Travel Essentials & Tips

I started travelling a lot with my parents when I was still in elementary school. We used to go on a family trip once or twice a year and I would depend on my parents to tell me what to pack. Now that I'm older and have travelled by myself a good number of times, I've determined what my must-have travel items are. Below are my top 5 travel essentials and some extra travel trips.

1. Folder with tabs/dividers
I put copies of my itinerary and vouchers in order of when the time and date I need to use them. I usually stick my passport in the front part too so I don't have to dig through my bag for it. I use an actual folder (pictured above), but I'll probably get something closer to the Ted Baker organizer below as that fits into smaller bags.

2. Passport holder
I use the Louis Vuitton passport holder since it has enough card slots to hold my credit cards and hotel key cards and I've found that LV canvas is really durable. There are cheaper ones, but I would suggest getting one that doesn't say 'passport' on the front.

3. Portable charger
A portable charger is super useful when all those airport chargers are full or if you're stuck somewhere with no wall outlets! They're also very affordable and, depending on which model you get, can charge multiple devices at once. I bought my Anker one for about $25CAD on Amazon.

4. Water bottle
Any water bottle will do, but I like using the S'well water bottle as it doesn't make water taste funny and it's a lot lighter than a glass water bottle (ex. the BKR water bottle).

5. Hanging toiletries bag
If you're like me and hate clutter on the bathroom counter, a hanging toiletries bag is a must-have for travel. I keep all my toiletries in here other than my makeup and makeup brushes. It also helps when you're packing up to leave as you're less likely to leave something behind if everything is in the same place! I have a different one than the one pictured, but you can pretty much buy these type of bags anywhere.

EXTRA TIPS

• DRINK TONS OF WATER! I always bring my own water bottle so I can fill it instead of asking the flight attendants for a tiny cup of water every few minutes. Drinking water helps prevent jet lag and keeps your skin looking fresh, which really helps on long-haul flights. If you don't want to be bothered having to go to the washroom every hour after drinking all that water, I suggest bringing a hydrating facial spray. I use the Avene Thermal Spring Water as it has no fragrance and it keeps helps my skin look hydrated. 

• Roll your clothes to save space and reduce wrinkled clothing. To be even more organized, put the rolled clothing into packing cubes. I've read that Eagle Creek Packing Cubes are quite good and I'll probably buy some before my next long haul flight.