If I Could Only Pack 10 Travel Items, It Would Be These (no gimmicks, actually useful)

In this video, I'm sharing my tried and true travel products and accessories because I was recently thinking if I had to completely start over, what would my core list look like? As in, what if all of my travel gear disappeared overnight? Or maybe I just hadn't traveled in years and wanted to rebuild my list from scratch. So if I could only rebuy 10 travel must-haves, these ones make the cut. First up are these reusable liquids pouches. I know they're not the most exciting travel product, but honestly they are a game changer. I talk about these a lot because I've used them on every trip since I discovered them. And here's why I love them over the silicone travel bottles. They only take up as much space as you fill them. As you use up the product, they shrink down, unlike bottles that hog the same amount of space whether they're full or empty. This means you can pack more variety, shampoo, conditioner, hair serum, face creams, without bulky bottles. Like, I feel like these three pouches essentially take up the same amount of space as one of those travel bottles. So to me, this is a no-brainer. These are coming with me on every single trip. I think it's a tiny swap that makes a big difference, especially when you're traveling carry-on only. Now those liquids need a proper home, which is why you need a solid toiletry kit. Right now I have two favorite types of toiletry bags that I rotate between. The first being this one by Trip Travel Gear. I love it because it's got all kinds of compartments, tons of zippers for organization, and then it's got two types of liquids bags depending on how long of a trip you're going for. Something like the smaller one that detaches is great for smaller weekend getaways, or you can use the larger one which is still TSA friendly and it holds everything I would need for two, three, four weeks. I also like this style of bag which has one large compartment like this, and then it still has a couple of zippered pockets as well. And because of the way it's shaped, it can either sit on the counter or be hung up. The most important feature though is that both of these bags hang, which is a lifesaver when you're working with a small bathroom with little to no counter space. We've all been there. And they're multi-purpose too. You can use them as your in-flight organization kit so that you don't have to bend down and reach under the seat for your items. A pair of slippers or lightweight slides are a must-pack. I don't like to wear my shoes in a hotel room, and we all know those carpets are not clean, so a pair of slippers is a must-have. Not only are they more hygienic, but after a long travel day, it's nice to take your shoes off and wear something more comfortable. And then when I get home, I just throw these in the wash and they're clean and good to go for my next trip. I promise you these are clean. I just pull them out of the dryer. I just wear them all the time. Or if you have a long flight, I would bring a pair of more waterproof slippers or slides, something like these, and then you can wear them on the plane. And then when you get to your hotel, you can easily wash all the plane germs off and then wear them in your room. These ones are very light and they're very cushiony and super comfortable. They even come with a little travel bag so that you don't cross-contaminate. Another must-have are packing cubes, especially compression cubes, and I've got a new set by the brand Epica who I've partnered with as the sponsor of today's video. These are part of the Trip Cozy line and they've quickly become my favorite because they zip all the way around so they're easier to pack than the usual top load cubes. Plus, they feature color-coded zippers. Black is for access and packing, whereas white is for the compression feature so you never get mixed up. And there's a couple more features that I absolutely love. They're made with this antibacterial inner liner and each cube has a mesh top so you can see everything you've packed, but that also helps them breathe so that everything stays fresh. To me, this is really important because sometimes I use packing cubes for different outfits or segments of my trip, which means some cubes might stay packed or unopened for several days until I actually need them. So this helps prevent things from getting all stuffy or musty, especially if you're traveling somewhere humid. They come in either a set of four cubes or six cubes and I love these beautiful earthy tone colors. And I love that they have different sizes because that allows you to play around with different configurations that you might need for different trips. If you want to grab yourself a set of these, you'll find the link in the description or you can scan the QR code. Speaking of clothes, I would definitely invest in a few high quality pieces of clothing, ones that travel really well. I talk about merino wool clothing a lot because it's breathable, it packs down flat, it doesn't hold odor, which means you don't have to wash merino wool as much as regular clothes. So with merino wool, you don't have to pack nearly as much as you think. Honestly, you could get away with packing three t-shirts for a trip that could be three weeks long and you just rotate them. Because when you do need to wash them, it takes five or ten minutes in the sink and they dry within just a few hours. I just made a video about how to easily wash your clothes in your hotel sink if you need some tips on how to do that. And I know it's definitely an investment, but I personally love the Canadian brand Unbound Merino. And even if you look at some of the cheaper options on Amazon, you'll notice it's still not an inexpensive fabric. So I do think it's worth it if you want to pack less and still look pulled together, travel minimally, and have to do the least amount of laundry on the road. By the way, all the links to everything in this video are linked down below or you can scan the QR code and that will bring you to my blog post where I've got everything listed out and a lot easier to read than in the video description. For electronics, you want something that can charge multiple things at once. And if you're traveling internationally, you'll likely need a travel adapter. For this, I would choose a universal travel adapter. I like this one, which is the Pulse 45 watt, also by the brand Epica, which is the number one travel adapter brand on Amazon. I like it because it now replaces having to pack a charger and a separate travel adapter. And this can be used worldwide in over 200 countries and regions. You just slide the pin depending which outlet style you need. For example, if you're traveling to multiple countries on one trip, like next year I'm going to Portugal and Ireland on the same trip, which each use different sockets, this is the only travel adapter that I'll need. It's not a voltage converter though, so be sure to check your devices and make sure that they support dual voltage before you use them. But even if you're traveling somewhere where you don't need the adapter, it's still a handy charging station because it's got two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and the main socket that accepts 10 types of plugs and it's rapid charging. I'm headed to Japan soon and even though they use the same outlets that we have here at home, I'll probably just bring this. Maybe even when I go to Mexico as well. So the link to this Epica Pulse 45 watt travel adapter is in the description or you can scan the QR code as well. A power bank is a non-negotiable for me. Nothing stresses me out like seeing 2% battery left on my phone when I'm out exploring. When I'm out sightseeing all day, I use my phone for taking videos and photos, but also for checking Google Maps and maybe researching restaurant reviews. So you never want to be without battery, but even at the airport on the plane because you also never know if there's going to be a working outlet when you need one. But my pro tip for you though is to bring a short charging cord so that when you sit down at a restaurant or cafe, you're not wrangling a spaghetti length cable or taking up valuable purse or backpack space. I will also always pack noise cancelling earbuds. This would be instead of the over ear headphones. Remember, this video is about if I could only bring a small number of travel must-haves, so I would go with the earbuds because you're always going to have room for this little case. On a long flight, I'll be honest, headphones are preferable, but then you are lugging them around for the rest of your trip. Whereas with earbuds, they take up virtually no space. And then you can also use them to read out Google Maps directions as you're walking in a foreign city in case you don't want to look like a tourist or have your phone out for safety reasons. Next is my travel blanket scarf, which can be used in so many scenarios. Something like this is so great because it's big enough that it can be used as a blanket on the plane. Honestly, y'all know there's nothing more uncomfortable than being cold all flight long, but it can also be worn as a shawl, like a scarf, a cardigan. Great to have with you on cool days or cool evenings. This is such a great piece to have to help you pack a little bit lighter because it essentially replaces one cardigan or a light sweater and you can just wear it onto the plane as a scarf. So it's not going to count as an extra item. It's just part of your wardrobe. You don't have to pack it in your bag, so that leaves you room for extra things. And speaking of comfort on a plane, I'm going to say that my airplane pillow makes the cut on this list. Travel pillows are pretty divisive among the travel community, but this is the only type of pillow that has truly ever allowed me to sleep for hours at a time on a plane, even long road trips. I swear by this thing. I've used it on so many flights. I think if you hear someone call this gimmicky, they honestly haven't tried it. It attaches to the folding flaps of the headrest so it doesn't impact the person behind you. And with the eye mask, it stabilizes your neck and keeps you from head bobbing. But you can also use it to lean to the side without sleeping on your neighbor as well. Everyone sleeps differently, so it may or may not work for you. But if you're curious, it's only about 20 bucks, so you might as well try it if every other type of pillow hasn't worked for you. It does take up a little bit of room, but honestly it packs down super flat. You can put it at the bottom of your bag or on the sides and you'll barely notice it. I will say though that this one is flight dependent for me. I usually only pack it on flights that are more than three and a half hours. Anything less than that, I probably won't bother trying to get some sleep and I'll just read or watch movies instead. So that's my core list. What's the one travel essential you refuse to leave home without? Drop it in the comments. I'd love to see if yours makes my list for next time. Thank you once again to Epica for supporting the channel. Check out their products in the links below. Thank you so much for watching, and we'll see you in the next video.