5 Travel Items that will Make Your Life Easier

Get organized, stay organized, and don't spend a fortune!

We've all been there. Traveling with different bags full of different electronics that all require different cables/cords/power outlets. Inevitably, I put a power cord in my checked luggage for the kindle I'm reading while waiting for the plane. Or I'll get to somewhere in Europe and realize I left my converter cables back in the States. What about finding your boarding pass while holding your passport while juggling your phone? I've been traveling now for over 19 months and I've found a few items that have made my life so much easier and I'd love to share them with you.

#1 IntiPal RFID Blocking Passport Wallet - Waterproof Document Organizer Credit Card Travel Wallet, Family Passport Holder with Removable Wristlet Strap

Prepare yourself because people will ask you where you got this gem! Not only is it protected from RFID scanning, it keeps everything in place and can hang from your wrist keeping your hands free for that last minute cup of joe before your long flight.

Just look at how much it can hold!

I love that it has 2 coin pockets...if you travel to foreign countries, this is awesome! They also kept in mind the size of tickets/passports, etc. when creating the interior pockets.

And when needed, the outside pocket can hold your passport, ticket, and phone so there is no need to unzip it when boarding.

You can find it for purchase here.

#2

Honeywell HTF090B Turbo on The Go Personal Fan

So maybe you're not going through hot flashes like me but I guarantee there was a time when traveling that you would have given a chunk of money to have a cool breeze blowing on you!

I have called this fan "my best friend" on more than one occasion. Last year, I was on a bus traveling through the mountains of Canada in the dead of summer when the driver announced that he was turning off the A/C so the engine wouldn't overheat while going up the steepest part of the mountain. I calmly reached into my backpack, pulled out this 6" tall fan, plugged it in via USB, and hung it on the back of the chair in front of me, and went back to reading my book. The guy beside me just simply said, "well, I'll be damned!". I've used it everyday for the last 19 months...dropped it more than once...and told it how much I loved it several times. And for less than $10...c'mon!

It can be purchased here.

#3

Double Layer Travel Gear Organizer Storage Case/Electronics Accessories Bag

If you're like me, there are the bags I'm willing to be checked and the bag that you would have to pry from my cold, dead fingers before I let it out of my sight! Because I travel with everything I own which is 50% electronics, I have dozens of cords both for use in the USA and abroad.

For awhile, I threw them in a large waterproof drawstring bag, and took out the ones I needed for my necessity backpack...normally, just shoving them in an empty interior pocket. Cut to arriving in Canada after a trip to Portugal and suddenly realizing that I'd forgotten to check beside the couch for any cables I used in my month-long stay.

Imagine if I'd had this then and had the pockets labeled as well!

I now have 2 of these...one for my checked bag and one for my necessity bag. It's even big enough to hold my Kindle that normally I just chucked into my backpack. I no longer have to wonder if I have all my cables and I can find what I need at a glance instead of digging through backpacks and utility bags. It's definitely cut down on the cursing at myself for being so disorganized! You can purchase it here.

#4

Power Strip with USB, Smart 4 Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip with 4 Port USB Charger 6ft Power Cord 2500W 100-240V for Travel, TV, Computer, Transformers, Power Bank

I am in love with this power bank. I have another one for European use but it is so noisy that it becomes distracting. This one, you don't even know it's on! I can plug in my iphone, fitbit charger, kindle, macbook pro, and my fan (the one mentioned above!) and I am SET!

Before I got this, I had things plugged in all over wherever I was staying...some in the kitchen, others lying on the floor in the living room, etc. Now, everything is right there and fully charged. You can purchase this here.

#5

Transformable Convertible Carry-on Travel Backpack with Laptop Compartment

I'm going to try and keep this short as I could go on and on about this convertible backpack. It is extremely comfortable with its padded straps, and offers excellent protection for your electronics with its interior padded compartments.

What is really amazing is its versatility. Before I got this, I had a main backpack, a day backpack, and a small purse inside of that. Now, I can simply unzip the daypack and go! Also, if I want to bring along my Macbook to do some writing when I'm out wandering around, I simply zip that compartment to the daypack and I'm set.

I now have 2 of these and they are my main luggage. The second one I use as my main luggage piece. The multiple compartments in the front are excellent to hold medicine/cosmetics/hair dryers, etc. While the inside can hold all my clothes, shoes, jackets.

You can't go wrong with this versatile piece.