25 Travel Must Haves for Your Next Trip to Make Life Easier

We just came back from a two week trip to Switzerland. Prior to this big trip, I did a lot of research and made a lot of lists to try to make sure we’d have everything we needed for a smooth and enjoyable time. Now that we are back, I can share with you what worked for us first hand! Many of these items are now some of my absolute favorite things. Here are 25 travel must haves for your next trip to make life easier.

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1. Quality Luggage

The suitcases we originally had were getting old and were soft instead of hard shelled. We decided now was the time to invest in some quality hard shelled suitcases. These sets from Calpak were highly recommended and had great reviews. I loved them! You can fit so much into them, and they roll so easily. The smaller one works as a carry on which is also a plus!

Shop this luggage here

2. Roomy Carry Ons

Also from Calpak, this bag was awesome. It fits so much, has lots of pockets including one for a laptop, and is stylish. It also slides over the suitcase handle when extended to roll. Technically it counts as a personal item, so you can carry it on the plane along with the smallest suitcase shown above.

Shop this bag here

3. The Perfect Backpacks

We each (family of 4) had our own backpacks to carry on the plane and also to have for daily excursions while in Switzerland.

I loved my Vera Bradley backpack (this was an older pattern) because of how roomy it was, but also because of the cute and unique pattern. Vera Bradly always has fun and pretty patterns which make it fun to carry around!

Shop Vera Bradley backpacks here

Tim’s backpack was an insulated backpack so that we could use it to pack food for the airport as well as lunches for day outings while on vacation. This worked great! It was so handy to have what was basically a cooler you could carry around as a backpack! (Don’t forget to pack some ice packs.)

Shop this insulated backpack here

The backpacks my boys used (ages 16 and 20) were the ones they use in high school and college.

Shop this backpack here

Tyler especially loves his backpack because of all the compartments it has. It works great for him at college and on this trip!

Shop this backpack here

4. Packing Cubes

These packing cubes were actually compressible, but I filled them so full that I actually left them expanded (haha). They were so great to keep things organized! They come with labels to slide into the outer windows so you know what’s inside. Some people like to put daily outfits in each cube, but I liked to organize into categories like “Logan’s bathing suits” or “Mom’s shorts.” Especially with several people on a trip, even if you each have your own suitcase, things have a way of getting mixed up. These were SO HELPFUL and made everything so much easier!

Shop these packing cubes here

5. Laundry Bags

Bringing along these laundry bags was nice because it kept all of the dirty laundry separate and the suitcases more organized. Before using them they take up very little room, too.

Shop these laundry bags here

6. Hanging Toiletry Bags

We used two of these, and they are FANTASTIC. Being able to have multiple compartments and to hang them up to see everything at once made things so easy!

Shop this hanging toiletry bag here

The boys also had their own smaller toiletry bags.

Shop this toiletry bag here

7. Compact Jewelry Box

I really liked the small size of this one, and it still fit just the right amount for me.

Shop this jewelry box here

8. Compact Umbrellas

These umbrellas were so nice and small that I could sneak them into backpacks just in case!

Shop this compact umbrella here

9. Brightly Colored Luggage Tags

You’re going to need to have luggage tags on everything in case they get lost, and brightly colored ones like these make your luggage easier to spot at the baggage claim.

Shop these bright tags here

10. Supportive Neck Pillows

I researched and read reviews and ended up with these, and I was really happy with them! I was so grateful to have it while trying to sleep on the plane. It gave great support, and I loved how it was adjustable. The leopard print was my favorite, but it does come in other colors! You also can toss in the washing machine which is a plus as well. The whole family gave them a thumbs up!

Shop this neck pillow here

11. Sea Bands for Motion Sickness

I am prone to motion sickness, and I wore these on the plane and on a boat ride as well. It’s hard to say if they work for sure, but I think they make me feel better and are worth a try!

Shop Sea-Bands here

12. Fanny Packs

This Lululemon bag is so popular right now, but it is seriously handy when you travel. I loved having it around my waist on the plane to be able to grab things easily or to keep valuable things safe and close. It’s also handy to have on outings while on vacation.

Shop this Lululemon bag here

Shop this other option here

13. Sling Bag

Similar to a fanny pack, this sling bag is cute and stays close to the body. It’s also fun to change out the straps! It’s great to travel with also since it doesn’t take up too much room in the suitcase.

Shop this sling bag here

Amazon has lots of fun straps! This is the one I used here.

Shop this strap here

14. Straw Bag that Folds

This bag folds flat, perfect to fit into a suitcase to use later for shopping or a day at a beach.

Shop this straw bag here

15. Comfy Shoes

For this trip, we knew we would be walking around a lot including hiking. So we definitely wanted to bring comfy sneakers. I fell in love with the look of these, and after reading the great reviews I decided to splurge on them. They are so supportive and comfortable that I think this is it for me for sneakers forever!

Shop these sneakers here

I also wanted a versatile sandal that was good for walking as well. I’ve always loved the Gizeh Birkenstocks, so I went with them.

Shop these Birks here

16. Straw Visor that Rolls Up

This visor was so convenient to pack in the suitcase or pop into a bag in case. It rolls up and keeps its shape really well. I love it!

Shop this visor here

17. Hats

Everyone needs a hat for a bad hair day or when you need to rush to the airport. This one came in handy for me on this trip multiple times!

Shop this hat here

18. Water Shoes

On this trip I knew there would be some lakes to swim in, but I didn’t know the details. I was really glad the boys had these water shoes when they ended up going through this rock filled creek. They ended up needing them several times over the course of the trip. They worked out great!

Shop these water shoes here

19. Travel Hair Dryer

This particular dryer can handle 220 volts, which is standard for Europe. So if your next trip requires a hair dryer like this one, I would recommend it.

Shop this hair dryer here

20. Adapter (if needed)

If traveling somewhere like Europe, you will also need to remember to bring an adapter, too. This one could handle that hair dryer mentioned above.

Shop this adapter here

21. On the Go Hand Sanitizer

I bought a bunch of these to hook onto backpacks, etc. They were used often, and it was so nice to have easy access to one when needed.

Shop this hand sanitizer here

22. Water Bottles

If you ask me, the Stanleys are worth all the hype! These were great to toss into a backpack for the day, and we each had our own color.

Shop this Stanley here

23. Power Bank

This came in handy multiple times to charge phones on the go!

Shop this power bank here

24. Portable Baggage Scale

I really don’t know how we could have ever managed packing without this! Having to keep each suitcase within 50 lbs can be a struggle, and this was so helpful. I was able to have each suitcase as close to 50 lbs as I could because of it.

Shop this scale here

25. The Best Leggings

Also worth the hype are the Lululemon Align leggings. I am a huge legging fan and have tried out many different brands. These are worth every penny! They are perfect anytime, but crucial for a long plane ride…so comfy!

Shop my favorite leggings here

Happy Traveling!

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