For some reason or another, some must-bring travel essentials are easily forgotten. Both veteran and newbie travelers alike are prone to forgetting these travel basics. I, too, have been in the same situation far too many times until I made it a point to list these items in my travel reminder notebook for reference every time I pack for a trip.
To help ensure that you pack all of the items you need to bring in your luggage, a good must-bring list is very helpful. Place your list in a notebook or post it where you can easily refer to it every time you pack. Check off items as you go along to make sure that you did not miss one.
To help my fellow travelers, here are some of the items in my list of easily forgotten travel essentials:
Dental floss and mint candy or gum. We may not have the luxury of brushing our teeth when on the road so the gum or mints will help. The dental floss will help you get rid of unsightly food remnants in between your teeth (and keep your gums healthy at the same time) while the mint candy or gum will help keep your breath smelling fresh. The floss can also become handy when you need a string to bind something or put up a temporary clothesline if the need for it arises.
Tissue. They are indispensable when traveling but they are usually forgotten during packing. You need them to wipe dirty hands, dab a fresh stain on your clothes, wipe off sweat or dirt from your face and a thousand other uses. A travel package is handy and packs easily. If you prefer to bring a tissue roll, you can just take out the card board core and flatten the tissue when packing to save space.
Hand sanitizer. It is easy to get sick when traveling and usually caused by germs and bacteria on our hands. Washing hands every so often is not always possible when we are on the go. A good hand sanitizer can kill 99% of germs so they are a good alternative to soap and water. They are also easy to use and do not take much space on your carry-on luggage. Be careful not to bring more than 100 ml when taking an airplane or you’ll be forced to leave them behind before boarding.
Eye drops. Tired, teary and red eyes are the usual perils of traveling. Eye drops are effective at soothing tired and irritated eyes.
Eye masks. Sleeping on airplanes or catching short naps when traveling can be difficult for many people. A eye mask will help block out the light and help you get needed shuteye!
Earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones. Noise is one of the most common irritants of traveling. Running motors, crying babies, shouting children and gossiping seatmates can be extremely difficult to deal with especially when you are tired and exhausted. You can easily shut off the noise and relax with the soothing sound of music when you have an earplug or noise-cancelling headphones and a portable audio player.
Which travel essentials have you forgotten? List them in the comments below. Also, if you have trouble remembering what to pack, be sure to sign up for our packing checklist on the right side of your screen.