I recently took a two-week trip to Europe visiting Ireland and Switzerland and wanted to share some of my essentials for travelling. I haven’t taken this long of a trip since our first trip to Europe in 2004 so I was definitely in need of some assistance! To help me pack, I utilized a packing list I found on Pinterest (and the help of my best friend!) to make sure I had everything I needed. Scroll below to check out my top 6 essentials for international travel.
1. Eye Mask & Ear Plugs
This one might be a little obvious but I am such a light sleeper that these two items are absolutely necessary for me. I kept these in my carry-on bag to use on the flight because I had plans to sleep on the plane, even though that didn’t work out so well! I also used these for most nights while sleeping in the hotel. One night, there were a few bachelorette parties in the hotel restaurant and you could hear and feel the music through the speakers in the rooms! We weren’t able to change rooms, but I slept totally fine with my earplugs in. For eye masks, I prefer one that has a nose contour on it and that is rather large. These block out the most light for me and I find them most effective.
2. Voltage Adapter
You can buy these in airports when you are abroad in case you lose one, but make sure you have one before you leave home to save you the hassle. I have linked here the one I have below. I really like this adapter because it has all of the power outlets you may need and also a USB port. You can use the USB to charge your phone and use the plug at the same time, however, it may take longer for your phone to charge. I used this every single day while abroad and since I went to two different countries, I used two different outlets on this. Very versatile, lightweight and compact. A necessity if you are travelling internationally and if you’re going to more than one country!
3. Protein Bars
If you know me at all, I get hangry in a matter of minutes! I carry protein bars with me on a regular basis at home too but I had to make sure that I was stocked for our trip! I ended up bringing 12 protein bars in my checked bag and should’ve brought more since I ate them all before the trip ended. It wasn’t easy finding healthier snacks abroad, let alone protein bars, so I’m glad I brought these for times when we were out on tours, on planes, trains etc. If protein bars aren’t your thing, make sure to stock up on your favourite snack beforehand!
4. Packing Cubes
This was my first time using packing cubes and I am very glad I did! I found these through social media of other people who travel often and swear by them so I thought I’d do my research and check them out for myself. I purchased these at The Container Store and I specifically wanted the long, skinny ones to fit in between the bars on my suitcase. I felt this was an area in the suitcase that doesn’t get utilized and wanted to maximize that space. I purchased two of these and was able to get 7 shirts in one, and I was able to put 15 pairs of underwear and 14 pairs of socks in the other. I was pretty impressed with how much I could squeeze in these and they saved me a lot of space. There are plenty of different sizes that packing cubes come in. You can purchase enough to fill your entire suitcase if you want! I feel much more confident in my packing abilities with these!
5. Tea Tree Oil
If you aren’t aware of the awesome benefits of tea tree oil, I suggest you do a quick google search! This essential oil is referred to as the “medicine cabinet in a bottle” for all of the benefits! I use tea tree for acne, but I also like to use this for quick cleaning of makeup brushes or spray on pillows to disinfect. I dilute about 6-8 drops of the oil with water in a spray bottle and carry this in my toiletry bag. I used this primarily on my clothes during the trip to freshen them up, and spray on bed sheets in the hotels, and I also used this on a bug bite that I had during the trip. A lifesaver!
6. Downy Wrinkle Release
I might be a little late to the game on this one! My best friend told me about this product and I actually went back to the store to pick this up and I’m glad I did! I rolled most of my clothes when packing them to avoid wrinkles, but some still had some wrinkles in them by the time I got to the hotels. I sprayed the wrinkled clothes, gave them a few tugs, and hung them up in the closet. By the next day, there were hardly any wrinkles! Of course, you could use an iron that’s provided in iron, but if you’re staying at an Airbnb or hostels, they may not have irons available. Also – who wants to iron their clothes on vacation?! I mainly used this for t-shirts and sweaters on my trip and the fresh scent was an added bonus.
Have you tried any of these products? What are some of your must-haves for travelling?Thanks for reading! Til next time.
