We have a comprehensive packing list which is already quite long. We also love to travel with our carry-on bags only. This makes us think carefully about every item that we pack, and we are very selective about what comes along. That said, here are a few items which we’ve found handy while traveling that you may not have thought of:
Seven useful things to pack for your next trip
1- Small microfiber towel
In some places in Asia and even Europe there are no towels to be found in restrooms. Even worse, there may be a dirty communal towel in the bathroom. Bringing along a small hand towel can be a savior. We have some great microfiber towels which fold up really small that can be washed in the sink and that dry overnight. They also come in handy in hot and humid climates to wipe your brow.
2- Duct tape
Now that we’ve done a fair bit of travel, we like to stay at some nicer hotels, but in some places, selection is limited, and aging properties can be full of leaky door and window frames. Once in Africa small biting flies were attracted to the light inside and were coming in through a half inch space under the door. Sure, you can always put a towel down or something to block the opening, but a small rolled up spool of duct tape is handy to seal a few cracks and keep insects out!
3- Some bubble wrap
If you’ve ever been to an outdoor market to buy things to support a local village community, it’s likely they don’t have a lot of packing material handy to help wrap up your purchase. A small amount of bubble wrap does not weigh anything, can act as insulation/protection for fragile items and can be used to pack any such purchases for the return. It’s also weightless and can help keep stuff in your luggage from moving around when there’s a strict weigh limit on bags and you have to take your bags less than full. Double tip: Use some of the duct tape for wrapping that up.
4- Our own double-walled insulated water bottles
When roaming around on hot summer days we just love having these with us as they keep our water cold all day. We once saw frozen water bottles for sale in China that had a frozen straw in the ice. Yuk! Not only can you fill these with water you trust, but they can also clip onto the outside of your backpack or carry-on when boarding a plane to avoid taking valuable luggage space.
5- A tennis ball
My podiatrist recommended an exercise for me which involved rolling my feet over a tennis ball. You know, I had never thought of this but when I tried it, I was amazed at how good it felt! I immediately thought about those days of walking for miles and miles seeing tourist attractions and how I think I’m going to pack one of these along for my next trip.
6- A few tie wraps
Once we were able to fix a pair of sandals and another time reattach a broken luggage handle with a tie wrap. Even if the repairs are only temporary, tie wraps don’t take any room, weigh almost nothing, and are inexpensive, so why not throw a few in your suitcase just in case.
7- Things to donate to the locals
Lastly, we have been to some places where there is a lot of poverty. Driving to the hotel in a limo or a taxi watching barefoot people carrying water was something that really saddened and left an impression on us in Zanzibar.
We had similar experiences in Honduras, Cuba, and other places too. In Cuba, we had old ladies come and ask us for soap (which at the time we didn’t have and would not have thought to carry around with us). Later, my husband took to bringing home the little soaps he’d find in hotels during his business travels, and we’d bring these along and hand them out.
In Zanzibar, we ended up leaving half the contents of our luggage with the hotel that promised to distribute the clothes, shoes, and toiletries to the locals in need.
In some cases, hotel websites may even sponsor local communities and ask for donations such as pencils or school supplies. Consider packing in a way that you can leave some of your clothes behind. As an added bonus, you’ll have extra room for souvenirs or duty-free items on your return!
Check out our Packing List and How and What to Pack