Inspired by my recent trip where I was in the middle of nowhere in the Sahara desert and had a cut and started bleeding. Thank God I had a small bag of band-aids tucked in my backpack from a previous trip. It made me realize how important it is to keep certain essentials because you never know when you’ll need it/forget it.
When you get back home, don’t unpack the bag. Leave behind band-aids, alcohol prep pads, a toothbrush, toothpaste, contact lens solution/Tylenol (within expiration), or whatever small things you tend to forget but are necessary. Pack a small bag of these items and leave it in all your travel bags so you’ll never forget.
It’s always the little things we forget to pack while frantically trying to not forget passports, phones, and bigger items. Future you will thank you!
My travel bag stays packed. That way I never have to stress about packing; I just have to pack clothes and a few specialty items and I’m good to go for a trip.
Hayden said:
My travel bag stays packed. That way I never have to stress about packing; I just have to pack clothes and a few specialty items and I’m good to go for a trip.
Mine too, only clothes get unpacked. All travel accessories and a few clothing items I only wear when I travel, like my Lems trail runners and the merino hoodie I wear on flights if it gets cold.
Hayden said:
My travel bag stays packed. That way I never have to stress about packing; I just have to pack clothes and a few specialty items and I’m good to go for a trip.
I actually have 2: one for weekend trips and one for long trips (usually on a weekend trip I also have my work backpack which has a bag with band-aids, meds, cords, hair ties, and similar essentials, so I need a much smaller overnight kit).
This is a good tip! For me, I just know I’d leave things in, forget about it with the assurance that I have something, and then find out they are crumbled or past the expiration date when I need them. My ‘emergency’ bag is a small pouch in my work bag. It’s got everything I would need for personal hygiene if I got stuck somewhere overnight (and a small first aid kit—band-aids etc.). When I travel, I just grab it, check for usability if it’s been some time, add more toothpaste tabs, and chuck it in with my packing. Then I move it back to my work bag when I get back home.
Include a nail cutter, nail file, safety pin, sewing kit if you know how to use it, and pocket scissors. This has been so helpful for me on so many trips!
I do this. I just get the little ones from the grocery store—with a razor, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, etc., they cost like $10 bucks. I leave it in my bag and I don’t have to worry. I prefer to have a travel cheap toothbrush and not pack my expensive one at home. In a pocket, I just have nail clippers, socks, etc. For the girls, it’s good to have purse emergency makeup too: eyeliner, lipstick, concealer, mascara.
I leave it packed but in my packing cube that I always pack (use it for my underwear and socks); that way I don’t have to figure out which luggage I left it in. I also leave packed a pair of flip flops that I wear around the hotel room which can be a spare pair of shoes should I need. I also do the same with a tech bag that I’ve conditioned myself to reach for; it has every single cable and charger that I would need, including a case and iPhone pin for SIM cards. I restock each time I unpack from my trip and toss it back into the packing cube. I also pack some liquid IV, ginger juice from Trader Joe’s, and a pair of disposable chopsticks.
I don’t travel much anymore but I still get ready using my toiletry bag. When I traveled I was afraid I would forget something, so I would use that small over-the-shoulder carry-on to hold my blow dryer, curling iron, makeup, and just keep it in my bathroom. When I was getting ready for a trip, I just pulled everything out, organized a bit, wiped it down, and put everything back in.
I’ve two such bags. One toiletry bag that never gets unpacked, only refilled. In addition, I have a tiny hiking first aid bag that I take for all travel and hikes. I have it always with me. I like it because it is recognizable from the outside. Apart from band-aids and disinfectant spray, I also have a bit of money, a very small pair of scissors, pain killers, and earplugs in there.
Also, recommending that when you travel overseas, have a filled antibiotic scrip in this bag. On a recent trip overseas, I somehow came down with cellulitis in my eye, which is kind of serious … luckily, I packed Augmentin and got right on it… and avoided a much more serious situation!
I do this and have been for years (I even have my kids have their own travel toiletry bag that stays packed). It’s a life saver for packing for everyone - whether it’s a weekend away or a longer vacation!
I replenish the toiletry bag after each trip. I don’t have one in each bag, but it gets moved between them. (I have a 30L backpack, a 16L pack, and an extra small map case that is a great one-week bag.)
Very good tip. As I am a very forgetful woman and my husband and I are always on the go, I thought, why not leave the stuff I always look for inside my carry-on bag? I have my shower cap, a comb, toothbrush/toothpaste, a pair of bedroom slippers, zip lock bags, a couple of plastic grocery bags for wet stuff or organizing stuff I’ve bought on the trip.
I have a small first aid kit with alcohol pads, Neosporin, and band-aids in my purse always because I bleed easily. I pack a little extra in my suitcase usually. It never hurts to have on hand.
My travel bag with OTC drugs and prescriptions stays packed all the time. I adjust/add to the bottles as needed. I have a backpack on wheels I use as my ‘mobile pharmacy’ with everything from Band-Aids to Pepto-Bismol in it. Although I can’t count how many times my family has teased me for it, I also can’t count how many times something in there (or ‘somethings’ in there) have come in handy.
… luckily, I packed Augmentin and got right on it… and avoided a much more serious situation!