You need to plan ahead for your journey so that nothing will be left out. Remember that you will be staying away from home for a given period. Proper planning and preparation will ensure that the journey goes smoothly.  You may not be able to take everything you would need for a normal living along with you on the journey, but you should take as many things as possible to make your stay at the destination as comfortable as possible.

There are certain items you should take along with you on that journey, and some of those items will be discussed here.

Choose your main luggage

 Your luggage should be adequately big to contain all the items you want to take along with you on that particular journey.  Additionally, the luggage should be lightweight and versatile.  When buying a bag, go for one that has a long-term warranty; this will assure you of reliability and durability.  Avoid luggage with broken, zipper, handle or wheels.  The versatility of the bag must also be in line with what you want. It should fit all the stuff you want to pack and must also be easy to carry.

Examples of luggage you may consider for your journey are:

  • Carry on: It prevents losing your luggage at the airport, helps you to save some money from check-in fees and reduce how long you have to spend at the airport.
  • Travel backpack: It provides ultimate versatility and hands-free mobility
  • Wheeled backpack: It is perfect for different terrains, like paved streets or cobbled stone.
  • Duffel bag: You can sling it over your shoulder for easy carrying
  • 4-wheels: It is the best if you will be walking a long distance with a lot of load in the bag.
  • Rolling luggage: It makes the perfect luggage if you are visiting cities with paved sidewalks and roads.

Organize your things

If you are going to stay in that other city or country for a long while, you will have to pack a lot of stuff.  You must keep everything well organized so that you will not have to rummage through the entire bag when looking for a particular item. Those items that you will need in an emergency situation should be placed where you can reach them on time. You can use online packing organizers when packing items for your journey so that you can overcome the challenges of packing your things.

The packing organizer will tell you exactly where a particular item is in the bag.  It will also help you in packing your clothing so that everything can be in the right place a proper arrangement of the clothes will make the bag take in more items.  The organizer ensures that you can pack and unpack your bags very fast.

When packing your clothes into the bag, pack them based on the type of activity that clothes will be used for or the type of outfit it is.  The proper organization sees to it that your bags are arranged neatly. Another tool for packing your bags is the compression cube or compression sac. It will compress the items you have packed in the bag by up to 80% so that the bag can contain more items.  You will need this tool if you are packing jackets, sweaters and other bulky items.

You should not leave out the following items, especially if you were going away for long

  • Travel apps for money conversion, direction, and language translation
  • Electric adapters and converters
  • Ear plugs, eye mask, travel pillow
  • Travel speakers
  • Cell phone and charger
  • Swim trunks or swimsuit
  • Bandana or scarf
  • Sun visor or hat
  • Jewelry
  • Skirts and/or dresses
  • Sunglasses and glasses case
  • Underwear
  • Sleepwear and pajamas
  • Umbrella, windbreaker or rain jacket
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Socks. You should opt for wool socks if you are going for hiking
  • Belt
  • Shorts and/or pants
  • Tank tops and T-shirts. Make sure they put into consideration the culture of the place you are visiting while choosing any of these items.
  • Fleece jacket or sweater
  • Long-sleeved shirts
  • Lightweight clothing

Your toiletry bag

Make sure your toiletry bag is light, and it must be compliant with TSA regulations.  According to TSA, pastes, creams, aerosols, get and liquids must be 3.4 ounces or less per container.  Also, TSA requires that the items must be in 1-quart sizes, zip-top, clear plastic bag.

Some of the basic things to include in your toiletry bag are highlighted below:

  • Prescription medication with script or label so that TSA will not question you and to ensure they can be refilled when the need arises.
  • Glasses and prescription glasses
  • Contact case, extra contacts, and solution
  • Feminine hygiene products for a female
  • Personal hygiene items
  • Lip gloss, lipstick and lip balm with SPF
  • Night time lotion or moisturizer
  • Makeup remover wipes, face watch and q-tips
  • Makeup packed in a wipeable wristlet
  • Sunscreen and face lotion with SPF
  • Conditioner and shampoo; you can go for the all-in-one solution to laundry, face wash, hair care and all, which makes Dr. Brooners a good choice.
  • Deodorant
  • Bobby pins, barrettes, hair ties, comb and hairbrush
  • Mouthwash, floss, toothpaste, toothbrush.

You can equally add other items as mentioned below to your toiletry bag:

  • Scissors, tweezers and nail clipper
  • Travel towel
  • A facial tissue or toilet paper
  • Sewing kit, stain remover, clothing care kit
  • Shaving kit and extra razor
  • Detergent and clothesline
  • Hair products, like beard oil, hair gel, and hairspray
  • Personal mini mirror
  • Perfume or cologne

Conclusion

The above are some of the essential things to take along with you when traveling. Bear in mind that the actual items you pack and the quantity depend on how long you will be staying and where you are traveling to. However, you should also consider your health and pack certain items to maintain good health like ones highlighted below:

  • First aid kit
  • Fever and pain reliever
  • Personal prescription
  • Thermometer
  • Laxative/diarrhea medicine
  • Throat lozenges and cold medicine
  • Allergy medicine
  • Multivitamins
  • Antibacterial ointment/ hydrocortisone cream
  • Sunburn relief
  • Motion sickness bands or pills
  • Sting reliever/mosquito net/insect repellant.