Some unglamorous (but practical) travel must-haves:
Field Notes Notebook, Sony Alpha A6000, S’well Bottle, Anker Portable Battery, Shampoo Packets, Travel Pouches, Muji Garment organizer, Turkish towel, Small Suitcase
Most of the time, my monthly shopping list features a lot of thoughtfully-designed, bespoke pieces. This month it is a little more basic, just a few practical items for travel.
I always travel as light, because it is so much easier. I’d rather repeat outfits than check a bag. I like to be prepared (I always travel with a towel, you might need an extra one! Plus, Turkish Towels can serve other purposes, are easy to pack, and dry quickly). I never assume anything will be provided. I try to bring just the basics and plan ahead to do without.
I started packing sample packets of shampoo and conditioner instead of little plastic bottles. I usually have some on hand from my Sephora free sample stash, they are available on Amazon. This is great because as you use them, they take up less room. Also, a little sachet of shampoo takes up a lot less room than a mini bottle.
I stay organized while packing by partitioning everything into little baggies. I bought this set off Amazon and use it to sort my cables, beauty products, and other miscellaneous small items. I even used the largest bag to separate dirty clothes. These packing cubes from Muji also help keep my suitcase organized. I only ever travel with a very small, hard-sided, four-wheel spinner.
A few nice-t0-haves: I like carrying this S’well water bottle with me on trips because it is my only bottle that reliably fits in all sorts of pockets and cup holders. It also keeps things hot or cold very well. I pack it empty and fill it up with water at the airport. Even though I have an iPhone with a very nice camera, I still pack a “real” camera. I recently (after a lot of research) picked up a Sony Alpha A6000. This model is a few years old, but takes great pictures and is very comfortable to hold and shoot with. I like that it charges in a standard USB port, so I don’t have to bring another charger. While traveling, I charge almost exclusively off of an external battery. This one from Anker can last me for several days and charge two things at a time. And finally, I always travel with a little notebook and pens because I really like to put pen to paper when jotting down any thoughts or notes.
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