My 8 Travel Essentials

Of course travelling can get stressful and one way I help lower the stress that comes with packing, is that I keep a list of travel essentials I need.

I’m not including a travel bag and passport, because these are a given. These are my travel essentials that are not limited to the destination or type of travel.

1. Ziploc Bags Really? Well, yes. They are a great way of keeping items clean that need to be clean like your tooth brush, keeping batteries clean and separate from your electronics, and a good way of just not throwing the items in your bag, as they are easily noticeable when you need to look for them.
2. Travel Sized Products Depending on the country/airline, you maybe limited on the size of the liquid products you can carry into the airport and on the airplane, so travel sizes products are a great way of bringing what you need and at a size that is suitable for travel (if you are travelling for a week or so, you don’t need a whole tube of toothpaste – if needed, buy more when you reach your destination).
3. Smartphone Nowadays with a smartphone, you may not even need a laptop or a camera. You can make calls, lookup things on the Internet and cameras on a smartphone aren’t that bad for the non-professional/occasional photographer or for very short trips.
4. Laptop I use a laptop but you can also use a tablet, like an iPad. If you are going to bring a tablet, I would recommend one where you can use a USB. Why? I recommend putting private documents on a USB drive, in case your laptop or tablet gets stolen and going through border security and your camera may require a USB connection.
5. Camera Whether it’d be a advanced/compact, semi-professional or professional camera, you’ll most likely want to bring a camera. I normally use my smartphone as a backup and for certain social media platforms like Instagram. Remember to bring your recharger and a spare battery.
6. Power Adapter If you are travelling abroad, you’ll mostly likely need a international/all-in-one power adapter. I’m currently using Maple Leaf Adapter Plugs, an all-in-one power adapter. I would recommend an all-in-one power adapter, which you can probably find for about $25 USD/CAD, so you can travel anywhere and not have to worry about it – make sure you check the product to see if there are countries/regions it won’t work.
7. Laundry Bag You should have a separate bag for your laundry. Why would you want to mix your dirty clothes with your clean clothes? A laundry bag is essential for hygiene.
8. File Folder I always bring one file folder that has twin pockets, so the file folder can hold travel documents. Why a file folder? It’s a great way of keeping important travel documents in one place. I hold on to the file folder while going through airport until I reach my gate, then I put it in my bag until I reach my destination and find a taxi. I don’t like opening my travel bag and stumbling through my travel bag to find my travel documents.

What do you put in this file folder? Airline tickets, ticket purchase receipt, hotel receipt, passport, travel itinerary and other related travel documents.