking relief from swollen feet during a long plane ride or after hours of walking. By applying graduated pressure to your calves and feet they can help alleviate swelling and improve blood flow. Our Textiles analysts recommend this pair from Vim&Vigr, which earned top scores in both performance and durability tests and was a favorite among consumers.

READ MORE: Best Compression Socks for Women

Darn Tough Hiker Boot Sock Full Cushion

Need a quality pair of comfortable socks for your next adventure? Whether or not you plan on hiking, our Textiles experts recommend Darn Tough socks for any everyday activity. This Merino wool pair is moisture-wicking as well as great for colder temperatures. It also helps prevent blisters by staying put securely on your foot with a seamless design. Our pros like that each pair comes with a lifetime guarantee should you experience significant wear and tear.

READ MORE: Best Hiking Socks to Protect Your Feet

Vionic Amber Adjustable Sandal

Nothing makes walking down Italian cobblestone streets more enjoyable than comfortable walking sandals. If you plan on getting your steps in while you’re on vacation, our Textiles experts recommend packing these Vionic sandals . Available in both medium and wide widths as well as various shades , they’re a great fit for a lot of feet. Our pros like that they’re orthotic shoes but thanks to their modern design, no one will be able to tell.

READ MORE: Best Walking Sandals That Are Super Comfy and Cute

Oliso M2 Mini Project Steam Iron

There’s nothing more frustrating than arriving at your hotel or Airbnb only to find a suitcase full of wrinkled clothes, with no iron or steamer in sight. Fortunately, this compact steam iron that’s recommended by our Cleaning Lab is easy to squeeze into a suitcase. Our pros like that it’s lightweight and easy to maneuver. In tests, we were impressed by how successfully it pressed out wrinkles.

READ MORE: Best Steam Irons of 2022

Norwex Laundry Detergent Strips

If you’re going away for a few weeks or are trying to pack light, consider bringing along some of these laundry detergent strips so you can clean your clothes and re-wear them. Our Cleaning Lab pros recommend this pick from Norwex, which earned some of the best performance scores in Lab tests and helped remove stains like ketchup, wine and mud. We also like how the strips come in a lightweight paper envelope so they’re easy to pack.

READ MORE: 5 Best Laundry Detergent Sheets

The Best Beauty and Hygiene Travel Must-Haves

There are certain beauty must-haves that you just can’t leave behind (and shouldn't have to!). Whether you’re looking for a reliable eye mask for your next red-eye, or need a bag that's big enough to store all your makeup and toiletries, our pros narrowed down their favorite beauty and hygiene picks that fortunately come in travel-friendly sizes.

Drybar Baby Buttercup Travel Blow Dryer

Fight bad hair days anywhere in the world by bringing along your own hair dryer. Our Beauty Lab experts like this travel-sized pick from Drybar, which folds up nicely so you can stash it in your suitcase. Not only does it feature two voltages so you can use it abroad, but it got a perfect score for its easy-to-use controls in Lab tests and impressed our pros with its quick and efficient drying time.

READ MORE: Best Travel Hair Dryers that are Trusty Space Savers

Calpak Clear Cosmetics Case

Our pros love this clear toiletry bag for any sort of travel thanks to its spacious, organized interior that features two zippered compartments as well as mesh pockets for smaller items like lipstick or concealer. It comes in both a mini and standard size, but what we love most are the collapsible carrying handles that make it easy to pull out of your bag when going through security, and flat when going back in your suitcase.

READ MORE: Best Toiletry Bags

Truffle Clarity Jetset Case

This TSA-approved clear makeup case makes going through security a breeze thanks to its transparent paneling. Our beauty pros love that it’s offered in three sizes, making it a great choice for any makeup routine. Though we wish it featured organizational pockets, we like its classy, modern design (offered in leather or nylon) as well as its sturdy structure.

READ MORE: Best Makeup Bags to Stash All Cosmetics

Purell Advanced Hand Sanitizer Soothing Gel

The Purell Hand Sanitizer Gel is a favorite among our Lab experts, who find that the aloe and vitamin E formula doesn’t leave behind a sticky residue like other hand sanitizers. We like that it’s not overly drying, even with a 70% alcohol concentration, and that it’s available in a compact travel size , making it easy to fit in your purse or bag wherever you go.

READ MORE: Best Hand Sanitizers

Maskc KN95 Face Masks

Though some airlines no longer require wearing a mask while in-flight, you may want to consider packing one to protect yourself and your loved ones. According to the CDC , “Masking is a critical public health tool for preventing spread of COVID-19, and it is important to remember that any mask is better than no mask.” If you're looking for a pack of 10 KN95 masks that are offered in a variety of tones and prints, one GH analyst found this site easy to order from and loves that it offers great discounts. In addition to soft ear loops that make it easy to wear this mask for an extended time , we also like the adjustable nose bridge so you can get a secure fit.

READ MORE: Coronavirus and Face Masks: Everything You Need to Know Right Now

The Best Travel Gear for Sleeping

Though traveling is exhilarating, it can also be exhausting if you don’t get the proper rest that you need. To ensure your journey is a peaceful one from start to finish, our pros recommend a few essentials to help you get a better night’s sleep. Whether you’re taking an overnight flight or you’ve ended up in a noisy hotel room, these picks should help you get some rest.

Cabeau Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Pillow

Anyone who has ever tried sleeping on a long flight knows how hard it can be to get comfortable. This travel pillow is recommended by the Executive Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles Lab, Lexie Sachs . The soft, memory foam pillow features straps that attach to an airplane's seat to prevent your head from falling sideways so you can actually get some rest. Our pros also like that once you've reached your destination, it can be compressed back into its compact travel case.

READ MORE: Best Travel Pillows

Bucky 40 Blinks No Pressure Solid Eye Mask

Most of us have trouble sleeping in a bright room, so it’s a good idea to always have a sleep mask with you. By covering your eyes, these masks are useful when you really need to get some rest. Our Textiles experts like this mask from Bucky, a top performer in Lab evaluations for its contoured design, ease-of-use and durability. It comes in a range of colors and, according to our pros, excelled at blocking out light in tests.

READ MORE: Best Sleep Masks for the Most Restful Sleep

Mack's Ultra-Soft Foam Earplugs

Whether it turns out that there’s a nightclub next to your hotel or you can’t sleep because of early morning construction, earplugs can be a lifesaver. Just pop them into your ears to block out pesky sounds that previously kept you up. Shoppers on Amazon love this pick from Mack’s, which has more than 42,000 raving reviews . Though they’re disposable, many users found that they were able to use them for two to three nights.

READ MORE: Best Earplugs for Sleeping

The Best Travel Electronics

While we agree that you should try to disconnect during your vacation, that doesn’t mean you have to leave your favorite electronics back at home. Whether you want to bring along some reading material, entertainment or tools to keep your gadgets up and running, our tech experts recommend bringing these top-tested travel electronics on your next trip.

Bose QuietComfort 45

Our Media & Tech pros swear by this pair of wireless Bose noise-canceling headphones when flying. Not only is it comfortable to wear for hours , but it does an excellent job at blocking out white noise, like the annoying drone of a plane. The QuietComfort 45 aced Lab tests for performance and impressed our pros with its excellent sound quality, making this a travel gadget to definitely not leave behind.

READ MORE: 12 Best Noise-Canceling Headphones

Apple AirTag

There’s nothing quite so disappointing as arriving at your final destination only to discover that your luggage has been lost. To keep better track of your belongings, our pros suggest getting a tracker like an Apple AirTag. Our pros like its compact, lightweight design and that it offers real-time tracking so you know your suitcase is coming before it actually arrives at the baggage carousel. Just keep in mind that if you’re not in the Apple ecosystem, you’ll have to opt for another luggage tracker like the Tile Pro , which unlike an AirTag is compatible with Android devices.

READ MORE: Best Luggage Trackers for Keeping an Eye on Your Checked Bags

Apple iPad 10.2” 2021

Leave your laptop at home and bring along a tablet to keep yourself or your kids entertained on your next trip. This pick from Apple will suit most consumers’ needs, according to our tech pros, with an A14 Bionic chip that can handle a variety of tasks like streaming, gaming or FaceTiming. We like that it’s compatible with the Apple Pencil (1 st gen) and Magic Keyboard Folio should you ever need to take a business call while away.

READ MORE: A Complete List of the Best Tablets to Buy

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Though many of us love highlighting and jotting down notes in a travel guide or flipping through the pages of a book, lugging around too many hard copies can get heavy very quickly. Our tech pros suggest investing in an e-reader like the Kindle Paperwhite, which is not only super compact, lightweight and waterproo f (it’s IPX8-rated, meaning it can handle continuous water submersion), but it also gives you access to anything you want to read, anywhere in the world. We like that, thanks to its slim design, it’s extremely easy to fit in a purse or backpack for the day.

READ MORE: The 5 Best E-Readers to Buy

Anker 325 Power Bank (PowerCore 20K)

To ensure your gadgets’ batteries never fail you in a time of need (like when you’re trying to find your way home or access your hotel reservation), our tech experts recommend this portable power bank from Anker. Its compact, slim design makes it easy to throw in a backpack without weighing you down, and our pros like that it can charge up to two devices at once via USB-A ports.

Joomfeen Travel Adapter

Don’t forget to pack this universal charger if you’re going to visit another country while you’re on vacation. Since different countries use different plugs and outlets, this adapter enables you to keep using your existing phone, laptop and device chargers. All you have to do is plug the adapter into the wall and then connect everything like you normally would back home, just through the adapter. That's right, no need to rush out to buy a local iPhone charger!

Bubm Electronic Organizer

Much like a great toiletries bag, an electronics organizer can keep your tech accessories in order. Our tech pros like this pick, which features a zippered compartment for smaller essentials like SD or SIM cards as well as various elastic bands and mesh pockets for your cables and chargers. Best of all, this organizer folds up into a flat shape so you shouldn’t have any issue squeezing it into your luggage.

Unique Travel Accessories

While not all travel accessories are essential if you're tight on space, you might be grateful later on that you made that extra room in your suitcase. Packing a few key accessories can spare you the hassle of having to go shopping while on vacation, and it usually prevents you from paying tourist prices. From towels to organizers, these are our experts' favorite travel accessories to bring along with you.

Rainleaf Microfiber Towel

When you're heading on a well-deserved beach vacation, make sure to grab this microfiber towel that comes in several bright colors. According to the Textiles Lab, it’s a great choice for travel thanks to its quick-drying material s and lightweight construction. Our pros also like that it comes with a handy carrying case so it's easy to transport from the beach and back to your hotel.

READ MORE: The Best Beach Towels for Summer 2023

CamelBak Eddy+ Water Bottle with Tritan Renew

It’s important to stay hydrated while traveling, which is why our pros advise bringing a water bottle with you. Our Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab pros like this best value pick from Camelback, which is made from durable, BPA-free plastic. It includes a two-finger loop handle that makes it easy to carry around while you explore and, according to the brand, the design is leak-proof when closed.

READ MORE: 12 Best Water Bottles of 2023

Nikon Monarch M7 8x42 Binocular

Whether you’re going hiking or spending a few days on a cruise, it can be nice to observe a beautiful landscape in sharp detail. With a great pair of binoculars, you can easily spot whales far out at sea or watch birds that would have otherwise looked like flies. The Media & Tech Lab recommends this pair from Nikon for traveling, thanks to its lightweight design, impressive magnification and small close focus that makes it ideal for birding or similar activities.

READ MORE: 10 Best Binoculars for Seeing Every Detail

Dagne Dover Ace Fanny Pack

If you’ve ever been worried about your bag being snatched off your hand, a fanny pack is an easy way to keep all essential documents close to you and easy to access. Our Textiles Lab experts like this Dagne Dover pick for traveling thanks to its roomy interior compartment and organizational pockets. Our testers also rave about how durable it is should you accidentally spill something during vacation.

READ MORE: Best Fanny Packs

Etekcity Luggage Scale

For those who like to overpack or would feel better knowing how much your suitcase weighs before arriving at the airport, this gadget is for you. A luggage scale not only indicates whether you’re under or over the weight limit , but this pick is compact and lightweight so it’s easy to pack along with your other accessories. Lexi has used it herself over the years to help divide up her belongings between bags and avoid baggage fees.

Travel Hack: Why Our Experts Recommend Using Packing Cubes

Packing your suitcase and fitting everything in the right place isn’t always as easy as it sounds. While most bags these days include a compartment or two for undergarments, clothing and other essentials, items can shift around while in transit or get lost underneath a stack of shirts. To keep your bag in order, Senior Textiles Product Analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Textiles Lab, Emma Seymour , recommends investing in a few packing cubes, like this set from Eagle Creek . “Packing cubes are small bags designed to keep your clothes organized and less wrinkled in your luggage,” Emma says. They not only help keep your belongings organized during your trip, but also when you arrive at your destination. When using packing cubes, Emma suggests packing your clothes into the cubes first, then fitting the pieces into your bag like a puzzle. “You can even get packing cubes with built-in compression, so squeezing in that extra outfit (or two!) is no big deal. Whether you’re backpacking or traveling with a hard-shell carry-on, “most packing cubes are available in sets that include various sizes, ideal for organizing intimates and larger pieces.” And once you’ve arrived at your destination and are unpacking your suitcase, GH pros recommend placing the packing cubes directly into the drawers to keep your clothes protected from unknown surfaces.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

For decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute has been providing expert reviews and advice on the best travel gear and accessories you can buy. Media and Tech reviews Analyst Olivia Lipski , who covers everything from consumer electronics to travel, home, fitness and more, worked with several of the product experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute to feature the best travel gear we’ve tested in our Labs as well as products that have impressed our consumer testers. Not only does she have years of product review experience under her belt, but she’s a travel enthusiast with plans to visit all seven continents (with only two more to go)!

Olivia (she/her) is a media and tech product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute , covering tech, home, auto, health and more. She has more than five years of experience writing about tech trends and innovation and, prior to joining GH in 2021, was a writer for Android Central, Lifewire and other media outlets. Olivia is a graduate of George Washington University, with a bachelor's degree in journalism, political science and French, and she holds a master’s degree in communications from Sciences Po Paris.

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57 Brilliant Travel Accessories Every Traveller Must Have [2024 Edition]

Travel smarter and safer in 2024 with 57 of the best brilliant travel accessories and travel gadgets. From the best adapters, earplugs, space-savers, travel safety to portable chargers.

1. this ergonomic travel pillow.

The smart design of this washable pillow prevents your head from falling forwards as you sleep. Suitable for adults and children and perfect to use on airplanes, buses, trains, cars, camping, while backpacking, wheelchairs, airport terminals, or even while watching TV.

Buy it here

2. Pack more with these awesome space bags ! I have 20 of them!

Saving space in your suitcase is no longer a challenge with these amazing space bags that push out the air when rolled up. You effectively gain up to 50% more space in your baggage. I use the larger ones at home and the smaller ones for travel. They make for great organisers too!

Buy them here

3. Keep your dirty clothes separate with this handing laundry bag

Keep your dirty clothes organized and separate. This handy GOMATIC hanging laundry bag has a strap to attach it to a doorknob. Once your laundry bag is full, you can easily pack it and have it ready to empty straight into your washing machine when you get home. Buy it here.

4. Get this cute secret pocket infinity scarf

5. This Travel-sized Wireless Router with USB Media Storage

Convert any wired network to a wireless network and stay connected! Not only that you can also stream your videos, photos, and music to your connected media devices. If that wasn’t enough, back up and free up space on your mobile devices by using an attached USB flash drive or hard disk.

6. This Travel Door Alarm

Travelling alone or just wanted added peace of mind in your accommodation? Attach this pocket-sized alarm to your door or window and be alerted the second there is an intruder. There’s also a built-in LED flashlight so there’s no fumbling in the dark.

7. This Multi-Bag Stacker

No more bag juggling or pushing multiple trolleys/carts, just attached this nifty strap that connects suitcases and bags together through their handles.

8. These Amazing Space-Saving Laundry Soap Sheets

Add water and the sheet will dissolve instantly. They also come in shaving, body wash and hand soap versions.

9. Protect your phone from water, drops and scratches with this Lifeproof Case

10. this digital luggage scale.

You’ll never be surprised with having to pay for excess weight at the airport again. This compact and lightweight luggage scale can weigh up to 110 lb / 50 kg luggage. No batteries required.

11. No more breaks and leak with this inflatable bottle bag

This versatile roll-up travel bag suspends items in an inflatable air cushion to protect your bottles such as wine and olive oil. No more nasty surprises and messy spills when you open your suitcase.

12. Boost Circulation with these highly-rated compressions socks

13. Keep your Laptop and Other Items safe with a Portable Safe

14. This Vintage Laptop and Travel Backpack that Charges your Gadgets

15. The Only Travel Adapter You’ll Ever Need PLUS Dual USB Ports (Covers 150 Countries)

16. This inspirational luggage tag with card slot

17. Always Be Ready with a Pocket, Picnic and Beach Blanket

18. For Those Who Love a Mini Electric Toothbrush

19. Keep Your Drinks Hot on Long Haul Flights with this Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug (Different Colours Available)

20. Get This Gorgeous Multi-Use Travel, Hiking, Camping Bag Rucksack

21. This Smartest Carry-on suitcase Built-in USB Charger

22. Keep your toiletries organized with this waterproof organizer

23. Stay clean with these laundry sachets 

24. This personalised passport holder and protector  

25. Charge multiple accessories super fast with this portable compact charger

26. Get some shuteye with this contoured sleep mask

27. Avoid the knots and get this nifty cable organizer

28. Sleep anywhere with the ultimate ergonomic neck supporter

29. Pack like a boss with these space-saving packing cubes with shoe bag

Keep your gear organised with these travel cubes in assorted sizes. Buy it here

30. Keep your stuff safe with this TSA approved luggage lock

31. Keep your jewellery organized with this compact jewellery box

32. Never buy cabin luggage again with this durable and lightweight case

33. Stay hydrated with this collapsible water bottle

34. Breathe easy with this USB or battery operated mini humidifier

35. Take your music with you with this wireless and waterproof Bluetooth speaker

36. Get safe drinking water wherever you go with the LifeStraw water filter

37. Get 18 in 1 multi-purpose credit card size pocket tool

38. These cabin-approved leak-proof travel bottles for makeup and cosmetics

39. Stay charged on the go with this mini power bank

40. Take your phone underwater with a universal waterproof case

41. Protect your camera with this anti-theft shoulder strap by PacSafe

This camera strap is essential for supporting heavy cameras like DSLRs and even popular travel cameras such as Mirrorless ones.

Buy it here $26.87

42. Take this lightweight tripod anywhere and wirelessly take pictures and video

43. Protect your gear with this anti-theft shockproof backpack that’s ScanSmart TSA friendly and water resistant

44. Charge your phone and tablet with this USB solar charger

45. Keep your phone clean with this sanitizer and universal phone charger

46. Put your feel up with this compact foot hammock

47. hang up your washing with this travel clothes line.

No more hanging your delicates over hotel room chairs. This pegless washing line stretches up to 2.5metre and can be to affixed to either a  wall or furniture with its metal hooks or suction cups.

48. Get this beautiful waterproof travel and passport wallet

49. This Convenient Water Bottle with Built-in Pill Organizer

Great way to take your medication while on the go! This water bottle can store your medication for each day of the week. The medication holder can also be detached. Holding 23 oz. or 600ml, the bottle cap also doubles as a cup. Ingenious!

50. Keep all your documents in once place with this travel wallet

51. Alert others when in trouble with this safety whistle

52. Stay entertained with movies, TV shows, songs, Kindle e-books, apps and games on Kindle Fire

Buy on Amazon for $79.99

53. Wash your clothes wherever you are with this machine quality wash bag

Buy on Amazon for $42.44

54. This Clever Tank Top  with Secret Pockets

Keep your  passport, cash and credit cards safe with this versatile tank top. Perfect for both warm and cool climates. It can even fit your cell phones and keys.

Buy on Amazon

55. This Anti-Crease Shirt Transporter

Save time on ironing! This Tupperware for shirts and blouses is called the Shirt Shuttler, perfect for those trips when you know you’ll be spending a night out on the town or in a boardroom, or both!

Buy on Amazon for $24.99

56. This Optical Camera Lens for Smartphones and Tablets

57. The only worldwide travel charger and power adapter you’ll ever need  (UK/US/AU/EU/JP) + Dual USB Ports

Buy on Amazon for $25.99

Want more? Check out these 43 Amazing Money-Saving Tips for Smart Travellers

Stay tuned! I’m constantly updating this page as I discover the latest and greatest travel accessories. If you’re going backpacking or long-term travelling, check out my ultimate travel packing list . Got a favourite travel accessory? Share it below! 🙂

Want more travel tips? Don’t miss these

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• 43 Amazing Money-Saving Travel Tips and Hacks
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• 10 Simple Long Haul Flight Tips for Arriving Rested and Relaxed
• 23 Top Travel Essentials: Ultimate Travel Packing List for Backpackers
• What Pack for Winter in Norway: 17 Must-Have Packing Items
• 10 Travel Hacks That’ll Make Your First Solo Trip A Total Breeze
• 20 Clever Ways to Staying Fit While Travelling You Should Try

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Over to you!

What other travel accessories do you recommend? Have you used any of these? Let me know using the comments section below or join me on social media to start a conversation.

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Howdy Michele, I love to travel. I’ve read so many posts about travel gadgets, but you are the best one. Your article was beneficial in finding the necessary devices. I personally like an anti-theft shockproof backpack, which is ScanSmart TSA friendly and water-resistant. It is useful for everyone.

Thank you so much, Kim 🙂

Hello, I have gone through your guide and seems to be interesting though I have one more concern on the WiFi devices. Can you recommend me on the best Pocket Device that will work well on anywhere I travel. I have using AllDayWifi but its very slow on their international data plan. I have been considering RentnConnect though I know very little about it

Hi Collins, have you considered this Skyroam device ? It one of the leaders in the market and very compact.

What about this Trackimo 3G Travel Tracker device this has Light Exposure Sensor – detect/alerts when package or luggage is opened. I am currently using this tracker and i found this very useful to me every time i go travel around the world 🙂

Excellent addition Helen, thank you 🙂

A tracking device would be a great addition to this list.

Amazing! This makes traveling easier.

Definitely brilliant ideas worth sharing

This IS such a cool list! I thought I had everything, but then I found out the door travel alarm (never would’ve thought of it)!. And I wonder how good the neck support (#33) is because there were PLENTY of times I could have used something like that on my trips.

Hey Trang, the door alarm is such a great idea especially for those times when you just don’t feel safe 🙂 Is there anything you’d add to the list?

I just carry a small rubber door stop wedge.

WOW! This is one extensive list of all things travel and certainly one that I will be using to give hints to my friends and family round the holiday season. The new ScanSmart backpack along with the waterproof phone case and solar charger are on top of my list. However my top two purchases are going to be the smart suitcase and the backpack which are absolutely brilliant. Thanks for such a cool list.

Hi Michele, There are all great ideas. I have one more suggestion for you. Smart Blanket! I used it when flying to Zurich to see my son and his family. The plane was freezing, and there were no blankets to be had. I was the only one that was warm and cozy for the whole 8 hours. I love mine. Got it on Amazon http://amzn.to/2hTYlOP I paid $49.00 for mine. Think they are having a sale on them now. Hope you like my suggestion.

The door alarm and aeroplane pillow are a great idea to stay comfy and safe! I always take an extension lead when I travel; so that I have more plug sockets in a hotel room, and it also means you don’t need as many adapters when you travel. You also can’t go wrong with baby wipes and small-ish plastic bags in case a seat is wet, a bottle is leaking or you’ve got a mark on your clothes! ✈️?

All brilliant ideas Emily 🙂 Thanks for sharing. I love the baby wipes idea!

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Best Business Travel Items: 11 Business Travel Essentials

After more than two years of travel restrictions spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, business travel may seem like a thing of the past. However, many tech conferences and other events have started to resume in person this year, which means it may be time to dust off your suitcase. 

As you prepare for your next business trip, consider adding some of these travel items to your list of essentials.

Plan your event calendar on TechRepublic: 2022 tech conferences and events to add to your calendar

Table of Contents

Packing cubes

Most seasoned travelers agree that packing cubes are among the best ways to stay organized while traveling. Not only do they help you make the most of your suitcase real estate, but they also make it easier to unload your items into hotel drawers so it feels less like you’re living out of a suitcase.

These basic packing cubes from Target come in a range of sizes so you can pack all of your clothes, shoes, toiletries, and electronics, then fit them together in your suitcase like a giant puzzle. Plus, the lightweight design means these cubes won’t add a lot of unnecessary weight to your luggage.

Travel steaming iron

When you’re traveling for business, it’s important to look your best so you can make a good impression on anyone you meet. That often involves taking the extra step of ironing or steaming your clothes. Packing a travel steaming iron means you won’t be stuck wearing a wrinkled shirt if the iron in your hotel room is rusty, broken, or missing.

This palm-sized iron from Oliso provides the same steam and press capabilities as a full-size iron, but it’s small enough to easily fit in a carry-on bag. It also comes with a silicon trivet to protect your work surface and keep the cord neatly wound while the iron’s not in use.

Travel door lock

Numerous horror stories about travelers—especially women—encountering an intruder in their rooms have made travel door locks a popular tool for personal security while on the go. Many flight attendants recommend bringing some type of reinforcement device to prevent housekeeping staff or other strangers from entering your space while you’re present. 

Some portable door locks are heavy or bulky, but this lightweight lock from Addalock is an inexpensive, compact solution that helps ensure your privacy and safety.

Laptop backpack

A durable and versatile backpack is one of the most important travel-related investments you can make. The right backpack should make it easy to organize all of your essentials and access them quickly.

This Solo Pro backpack has separate compartments for all of your electronics, smaller essentials like flash drives and pens, and larger items like an umbrella or a water bottle. It also has a built-in panel that slides over your suitcase handle to make it easy to go from a conference session to the airport gate.

Portable charger

Portable chargers are a must-have for frequent fliers who rely on their electronics to stay connected while traveling. Whether you’re catching up on emails during a layover or finding your way around a conference venue, it’s important that your devices have enough power to get you from point A to point B.

This portable battery from Nimble supports up to five full smartphone charges, and it can charge up to three devices simultaneously. 

Extra set of cables + international adapter

Many travel experts recommend purchasing an extra set of charging cables exclusively for trips. Doing so means you’ll never be stuck at an airport or event without the right cords for your devices, and you won’t have to pay a premium for a replacement at the airport. You could purchase duplicates of your existing cables, or you could choose an inexpensive multi-USB bundle like this one that lets you connect to multiple devices with one cable.

If you’re traveling internationally, you should also make sure you have the right adapter for the country you’re visiting. A universal adapter like this one from Insignia can accommodate plugs and sockets from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the European Union without needing to swap out separate pieces. 

Noise-canceling earbuds

Noise-canceling headphones are another essential for maintaining sanity while traveling for business. Airports and large events can be loud and overstimulating, and active noise cancellation offers a way to listen to music or podcasts and take calls without interruptions. Plus, opting for high-quality earbuds instead of bulky over-ear or studio headphones can save space without sacrificing quality. 

Bose’s QuietComfort earbuds allow you to control how much outside noise you let in. They last up to six hours on a single charge and come with a charging case that can fit in your pocket.

Portable hotspot

Airport and hotel Wi-Fi networks are notoriously unreliable, so it’s a good idea to invest in a portable hotspot if it’s important for you to maintain a consistent internet connection while traveling. 

Most cellular providers offer hotspot services, but if you prefer to keep business and personal expenses separate, you may opt for a contractless, pay-as-you-go option. This option from Simple Mobile is also ideal if you don’t need hotspot access every month.

Virtual private network (VPN)

If you are able to find a reliable public Wi-Fi network, you should have proper security measures in place before connecting. Hotels, airports, convention centers, and other public venues are ground zero for cyberattacks, and connecting to a public network without cybersecurity defenses like a virtual private network (VPN) in place is a recipe for disaster.

Even if your organization offers network security tools that are stronger than a VPN, it may still be worth investing in one to safeguard your personal devices and data.

Explore top VPN solutions on SoftwarePundit: Best VPN Software

Privacy screen

Aside from network security concerns, traveling for business also means you should be aware of who is physically around you while working in public. Leaving your phone or computer screen in plain view of onlookers may put your organization at risk of a data breach. To prevent nosy onlookers from seeing sensitive information, it’s a good idea to add privacy screen filters to all of the devices you use in public. 

For example, this 14-inch laptop privacy screen restricts visibility to 60º in front of the screen. Anyone outside of this range can only see a black screen, while you can keep working with a clear view.

Hand sanitizer wipes

Hand sanitizer wipes should not be underestimated when packing for a business trip. The pandemic has made it exceedingly clear that traveling is one of the fastest ways to catch a viral illness, so it’s important to have a fast and easy way to sanitize your hands, devices, and other surfaces. Choosing wipes over liquid hand sanitizer also means you’ll have more room in your carry-on for other essential liquids.

Trip Wipes are individually packaged, so you can toss a few in your bag before each trip without worrying about running out of room. 

Other ways to prepare for business trips

Some travel essentials aren’t tangible items:

• Services like TSA PreCheck and CLEAR can help you get through airport security faster and with less stress—a worthwhile investment if you travel frequently. 
• A Kindle Unlimited subscription gives you access to millions of ebooks, digital magazines, and audiobooks that you can download and access instead of purchasing something from the airport gift shop.
• The World Traveler Bundle ft. Rosetta Stone Lifetime Subscription from TechRepublic Academy is a great way to build your language skills if you do a lot of international travel.

Whether you have millions of airline miles or are preparing to embark on your first business trip, traveling in a post-pandemic world can be stressful. Packing a few travel essentials, though, helps ease some of that stress and ensure your trip goes smoothly.

Read more business travel advice on TechRepublic: When to meet in person: 3 good reasons for business travel

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Everything You Need to Work From Home, According to People Who Do It Every Day

If you worked in an office before the pandemic, chances are you walked out one day in March 2020 hoping to return in a couple of weeks or, at the very worst, a couple of months. But now, almost 18 months later, you still may not have returned — and given how many companies are pivoting to a remote-first culture, you may not for a while longer (or, maybe, ever). Even though many of us have had time to adjust to working from home, the sheer unpredictability of the last year might have led you to wait before investing in things that can turn our largely comfort-focused homes into efficient professional workspaces. To help in that endeavor, we asked a bunch of professionals who regularly worked from home before COVID-19 and folks who have since put together proper workplaces in their homes about the things they used to do so effectively. Then we combed through our archives for other stuff that work-from-homers told us they use to get their jobs done each day.

A note that while working from home almost certainly requires a computer , wireless router , and modem , for this story, we focused on all the other things you may need, from essentials like desks, chairs, and monitors to less obvious things that our sources say help one stay productive day in and day out. Read on for 68 things that will not only make working from home more productive and enjoyable, but will crucially help to keep burnout at bay, too.

To start, the folks we spoke to say you’ll need a workspace (a.k.a. a dedicated desk or table). “Research like this 2017 Harvard study shows it’s better for your mental health to keep the spaces you sleep, relax, and work in separate,” says product manager Nehemiah Blackburn, who works for his New Hampshire–based tech company remotely from his New York City home five days a week. While “working from your bed and couch may seem convenient and even more comfortable,” finance associate Daniel Kim, whose day job often requires him to continue working once he gets home, admits that, “in the long run, it puts you in the wrong mental state to get meaningful work done.”

Three editors at the Verge told us they rely on this Jarvis standing desk at home. It comes in six sizes ( starting at 30x24 inches for $569) and can be adjusted to rise between 24.5-inches tall (for sitting) and 50-inches tall (for standing). Verge deputy editor Dan Seifert, who has owned his Jarvis desk for four years, describes it as “comfortable, stable, and spacious,” while Verge news editor Nick Statt adds that assembly is “far less cumbersome than I thought it would be.”

If you are interested in the ergonomic appeal of a standing desk without the price tag they often come with, Strategist contributor James Lynch has a surprising solution: a workbench . “A workbench may not sound like the perfect WFH solution, and yet it is now where I do all of my work,” says Lynch, who notes that the 52-inch-wide version of this one he bought has plenty of space for setting up a monitor and speakers, with real estate left over for other essentials. Made of solid wood, he says, “It’s durable, not at all like a lot of the other inexpensive desks I considered, which are made of plastic or particleboard — cheap materials with cheap veneers that bubble and peel the moment your coffee cup collects a single drop of moisture.” The desk is raised and lowered with a hand crank that Lynch calls “supremely easy” to use. “Although every reason I bought this desk is related to function, it also has an impressively handsome form,” he adds.

Elise Yeo-Donaldson, who works from home for a London–based educational-tech start-up, recommends this desk that she says is both affordable and quite user-friendly. “It’s originally an architecture table, but I use it for normal work with a laptop and notebook,” she says. “I didn’t expect how useful being able to change the angle of the desk would be, and the glass top is incredibly easy to clean.”

When Kim needed to get a desk he could work from home at, he told us he was “drawn more to design” than solely function, especially because he was going to have to look at it even when he wasn’t working. He landed on a simple desk from Muji that cost him $175 but is currently unavailable. An equally streamlined — and even-less-expensive — option would be this desk from our list of the top-reviewed home-office desks on Amazon, where buyers raved about its minimalist look, simple set-up, and surface area. One happy shopper praised its height in particular, noting that their “desk-chair arms fit underneath without getting stuck, so I can roll around freely.”

Susan Dominus, a staff writer for the New York Times Magazine, likes her Ikea desk so much that she owns two (which she has raved about on Twitter ). “At some point, I decided I really wanted to work in my nice sunny bedroom,” she told us, “and there’s this little corner where only a small desk would fit.” Dominus’s exact Ikea desk is currently unavailable, but it comes from the same Micke line as this desk — which, at just 10 inches wider than hers, is still compact enough to fit in most spaces and feels just as “clean, bright, and efficient” (the three words Dominus used to describe her own desk). With two drawers, this desk also has more storage than her one-drawer desk. For more cool-people-approved small desks, head here .

Jeremy Kirkland, host of the Blamo! podcast , was another who told us that he “didn’t understand the value and importance of having a good desk until I started working from home.” Describing himself as a “laptop road warrior” before the pandemic, and always “editing at coffee shops,” Kirkland says he “now realizes my productivity in those environments was 20 percent.” The desk that got him to 100 percent, he says, is this solid-wood design from Artifox. It costs more than the others on this list, but Kirkland says the price is justified by the quality and craftsmanship of the wood, as well as its just right size for a “somewhat close quarters” apartment. He also likes its many thoughtful modern design details, including a hidden area at the back for cable storage and extension cords, pegs for hanging your headphones, and felt hooks that prevent your cables falling to the floor when you unplug your laptop or iPhone. “It’s so modular, with so many setups to fit the way you work,” he adds.

If you’ll be using your home workspace to do more than fire off an email or two, our sources say you might also want a proper desk chair. When a reader wrote in to us about finding the best home-office chair , we spoke to a professional about it (Marc Schwartzberg, a three-decade veteran of the office-furniture industry and the owner of Office Furniture Heaven), who told us that you should think of your office chair like you would your  mattress . Specifically, it needs to be comfortable, as chances are you’re going to spend around eight hours in it every day.

This ergonomically-designed office chair comes recommended to us by Dr. Rudy Gehrman, the founder of wellness center Physio Logic. It has a supportive mesh construction, roller wheels, and the ability to adjust both the armrest and seat height. It’s also very reasonably-priced for a chair with back support, given that a different chair — Herman Miller’s Aeron chair, below — will set you back nearly $1,000.

If your home is going to be your primary office for years to come, you might consider investing in a chair that not only looks nice, but has been designed with long-term desk working in mind. The aforementioned Herman Miller Aeron Chair is the “the Ferrari of desk chairs ,” according to Chris Black, and versions of it (if not the original) can be found in a wide range of offices. It’s the chair that Boyd Steemson, the work-from-home CEO of TotalRock radio, has sat on five days a week for years. “This assemblage of poly-carbon, leather and chrome is perfectly contrived to keep its occupant poised and powerful,” says Steemson, adding that the chair feels like “a hammock you can sit in, ping forward, rock backward, and scoot effortlessly over the carpet on. It’s a triumph.” It has also been recommended to us by  chiropractors , who appreciate the chair’s adjustable lumbar support.

If you’re looking for a chair with a space-saving footprint that still offers some posture support, Dr. Adam Lamb of Lamb Chiropractic told us he personally sits on a stool when he works, because it because it helps him maintain good posture while improving core strength and balance. This stool comes recommended by c hiropractor Dr. Randi Jaffe , who says it “makes it easy to go from sitting to standing” thanks to its adjustable seat.

This kneeling chair (which can easily be rolled under a desk at the end of a workday) has been a Strategist favorite since writer Alice Gregory told us about it back in 2017. Worried about what sitting down all day was doing to her back, Gregory picked up this chair with a design that she says “forces you to engage your core and naturally keeps your spine upright.” After using it for awhile, she continues, “your back muscles strengthen and circulation improves.”

Maybe you don’t want to replace the chair you’ve been working in, but would instead just like to make it a bit more comfortable. For that, contributor Maureen O’Connor says this inexpensive ergonomic attachment is a great way to upgrade a chair that you already own. She explains that the attachable support borrows its design from the Aeron chair, telling us that: “Before Easy Posture, at the end of the day, I felt as though I was two inches shorter than when I started. But like a classic before-and-after, now I’m standing taller and feeling great.”

Another recommendation for upgrading a chair you already own, this gel cushion is what Strategist newsletter editor Mia Leimkuhler uses to make the seat of the dining chair she works from home in more supportive. According to her, the cushion (which comes from the brand that makes one of our favorite firm-but-springy mattresses ) makes it perfectly pleasant to sit “for eight hours in a chair that is not designed to be sat in for eight hours.”

Items to work on-the-go

While most of us spent 2020 sequestered to our homes, there are now more opportunities to work from other spaces, like a nearby coffee shop. For something that’ll turn any surface into more of a standing desk (whether it’s your coffee table or local coffee shop’s table), Strategist contributor Charlotte Klein recommends this converter. She says it “falls somewhere in between a traditional standing-desk converter and a laptop stand,” allowing her to work more ergonomically wherever she happens to be. The stand has five different  configurations that allow you to switch between sitting and standing throughout the day, which experts say is the best way to work. “As far as portability, the Moft, which weighs less than a pound (and claims to support as much as 22 pounds), is very easy to transport: When folded up, it’s the size of a magazine and half-an-inch thick,” adds Klein.

New York  Magazine senior art director and visuals lead Stevie Remsberg told us this nifty umbrella is one of the items she uses to create an outdoor office to take advantage of sunny days. It has a clamp to secure it to a chair and an adjustable shade that she uses to reduce glare on her screen. “It’s small but oblong-shaped, so it gets pretty good coverage if you angle it in the right way,” Remsberg says, adding that “no matter where you’re sitting, you can get it at the right angle to block the sun.”

Remsberg also bought this padded laptop tray, which she notes is way more compact than a table and can easily be brought onto a balcony or fire escape. (Or the couch.) “It works great,” she says. “The beanbag cushion on the bottom is comfortable, too.”

If you’re looking to work from a park or on a lawn, you’ll need a different sort of office chair. Remsberg swears by this “crazy comfortable” one that she says is even ergonomic. “It has substantial lumbar support, so my lower back is supported,” she told us. “It feels like the lumbar pillow I have on my office chair but it’s built into this folding chair.”

Once you’ve got your desk and chair figured out, several of our experts say you might consider getting a lamp . If, like Kim, you want office accessories that look less corporate and more like home décor, you could spring for the classic (but pricey) Anglepoise desk lamp . Or, you could go for this far more affordable Anglepoise–esque desk lamp that Strategist editor Alexis Swerdloff uses, which she says folks have mistaken for the real thing. (When we asked architects about the best desk lamps , one told us that he installed Forsa lamps at every desk in his office.)

Architect Peter Dumbadze has used this clamp lamp at his own desk “for years.” Beyond appreciating its “utilitarian style,” Dumbadze says that clipping a few of the inexpensive lamps around a workspace can create more balanced lighting. “I position the lamps such that I can bounce light off of the walls and ceiling,” he explains.

Another architect-recommended desk lamp, this is the one that New York City–based Scott Oliver told us he’s used while working at home since the days he was in grad school. “I bought a version of this halogen model 30-plus years ago,” he says, “and lo and behold, it is still around.” While it’s a bit more expensive, based on Oliver’s experience, it could very well last until you retire.

Tea and coffee makers

Because free office coffee isn’t a luxury work-from-homers can take advantage of, many of our sources say having an at-home coffee maker is essential to jolting themselves awake in the morning and throughout the day. Strategist contributor Bridget Arsenault , the London editor of Air Mail, who works remotely because her publication is based in New York City, told us she uses a fancy Le Creuset French press to start her morning, calling it her “go-to French press for everyday use,” but if you’re just looking for something that gets the job done, this less expensive option (that’s still fun to look at) comes from our list of the best French press coffee makers (for all budgets).

When it comes to brewing coffee at home, Jamie McCormick, the co-owner of East Village coffee shop Abraço , let us in on a little secret: You really don’t need more than a simple Mr. Coffee drip machine. “People make a big ‘to do’ over a lot of nothing” when it comes to brewing equipment, McCormick told us when we asked him and other baristas about the best coffee machines to use at home, adding that the Mr. Coffee is a great choice for any “amateur coffee roaster who wants to flatter their grounds.”

There are, of course, fancier options. Matt Lopez , an account supervisor at a strategic communications firm tells us this “fantastic, quick, quiet” — if more-expensive — option has a number of features the Mr. Coffee doesn’t, including a “vacuum-insulated carafe that keeps your coffee warm for hours without using an electric heat plate that risks burning the coffee.”

If you want an even easier way to make coffee, a Nespresso will serve you the press of two buttons. Film-and-television producer Steve Abbott ( Monty Python ,  A Fish Called Wanda ) — who has worked from a home office for the last three years — likes a top of the line De’Longhi  bean-to-cup machine , which he reports does “everything from grind your beans to foam your cappucino and steam your milk,” and says it hasn’t broken down in the more than seven years he’s owned it. Arsenault also has a fancier at-home coffee maker she uses when she doesn’t want to futz with her French press, and while hers is not bean-to-cup one like Abbott’s, it is a De’Longhi (for Nespresso) and just as convenient, she says. “I know these aren’t particularly environmentally sound,” she admits, “but I can’t function without coffee and this is so easy and efficient to use. It lives on my counter all year round.”

According to Leimkuhler, “it’s tempting to guzzle coffee after coffee when you work from home, but that all too easily leads to caffeine headaches and dehydration.” To battle the 3 p.m. slump, she instead makes herself a pot of tea with “this lovely infuser and whichever loose-leaf tea I’m feeling at the moment.” Leimkuhler adds that a personal pot of tea is a “nice little ritual” that feels like a self-care perk of working from home.

For those whose tea-making time is money and would prefer a faster way to brew, Strategist contributor David Schwartz told us about Breville’s “groundbreaking” Tea Maker, which does “something that almost all run-of-the-mill coffee makers do: It brews automatically, at any time of day, without you having to do anything but pour in the tea.”

Kitchen items

“If you’re used to working in an office every day, your routine likely includes stepping out for lunch or having it delivered, and making your own can be a big adjustment,” says Leimkuhler. She says this rice cooker (which is also a favorite of cool florist Elle Jaime and Brad Leone ) gets used in her home at least every other day. “In the morning when I make my coffee, I wash and prepare 2–3 cups of rice, then set it to cook. When the rice is done, the cooker keeps it warm all day, so when I’m ready for lunch (or dinner) I have perfectly cooked, hot rice ready to top with anything.” Leimkuhler adds that she purchased her cooker nine years ago, and it’s still going strong.

Another (far less expensive) gadget that makes mealtime less of a chore while working at home is this egg cooker. Jennifer Tsay, the CEO and co-founder of photography studio  Shoott , bought it early on in the pandemic to ensure she didn’t miss breakfast or lunch. The cooker, she says, is “a convenient, handy, and quick little appliance that makes eggs exactly the way you want: It’s perfect for quick breakfasts in a pinch, a much-needed protein-based afternoon snack, or to cook eggs to incorporate into salads or other dishes.”

Architect Samantha Josaphat and Luis Medina, who together lead architecture firm Studio 397 , told us their favorite home office piece is their water carbonator, which they’d recommend to anyone who wants to stay hydrated, but who gets bored of still water and hates the waste (and weight) of buying cans of seltzer. While they still use Sodastream gas containers with it, Josaphat and Medina say they prefer the Aarke’s design to Sodastream’s because it has “a lever as opposed to a button, which makes it more of an experience to use.” (And Strategist editor Maxine Builder also found it to be the most stylish-yet-effective seltzer-maker out there.)

Headphones and speakers

If your home is on a busy street — or filled with busy roommates — you’ll likely be after some headphones soon enough, say many of our people who work from home. For a relatively affordable (if not fully noise-cancelling) corded option, Arsenault recommends these basic in-ear headphones from Master & Dynamic, a brand we’ve written about before ( Black , Michael Strahan , and hotelier Marie Louise Scio are also fans.) “My boyfriend and I both work from home in a one-bedroom flat,” Arsenault told us. “If I need to watch something or if I am transcribing an interview, then I just pop in these headphones.”

For a truly noise-canceling pair of headphones, two folks we talked to — fashion photographer Jacqueline Harriet, who conducts her entire business from home, and Blackburn — recommend Apple’s AirPods Pro. Strategist contributor Sarah Wexler also praised these larger AirPods, which she says stay in place better than any wireless headphones she’s used before. According to Harriet, their Bluetooth connectivity gives them an added benefit while working from home: “I like them because you can dance and do your chores while making conference calls with clients.” (For more earbuds, be sure to check out the selection from various brands that we tested .)

For an over-ear noise-canceling option, Sony’s newly released WH-1000XM4 headphones are the next generation of what Strategist contributor David Pogue has called the “best wireless headphones he’s over owned.” One writer of this piece (Louis Cheslaw) tested the XM4s and found that the newer model, even if marginally, is better for working from home than its predecessor, thanks to features including a lift-to-pause technology and the ability to connect the headphones to two devices at once via Bluetooth. For more headphones (both noise-canceling and not) at a range of prices, here’s a list of the favorites we’ve tested over the years.

People who don’t wear headphones (they do exist) looking for a better way to listen (and talk) during video calls should consider this inexpensive plug-in headset that Strategist senior editor Anthony Rotunno uses on Zoom calls. The headset, he writes, “tethers me to more professional environments and makes me feel like the CEO of my new office of one.” While it can plug directly into any device with an old-school headphone jack, newer machines may require an adapter like this one to be compatible.

Sometimes our workers-from-home say they want whatever they’re listening to to come from a source a bit further from their ear drums. This speaker is what Sophia Kardonski, the co-founder of Miami’s Sobremesa dancing supper club (who runs her business from her home five days a week) uses during her workdays. “The battery life lasts forever,” she says, adding that it’s called the Revolve for a reason: “The sound really does revolve around the room, it’s like a portable surround sound system.” While Bose makes a top-of-the-line portable speaker, we’ve written about other well-regarded ones at varying price points here .

This less-expensive and more-colorful Bluetooth speaker is what writer Jia Tolentino relies on. In her words, the (fully waterproof) speaker hits the two most important qualities for a portable speaker: It “sounds great” and “syncs instantly.”

Computer and laptop accessories

If you’re planning to work from home on an Apple computer, writer Emma Grillo told us she bought this keyboard with a gift card she won for good performance at her first internship. “I work off of a really small laptop, and typing all day is so much easier on this portable keyboard, which is bigger and easier to use than my laptop,” she says.

The one issue with flat keyboards like Apple’s Magic Keyboard is that too much time typing at one can result in sore wrists at best and carpal tunnel (or more) at worst, according to physical therapist and board-certified athletic trainer Dr. Scott Weiss. “The wrong mouse-and-keyboard setup can wreak physical havoc on your hand, wrist, and forearm,” Weiss told our tech writer Jordan Bowman. Those looking for an ergonomic keyboard should consider this model that Verge editors told Bowman they love for its comfort-driven features, such as a supportive wrist pad and contoured design, without any of the add-ons that can quickly make ergonomic keyboards super expensive (like rechargeable batteries and backlit keys). According to this keyboard’s fans, it’s a functional option that “still looks and feels like a high-end professional product.”

When it comes to an ergonomic mouse, four experts Bowman talked to about the best wireless mouses recommended this one. Beyond being designed to comfortably fit the shape of your hand, the mouse’s customizable thumb wheel can be set to scroll left-to-right across your screen, which a video creator says is a “huge” help when moving through a film’s timeline.

If you, like Leimkuhler, find the feeling of using a mouse on a desk or table to be “a little like nails on a chalkboard,” you might want to consider picking up a mousepad. The one she uses is a (now sold out) Yayoi Kusama mousepad from the MoMA Design Store, which adds a pop of color to her desk while also protecting it. This still-available Roy Lichtenstein design that Leimkuhler pointed us to would have the same effect, she says.

To solve her bedroom’s (relatable) single-outlet problem, Kathy Li, the Strategist’s audience growth coordinator, bought a “ridiculously long” 15-foot extension cord. Now, she says her phone and other devices can happily charge on her desk while she works, even though the outlet remains “all the way on the other side” of her room.

“One of my biggest complaints about working from home is not having a full-sized monitor,” Blackburn told us. He says that this iPad stand helps simulate a monitor for him by raising his iPad to the level and angle of his laptop screen, so he can use it as a second screen for his laptop. He adds that this “sturdy, affordable” holder (which can also fit a phone) is great “if you just want to have YouTube on while you work.” Blackburn adds that newer iPads have built-in technology should you want to use them as a second display for your laptop screen instead of YouTube (and that the dual-display function can be added to older iPads using Duet Display. )

According to Strategist writer Jenna Milliner-Waddell, this inexpensive doodad allows you to use your phone as a second monitor of sorts. It holds a phone side-by-side with a laptop screen, “so when calls, texts, or email notifications come in, I can simply glance over to see what’s going on without breaking contact with my keyboard or computer screen, significantly improving the number of uninterrupted hours I work a day.”

If you’re looking for a proper monitor, Lynch has high praise for this one, which he says basically changed everything about his work-from-home life . “Having room for two documents side by side on my screen, rather than having to flip back and forth between them, made me work so much faster,” he says, noting how handy monitors can be for those who try to keep dozens of windows open on a tiny laptop screen. Lynch adds that the monitor’s stand can be raised, lowered, and tilted across four different planes to create the perfect display setup.

“I love this thing,” Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo says of this flexible phone holder, which she has called her best WFH-related purchase. Since buying it, Corsillo told us she’s used it “for yoga, to watch TV in the bath, to talk to friends while baking, and to take photographs for articles.” Her partner, she adds, has even borrowed it for his own remote work as a teacher.

Kardonski told us that she tends to work most often from her couch, with her computer on her lap. She says after being “sketched out by my laptop sitting on my ovaries for hours, and feeling like it’s zapping my insides” she bought this DefenderPad shield, which slides right under the laptop and uses EMF shielding technology to combat radiation. It might cost a lot for a tech accessory, she says, “but considering a laptop case can easily be over $60, the portability and peace of mind this pad gives me is definitely worth it.”

Sarah Weingust, the founder and CEO of travel company HostelPass (who from her home runs a business with employees all over the world), says this small stand that “sticks onto the bottom of your laptop” is helpful for two reasons. “I find it helps most with my posture and comfort, but also can be really helpful to keep my computer cool if I’m running a lot of programs,” she told us. “It props up my laptop and doesn’t cover the fan, making it easier for air to flow and keeping my computer from getting overheated.” Weingust adds that, for such a small stand, it doesn’t move even if she’s “typing up a storm” and that it has three levels to choose from, including an option to lie flat as if it wasn’t there. If you’re looking for other ways to keep your electronics fresh and high-performing, check out our expert-recommended guide to everything you need to clean tech products.

Strategist contributor Liz Carey — a television writer who works a lot from home — praised this affordable, adjustable table as an essential piece of gear, saying it helps her to maintain a better posture when she spends hours working from the desk in her bedroom. “The tabletop can be tilted, and you adjust its height via two buttons on either of its legs,” she writes. “If I put it on top of the regular desk I work from in my bedroom, the setup affords me enough height that you could call it a makeshift standing desk.” It also allows her to work from her bed (which more than one of our sources say they will do from time to time). “Perched on my mattress , the table stands tall enough that I can extend my legs beneath it or sit cross-legged.”

For a sleeker-looking stand that could support a laptop or monitor (though probably not in bed), communications strategist Amy Lebowitz told us she ingeniously repurposed this kitchen storage rack (designed by Strategist favorite brand Yamazaki Home) to instead “prop up my second monitor at eye level without taking up a bunch of space on my desk.” She describes it as a “great design” that allows her to store things underneath her monitor — something you just can’t do with a stack of books.

Maybe after a year of barking at a screen or into your headphones’ microphone, you’re realizing you need a better way to be heard during all those Zoom meetings. If so, two different professionals told us this USB microphone is the best thing they got for working from home . Strategist contributor Laura Fenton , the author of  The Little Book of Living Small , says she bought hers after “one too many tinny-sounding interviews,” promising that the device is “easy enough for a non-techie person like myself to use.” Jon Lincoln, the founder of online retailer  goimagine , also bought the mic and told us “it has worked great as an inexpensive solution to make sure everyone is heard clearly during our virtual meetings.”

If working from home means you’re also working on a personal computer, you might want to invest in a back-up program, according to Eric Lawton, a freelance designer who works from home five days a week. “Don’t learn the hard way like I did and procrastinate about backing up your files,” he told us, adding that Blackblaze software provides a simple way to get unlimited storage for your computer, as well as any external hard drives attached to it. “It’s a must have for any freelancer whose files are their livelihood.”

Lawton also told us he likes to use this desk protector underneath his laptop and workbooks. “Essentially, it’s just a really comfortable place to rest your wrists and arms,” he told us. For more lap desks to consider, we’ve listed the best-reviewed ones on Amazon here .

Comfort-driven accessories

While you should probably change out of your pajamas, the folks we spoke to say that a proven work-from-home benefit is being able to add a dash more comfort to your work environment. Just as you might use one to warm you up in a chilly office, a blanket can be a nice accessory to keep you cozy while working at home, too, according to Arsenault (“If I’m working at the kitchen table, I wrap myself in a blanket.”). Her go-to is a luxe merino-and-cashmere blanket , but if you’re looking for something more affordable that simply looks nice and will keep you comfy, this faux fur throw from our list of interior-designer-recommended blankets should do the trick. According to the designer who recommended it, it’s “inexpensive, easy to maintain, has a great look, and is ultra-soft.”

These weren’t marketing manager Summer Langton’s first pair of blue-light-blocking glasses , but she tells us they were the first that worked. “They have a slight warm yellow tint to them,” she explains, “which really helps me with eye fatigue. I fully notice the difference at night if I’ve worn these all day vs. if I haven’t.”

Hannah Richtman, the owner of Brooklyn vintage store The Break , says this aesthetically pleasing humidifier is the first thing that comes to mind as a work from home essential. “It’s changed the way I wake up in the morning (sore-throat free) and actually looks nice in my home,” she says, adding that the humidifier has also stopped her from having to remind herself that “you don’t have COVID, the air in your apartment is just dry.”

While you don’t need to put on dress shoes if you’re working from home, a pair of slippers is crucial for keeping your feet warm and clean, according to Lawton ( and Black ). “It’s hard finding house slippers that are comfortable, well-designed, and not covered in fur,” Lawton says. But he swears that these loungers from Allbirds are all three. They “fit the bill perfectly — so much so that my girlfriend and I have matching pairs,” he adds. For a more (non-fur-covered) footwear you can wear inside and on the occasional errand, check out our cool-person-approved list of slides for men and women.

Perhaps, like Fast Company associate editor Yasmin Gagne , you too have been able to take advantage of the “five-minute midday shower” that she often treats herself to while working from home. On days when she showers and doesn’t have to show face at any Zoom meetings afterwards, Gagne told us she’ll wear “this weird towel/turban at my desk,” adding that it makes her “hair dries faster” and “doesn’t get my shirt all wet.”

To soothe tech neck from staring at her computer screen all day, Strategist writer Chloe Anello invested in this acupressure mat and pillow. “I put it on my couch and lay on it while I answer emails,” she says. “Going through my inbox is much less stressful when doing it from an acupressure mat.”

If you don’t currently have the funds to invest in a new ergonomic chair or desk, Apothékary  founder Shizu Okusa suggests using this affordable posture corrector. Her mother bought one for each member of her family when they were all working at less-than-ideal ergonomic setups at home. “This strap holds your shoulders back for you, which ultimately makes it difficult to sit with a curved spine, and over time your muscles are conditioned to support better posture (even if you’re not wearing the strap),” she says.

“In the same way  certain upper-back braces  use tension to pull your shoulders back to encourage better posture, the S’portBacker uses tension to tilt your pelvis slightly forward and prop you up to encourage better posture while seated,” explains Klein, who uses this when working on low-back chairs or stools. “I have a hard time maintaining an upright posture in a chair without a back; no matter how hard I try to keep my core engaged, I typically (subconsciously) end up slouching and rounding my shoulders or overarching in a way that gives me lower-back aches,” she says. “But the S’portBacker makes it easier to keep my core activated (without overcompensating in my back).”

Last year, our beauty writer Rio Viera-Newton invested in this tinier version of the massage tool beloved by athletes as a way to soothe muscles (and stress) from WFH. Skeptical of its size — “it’s only a touch bigger than my hand and a lot lighter than my MacBook Air” — she was blown away by its power. “At three different speeds, it vigorously vibrates to loosen up muscles while the attachment ball thrusts up and down, massaging deep into those sore spots.” It has another fan in Lumen co-founder Merav Mor, who also bought the Theragun Mini after she started working from home during the pandemic. “I use my Theragun to give myself a soothing shoulder massage between meetings or to just relieve sore muscles,” she says.

Things to keep you focused

If your brain is understandably struggling to switch between work and rest modes without the change of scenery, Richtman recommends these focus-enhancing supplements from the Nue Co. (a brand we’ve written about before ), which she says have helped her feel more “control over my health and well-being.” Since she’s started taking them, Richtman says she’s “repainted my entire apartment, learned how to groom my dog, and felt much more aligned with my daily to-do list.”

When she’s approaching an afternoon slump, Gagne says that putting a dropper’s worth of this ( less-expensive ) liquid supplement in a glass of water “actually works.” She adds: “It tastes like dirt, but placebo effect or not, I feel like I can focus better afterwards.”

Julianne Fraser, the founder and CEO of digital-marketing agency  Dialogue New York , says her biggest challenge with working from home was finding ways to set boundaries between home and work life. Then she discovered the Instagram-famous Loftie alarm clock. “It has greatly improved my sleep quality,” Fraser says, because in addition to working as a wake-up alarm (allowing her to leave her phone outside of her bedroom), the clock is also a night-light and speaker that can play music, sound baths, guided meditations, and breath-work sessions. “I fall asleep to the sound baths and use the breath-work and meditation features instead of scrolling through my Instagram feed.”

“It’s the straw,” Langton says, that elevates this water bottle from just another vessel for keeping hydrated into a true WFH-essential. “I love that I can drink hands-free while I’m typing,” she explains, adding that she likes using a clear bottle (versus the opaque Hydroflasks and Yetis) because she can “see how much water I have left.” Her love for the Eddy+ was confirmed, Langton adds, when she relocated to her family’s house earlier this year, forgot to bring it with her, and ended up ordering another immediately. (We’ve also described it as one of the best water bottles that you can buy on Amazon.)

Grillo told us that she turns this lava lamp on whenever she sits down to work. “It sounds kind of ridiculous, but it always makes me smile to look at,” she says. “Freelancing and working from home can be really stressful, so it’s nice to just zone out to my lava lamp for a few minutes, and remind myself how lucky I am to get to do what I do.” As for how it works, Grillo says it usually takes the lava lamp about 20 minutes after you turn it on to really get going, which she uses as a timer. “By the time the insides are bouncing around, I aim to be pretty deep into my work and no longer doing clerical emails and invoices.”

Grillo adds that she always keeps a “chunk” of purple amethyst crystal on her desk, because as well as being aesthetically pleasing, a former meditation professor told her it prevents harmful rays from electronics. “I even brought a chunk with me every day to an internship when I was 21, which I think thoroughly freaked out my boss,” she adds.

Strategist editor Maxine Builder wrote about how this satisfying block color timer is the “only thing that helps her avoid Twitter,” claiming that it helps her work for two hours straight without feeling burned out. Just flip the cube to display the time you’d like to count down from and the timer will begin, allowing you to give yourself a guilt-free break on social media between timed chunks of work.

“Taking breaks is necessary” when working from home, Black wrote when a reader asked him for things that could make an office of one more enjoyable. He added that it helps to “walk around the block, or do something physical to keep the blood flowing.” If you can’t walk around the block, Black recommends these handles you can use to get a few push-ups in (and perfect your technique) at home. As he puts it: “You don’t get pecs from writing emails!”

With additional reporting by Dominique Pariso.

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Joe Alwyn has ‘moved on’ from ex Taylor Swift, he’s ‘dating and happy’: report

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No bad blood over here.

Joe Alwyn has “moved on” from his ill-fated romance with Taylor Swift and is dating someone new, according to a report.

The actor, 33, is “doing well” and “focused on work,” a source told People , adding that Alwyn has kickstarted a new romance since his split from the 14-time Grammy winner last year.

“He’s dating and happy,” the insider adds. “He’s a great guy and not into drama in any way.”

The source said that Alwyn “certainly doesn’t talk poorly” about his ex, 34. “He was in love with her, and it just didn’t work out.”

“Joe loves acting, but can’t stand the attention that comes with it. He’s not comfortable in the spotlight,” the insider added, noting that the actor was always keen to keep details of their relationship “his own personal story.”

Page Six has reached out to Alwyn’s reps for comment.

Swift, for her part, has since moved on with three-time Super Bowl champ and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, whom she started dating last summer .

As for her ill-fated romance with Alwyn, the “Bad Blood” hitmaker began dating the Brit in 2016 before their relationship ultimately hit the rocks in April 2023.

The duo largely  kept their romance out of the spotlight  until news broke of their split last year .

Prior to meeting Alwyn, the “Cruel Summer” singer said that she  did not “like” having to “hide”  in relationships.

Several songs on Swift’s much-anticipated 11th studio album “The Tortured Poets Department,” center on her failed six-year relationship  with the “Conversations with Friends” actor.

Swift seemingly  shaded her ex on the 31-track album  in her song “So Long, London,” which is where she  lived with him for six years .

The lyrics mention “stop[ping] CPR” on a relationship since “the spirit was gone” and the couple would “never come to” again.

Elsewhere in the song, Swift sings that she “died on the altar waiting for proof” of their “love.”

Buy “The Tortured Poets Department” Vinyl + Bonus Track “The Manuscript”

In her song “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” Swift sings, “I don’t even want you back / I just want to know / If rusting my sparkling summer was the goal.”

“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” “The Black Dog,” and “LOML” and also appear to be about the movie star.

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Swift’s lyrics hint at how miserable she was throughout their romance, specifically over how Alwyn went back on his plans to have a future with her.

The singer also threw her own social media shade following the album’s release,  “liking” an Instagram carousel  with an image  ranking her boyfriends  — with Alwyn at the bottom of the pyramid.

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‘Conan O’Brien Must Go’ Is a Keeper: TV Review

Legendary talk show host and hot wing evangelist returns to television with hilarious new Max travel show

By Stephen Rodrick

Stephen Rodrick

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The key to understanding Conan O’Brien’s comedy is knowing that it comes from a point of kindness. Yes, I know in this age of comics punching down , this kind of compliment may leave you with a neon “Must Avoid!” sign flashing in your bleary eyes — but stay with me.

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Conan’s three-decade run as a talk show host ended in 2021 under less-than-optimal circumstances , as he wound down his TBS show during the pandemic year. He talked to longtime sidekick Andy Richter , who sat among dozens of cardboard cutout fans. O’Brien quipped that they were last in line for the vaccine because the CDC had looked at the shows and “they said ours is the least essential of pretty much all the non-essential shows.”

There was some truth in that, but Conan had already started his move to other outlets , starting with his “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast in 2018.

The podcast is funny and sweet, especially the pre-interview segments with longtime associate Sona Movsesian and producer Matt Gourley. Conan mocks Sona’s legendarily bad work habits. and Gourley’s flea market predilections, but any kind of comedic acid is reserved for the self-lacerating O’Brien. (On a recent episode, Conan runs down his own looks, and it is cruel and hilarious, but part of me is thinking, “Dude, cut yourself a break.”). The only time things get contentious is when Conan visited by longtime friend Kevin Nealon — perhaps the podcast’s best episodes.

The podcast had an offshoot called “Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan,” on which O’Brien would talk to a fan, often in a faraway land. That led to O’Brien traveling to Norway, Thailand, Ireland and Argentina to meet them. Why? Well, a dour and ominous narrator, aka Werner Herzog, offered this rationale at the beginning of each episode: “Once a proud talk show host, he’s been driven by a changing ecosystem to a drier and harsher climate: the weekly podcast. Here , without the nourishment of his studio audience, this clown with dull , tiny eyes, the eye of a crudely painted doll , is forced to feed on that meagerest of morsels: the random call-in fan. Unhinged by the feral scent of their mild enthusiasm. He scavenges in distant lands uninvited, fueled by a bottomless hunger for recognition , and the occasional selfie.”

It’s a self-deprecating bit, but it’s also the truth. Conan has been doing travel shows for years, most notably one to Movsesian’s native Armenia , as well as a chaotic trip to Finland where O’Brien is treated as a god because of his physical resemblance to the Finnish president who happens to be a woman. He clearly loves the journey. And he loves the comedy set piece–see his classic “Old Timey Baseball” opus — which has always been an essential part of his appeal.

The encounters work because O’Brien doesn’t treat his new friends as fools — rather , he revels in the fact that he is the fool. (See his instant-classic appearance on “Hot Ones,” the show where interviews are conducted while the celebrity consumes increasingly acidic chicken wings. Conan rhapsodizes on comedy being all around us as green-yellow mucus drips down his nose.) Of course, there are exceptions made for old friends. Conan goes out for asada in Buenos Aires with the effete and erudite Jordan Schlansky, a longtime producer and frenemy. Schlansky and Conan are the Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon of American cable , and on his TBS show and podcast the two have tangled over Japanese customs, Conan hosting Schlansky’s bachelor party in his own office, and Schlansky hiding an expensive Espresso machine in an inaccessible part of their offices. (As with the Courtney Thorne-Smith segment, Conan’s visceral malice toward Schlansky works because it is so out-of-character).

During the Argentina episode, they get into a fierce argument about the proper pronunciation of the word “tango,” Conan then licks Schlansky’s favorite cut of meat — wait, that came out wrong. After, they go on an ill-fated trip to the Pampas, where both fail spectacularly at gaucho life.

Not everything works. O’Brien does a self-referential bit about the expensive drone he is using on the first show , and for the next four episodes I am distracted every time I see a beautiful shot thinking about the drone’s specifications and capabilities. Some of the stuff goes on a bit long, but so does my writing.

These are minor quibbles. If you’re a Conan fan, you’ll treasure the trips, just like his completists treasure encounters with a masturbating bear. The series ends with Conan tracing his family’s roots in Ireland. He comes across his ancestor’s land, makes a few jokes, but then looks at the land, clearly moved. Conan O’Brien has played the fool long enough; we grant him this moment of humanity with all our hearts.

All four episodes of “Conan O’Brien Must Go” are now available on Max.

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