These days I’m pretty much ready to go at a moments notice. Some trips last for a few weeks and others are just a short break no more than 3 – 4 days. But no matter where I’m off to or even how I get there, there are a few things I always, always travel with. My 5 travel essentials I can’t live without are:
1. Longchamp Le Pliage XL Travel Bag
I absolutely love my Longchamp Le Pliage XL travel bag. The ultra lightweight nylon bag folds up into a tiny, flat bag that is easy to pack into the 20″ spinner that I’m typically seen wheeling through airports. The interior easily wipes clean with a damp cloth, so my Le Pliage has served many purposes from carry-on to beach bag. They come in a variety of colors and sizes, though I love the Le Pliage XL because it can fit a lot of stuff whenever I do need an extra bag.
2. RejuvaHealth Compression Leggings
I’ve long had issues with my feet and ankles swelling up to several times their normal size when flying anything more than a few hours. RejuvaHealth sent me a pair of their compression leggings to test out and I’ve now worn them on a couple of flights, plus a very long travel day that involved a lot of sitting on a bus and then a train.
The swelling (and subsequent pain that comes from my swollen ankles and feet) was significantly reduced and actually was completely gone by the next day. In the past, I could experience pain and my elephant-sized feet for several days following my flight, so I’m hooked! They look like a regular pair of leggings, so they pair great with a tunic or long sweater. Both super comfy to wear and fashionable, these leggings are now a staple of my travel-day outfits.
3. Tieks by Gavrieli
I am the queen of shoes and reducing my suitcase to just one or two pairs for an entire trip was probably the hardest adjustment I had to make to my new on-the-go travel life. What can I say? I love my shoes!
There was once a time when I barely blinked at the cost of a pair of Jimmy Choo’s. I hate to say it, but my collection of Jimmy Choo’s aren’t the most practical shoes for running around cities and I’ve long needed a good pair of flat, yet fashionable shoes made for long days of walking. As amazing as I’d heard Tieks are, I wavered on whether to spend $195 for a pair of ballet flats. So when Tieks offered me a substantial discount to try out a pair, I took the plunge. The hardest decision was picking out which color! Oh, how I love the Azure Snake…
In the end, I rationalized that Obsidian Black crinkled patent would be my best travel companion and pair with a lot. Like my love of the fold-up Longchamp Le Pliage, Tieks are flexible and fold up into a tiny pouch perfect for easily stuffing into my bag. And they are so comfy!
I really put them to the test recently as I traversed the cobbled streets of a hilltop town in Abruzzo, Italy. And I accidentally wore them on a short hike on my quest to capture a certain picture of Abruzzo’s heart shaped lake. No blisters, comfortable, and fashionable = a winner in my book. Totally worth the price tag, in case you were still wondering. Maybe I’ll order the Azure Snake after all…
4. L’Occitane Aromachologie Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner
I’m really disclosing a lot here. Swollen feet and…shhhh! Don’t tell! I’m also a victim of horribly frizzy hair. Did you ever watch Friends? Remember that episode where they all go to Barbados and the humidity wreaks havoc on Monica’s hair? Well, that’s totally me! L’Occitane Aromachologie Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner keeps the frizziness at bay. Forget travel size bottles or relying on the hotel for good shampoo and conditioner. I never ever travel without my tried and true L’Occitane shampoo and conditioner
Wondering if I travel with a huge bottle of shampoo and conditioner? No way! I keep my Cool Gear Go-Gear Silicone Travel Containers, Assorted Sizes, 3-Pack filled with my L’Occitane shampoo and conditioner. They’re made from leak-proof silicone and the top easily screws off to easily fill them up. I’ve been traveling with them for more than 10 years now and never had a spill. They’re even TSA approved since the largest has a 3 ounce capacity.
5. Scarves
I always, always carry a scarf with me when I travel. They serve so many purposes. The airlines are so stingy these days with blankets and I certainly don’t have room to be packing a blanket. So I cover up with a scarf on the plane and even in the car when Tim is always hot and I’m freezing.
I pack a lot of the same colors when traveling so I can easily mix and match, plus pair just one or two pairs of shoes with everything. So when I’m not using it as a blanket, a scarf is a great accessory to jazz up and add a pop of color to an otherwise boring outfit.
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Marlene Dombrowski says
Great article. Will definitely be trying some of the items
Marlene says
Inspired by the article, especially since I end up with blisters on every trip. Great advice for making the most out of a vacation or a short trip.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Tieks have stretch, so I bet these would be great for you and not give you blisters. I’m definitely sold. They are a great shoe!
Lee says
I love my Tieks and my Longchamp bag (in khaki green) too! Never travel without them (or a big soft scarf)! I couldn’t decide on the Tieks color either, so I bit the bullet and bought TWO pair (I had a coupon though, which lessened the pain). I have the Obsidian Black too, and the Wild Copper. They have so many more colors now, than when I bought mine several years ago. Wishing now for the Sunset Stripe, the Camel, maybe Brentwood, Pop Pink is cute too… oh the decision!
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Right?! Picking the color is so hard! I love the camel too. I tend to wear a lot of black, so I think I’ve talked myself into ordering the Azure Snake. I could get a lot of use out of them and jazz up my uniform of skinny jeans and black sweaters.
Katherine Belarmino says
While I’m sad you didn’t go with my vote of metallic pewter, I think obsidian black would have been my second choice for the Tieks. 🙂 I love how Longchamp bag folds up!
Jennifer Dombrowski says
It was SO hard to pick a color. I want a pair of Tieks in nearly every shade now!
Valen says
L’Occitane Aromachologie Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner is the best shampoo ever!! I love their men's cologne, too! I wear it myself….
Jess says
I have to check out that bag! One of my big packing annoyances is how much space my decent sized purses take in a carry on, but I hate to not have one for walking around places.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Longchamp Le Pliage come in purse size too and they also fold up. They come in a lot of colors and I love the leather closure and straps. It makes it look like a chic, fashionable bag but is still super travel friendly.
Heather says
Looks like I’m finally going to have to bite the bullet and buy a pair of Tieks…
Jennifer Dombrowski says
I really hated the “between seasons” because it was too cold for cute sandals and too hot for boots. Tieks are my answer to that problem! And I even wore them without any socks and I still didn’t get blisters.
Christy says
Good shampoo and conditioner is important for me too. Whenever I get lazy and just use the stuff at the hotel, I always pay for it. I’m totally checking out GoGear. Thanks for the tip!
Jennifer Dombrowski says
I love the GoGear tubes! I never have to worry about trying to find a decent travel sized shampoo and conditioners. Plus these are just more environmentally friendly than tossing out all those little plastic bottles all the time.
Ali says
Love the Friends reference! My hair doesn’t get quite as frizzy as hers, but it definitely does not like humid weather. Though if it’s humid, it’s probably hot and that’s when my hair just end up in a ponytail.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
I’m frightened to think what my hair is going to do in Thailand and Myanmar. I may have to resort to cornrows like Monica!
Leah says
I LOVE my Longchamp bag. Although I don’t have one of the ones that folds up like yours, it does go flat and can serve as a stylish camera bag when I’m out and about. Ditto on the scarves. I probably have 50. It’s kind of a sickness.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
I was thinking of you and all your scarves when I wrote this! I probably have around 30 or so different ones. I’m also thinking of getting a smaller Le Pliage to carry camera equipment. Tim is always trying to get me to stick lenses in my purse.
Lauren DiMarco says
really need to try these Tieks everyone goes on about 🙂
Jennifer Dombrowski says
You do, Lola! And they have pink!
Cathy Sweeney says
I’ve got to check out Tieks — I’m always looking for comfortable, versatile shoes that won’t give me blisters with all the walking I do when traveling. Thanks for the tip.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
I think you’d love them Cathy! I was prepared to have blisters just like any other ballet flat I’ve tried. But especially after my couple mile hike through a forest in them, I am sold these are the best flats ever!
June J. Kemp says
5. A mini sleep kit. I’m an insomniac even when I’m sleeping at home, so it’s pretty much a given that I’ll have trouble falling asleep when I’m traveling. I actually like to assemble a little ‘sleep kit’ containing heavy duty ear plugs (I like Mack’s ), a sleep mask, and a couple of other items to encourage good rest like a container of temple rub balm and couple bags of chamomile tea. If I sleep well, I’m much more likely to enjoy my trip, so this one is important. I hope that this quick list of essentials proves helpful the next time you get ready to pack your carry-on for a quick trip! I’d also love to hear about any items you include when packing light.
Deb says
haha! I totally remember that episode with Monica’s hair! Great list thanks for sharing.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Praying that isn’t me in Thailand next week! I better pack a hat…