When I travel there are just some things I never leave home without. Regardless of my destination or transportation type, I generally keep these things ready in my travel “go” bag at all times.
Today I’m going to share my essentials with you and why I think they’re worth the space and hassle to drag along on our adventures.
Please note, this post includes affiliate links. If you purchase any of these items, you get a lovely product and I get a small commission for connecting you.
What makes it essential?
Travel essentials are the little things that make a big difference on my trip. They are the steadfast, go-to things that I always need and can’t live without.
For me, essentials need to be worth their weight and volume, literally. I try to pack as lightly as possible so I’m free to actually move and do on my trip, rather than being held hostage by bulky bags and heavy gear.
My husband is chronically afraid he will forget something he wants while on his trip. His backpack is stuffed to the brim and he brings many more outfits than days we have to travel. So. Many. Socks.
In embrace of my wander woven travel philosophy, I’ve culled this list of “essentials” over the years to the bare bones of what I need to accomplish the goal of nearly all trips.
I encourage you to use my list as a starting point, combine with what you already know about yourself and your upcoming trips and build an essential packing list so you’re never without your very own must haves.
Pro Tip: No matter where on Earth you are traveling, you will most likely, without a doubt have an opportunity to buy something you may have forgotten. It isn’t always the most affordable approach, but it is ok to forget things from time to time.
Things I never leave home without
I’ve grouped my must-have travel essentials into three categories – personal items, utility items, and things that support my WanderWoven Travel philosophy. Enjoy!
Essential Personal Items
Personal essentials for me are things that I have within easy access throughout my trip. They get plunked into my backpack, purse, or pocket throughout the trip. In fact, I rarely leave my house without these things.
Nalgene Wide Mouth 32oz Bottle
I’ve had one of these bottles by my side at nearly all times for nearly two decades. Wide mouth bottles are easy to fill anywhere, easy to drink from and the loop top is a convenient handle.
Yes, new drink bottles come out everyday. I stick with my old standard.
Purell Travel Hand Sanitizer
If we learned nothing from COVID (and we should probably learn something) it is that the world is a pretty germy place. And we also learned that managing those germs can help keep us healthier. I never travel without hand sanitizer which I can use to clean my hands and surfaces, or use like disinfecting wipe when pared with a food court napkin.
I prefer sanitizer with aloe because I notice it actually keeps my hands from getting too dry.
Burt’s Bees Ultra Hydrating Chapstick
I have Burt’s Bees chapsticks all over my house – I love all the different flavors and varieties. When traveling I prefer something that’s a bit more hydrating than in my day-to-day.
Several of the stores near me only carry this intermittently, so I try to stock up on Amazon when I can. Don’t leave home without it, especially if you’ll be adventuring outdoors on your trip.
Essential Utility Items
Utility items are those that are generally useful. They solve or avoid some type of problem, or help me pass the travel downtime conveniently. This is the area of the list where I’ve made the most adjustments over the years – trying new things and refining the collection of essentials to the bare bones. If I got the opportunity to head out of town with little warning, these are what I’d throw in my bag (see bag below too!)
USB C Fast Charger by Anker
I’m a Samsung user for life and I turn again and again to charging products by Anker. High quality, long-lasting, I find Anker gives great value for my money. Fast chargers are essential for travel! In less than an hour I can go from zero battery to full.
Also compatible with iPhones!
JBL Vibe Beam Earbuds
No, these are not your top of the line premium earbuds. But, hear me out.
They sound great! They fit my ears. They come in a cute and convenient case/charger. They have long battery life.
And at less than $40 a pair (at the time of writing) I can afford to accidently lose them.
I also buy these for my kids (who lose stuff constantly). Highly recommend!
Brooks Adrenaline GTS Running Shoes
I’ve been running in Adrenaline’s for over 15 years now and they are still my go-to for running, mild hiking, and walking.
Whether we’re at the amusement park, the shopping mall, or the streets of San Francisco, I’ve got my Adrenalines on. I’m an overpronator susceptible to plantar fasciitis, and my Adrenalines keep me aligned and comfortable.
Oh, and the color choices are endless.
Rangeland 21L Backpack
This bag is among the single best things I have ever bought for traveling. After struggling with other backpacks and supposed “under the seat” carry-on bags, I donated them all and bought this bag. Now I own several in case something happens to the OG!
Roomy, comfortable to carry, flexible to accomodate all my packing configurations, I cherish this bag.
Comes in a variety of colors and runs you less than $40 at the time of writing. Score!
Away Carry-On Flex Suitcase
After struggling with ever increasingly expensive and unreliable Samsung carry-ons, my husband surprised me with my very own Away bag for my birthday last year.
I was skeptical whether a carry on could be worth the hype and this price tag. I’m happy to enthusiastically report, YES!
This bag rolls with ease, holds my stuff gently and securely and looks fantastic. Available in lots of colors, I have the Coastal Blue one shown here.
Use this link and save $40 off your next purchase!
Handheld Suitcase Scale
Too many times we’ve had too much anxiety before and during our trip about how much our luggage weighs.
I fixed the problem forever with this handly little scale. I keep it in our checked bag at all times so we never forget it (yep, I’ve done that too!)
This little number weighs bags up to 110# (great for ski bags) and has a hand light that tells you whether your over or under the common 50# threshold.
Kindle Paperwhite
Reading is my favorite activity on flights. And I love little more than browsing bookstores in the airport.
However, I can’t afford the space or the purchase price of all the new lovely books I’d love to buy and lug around with me on my trip.
Instead, I invested in an upgrade from my Gen1 Kindle a couple years ago with this Paperwhite and I’ve never been so happy.
WanderWoven Travel Essentials
Last but not least are my WanderWoven inspired travel essentials. These are must-bring items that help me capture my trip for later reminissing and to help me manage the type of trip I want to have.
Pukka Pad Composition Notebook
I’ve got a whole round-up of my favorite travel journals here, but what I’m carrying with me these days is my beloved Pukka Pad composition notebook.
Silky smooth pages with a durable cover, I take notes, jot down memories, and record the activities of our trip while we’re gone.
Easily slips in to my favorite travel backpack or in the door pocket of the rental car.
Pens? That’s a whole other post 🙂
Canon EOS Rebel t7
While I’ll admit I’m still using the older Rebel t5, the improvements made to the t7 have my drooling (and saving!) over the latest camera from this line.
While I’m not a professional photographer, I do value high-quality but straight forward travel photographs (check out my work on Etsy!).
The Rebel for me has remained a user-friendly camera, durable even when hiking and clamboring around on rock scrambles, and take stunning images.
She’s a lovely friend and I couldn’t imaging traveling without her.
Destination Guidebook
I rarely travel without using a guidebook of some sort for the place we’ve visiting. They help inspire me without the need for cell service or WiFi and are easily shared among my travel companions.
When traveling out of the country, Rick Steves, who taught me to embrace travel and see the world authentically, is absolutely the best.
I used an earlier version of this very book for our trip to France in 2022.
Wrapping-Up
There you have it – all my travel essentials together in one handy list. I hope you’ll explore my recommendations and consider incorporating them into your travel go-to items.
Cheers!
Andrea
