Must-have travel accessories – the things I don’t leave home without
Over time, I’ve built up a list of tried-and-tested travel accessories that I never (well, hardly ever) leave home without. Unless I’ve said otherwise, these are all things I’ve bought myself and use on repeat. I know they’re true must-haves because every time I accidentally leave one behind, I end up kicking myself and having to find alternatives.
So, to save you from the same mistakes, here are my go-to favourites — the little lifesavers that make every trip that bit smoother.
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London Fog Hand-luggage
First things first. It has to be ‘Foggy’.
At least that’s what I call her, my favourite item of hand luggage ever.
The secret of this little trolley bag is that it fits under the seat in front of you, with the zippers still accessible, so you can reach inside without having to pull everything out & up onto your knee.
It has a bag strap on the back so you can stack it securely on top of your check-in suitcase, then when you’ve checked that in, you still have the ease of a trolley on wheels. No more heavy clumsy shoulder bag while you’re browsing duty free.
Under-seat 38.5x35x20cm (With Wheels / All Parts), Weight: 2.11Kg, Capacity: 25.5L.
I paid £88, completely worth it.
Vakdon Magnetic Phone Holder
I go through phone stands and selfie sticks like nobodies’ business; I’m forever leaving them behind. This little beauty though is a magnetic phone holder with a grip. I’m thinking I might get another as a backup just in case!
It is great for watching downloads when you’re on a flight or coach, when there’s no TV screen. The magnet feels really secure, the stand is metal and feels solid enough that it doesn’t fall over when you’re using it.
It’s not long enough to be a selfie-stick as such, and you’d have to use a separate shutter button, but it folds down really compact and it fits easily in a handbag. I love it!
Item Weight – 149 Grams, Maximum Height – 12 Centimetres, Minimum Height – 8 Centimetres
I paid £23 and I’d pay it again in a heartbeat!
I do have another, lightweight plastic clip (just a clip, not a stand) that I let the kids use if they need to on the plane. This one is £9.99 and comes in lots of colours.
Mini oat milks
I don’t always want to go down to breakfast for a coffee in the morning, but there’s only ever sachets of creamer or UHT cow’s milk in hotel rooms – even the ones with the fancy coffee pod machines! I always have these little beauties in my case or handbag, even if I’m just out and about at home.
The Oatly brand ones are great, and really cute packaging, but if space is an issue the Welari sachets are smaller and easy to pop in your bag.
Oatly – Box of 100 – £9.99
Welari –Box of 80 – £9.99
Bagsmart Compression Packing Bags
I swear by these bags. You can get packing cubes, and they are great for keeping things organised in your case, but the compression bags are a game changer.
Stuff the bag full, zip it up, then zip it again and reduce the size of the pack by about 25%- 30%. The product details say it reduces by 60% but I haven’t manged that yet.
You can fit so much stuff in your case; you could be in danger of going over the weight allowance!
Pack of 6 – £26, shop around on colour to get a discounted price – pictured – ‘white opal’
Neuroscent travel diffuser
This is an item that I haven’t bought yet, but I think I might treat myself or pop it on my Christmas list! We ran a competition with Neuroscent and the little machine and scented oils that they offered as a prize look so sweet, I think it would be fab to have in the campervan to use to unwind at the end of days travelling.
Travel diffuser set is currently £99
And there you have it, my tried-and-tested travel must-haves that genuinely make life on the move so much easier. I’m forever adding to (and occasionally forgetting!) this list, and I will keep it up to date as new items join, but for now these are the items that have earned a permanent spot in my packing routine.
Hopefully, they’ll save you from a few of those “why didn’t I pack that?” moments too. If you’ve got any go-to travel essentials of your own, I’d love to hear about them share your favourites on email Hello@girlabout.co.uk or tag @girlabout.travel on Instagram.
By Sally Bendall
Image credits, Sally Bendall, Dreamstime & Neuroscent
