Stop Googling ‘Best Travel Must-Haves’—These 9 Are Worth Packing Twice
- Kimberly Moduno
- Jul 13
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever unzipped your suitcase in a hotel room only to realize you packed five rompers but forgot a phone charger, this one’s for you. Whether you’re chasing toddlers through TSA or finally escaping for a girls’ weekend, these travel essentials earn their weight in carry-on gold.
Heads up: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you shop through them. It costs you nothing but helps fund my emergency airport snack budget.
1. BAGSMART Travel Electronic Organizer
If you’ve ever played “Guess Which Pocket Has the Charger” at 4:00 a.m., this thing is your new BFF. It keeps cords, chargers, AirPods, and your sanity all in one zippered spot. Plus, it actually looks cute.
2. Eachy Cosmetic Case
I swore I wasn’t going to fall for the influencer-hyped makeup bag, and yet…here we are. It opens flat, fits everything, and even comes with a removable brush holder. If TSA had a fashion week, this would be in the front row.
3. Anker Nano Power Bank 5000mAh with Built-in USB-C Connector
I don’t care how ‘fully charged’ your phone says it is when you leave — it’s lying. This power bank is teeny-tiny, plugs in directly (no cord!), and charges fast. Ideal for when your Maps app is the only thing standing between you and a hangry meltdown.
4. Veken 8 Set Packing Cubes
Remember when your suitcase looked like a crime scene? These change everything. Suddenly you’re a packing wizard with a cube for every category: tops, bottoms, kids’ clothes, “just in case” sweaters, the entire snack stash.
5. Trtl Travel Pillow
It looks weird. It feels weird. And it WORKS. I used to roll my eyes at this thing until I actually slept through a red-eye with zero neck pain and only minor drool. 10/10 recommend.
6. Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier Packets
Jet lag + airplane dehydration = a very cranky mom. These taste good, work fast, and make me feel like I’m thriving, not surviving. I keep one in every bag and once bribed a gate agent with one. (Kidding. Kind of.)
7. Lume Acidified Body Wash
Travel days make me feel…gross. This body wash is TSA-friendly, pH-balanced, and keeps post-plane funk in check without smelling like a teenage locker room. You’ll never go back to hotel soap again.
8. Compression Socks by Physix Gear Sport
Your ankles may not feel puffy now, but wait until you hit 35 and take a 3-hour flight. These are actually cute, and they keep you feeling human when you land. Bonus: makes you look like you know what you’re doing.
9. MATEIN Travel Laptop Backpack
This thing has a USB charging port, padded laptop section, secret anti-theft pocket, and still somehow fits under the seat in front of you. It’s like the Mary Poppins of backpacks — but for grown-ups who forgot to download Bluey in advance.
These travel essentials are worth their weight in packing cubes.
If you’re tired of overpacking things you don’t use (hi, third pair of sandals) and forgetting the MVPs, these picks are about to change your travel game. Consider this your permission slip to pack smarter — and yes, you can still bring the fancy eye masks.
Hey, I'm the Add To Cart Mom and I scroll so you don't have to.
Literally running on caffeine, impulse buys, and the dopamine hit of a well-packed delivery box.
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