10 Travel Must-Haves In 2024
When planning your 2024 travel, make preparation and organization easier for your trips with the right travel gear! After spending the past few years traveling to six continents and twenty-nine countries, I’ve discovered some incredible travel products that make my life easier on the road. Here are my favorite travel items to bring with me on trips!
- Spacious carry-on bag
- Laptop-friendly backpack
- Functional day bag
- Packing cubes and compression bags
- Chargers and organizers for electronics
- Light jacket
- Toiletry organization
- Jewelry storage
- Handheld fan
- Comfy, fashion-forward shoes
1. Spacious carry-on bag
I try to avoid having to check bags for travel, especially when my flights have layovers. It’s nice to not worry about airlines losing your luggage. Even better though is not having to lug so much stuff around with you, which matters a LOT when traveling around destinations with cobblestone streets and lots of stairs (*cough cough* Europe *cough cough*). When you overpack like me though, being able to pack a lot in little space is crucial. Luckily, I found a couple of bags that allow me to do this!
For destinations with a lot of walking and cobblestone streets, or for shorter trips, the carry-on bag I reach for is the Osprey 70L. This bag is technically too big to carry on if you leave the detachable daypack on. However, if you detach the daypack and use it as your personal item, the backpack is small enough to be a carry-on bag! Just be sure to leave enough room in the daypack for your purse if you have one. If you prefer exploring with a daypack, you can either store the items in your daypack elsewhere when you get to your destination or use a compressible daypack!
If it’s not too inconvenient to have a bag with wheels on my trip, or for longer trips, my go-to bag is the Away bigger carry-on suitcase. The structure of the bag makes it easy to organize and compress my belongings. It’s also very lightweight and easy to carry and roll around. It’s expensive, but the quality and functionality makes it SO worth the money! I recommend getting the portable charger included option if you need one – their portable charger is a really good quality that I’ve found very handy while traveling. Away also has a fantastic medium-sized suitcase if you’re looking for a larger bag – sometimes you just can’t fit it all in a carry-on!
2. Laptop-friendly backpack
Having a good laptop-friendly backpack not only protects your electronics, but also makes going through airport security a breeze! It’s also nice to have a spacious laptop bag to fit camera equipment as well. I’ve tried a few different laptop backpacks over the past year, and my favorite is the tomtoc travel backpack!
I love that the laptop compartment is separate from the rest of the backpack – this makes it easy to get my laptop out of the bag during airport security screenings without messing with my other stuff. It’s also nice to have that separate compartment for easy access when working at an airport. The storage this bag offers is also amazing! The main compartment opens like a suitcase to make storing and organizing your items easy. I use my laptop bag to store camera equipment and anything I want to keep with me in case I’m forced to check my carry-on bag. I also like that there’s a pocket on the top of the backpack so you have easy access to essentials such as your passport. And finally, it has a deep water bottle pocket so even large water bottles will fit!
And in case you’re wondering, this backpack does fit under the seat. I’ve been able to fit it under the seat on multiple airplanes!
3. Functional day bag
When wandering around your destination, it’s nice to have either a purse or backpack on you to carry everything you need – or both!
Although pickpocketing can happen to anyone, even in your home country, being a tourist in an unfamiliar area can make you more susceptible to being a victim of theft. In addition to being aware of your surroundings and avoiding common scams, anti-theft bags are a great way to protect yourself against petty crime. There’s a couple of anti-theft bags that I really like!
I prefer carrying around a purse in addition or in lieu of a backpack. My go-to travel purse is the Travelon anti-theft purse. It has a slash-proof strap, locking hook, and numerous other anti-theft features that give me ease of mind as I wander around a new destination. I also like that it’s stylish but not too flashy. This brand has a large variety of anti-theft bags to suit various size, color, or style preferences!
My favorite anti-theft backpack is this cute day bag. The main opening is on the back of the bag, so no need to worry about someone trying to discreetly open your bag. It also comes with a longer strap so it can be converted to a purse. Some museums don’t allow backpacks, so having a convertible bag like this is really nifty!
Although it’s not considered an anti-theft backpack, this compressible day pack is my go-to when I’m tight on space or planning on hiking during a trip. It compresses down to the size of your palm, so it doesn’t take up much space in your luggage. When uncompressed, it holds a lot of space for your adventure gear. As for the water-resistant feature? It works really well! I brought this bag on a boat while on a dolphin-chasing excursion in Zanzibar. The bag got SOAKED. And somehow, the stuff inside my bag wasn’t that wet – most importantly, my portable charger survived the water damage. Even if you don’t think you’ll need to use this bag on your trip, it’s nice to have it just in case you need some extra space for souvenirs at the end of your trip!
4. Packing cubes and compression bags
Another packing essential that allows me to fit a lot in my carry-on sized bag and keep me organized while on the road are packing cubes. Packing cubes are a great way to save space in your suitcase. Even if you’re a light packer, they’re ideal to travel with because it makes organizing your clothes much easier.
My favorite packing cubes are these compression packing cubes! I’m able to compress so many clothes in these bags and still fly carry-on. As an avid over-packer, I can say these are a God-send! These packing cubes also come with a clear toiletry bag that is London-Heathrow airport security approved…at least in my experience (iykyk). If you’re an over-packer and going to buy only one thing from this blog post, this is the item you should buy.
Another compression essential that’s handy for winter travel are compression bags. I used compression bags similar to this for my bulkier winter gear when I went to Antarctica, which was extremely helpful when making room for my clothes and toiletries! I ended up liking the compression bags my roommate used better, which are the bags I linked here.
If you don’t feel the need to compress your clothes (I admire your ability to pack lighter by the way), any packing cubes are amazing to have! The packing cubes I used before switching to compression packing cubes are the Shacke Pak packing cubes. I like that these cubes have flexible material and come with a laundry bag to keep your dirty clothes separate from your clean clothes.
5. Chargers and organizers for electronics
This one is a no-brainer, but it’s really nice to have chargers that allow you to charge multiple devices at once, especially when you don’t have access to a lot of power outlets. My favorite essential for charging multiple devices at once is this USB wall charger. It allows you to charge up to six devices at once. How much better does that get? I use this for domestic travel and at home!
An essential for keeping your devices charged while traveling internationally is a universal travel adapter. That way, you have one adapter that supports different power outlets around the world. My newest go-to travel adapter is this pretty blue one. It’s easy to switch between different adapters, and it has four USB plugs for charging multiple devices!
I’ve also found it nice to keep all my electronic cables and chargers in one place that’s easily accessible in my luggage. Lately I’ve been using this nifty cable organizer so I don’t have to comb through a tangly mess of cables to find the one I need!
Having a portable charger while on-the-go is highly recommended – especially if you take a lot of pictures like me! There’s a lot of great portable chargers out there, but my pet peeve with portable chargers is needing another cable to charge the charger. I’ve been able to avoid this pet peeve with my portable charger with built-in wall plug. Another nice thing about this charger is that it has a lightning cable, USB-C cable, and USB port so it’s able to charge a variety of devices.
6. Light jacket
For most destinations I like to pack a lightweight, easily packable jacket in case I get chilly or in case of rain. I’ve gotten many compliments on this yellow rain jacket that’s easy to pack and waterproof! A nice feature of this jacket is the drawstring in the waist area so you can choose between an oversized look or a fitted look for the jacket. This jacket comes in many different colors to choose from, but I like the yellow color because it adds a nice pop of color to photos!
7. Toiletry organization
Having a well-organized, easily accessible toiletry bag makes a huge difference in your morning routine during travel! I love toiletry bags that have a hanging hook and multiple clear plastic storage bags. Being able to hang your toiletry bag and easily access all your toiletries is so nice, and the plastic storage bags are great for easy cleaning when toiletries explode (it happens)! The toiletry bag I use is the Vera Bradley Hanging Travel Organizer. There’s lots of bags with a similar concept, so don’t fret if Vera Bradley is not your style! In fact, Vera Bradley isn’t really my style anymore, so once I find a toiletry bag I like as much as my current one I’ll update this post!
Cleaning up leaked toiletries is the worst! These silicone, reusable toiletry containers are leak-proof and fit a lot of product in a little bottle. To be honest I’ve recently started using these so don’t have a lot to say about them yet, but I love them so far!
Finally, even if you don’t think you need it on your trip I recommend adding this lightweight, quick-drying towel to your packing list. This towel, which comes with a hand towel, packs so well that it hardly takes up space in any size bag, but is really handy to have if your accommodation doesn’t have towels or if you need to dry off after a good hike or swim! Most of the time I don’t end up needing to use my towel, but when I have needed to I was grateful to have it.
8. Jewelry storage
Having proper jewelry storage during travels is the best. Being able to organize jewelry so there’s no tangled necklaces and easy access to all jewelry means less time sorting through jewelry and more time sightseeing! The jewelry organizer I use is discontinued, but this jewelry organizer includes everything I like about my organizer – many pockets for earrings and an organized way to store necklaces and bracelets. As a maximalist, I can say that this jewelry organizer is perfect for all maximalist travelers!
9. Handheld fan
A handheld fan is a necessity for me since I’m a sweaty betty. Whether you sweat excessively or not, it’s nice to have a portable fan to keep you cool in warm destinations. My favorite portable fan is this handheld mini-fan that also has a USB charging port and flashlight! I don’t use the other features much because I want to save all the fan charge for keeping me cool, but they’re nice to have. This fan is very compact and has two different speeds. From tailgates to stuffy Egyptian tombs, this fan has kept me from completely melting in sweltering heat and humidity!
10. Comfy, fashion-forward shoes
As an active traveler, I do a LOT of walking! It’s really important for me to have shoes that are comfortable, durable, and stylish. There’s a couple of shoe brands that make shoes I love traveling with! These shoes are a little pricy, but definitely worth the money.
Allbirds make a variety of shoes that are sustainable, easy to clean, comfortable, and fashionable! They make running and hiking shoes, slip-on shoes, and everyday sneakers. The shoes I like to wear when traveling are these Allbirds everyday sneakers that come in a variety of colors! From walking tours in Portugal to exploring Petra in Jordan, these shoes have been great to have in my suitcase. In addition to enjoying the comfort and breathability of these shoes, I also appreciate how easy they are to clean. All I need to do is throw them in the washing machine and set them out to dry! All Allbirds shoes are machine washable.
Vessi makes a wide variety of waterproof sneakers, and they’re amazing! I wore these Vessi everyday sneakers while spending all day walking around Tokyo on a rainy day, and my feet stayed completely dry! I like that these sneakers are mostly white with a small pop of color to show some personality. Vessi also makes high-top sneakers, more sporty sneakers, and slip-on sneakers. Like Allbirds, Vessi’s shoes are machine washable. With Vessi sneakers, you can ditch the bulky rain boots and save valuable packing space without sacrificing dry feet!
With these recommended travel products, it’s so easy to travel smarter and lighter! Upgrade your 2024 travel plans with these ten travel must-haves.
