Packing lends itself as one of the more stressful parts of traveling. We’ve all been there, waiting until the last minute to pack and not really having a clue about the travel essentials you need to be sure to include.
Hopefully, we can all get back to enjoying the luxury of traveling freely in the near future (fingers crossed!). In the meantime, I thought it was a good time to tell you about some of must have travel essentials for women.
These are things that I believe every woman needs while traveling – so it will, hopefully, make your travels a little more efficient.
Functional Luggage
This may be obvious, but I know we’ve all (at some point in our lives) struggled using the luggage we own. The truth is, using luggage that’s actually functional and efficient is a major travel essential.
Luggage can really make or break how efficient you’re able to pack your bags for your trip. I recommend selecting luggage that has a lot of pockets and features built into it, these are great for packing and making the most of the space in your bags.
In addition to the luggage itself, packing ‘cubes’ are another travel essential for women. Everyone I know who travels often, uses the packing cubes that have become so popular.
Why?
These cubes, once again, allow you to really make the most of the space in your luggage. Not only that but the cubes make it really easy to keep your things sectioned off so you know exactly where everything is. These are a MUST.
Last but not least, it’s a necessity to use clear packing cubes (or something similar) to store your makeup and toiletries. Personally, I recommend traveling with toiletries on your carry on if you’re flying.
When you pack them in a clear bag it makes it much easier to get through TSA. Using bags that are similar to what you use for the rest of your clothes, for your makeup and toiletries, tends to make everything lay flatter and more compact in your bag.
Mini Wallet
As much as you need to be prepared for just about anything while traveling, you also want to minimize how much ‘stuff’ you have with you. Pairing down your wallet to a mini wallet is essential for traveling.
Let’s face it, you don’t need every single card that’s in your wallet while you’re traveling. And those discount cards for the grocery store? They can stay home, too.
The mini wallet saves you a ton of space in your bags, especially your handbag. Not to mention, it’s less to worry about.
Travel Friendly Handbag
Unfortunately, not all handbags are ideal for travel. That’s why it’s essential you have and use a travel friendly handbag anytime you’re, well traveling. We all have our own preferences when it comes to handbags, in regards to the strap style and size of the bag itself.
However, I generally recommend opting for a smaller handbag than you’re used to while traveling. The smaller the bag the less fuss you have to deal with, and when we’re traveling the world the last thing we want is to worry about dragging around a big handbag. Right? Right!
One major factor to consider when selecting a handbag for traveling: make sure it has a secure closure. Many handbags either don’t have much of a closure, or have something that’s very minimal. Choose something that’s secure and can be held close to your body.
Comfortable Shoes
The fun part of traveling is the adventure of it all. That tends to be synonymous with a lot of walking. Whether you ‘plan’ to do a lot of walking or not on your trip, packing shoes that are comfortable are definitely an essential.
Even if you want to pack shoes for the style factor, make sure you throw in at LEAST one pair of shoes that are comfortable enough to walk in. You won’t regret it.
The good news is sneakers are trending now, so you can look trendy and stylish while being really comfortable in your shoes while traveling.
Tip: Don’t wear shoes for the FIRST time when traveling. You really never know how comfortable they are until you’ve worn them for a full day.
Multi-Use Scarf/Shawl
This tends to be a travel essential many women forget about, but it definitely comes in handy. I always recommend throwing in a scarf or shawl that can be worn (or used, rather) multiple ways.
The reason?
These types of items are great to throw over your shoulders, wrap around your body, etc. if you get a bit chilly. Even if you’re traveling somewhere warm, the temperature can fluctuate and you may need a light layer to wrap around your body. Enter: the shawl.
When selecting a shawl to pack, I usually suggest opting for one that’s really versatile in the color/pattern. Neutral tones are always a great choice.
If black or white aren’t really your thing, you can stick with a color but just make sure it’s a color that compliments all the items you’ve packed in your bag to wear. This way you don’t have to worry about it clashing with the rest of your outfits!
Charging Cables + Portable Chargers
I realize I don’t have to remind you how much we all rely on technology. But we’re talking about travel essentials and sometimes we forget the things we really need on a daily basis.
Make sure you always pack a variety of charging options to have for your phone and/or camera(s). Portable chargers are nice for traveling because they give you the ability to keep snapping pictures and videos, without needing to plug into a wall.
If you’re traveling internationally, make sure you have adaptors for your chargers and cables. Do your research before your trip so that you have all the necessary accessories and don’t find yourself stuck without the ability to charge.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses are one of those items we all know we need and wear often, but still tend to forget while traveling.
Pack them in your carry on in a travel safe case so they’re protected and easy to get to! No matter where you’re traveling, you’ll need some cute sunnies.
About the author
Chi Li is founder of petitedressing.com, a fashion platform dedicated to petites and women of any height who want to understand how to dress for their body type. Petitedressing has touched the lives of millions of women since it was founded 3 years ago, and today it has grown into a fashion community that connects and inspires women through fashion via Facebook group, Youtube Channel, and the Petitedressing website. Chi Li resides in New Jersey with her husband and son. Besides fashion, she is a fan of dark chocolate and yoga.
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