I just got back from my first trip to Europe – 9 days total (including travel) in Italy, France, and Spain. It was such an incredible experience, and I would love to visit more of France and Italy in the future. The plan was to only take a carry-on suitcase, which was such a challenge to figure out how to pack for that many days in such a small space. I ended up checking an extra suitcase (mostly empty) to have room for souvenirs on the way home, but all my clothes, toiletries, and necessities were in my carry-on so I was guaranteed to have everything I needed as soon as we got to Europe. If you’ve ever been stranded somewhere with lost luggage… you learn that lesson the hard way.
I did so much research and planning before the trip on how to pack minimally and survive a 10 hour flight. Today I’m sharing all the travel and packing essentials I brought with me on this trip that were worth every penny. I will 100% be using these for future vacations, and I hope this is helpful for your upcoming trips too!
21″ marble expandable carry-on luggage
Great quality for an mid-priced piece of luggage, and still looks brand new after several years and many trips. I prefer the hard side luggage vs. cloth because it’s easier to clean – they get so dirty when you check them at the airport! And the marble pattern makes it super easy to identify quickly. (12,000+ 5-star reviews)
Carry-on travel backpack
I used this as my “personal item” for the flight, and it’s the only way I managed to fit everything in carry-ons for this trip. There are 18 pockets and 3 larger compartments, and the middle one opens up 180 degrees so you can easily fit clothes, shoes, etc. I also love that it has a water bottle holder on the side to keep your hands free and a strap on the back so you can securely slide it onto the handle of your suitcase while you’re in transit. I would buy this 100x over again. I got the smaller size, but it does say the larger one is also TSA approved.
Travel neck pillow with hood
This was perfect for our 10 hour flight. The memory foam is so soft and cushiony, but supports your neck really well. The big selling point for me though was the hood feature. I pulled this down over my eyes and slept most of the flight because I had a little bit of privacy while sitting just inches away from complete strangers. It also comes with an eye mask, which helped me fall and stay asleep (don’t forget to pack some melatonin). It rolls back up into a storage bag, and I kept it in my backpack between flights.
Packing cubes
How did I pack and travel before these? I roll all my clothes into these cubes, and it keeps everything so compact and saves so much space. This particular set also comes with a cosmetics bag, undergarment bag, shoe bag, laundry bag, and more.
High-speed portable charger
I’ve had mine for a couple years now, and it’s such a lifesaver when you’re out sightseeing and don’t want to miss a photo opportunity because of a dead phone battery – or on this trip, we used our phones constantly to translate menus and signs! (73,000+ 5-star reviews)
Travel toiletry bag
Bought this years ago (the large size) and have used it countless times since. You can store so much in the 4 inner compartments, and it has a hook so you can conveniently hang it on the bathroom door for easy access during your trip.
Lighted rechargeable makeup mirror
The size of this was perfect and folded up flat so I could tuck it right into my makeup bag. I charged the mirror once before my trip, and it lasted 7+ days. It’s dimmable and has 3 different light temps. My only complaint is that sometimes the stand slips, depending on the angle I have it set at. (4,000+ 5-star reviews)
Anti-theft crossbody bag
I wanted a crossbody bag I could wear on my chest vs. a backpack while we were out sightseeing, and this bag ended up being one of the best things I purchased for this trip. The vegan leather looks super chic and coordinated with all my outfits, but the safety features are what sold me. We actually watched someone get aggressively pickpocketed in Barcelona, and it made me feel so much more safe having my money, ID, and phone where I could easily see and feel.
Owala refillable water bottle
When I’m at home, I like having this jug with a handle for my water. But when I travel, I only use my Owala. It has a lid that locks down tight and will not spill a drop, even if you toss it in a bag. I bought my son and I both the 24oz size for this trip because the larger 32oz one doesn’t always fit well in cup holders. Pro tip: make sure it’s empty when you arrive at the airport, and as soon as you get through security, fill it up at a water fountain. Before you leave your hotel each morning, fill it up there as well to save money on drinks during the day!
Potassium electrolyte drink packets
I was nervous about traveling without all the supplements and normal foods and nutrients my body is used to. But I ordered some electrolyte drink packets with essential minerals and drank one every morning with breakfast. It kept me hydrated, my digestion regular, and my energy levels stable, even when we walked over 22,000 steps some days. The packets didn’t take up a lot of space, and I kept a couple in my crossbody bag for anyone who needed them.
Travel laundry bag
I don’t know if you’re like this, but it drives me nuts having all my dirty clothes mixed with my clean clothes in my suitcase. I threw one of these laundry bags (here’s a larger mesh one) in each of our suitcases, and they made it so easy to dump all the dirty clothes straight into the washing machine when we got home.
Universal travel adapter
I bought one of these universal outlet adapters that will work anywhere you travel in the world, and it was really helpful having not only a plug adapter, but also 4 USB ports as well. Pro tip: get yourself one of these multi-charger cables to reduce the amount of different cords you have to bring! (16,000+ 5-star reviews)
Makeup remover cloths
I use these when I travel and also at home. It’s the easiest, quickest, best way to remove your makeup (eye makeup included) without the use of any cleansers. You simply wet the towel, wipe your makeup away, and follow up with a cleanser – I actually double cleanse, and you can find my whole nighttime skin care routine here.
Travel mini hair brush
I knew I didn’t have space to pack my full size brushes, so I bought this little mini brush, and it detangled my long hair perfectly.
Fold-up boar bristle brush
I knew I would be stretching out my hair wash days as long as possible on this trip so I could sleep in a little longer, and a slick back ponytail or bun is the perfect style for dirty hair days. A boar bristle brush is the key to smoothing out all the bumps and flyaways, and this little brush folds up to be super compact.
Refillable toiletry containers
Packing all my clothes in a carry-on was one thing (you can see all my outfits here), but figuring out how to pare down my beauty routine and skin care products into 3.4oz containers that fit in a quart size bag was a challenge, to say the least. I had some refillable containers already, but I needed more and got this set because I liked that it came with spray bottles and little jars too. I put my face toner and perfume in the spray bottles and moisturizer/sunscreen in the jars. Body wash, shampoo, face wash, and conditioner went in the silicone bottles. I think I prefer hard plastic bottles that keep their shape vs. silicone bottles that warp if I had to buy them again. Anything that I couldn’t fit in my refillable containers I bought travel size versions of from Target (toothpaste, contact solution, etc). Pro tip: I put one quart size bag of liquids in my suitcase, one in my personal item bag (this backpack), and one in my son’s backpack, and made it through security at several airports just fine.
Phone holder mount
This doesn’t fall into the “necessity” category, but it was definitely nice to have on our long flights so I could watch shows on my phone hands free. It rotates and angles in any direction, so you can clip it on the tray table on the airplane, on the handle of your luggage if you’re waiting on a layover, or even just as a phone stand on your desk.
Exfoliating travel wash cloths
I read in a travel guide somewhere that some hotels we would be staying at may not supply washcloths, so thankfully I bought these last minute. They’re soft on one side and exfoliating on the other, and they came in a pack of 3 (or 5), so my son and I each had one. Pro tip: pack an extra ziplock bag in your bathroom bag to toss the wet wash cloth in.
Luggage tags
I don’t know how I’ve gotten this far in life without proper luggage tags, but I made sure we had some this trip. These come in a bunch of different colors and have a flap to protect your personal information.
Any questions? Let me know! I hope this was helpful!
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