6 must-have travel accessories

Travel is uncomfortable. Let’s face it; our lizard brains love the predictability of our everyday routine. Travel pushes those boundaries. It could be as simple as an unfamiliar area or intimidating as a different language, culture, and/or cuisine. There is some risk with leaving our routines and comfort zones. 

Minimize some discomfort with an inexpensive fix. Here are a few of the most common annoyances about travel and some simple tools that can help even out the bumps for a smoother experience.

Problem: Lost Luggage
Solution: Airtags

One of the biggest inconveniences of travel is when your luggage does not arrive at your destination. The fear of this often outweighs the inconvenience of dragging a suitcase behind you for hours at the airport and attempting to cram it into a tiny bathroom stall when nature calls. An AirTag is about the size of a quarter and uses the power of Bluetooth to sync with your iPhone easily with the “Find My” app. The app shows that your luggage boarded with you, or sadly, where you parted ways. It will even give a cheerful little chirp if you’re in the same area. Have an Android phone? Check out Tile Mate, Samsung Galxy’s SmartTag, or Chipolo One.

Problem: How to organize packing
Solution: Packing cubes

Packing cubes are an easy way to organize your packing, making it more likely you will not bring four white shirts and only one black bra. Toss your cubes into hotel drawers for easy unpacking and organizing, and yes, it does make it easy to repack when it’s time to leave. Compression cubes rev up the convenience, allowing more room to bring (somewhat wrinkled) clothing options.

Problem: How to be comfortable on long flights
Solution: Airplane kit

Long-haul flights are a different beast than their shorter counterparts. Create a kit to grab the small things you might need without constantly squirming to reach your carry-on. Consider using a fanny pack, as many smaller sizes can clip to the tray table. Toss in headphones (Bluetooth AND wired just in case you want to watch a seat-back movie during your meal service), gum or breath mints, lip balm, hand sanitizer, hand lotion, eye drops, and a travel toothbrush and toothpaste.

Problem: How to keep devices charged 
Solution: Portable charger

It’s ideal to have an external battery to charge your phone and tablet when a charging port is unavailable (or broken). You can choose a full-size option that will power your devices for days. Or, check out the credit card-sized Clutch charger, and toss it in your wallet for an alternative to charge on the go with a smaller footprint.

Problem: Multiple charging cables
Solution: Multi-head charging cable

iPhone lightning port? USB-C? Old USB? Are you sick of bringing numerous chargers for each of your devices? This handy 3 in 1 charging cable from Temu offers all three in a cute little box that plugs into any USB.

Problem: Arriving jetlagged and dehydrated
Solution: Reusable water bottle 

Single-use plastic bottles are out. Reusable water bottles are preferred and enabled in most areas with convenient places to refill. A Hydro Flask is an easy way to keep your water hot or ice cold for hours. Plus, staying hydrated is a sure way to arrive at your destination more refreshed.

The rewards of travel far outweigh the minor discomforts that occur along the way. Having the right accessories can further the enjoyment of your destination by minimizing the risk of annoyance. Before you depart, take a minute to troubleshoot, and you might enjoy smooth sailing.