Fitting your life into a suitcase for X number of days can be a bit overwhelming. While the days leading up to a vacation are filled with excitement, they can also be filled with stress and chaos as you try to wrap up any work, figure out what to bring, and then actually complete the (sometimes) dreaded task of packing your bag.
Between work travel and personal travel, we are jetting off to different destinations more than ever before. And after quite a few trips, we have gotten into a good groove when it comes to packing and prioritizing what to bring with us. So today weโre sharing a handful of our top travel items that make traveling not only easier, but also more comfortable AND giving yโall a detailed packing list to help make packing for your trip quicker and less stressful!
Since items vary by trip and by person, this packing list may not cover everything you need for your travels, but we hope it gives you a good starting point and makes the days leading up to your vacation a bit more worry-free.
You can download the packing list here. (Make sure to go to File -> make a copy so you can customize it for your own needs!)
Looking for a backpacking packing list? You can find ours here!
Our Top Travel Items
These items have improved our traveling experiences so much and are a must for any trip outside of our van!
Away suitcase
We had heard raving reviews about the Away suitcase for a long time before we actually purchased one. Despite the reviews, we were always scared of the price tag, but after Alaska Airlines changed their carry-on luggage size policy, we were suddenly in need of a smaller carry-on and decided to splurge on the Away Carry On Suitcase (the smaller sized one).
And we are now a part of the fan club that raves about it whenever we can! We have taken this suitcase on multiple week long trips and have been able to fit everything we needed for one person for a week (toiletries, shoes, one outfit per day, one workout outfit per day, AND some extra shirt options) in the suitcase no problem. We sometimes wonder if this suitcase is from Mary Poppins!
On top of its ability to hold a lot of stuff, it also rocks because it is the approved size for international airlines, has built in TSA approved locks, and has an ejectable charger so you donโt have to run around the terminal trying to find an open outlet (the worst!). While the price may be daunting, we couldnโt recommend this suitcase any more!
Backpacks
We each carry a different type of backpack and love both for different reasons. Adam carries a REI Co-op Trail 40 Pack, which is great for hiking and everyday use. It is huge and can fit so many things, as well as a water bladder, which is useful both on the trail and in cities.
I carry a WANDRD PRVKE 31L Backpack, which fits multiple laptops, multiple cameras, chargers, personal items, and more! It has a hidden passport pocket and opens from the back, making it safer from pickpockets.
Bluetooth Headphones
We love bluetooth headphones because they allows us to have a cord free and hands free listening experience. We have the traditional AirPods (not noise canceling), as well as the Sony WH-1000XM4 noise canceling headphones, which are great for editing vlogs.
Note: Wired headphones are still good to have on you if youโre plugging into the airplane TV screen, so make sure to pack them just in case!
International power adapter
When traveling abroad, this power adapter is CRUCIAL to being able to use your style of plugs with international outlets. You can charge up to 5 devices with this bad boy!
Portable Charger
We carry a portable charger with us everywhere and it is truly a lifesaver! When we were in the UK, we were draining our phones very quickly using Google Maps and taking photos and videos, but our portable charger saved the day and always kept our phones from dying.
Itโs so nice to never have to worry about finding outlets or getting in a tricky situation where you need to use your phone, but itโs dead.
Travel Pillow
Even though they aren’t the most fun, we tend to take a lot of overnight flights or super early flights to save money and maximize our time wherever we go (you can read our other tips to save money and maximize time here).
The worst thing about these flights is trying to get some decent sleep while trapped in a small space. We bring our travel pillows with us on every early morning or late night flight and while nothing replaces sleeping in a bed, it definitely helps make sleeping on a plane much more comfortable. We both have Travelmate Memory Foam pillows that are cheap and get the job done!
Travel Clothing
Here are our must-have clothing items for both hiking, travel days, and while at our destination!
Shirts & Pants
For shirts and pants, we try to stick to higher quality products, which may be more expensive, but tend to last longer. We are big fans of Lululemon, PrAna, Vuori, Patagonia, and REI!
Everyday shoes
It wouldn’t let us add these to the kit above, but our go-to everyday shoes are AllBirds, which are made from natural materials, are super comfy, and look great with both jeans and athletic clothing.
Chacos
For YEARS we made fun of Chacos and how ugly they were, but we recently had the urge to try them, despite going against everything we ever said about them, and fell madly in love! Shoes can easily take up half of your suitcase traveling, so having versatile shoes is key.
We bought Chacos for this very reasonโthey can be worn walking around the city, hiking, in the rain and mud, at the beach, and more! Kathryn wore her Chacos all around Barcelona and her feet hurt less than when she wore her gym shoes all around the UK.
Yes, they arenโt stylish, but comfort and versatility is more important to us (there is a reason we arenโt fashion bloggers lol). The only downside about Chacos is that they arenโt good for cold weather, so keep that in mind, but for warmer destinations, you canโt beat โem!
There are quite a few models of Chacos, but Kathryn has the ZX2 Classic and Adam has the Z2 Classic.
Travel packing List
Alright, now that you know our top travel items, itโs time to start packing! Click the image below to download our packing list Google Sheet (or pin it for later!).
Note: To use the sheet and create your own customizable version where you can add items, remove items, and check off items, please follow these instructions:
- Web Browser: File-> Make a Copy
- Mobile: Go to the menu at the top right of the Google Sheet -> Share & Export -> Make a Copy
More great information and love the packing list!
Thank you so much! ๐