5 Packing Necessities for Travelers (2 min read)

Written by Millionaire’s Digest Team Member: Valerie Furgerson

Founder & Owner of: Real Red Life Blog

Millionaire’s Digest Team, Contributor and Travel Writer

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Wherever you go there are definitely some items that you should have in your bag or suitcase to make your trip run more smoothly. For a more relaxed and  worry-free trip here are 5 packing necessities:

1. Packing Cubes 

Whoever came up with this idea deserves a medal. “I don’t know, how DO you fit ten shirts in one tight little zipped up compartment?” Beats me. It’s magic. It’s the stuff of wizards. If you are someone that tends to over-pack on trips, these are for you. If you are going on an extended trip, these are for you. If you want to have more room for goodies in your bag, theses are for you. Basically, if you are going on a trip anywhere, these are for you. However, they can be a bit pricey. But I was a little sneaky sneaky and got mine from Amazon (see link below) and they are GREAT. 3 for $24, worth it. Just roll up as many items as you can fit in each cube and still zip it closed and you are good to go. I got 4 pairs of pants and 4 pairs of shorts into just ONE of these bad boys. You can view them here.

2. Jackets 

No matter where you’re traveling, you should always bring a rain jacket. I have been surprised with a downpour many times. So now when people ask for me any packing advice I always tell them to bring some sort of rain jacket. Even a light one. My favorite one is from The North Face that I absolutely love because it’s thin and therefore easily packable. For colder weather the Patagonia Synchilla is a must-have. It says lightweight but let me tell you, it is WARM and delightful. Money well spent, friends.

3. Good shoes

This is quite possibly the most important item of your travelling life. Whatever other pairs of shoes that you bring… fine. BUT, make sure you have good walking or hiking shoes. AND make sure you break them in before your trip or you will lose layer upon layer of skin on your feet and you will want to keel over and die. It is best to wear some sort of running shoe with an arch OR some sort of hiking boot that will provide better protection against injury and the elements. Hiking boots will require a lot more time to break in and you can expect to pay quite a bit for them but they are definitely worth the investment.

I recently bought a pair of UGG hiking boots (I know, surprising right?) after discovering a fellow traveler on Instagram who swore by them. They’re amazing in two ways. One, these boots make me feel less like Paul Bunyan and more like Lara Croft. Two, they have THREE ways of protecting your foot/ankle. A zipper, laces and buckles across the ankle. Thank you, UGG.

4. Portable charger 

I feel like this is something people often forget. These are relatively cheap for the service that they provide. Sometimes we are out taking photos all day and before we know it it’s 3 pm and we have 10% battery left. These can fit conveniently in any bag and they usually hold up to 5 hours of battery life at a time. You can get them at lots of places for around $15 to $20.

5. A backpack

I find that this isn’t talked about much and it’s so important! This is going to be on your back for almost all of your trip, it had better be good. I opt for a pack that’s small enough to use as a day pack but large enough to last me for the weekend. The North Face Borealis is the perfect size, has a bunch of pockets and it’s much more moderately priced than others of its kind.

With these travel items you should be guaranteed to have a more comfortable and worry-free trip, wherever you’re going!

Safe travels!

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Article Credits: Valerie Furgerson

Millionaire’s Digest Team, Contributor