When you travel, there’s always a balance between packing light and bringing the travel essentials that make your trip more comfortable, keep you organized, and help you be better prepared for unexpected situations along the way – like washing clothes in the hotel sink during a record-breaking heat wave in Rome.
With each trip, we’ve discovered a few items that were definitely worth making room for in our luggage. Along with sharing some of our favorite items like packing cubes, travel backpack, and noise-canceling earbuds, I’ll also explain why a small pack of travel tissues and a simple coin purse became Europe travel essentials for us.
These are the travel items that I actually use and have earned a permanent place on my packing list after multiple trips.
My Favorite Travel Essentials
1. Carry-On Suitcases
I don’t have just one carry-on suitcase that I use for every trip. Depending on where we’re going, how long we’ll be traveling, and the airline’s size requirements, I choose the suitcase that works best for that particular trip.
A few of my favorites include the pink Monos Carry-On Pro, Samsonite Uplift Softside and Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside (not pictured). I like having both softside and hardside options since each works well for different types of travel.
Before flying, always check your airline’s current carry-on size and weight restrictions – especially when traveling internationally, since requirements can vary between airlines.
Why I Recommend Them
- Different sizes and styles give me options depending on the trip
- Softside luggage offers more flexibility when packing
- Hardside luggage provides a more structured suitcase
- Quality wheels make navigating airports and hotels easier
- Carry-on sizes help me avoid checking a bag when possible
My Favorites
- Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside – A lightweight softside option that’s easy to maneuver and gives me flexibility when packing.
- Monos Carry-On Pro – A sleek hardside option with a convenient front compartment for keeping travel essentials and electronics accessible.
- Samsonite Uplift Softside – Another lightweight softside option I like when I want a more flexible packing setup.
Best For
Travelers who want to choose their luggage based on the length of the trip, packing needs, and airline carry-on size requirements.
2. BAGSMART Travel Backpack
If I could only recommend one travel bag, this would be the BAGSMART backpack (pictured in Khaki above). I use it as my personal item on flights, and it’s also a great bag for long weekend trips when I don’t need to bring a suitcase.
The backpack fits easily under the airplane seat while still holding an impressive amount of gear. It’s amazing how much it can carry while still staying organized and comfortable to wear.
One of my favorite features is the number of pockets and compartments that help keep everything organized and easy to find. Compared to the duffle-style bag I used on an earlier trip, where everything ended up piled together at the bottom, I found this backpack much easier to keep organized and access throughout the flight.
Having everything organized also made airport security and boarding much less stressful since I always knew exactly where to find my passport, earbuds, charging cable, and other travel essentials.
During our Europe trip, it became my go-to travel bag for flights, train rides, and travel days between destinations. The separate shoe compartment turned out to be the perfect place to store the laundry bag that came with my packing cubes. As clothes became dirty throughout the trip, I could keep them tucked away and separate from everything else in my bag.
3. Compression Packing Cubes
Packing cubes completely changed the way I pack.
My compression packing cube set from Tripped Travel Gear with see-through mesh tops makes it easy to see exactly what’s inside without opening every cube. I usually organize clothes by category or outfit, making it much easier to unpack and repack every time we changed hotels during our Europe tour.
The packing cubes also have handles so it is easy to pull out and put them in the hotel drawers.
One thing I’ve learned is that I don’t always use the compression feature on every packing cube. Depending on how much room I have in my suitcase, I sometimes leave the cubes uncompressed because they’re more flexible. That makes it easier to use every available inch of space in my suitcase.
The included laundry bag turned out to be one of my favorite features. I kept it folded inside the shoe compartment of my BAGSMART backpack. As clothes became dirty, I simply placed them in the laundry bag to keep them separate from everything else.
Travel Tip: I pack shirts in one cube, shorts and pants in another, and undergarments in a smaller cube – or pack complete outfits (like for locations with cool or warm climates). Having a laundry bag made it easy to separate dirty clothes during our Europe tour, especially since we were changing hotels every couple of days.
Why I Recommend Them
- Mesh top lets me see everything
- Optional compression zipper
- Keeps clothing organized
- Laundry bag included
What I Use Them For
- Organizing outfits
- Separating clothing categories
- Keeping dirty laundry separate
Best For
Carry-on travelers, multi-city trips, and anyone who wants to stay organized while packing and unpacking.
4. Tripped Hanging Toiletry Bag
This has become one of my favorite travel organizers.
Everything is easy to see, and it has a removable clear TSA-sized liquids pouch that makes airport security much easier.
And you can hang this toiletry bag on the towel hook or bathroom door – which is helpful especially since a lot of older boutique hotels have small bathrooms without a lot of counter space.
Why I Recommend It
- Hangs almost anywhere
- Keeps toiletries organized
- Detachable TSA liquids bag
- Packs flat
What I Use It For
- Makeup
- Toiletries
- Hotel stays
Best For
Anyone who likes an organized bathroom while traveling.
5. Laundry Detergent Sheets
A pack of laundry detergent sheets (we use the NeatClear brand) is one of those inexpensive travel items that made a huge difference. They take up almost no space in your luggage and dissolve quickly in water.
When Europe experienced an unexpected heat wave (in May), I had to wear my only two pairs of shorts and “summer” tops repeatedly. Fortunately I had brought laundry detergent sheets and was able to wash them in the hotel sink each night.
By morning, I had clean clothes ready to wear again.
Why I Recommend Them
- Lightweight
- No liquid to pack
- TSA-friendly
- Easy to use
What I Use Them For
- Washing clothes in hotel sinks
- Longer vacations
- Carry-on travel
Best For
Trips lasting more than a few days.
6. Foldable Travel Hangers
I almost didn’t pack these – and I’m so glad I did.
They fold flat and take up almost no room. During the Europe heatwave, after I washed clothes in the hotel sink I was able to hang them up to dry overnight. (Hotel hangers are not always removeable.)
Sometimes the simplest travel products turn out to be the most useful.
Why I Recommend Them
- Lightweight
- Fold nearly flat
- Great for drying clothes
- Easy to pack
What I Use Them For
- Air-drying clothes
- Extra closet space
- Hotel rooms
Best For
Longer trips and travelers who pack light who need to do some light laundry.
7. Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 Earbuds
These quickly became one of my favorite travel purchases for our recent Europe trip.
I was looking for earbuds that offered great sound without spending several hundred dollars – in case they got lost while traveling. The Anker Soundcore lineup includes models at several price points and I chose their Liberty 5 earbuds at around $90.
The active noise cancellation helped reduce airplane cabin noise, and the Soundcore app includes a variety of relaxing sounds that were perfect for our overnight flight. Best of all, they fit comfortably enough that I was able to wear them while sleeping on the plane.
Why I Recommend Them
- Excellent value for around $90
- Comfortable enough to wear on long flights and while sleeping
- Active noise cancellation helps reduce cabin noise
- Soundcore app offers customizable settings and relaxing sounds
- Great sound quality for music, movies, and podcasts
Best For
Long-haul flights, train travel, relaxing at the hotel, and everyday listening.
8. Neck Pillow
A good neck pillow can make a long flight much more comfortable, especially when flying Economy. Sometimes we’ll use neck pillows with memory foam or even inflatable neck pillows to save space in our luggage.
While it won’t magically make sleeping on an airplane easy, it definitely helped make us more comfortable on long flights.
Why I Recommend It
- Better neck support
- More comfortable sleeping
- Packs easily
Best For
Longer flights.
9. Travel Blanket
Airplanes always seem colder than I expect.
Planes (and airports) can be really cold. Having my own lightweight travel blanket (fleece) keeps me comfortable on long flights. Look for a travel blanket that has a clip or luggage sleeve so it’s easy to carry and doesn’t take up extra space.
Why I Recommend It
- Lightweight
- Warm
- Packs small
Best For
International and overnight flights.
10. A Few More Travel Favorites (Travel Tissues and more)
Sometimes it’s the smallest things that make traveling easier. One thing we quickly learned while traveling through Europe is that public restrooms – or “toilettes,” as you’ll often see them labeled – aren’t always free. In some places, you’ll need to pay a small fee to use the restroom, so keeping a few euro coins handy can be helpful. I like to carry a small coin purse so I’m not searching through my wallet when I need change.
We also learned to carry a few packs of travel-size tissues in our bags when traveling. They’re really good to have on hand just in case the public restrooms are out of toilet paper.
A few other small travel essentials I like to pack include:
- Small coin purse – Keeps euro coins handy for public restrooms and other small purchases.
- Travel-size tissue packs – Helpful to have on hand in case a public restroom is out of toilet paper.
- Portable charger – Keeps our phones charged during long sightseeing days when we’re using maps, taking photos, and looking up travel information.
- Universal travel adapter – An essential for keeping our devices charged when traveling internationally.
- Reusable water bottle – Easy to refill throughout the day and especially helpful during warm-weather travel.
- Zip-top storage bags – Handy for organizing small items, snacks, damp clothing, or anything that might leak.
- Passport holder – Keeps important travel documents together and easy to find.
- Small first-aid kit – Useful for keeping a few basic supplies within easy reach.
These aren’t necessarily the most exciting things to pack, but they’re often the items we’re especially glad to have when we need them.
Travel Essentials Worth Packing
Every traveler has a different packing style, but I’ve found that the best travel essentials aren’t always the newest gadgets or the most expensive products. They’re the items that solve real problems, keep you organized, and make traveling a little less stressful.
These are the travel essentials that have earned a permanent place on my packing list because they’ve been tested on overnight flights, train rides, hotel stays, road trips, and multi-country adventures through Europe. Some, like packing cubes and a comfortable travel backpack, make every trip easier. Others – like laundry detergent sheets, travel tissues, and a simple coin purse – proved their value when we encountered situations we hadn’t planned for.
Whether you’re packing for your first trip to Europe, a weekend getaway, or your next big adventure, I hope this list helps you decide what’s truly worth making room for in your luggage. A little planning – and the right travel essentials – can make the journey more comfortable, organized, and enjoyable from the moment you leave home.
For more travel essentials and tips see Long Haul Flight Tips: What to Know Before You Fly.
