These 25 Products Have Revolutionized the Way I Travel

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If there's one thing that can make or break travel (other than cancelled flights), it's being prepared. My props to anyone who can just walk into an airport with having pre-planned every aspect of their travel experience, but that is not me. I fall firmly into the category of person that believes that a successful travel experience to and from your destination can make or break a trip, so I'm always prepared to make any flight or roadtrip as pleasant as possible. And there are a handful of must-have accessories that you'll always find me taking.

While some of these essentials are pretty specific to long flights, most of them make even the shortest roadtrip so much more pleasant. Whether you're sitting pretty as passenger princess and want to make the most of your next few hours or you need to prioritize getting whatever sleep you can before landing in a different time zone, you'll be thanking me as soon as you arrive because of how much easier these accessories make traveling.

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Battery Operated Stroller Fan

Was bringing a stroller fan on an airplane with me a bit extra? Yes, but when you're landing in a new country at 7 AM after a six hour flight and you can't go take a nap because #jetlag, then sleeping as comfortably as possible is absolutely essential. And, for me at least, having air blowing on my face is a necessity to sleep well. I didn't use this exact model, but the fan itself is almost an exact match. This fan has a flexible tripod attachment that can wrap or stand independently, versatility that was needed since I wasn't sure where exactly I'd be able to put it. For one flight I propped it up on the tray table and for the other I slipped it into the chair pocket.

Using a stroller fan while on a flight.

Weekend Bag

I love this bag so much that I immediately told my mom (who travels far more than I do) to buy it ASAP. It fits regulation size as a personal item but is a full weekender-style bag with plenty of room. The bottom portion is zippered for shoe storage and it also has a zippered trolley pocket that was perfect for stashing away passports. And the space—don't even get me started. This bag has a small zippered pocket inside and two open pockets with a main bag full of space. We brought home 5 souvenirs and I was able to fit all of them into this bag with everything originally packed inside with ease.

My one caveat with this bag is that I would not recommend using it if you won't have your rolling luggage at all times. If you plan on checking a suitcase, then you're probably better off with a backpack. Even with the long carrying strap in use, this bag can be heavy and bulky to lug around when not attached to rolling luggage.

The weekender bag packed as a personal item for airline travel. I have my travel pillow, toiletries/makeup, a book, extra set of clothes, eye mask, passport, wallet, and two pairs of shoes packed.

Contact Lens Case

I have never worn contacts in my life, but I keep lens cases on hand because they're perfect for storing creams and gels when traveling. Anything from face cream, sun screen, foundation, and hair gel has made it into these and saved so much room in my suitcase. I prefer the colored cases like this because I try to match original packaging color to case color to help remember what is in each (you could always just write on them with marker, though).

Using a contact lens case for face moisturizer.

Tech Organizer Travel Case

I couldn't count on one hand the number of times my husband said on our trip, "This tech organizer was such a good purchase." Say goodbye to the days of digging through your bag on the cramped airplane floor trying not to bump the people in front of you frantically looking for your phone charger. This organizer wrangled two power banks, two phone charger cables, two headphone charger cables, and the stroller fan cables.

The tech organizer packed with the Anker portable charger, three charging cords, wireless earbuds, and a charging block.

4-Piece Compression Packing Cubes

If you haven't gotten on the compression packing cube train, now is the time. Not only do they reduce the size of your clothing by forcing all of the air out of the cube, but they also helped me to stay organized. I used a cube for tops, one for pants, and one for pajamas, so unpacking at three different hotels was honestly a breeze. If you really want to make the most of your space, consider investing in some vacuum travel cubes (though I'm not sure I'd advise these if you're hotel hopping).

Packing cube that is fully stuffed and compressed.

Campo Sneaker

I didn't wear a single other pair of shoes on my trip other than these. They fit perfectly with my most casual outfits of jeans and a linen button down to my most formal silk skirt and sweater. While I loved them for the versatility and have zero regrets buying them, but would recommend getting insoles (which is probably smart to have on hand in general). Or, if you have time, purchase these shoes a few weeks in advance of your trip. They do have a bit of a breaking-in period. After a few weeks of use, though, I found them perfectly comfortable to wear all day.

My Veja sneakers after years of wear.

Paper Soap Sheets

The number of times I encountered empty soap dispensers while traveling was honestly astonishing. And relying on hand sanitizer alone just won't cut it sometimes. I'm so happy I had a pack of dissolving hand soap sheets like these on hand so I could quickly and easily wash up.

Sidekick Crossbody

If your trip involves being outdoors or moving around rugged terrain, you might prefer a slim purse that can hold up against the elements, like this one our editor used in Costa Rica. "It's an excellent price point and held my wallet, passport, keys, phone, and a snack with room to spare."

AirTag

Despite hearing all the horror stories of lost luggage in recent months, I thought I could get away with not needing an AirTag to slip into my suitcase if I needed to track it because I wasn't checking any bags—or so I thought. My very first flight ended up being full, so my bag had to be checked and I simply had to cross my fingers and hope it found its way to me three flights later. All of this to say, here's your word of warning: even if you're not checking a bag, you should still consider slipping one of these bad boys into your suitcase just in case.

Travel Pillow

I hesitate to even call this a travel pillow because the comfort level is far more akin to a traditional pillow than any travel pillow I've ever tried. It's firm enough to keep your head supported against something but soft enough that you probably won't be able to tell a difference in this and your regular pillow. And if this one isn't your style, here's another travel pillow option that also comes highly recommended by another editor.

Travel Blanket and Pillow

This might just be the softest blanket I own, and I own A LOT of blankets. I would highly advise getting this instead of relying on those itchy airline-given blankets on an overnight flight. It has a trolley pocket so it fits right over your suitcase handle but also has a karabiner if you prefer to attach it to your bag. When you're done with it, it easily (no stuffing or zipper yanking required) packs into the carrying case which, plot twist, can double as a pillow.

Two Piece Lounge Set

I will never travel in anything other than this lounge set (unless it's 90 degrees F in which I'll wear one with shorts). The material is honestly cozier than 50% of the sweaters in my closet. I sized up so the waistband wouldn't dig in at all and to give the cropped top a bit more length. I loved the wide leg pants because they allowed a bit of a breeze.

Collapsible Water Bottle

Buying plastic water bottles everywhere is 1. kind of expensive after a while and 2. very far from eco-friendly. I love that these have karabiners that make them easily attachable to backpacks but also serve double duty to make sure the bottle is as tightly and securely wound as possible when not in use.

Chatelet Hardside Luggage

This suitcase is a bit of a splurge, but high-quality luggage is 100% worth the investment if you use them even just a few times a year. It's incredibly durable, with a handle that doesn't budge when you pull and wheels that glide effortlessly over surfaces. My suitcase fell off the luggage rack of a high-speed train, so it didn't come out of the trip unscathed, but dents easily popped out without leaving color damage to the shell. This piece was checked on three different flights and had not a single scratch from that process. If you're looking for a cheaper luggage set, I recommend this suitcase that my husband took. It showed a bit more wear and tear and you can tell the shell is not as durable just by touching it, but I do like that it has reinforced edges to prevent dents on the corners. Plus, it's a bargain.

Sleep Mask

This was the only item I forgot to order and bring, and I was mad the entire trip I had because I couldn't find them at a single airport I was in. These eye masks completely cup your eye, letting absolutely no light in but also not irritating you by rubbing against your lids. They are superior to any eye mask I've ever used, hands down.

Compression Socks

Compression socks are 0% cute but 100% necessary. Just put your pride aside and get them so you can walk off your flight pain free.

2 Pack European Travel Plug Adapter

It's hard to say that one travel adapter is superior to another, but we really appreciated all the plugs on these, including two USB ports. Also of note: they come in a two pack, so no need to fight over who gets the phones on their side of the bed that night.

Portable Charge

Whether your travel time is 2 hours or 22, I highly recommend bringing a fully charged power bank with you. Why? For starters, you never know if your flight is going to be delayed. Running out of your phone battery is pretty easy when you're using it to listen to music and scroll social media for two hours straight. Second, it's a toss up on whether airports will have charging stations that work, have the appropriate input for your charging cables, and are not in use.

Travel Laundry Detergent, 8 Pack

I didn't bring these SinkSuds, but, boy, I wish I had. Like I said, the Tide To Go pen wouldn't completely remove the coffee stain from my white jeans, so I ended up doing two rounds of "sink laundry" in our hotel room. The only problem? I only had body wash and hand soap. These would have been a lifesaver.

Bluetooth Wireless Transmitter/Adapter

This handy little device has gotten a lot of buzz lately, so I'd be remiss not to mention it. It plugs into a regular AUX outlet to connect Bluetooth headphones to a non-Bluetooth device, aka the airplane TVs. It was really useful for my husband as he uses headphones that solely connect through Bluetooth, but my aforementioned headphones were able to connect directly to the TV. I'd really only recommend these if you use headphones like AirPods that don't have an AUX connection and you truly hate the airline-given headphones, because any plane that has TVs should give your free earbuds to connect to the TV.

Woven Handbag

This little bag was the real MVP of the trip. It's zippered but also has two additional clasps, so it's virtually impossible for anyone to get into it without you noticing. It also has a zippered interior pocket for your wallet. I've tried quite a few small purses, and this one by far has the most interior space without being bulky. I stored it in my weekender bag while traveling and then used it as my main purse when going around the city.

Dual Travel Organizer

I did not have one of these organizers when traveling, but I really wish I had. I used a smaller jewelry case, but it was honestly a bit more cumbersome because 1. it was one more thing to keep up with and 2. I believe it took up more room in my bag than this would have since this option combines a jewelry organizer and makeup case into one.

RELATED: The Best Travel Jewelry Organizers

Natural Anti-Inflammatory Foot and Heel Relief Spray

I wish I'd had this spray on hand to help combat (and prevent) any foot aches. It utilizes menthol, arnica, and aloe to not only sooth feet but also prevent pain before it even occurs. It's nothing short of magic. I wouldn't say it lasts a full six hours, but 2-4 is probably more accurate. It's the next best thing to a long foot soak in epsom salt.

Over Ear Headphones

The noise-cancelling feature on these headphones is incredible—not to mention the sound quality. But what made them amazing for this trip was two things: battery life and an AUX cord. These were used on two days of travel that included six plane rides, two of which were 7+ hours, and I never needed to recharge because they have an insane 35-hour playtime. I also appreciated that these headphones are Bluetooth compatible but also have an AUX plug in so I could listen to music on my phone but also plug them into the outlet on the plane and watch movies.

Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover Liquid Pen

I only packed 6 shirts for our weeklong trip, excluding my travel outfit. As a chronically messy eater, that made me very nervous. Low and behold, the first meal I had I immediately dropped coffee on my white jeans. Having these Tide To Go pens saved us constantly—like every single day. They don't completely remove larger stains on white clothes, but they do the job well enough for no one to notice unless you point the stain out.

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