Travelling as often as we do, there are certain things we’ve come to rely on to make moving from place to place easier. We use the following 11 items on every trip and want to share how they might make your next trip better. We have not been compensated for these endorsements, and there are no affiliate links here.
TRAVEL AIDS
Nexus – Global Entry
This little card is worth ten times its weight in gold. For $50 and an in-person interview, the Nexus program allows pre-screened travellers priority border processing when entering the U.S. or Canada. If you travel within North America regularly, this program will save you time and grief. I recall at least three occasions I would have missed a flight due to a tight connection if not for my Nexus card speeding me through customs. As a bonus, Nexus card holders are also eligible for TSA Pre-Check, which expedites traveller screening.
Tripit
The Tripit app keeps track of all of your travel booking information from flights and accommodations to tours and event ticket purchases. The free version offers lots of functions including mobile access to your itinerary, a sharing feature that keeps people in your life informed of your travel details, and auto sync to your calendar. I love that you can just forward your e-ticket to TripIt, and it automatically populates your itinerary. The paid version of the app steps things up by notifying you of delays or cancellations and informs you of alternative flight options.
Pack the Bag
Every time I recommend the Pack the Bag app to someone they end up thanking me. If you’re a list person like I am, this tool is next-level. The app contains more than 700 packing items in 27 categories. You can create a customized list based on the kind of trip (e.g., business trip or beach holiday) and you can also incorporate a pre-trip to-do list with reminder notifications. This app gives me peace of mind because I’m not creating a new list every time I take a trip. I don’t worry that I’m forgetting something anymore!
PACKING
Packing Cubes
Packing cubes seem like the silliest, most redundant money-grabbing things ever invented until you try them. The thought of tossing my clothes into a suitcase loose is a ridiculous notion to me now. What makes them great is that they keep your packing organized, wrinkle-free, and slightly compressed for extra room in your suitcase. When I get to my hotel room or Airbnb, I simply take the cubes out of my bag and pop them in a drawer and, voila, I’ve unpacked. I know where everything is. They are brilliant!
Bellroy Travel Wallet
I searched for a long time to find a way to keep my travel documents organized. Most passport holders are the shorty kind, which is useless, in my opinion. If you get a printed boarding pass, which I often do, it sticks out the top and gets bent or falls out. There’s no place to keep my Nexus card and airline loyalty card. I was excited to find the Belloy Travel Wallet. Steve and I both use one and love the multiple compartments that you can use for different currencies and that don’t bend your boarding pass. They even come with a tiny pen for filling out declaration forms.
The Best Luggage You Can Afford
If you only travel once or twice a year, any kind of luggage will do, but if you’re on a flight more often than that, it’s worth investing in high-quality bags. Airlines do not treat luggage with tender loving care. It gets tossed, scuffed, and scrunched routinely. If your bag is heavy and doesn’t pack well, it cuts in on your weight allowance.
I’ve become a devoted fan of Briggs & Riley products. My BRX Excursion Laptop Backpack has saved my shoulders and still looks like new three years after purchase.
Last year for my birthday, I got the Briggs & Riley Commuter Expandable Spinner, and I’m equally impressed with it. It’s easy to pack with loads of clever features to maximize your space.
The best thing about this brand is that it comes with a lifetime warranty. Steve’s had to use it a couple of times, and it was a hassle-free process to get the needed repairs.
AT YOUR HOTEL OR AIRBNB
Clothesline
If you exercise when on business or leisure travel you know the frustration of getting back to your room in sweaty gear and having nowhere to hang it up to dry. Need to hand wash a few items on the road? Same problem. Some hotels have nifty retractable clotheslines over the tub, but they are few and far between. When I came across this travel clothesline online, I bought it immediately. It mounts to the shower wall with suction cups, or you can use the Velcro loops at each end to attach it to a couple of doorknobs. Its braided design means you don’t need clips or pins to fasten your wash. My only quibble is that if you hang too many heavier items, the suction cups do not always hold. Otherwise, I love this product.
Portable speaker
This little blue Mini Jam Box speaker has travelled with us all over the world. A small, portable speaker is perfect for playing tunes or a podcast in your hotel room, on your Airbnb patio, or at the beach. It links to your digital device via Bluetooth and provides better and louder sound than relying on your device’s built-in speaker.
Portable Router
Have you ever reached a limit on how many devices you can connect to your hotel wifi? Do you worry about wifi security? A portable router allows you to share a single wifi connection with multiple users/devices and it offers a bit more security.
World Outlet Adapter
When will there be a global standard for electrical outlets? When?! Not any time soon. If you travel a lot globally having one adapter for multiple types of outlets is a solid investment. This one has retractable plugs at the back for Europe, Asia, North America, Australia and more.
Electronic Accessories Organizer
Before Steve got this handy organizer, he kept all of the stuff pictured here loose in a mesh bag. What a mess! If your business travel requires you to pack technology, having a system like this will keep you sane.
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[…] promoted the Pack the Bag for iPhone app a few times on the blog. Really, pen and paper lists can’t hold a candle to this app. Pack the Bag allows you to select […]