13 Things Savvy Travelers Never Forget to Pack

You’ve saved up to help pay for a dream trip and now you’re on the way to somewhere exciting. Maybe international, maybe domestic. Either way, you’re flying high (literally) and this feeling is going to last until you’re hit with a realization. You forgot something.

No matter how many times you travel, it happens to the best of us — sometimes, we overlook a few essentials. Fortunately, we’re here to remind you that these 13 items need a spot in your baggage. And we’ve got a few tricks to share so you can pack more efficiently. If you want to snag any of these products for your next trip, be sure to save money with these Amazon shopper hacks.

If you’ve been saving for an epic vacation, the last thing you want are any mishaps once you’re on your trip. And forgetting a charger for your phone could be considered a mishap. Rather than settling for your common wall charger, consider bringing a power bank as well. These can help you stay charged even if there aren’t any outlets nearby.

2-pack Miady chargers, $21.99 on Amazon

If you weren’t aware, electricity is used in different ways depending on where you travel. By that, I mean you might run into different types of plugs, outlets, and voltages in other countries. For travelers heading abroad, a universal travel adapter can come in handy. Just make sure you know how much power your adapter can handle (beware of hairdryers).

EPICKA universal travel adapter, $22.99 on Amazon

It’s common to run into merchants that only accept cash on your travels. (Street food vendors, anyone?) But for the most part, a credit card on the Visa or Mastercard networks will be accepted worldwide. For a card with flight benefits, check out our list of the best airline credit cards. For a card with hotel benefits, check out our list of the best hotel credit cards.

It’s easy to get a new toothbrush if you forget to bring one, but one you buy at a local store might not be as convenient as something like the quip. This electric toothbrush comes with a travel cover and can hold a charge on a simple AAA battery for up to three months. And it’s just the right size for packing light.

Quip electric toothbrush, $32.00 on Amazon

How do you pack for something you can’t always predict, like the weather? The forecast might say sunny and bright, but a few dark clouds in the distance might say something else. Rather than thinking you won’t need one or forgetting it altogether, pack a rain jacket that’s lightweight, waterproof, and doesn’t take up much space.

Avoogue women’s raincoat, $25.49 on Amazon

A proper first aid kit should have a variety of supplies, including items to help with minor scrapes, cuts, burns, and bruises. It also wouldn’t hurt to have some over-the-counter medicine on hand to help relieve certain aches and pains. After all, just because you’re traveling doesn’t mean you’re invincible.

All-purpose first aid kit, $20.57 on Amazon

You’ve arrived at your destination, it’s sunny, and… oh, it’s very sunny. A bit too bright, and your sunglasses are nowhere to be seen. If you want to avoid this situation, pack a pair of stylish sunglasses that can help protect your eyes from the glaring rays of the fireball in the sky. You’ll look good and feel good.

Classic aviator sunglasses, $13.99 on Amazon

Do you dread packing your bags for a trip? Are you the type of person to wait until the last moment (the night before) to get everything packed? Well, packing cubes might not change your packing timeframe, but they can at least help keep you organized. These cubes can make it much easier to sort through your belongings before, during, and after your travels.

6-set of packing cubes, $22.99 on Amazon

You might not care about bringing these toiletries along if you’re staying in a hotel or somewhere that provides shampoo and conditioner. But if you have specific brands you like to use, it’s worth it to invest in your own travel set of toiletry bottles. They’re easy to fill and use, plus they follow TSA guidelines.

17-piece travel bottle set, $13.99 on Amazon

In addition to your toiletries, you don’t want to forget any necessary medicine or vitamins. But do you need huge bottles of them? Unless you’re traveling for a while, most likely not. The capsule from Cadence can help keep small numbers of pills and other products safe and organized in your bag.

The capsule, $14.00 at Cadence

Ziploc bags or other types of plastic bags are real game changers for travelers. They have so many uses, such as packing food, holding dirty clothes, keeping your electronics dry, and more. As an added bonus, they’re very easy to pack since they’ll fit just about anywhere.

Ziploc storage bags, $8.65 on Amazon

You don’t want to try bringing a filled water bottle through airport security, but it’s completely fine to fill up a bottle once you’re through a TSA checkpoint. To help make your packing more efficient, a collapsible water bottle could be useful. Pop it out when you need some liquid refreshment, then stow it away when it’s not being used.

Nomader collapsible water bottle, $24.95 on Amazon

Along with a collapsible water bottle, you might also consider bringing a collapsible daypack. You wouldn’t likely use this type of bag until you reach your destination. At that point, you can unroll it from your luggage and then throw in whatever you need for the day, such as drinks, snacks, and sunscreen.

Cotopaxi Luzon daypack, $55.00 on Amazon

We can’t always remember everything we want to bring for a trip, but we can do our best to pack the essentials. The more prepared you are, the easier and more stress-free your travels are likely to be. To help save money and solidify your preparations, consider using a travel credit card. 

These types of cards typically earn points or miles, which you can often redeem for flights, hotel stays, rental cars, and more. Imagine seeing some of your biggest travel expenses disappear like that. For more information, check out our list of the best travel credit cards.