Ever been stuck in a foreign country with a suitcase full of clothes, toiletries, and things that you definitely don’t need? You’re not alone. Everyone has that one experience where they realize they forgot to pack something, and it’s only really when you’re in the airport or just getting on your flight. So what can you do to avoid any last-minute stress? Well, for starters – make sure you’ve got these essentials packed.
A Carry-on Bag.. Duh!
This is the number one necessity for any traveler. Most airlines offer a free personal item, and if they don’t, you’ll still want a bag to fit under the seat in front of you. Even if you’re checking your luggage, never put all of your clothes in the suitcase – there’s no real reason to do this. Just make sure you have some clothes that will fit into your personal item. That way, if anything happens to your luggage, you’ve got some clothes to wear as well as anything else that may have been damaged inside.
Passport Holder
Do not forget your passport holder with money and identification organized inside of it. You’ll want to carry this on you, so be sure to put it in your carry-on bag. It goes without saying that if you’re international traveling, you will definitely need a passport. What good is your suitcase full of clothes if you can’t even get through customs? Finally, make sure that everything inside of your wallet is organized inside of the passport holder. You don’t want to forget your ID or any other important cards. The last thing you want is to be stuck at the airport with no way to travel home, or anywhere else for that matter.
Toiletries
The toiletry situation is one of those tricky items because no one wants to check their toiletries, but sometimes they are necessary depending on what kind of trip it is. I’d say if it’s a weekend trip, you can probably just bring your toiletries in your carry-on bag. However, if you’re going someplace for a week or longer, then you’ll want to have a personal item as well as a suitcase for all of your toiletries. The problem with this, however, is that the TSA will most likely check through your toiletries. So just make sure they are in something sturdy and see-through so that the TSA agent knows everything without opening it up.
First Aid Kit
It doesn’t matter where you’re going or how long you’re going to be gone; always have some kind of first aid kit with you. The first aid kit can be as simple as a roll of toilet paper and some medical tape, or it can be as elaborate as a first aid kit with bandages and other medical supplies. Just make sure to take it with you so that you’ll have some kind of bandage or anything else that you might need. The last thing you want is to get injured on vacation and not have anywhere safe to go to get help.
Maps and City guide
Even if somehow everything goes perfectly well for your trip, there’s always that one time when you can’t seem to find your way around the city that you’re in, or maybe when an old friend is supposed to meet you, but they never do. In this situation, you’ll be glad that you have a map and a city guide with all the popular places to go to. Nothing is worse than getting lost in a foreign country.
Toiletry Bag
The toiletry bag can be used to carry all of your bathroom essentials, and it’s also good for when you want to take a long trip and don’t want to be using up all of your space in your suitcase with tissue paper and other things like that. You can fit everything from shampoo, conditioner, hand soaps, toilet paper, and even toothpaste in here.
Last but not least – a Lock for your Suitcase
You can’t travel without a suitcase, and it’s a good thing you have a lock on it as well. It’s just something to keep people from breaking into your suitcase and stealing everything inside. You can use as many locks as you want as long as they’re TSA-approved.
There are plenty of other things that you’ll want to remember when you’re packing, but those are the basics that everyone should always have with them.
Happy Traveling! =)