Playful Rooted

As we’ve been packing our bags to return home these past couple weeks, I’ve been thinking a bit about the essential travel items I’ve carried with me everywhere this year. Over these past 12 months, I’ve spent time in 24 cities (plus several more to come next week!), so I feel like I have the packing thing down, and I’ve been able to weed out the less-used items to make room for the major players. Packing the right travel stuff keeps you organized and can make your trip much less stressful. Here’s a roundup of my most used travel items!

For your suitcase

• Eagle Creek Pack-It System. I haven’t taken a single trip without using at least a few components of this packing system. It seems like inserting a bunch of bags into your suitcase would cause more bulk (and I guess, technically, there is more bulk), but these organizers make everything so much more streamlined. They keep your whole suitcase compartmentalized so you can grab just what you need without having to do the whole unpack/repack dance, which no one likes, right? If you’re looking for a good time, go to The Container Store and ask for a demo. Those sales reps go crazy for this stuff! Just be prepared to drop a little bit of cash. I swear, it’s worth it.
• RuMe bags. These baggies are unassuming, but they hold SO much stuff. Seriously. My entire (not skimpy) makeup collection, including brushes, fit in one little bag. I convinced my mom to buy one before she came out to Europe, and I knew it was a bit of a half-hearted purchase. Then, a few weeks later, she called me out of the blue just to show me how much stuff it fit! I’m telling you, these bags rule. I’d recommend buying a few – you will find plenty of uses for them!
• Reisenthel laundry bag. A laundry bag can be somewhat of an afterthought, but it’s so useful for longer trips. This one isn’t waterproof, but once full of dirty clothes, it squishes into a suitcase beautifully. I love this bag so much, we even use it at home.

For your handbag

• Pacsafe shoulder bag. My sister got me this bag for my birthday the summer before we moved here. I’ve used it every day since (for 16 months), and it looks brand new. Now, granted, it’s not the cutest bag ever (though mine is purple, so it is a little cuter) – but that’s not the point. It comes equipped with SO many anti-theft features. The strap is reinforced with metal webbing, so it can’t be sliced through, and each compartment is individually securable. I’m not saying this bag is 100% the reason we haven’t been ripped off (knock on wood), but … it certainly hasn’t hurt.
• Pacsafe RFID safe passport sleeve. Along the same lines of not hurting, I love this little passport sleeve. The RFID blocker makes me feel like my identity is slightly more secure when traveling through airports and train stations. I don’t know if it’s totally, absolutely necessary, but if there’s some kind of precaution I can take to be safe, I’ll usually take it. And it’s decently cheap, so why not?
• Good headphones with a Y-jack. When I worked in an office in Chicago, I had the most ostentatious, fantastic headphones. Then I started working from home and my husband, the jerk, “borrowed” them, and I haven’t seen ‘em since. So my iPhone earbuds have been standing in, and they’re fine. But I would recommend getting some actual headphones (as in, non-earbuds) and pairing them up with a Y-jack. If you’re traveling with a partner, this teeny purchase makes such a difference! You can watch movies together or listen to the same music/podcasts/white noise to drown out the crying baby or crazy drunk in the seat behind you.

For your cords

• Universal adapter. If you’re traveling abroad, you need this. I recommend bringing one for each cell phone you’ll need to charge (nothing’s worse than that barely-charged cell phone shuffle, especially when you also need to plug in your hair straightener). They’re super cheap and decently sized to pack several.
• Travel surge protector. I haven’t used this a ton during European travel since it’s made for US cords, but we use it with adapters every single day at home. And I can see a ton of situations where this would come in handy at the airport or train station when you desperately need to charge your phone, but there is only one outlet available for 100 people. I love that it swivels for convenience. It also comes in a 6-outlet version if your needs are larger.
• Grid-It organizer case. Once you buy one of these (very reasonably priced) little items, you will wonder how you ever traveled without it! You can shove anything in here, and it’ll stay put, no matter how much jostling you give it. So convenient for toting all those little cords and miscellaneous items. Plus it’s easy to spot when something’s missing, so you never forget your cell phone charger at a random hostel in Munich. Love.

For eating and drinking

• Filter water bottle. A durable water bottle with a built-in filtration system is so ideal when you’re on-the-go. We’ve filled these up at so many gross fountains and faucets and magically had clean drinking water! And saying “no” to spending $5+ on a tiny, one-use plastic water bottle is pretty gratifying.
• Reusable utensil set. Full disclosure: these aren’t the exact utensils we have, but the idea is the same (plus I’ve heard great things about this set). You’re covered for just about any snack on the go OR in those instances when you randomly need a knife… it happens.
• Hand sanitizer. This one goes without saying.

For the journey

• Kindle. It took me so long to get on the e-reader wagon. I’m a bibliophile to. the. core, and there’s nothing I love like the feel of a real book in my hands. That said… my Kindle has seen some majorly heavy use this year. There’s just no other feasible way to tote a whole library halfway around the world with you.
• Blanket with footie pockets. On most overnight flights, you’ll get a ‘blanket’ – one of those sad, thin affairs that would hardly register as a sheet to most people. So I never bother with those. But this? This blanket is something else. An “accesories” pocket where you can store your cell phone, a book, or a snack. Foot pockets that house your tootsies comfortably. Not too thick or scratchy, but totally warm. That airline blanket just can’t compete. If only it were a liiiiiiittle bit longer, it would be perfect.
• Lewis N. Clark sleep mask. I’ve tried a bunch of sleep masks in my life, and this is the GOLD STANDARD. Thick, plush, adjustable, flexible. Thanks to an extra little cushion that fits just under your eyes, light is entirely blocked out. I’m a pretty cranky sleeper if conditions aren’t perfect, but with this sleep mask on, I’m totally oblivious to even the brightest light.
• Toner.  Travel is super dehydrating, so taking along some toner is a great trick to keep your skin healthy. Look for a tiny spritzer bottle (I found an awesome one at The Container Store) and fill it with your favorite product. (I use this.)

Miscellaneous

• Fingernail clippers. It sounds dramatic, but I have had more than one trip absolutely ruined because my nails were too long. I now make sure we have nail clippers in every single bag we’re bringing.
• Tiny first-aid kit with Benadryl, Tylenol, band-aids, etc. I really like this tin case. The un-crushable design is great for tossing in a bag or suitcase.
• Rain jacket. Pick one that can be compressed and rolled. I love my RDT Rain Jacket by The North Face.
• Cash. ‘Cause there have been times that we’ve been in big restaurants, in big cities, and they don’t take a card. Europe.

Happy organized travels! A post about my favorite smartphone apps for travelers coming soon!

French expression of the day
Pédaler dans la choucroute – To be spinning one’s wheels/to be getting nowhere fast (literally: To pedal in the sauerkraut)