As you get ready for your upcoming trip, after using my Ultimate Guide To Planning Your Trip Abroad and Pre-Trip Planner and Checklist, here’s a comprehensive list of travel essentials to pack to ensure you never forget a thing during your vacation. I find that the most inconvenient thing is to forget to bring an item on your trip that you already own and need to go out of your way to spend money to purchase it. Looking at this ultimate packing checklist that you can use for every vacation, you don’t have to worry about that any longer! Obviously, what you decide to pack for your vacation depends on your destination, so I have included items you may need to bring for most trips you plan to take abroad.
I’ve also created a Free Printable Packing Checklist that you can download, print, and reuse over and over again for your future trips to make it easy for you.
Type Of Luggage
I usually bring carry-on luggage, a duffel bag, a backpack, and a couple of purses with me when I travel. Based on what you plan to do or where you plan to visit, the type of luggage you bring may vary. I like to play it safe by bringing a few of the items listed below and although it may seem excessive, it works out well for my outdoor activities, special occasions, and everyday use – and I make sure that they match my outfit or the occasion. They don’t take up a lot of space either since I put purses in my backpack which I place in my duffel bag. You just have to pack strategically!
Spinner Or Rolling Check-In Luggage
If you plan to use check-in luggage, you have the luxury of bringing almost anything you want with you, and in this case, liquid items that are over 100 ml for me! It’s great to be mostly hands-free at the airport and not have to lug around heavy luggage with you and have trouble storing them in the overhead bins.
Spinner Or Rolling Carry-On Luggage
I prefer to save time by not having to wait for my luggage as well as save money by not having to spend an extra $70-100 round trip for check-in luggage. It also ensures my own security to not have lost luggage by bringing carry-on luggage for most of my trips. Although sometimes it’s not always the most convenient way to go especially if I have a longer trip and need to pack more or have gifts that I’m taking along with me, at least I will always have everything with me and know that my items won’t be damaged. Because haven’t you seen all those videos of baggage handlers just throwing luggage around without a care?!
Duffel Bag
I like to have a duffel bag with me as a personal item since I sometimes do have quite a bit to bring with me. However, be careful about the size of your duffel bag as some airlines may consider it as carry-on luggage – which means you have an extra item that you don’t qualify for. Although sometimes I use a pretty large duffel bag and can get away with having it as a “personal item”, I bring a luggage strap to cinch it down tighter in case there are any problems. I like to put my backpack in the duffel bag as well as a few extra items just so that I can pack a little more in.
Travel Backpack
Travel backpacks can come in many sizes – whether they’re for camping and hiking or travel in general. Some people prefer to use this over a spinner or rolling luggage and some use a smaller size specifically for travel purses.
Personal Item
Personal items are smaller than carry-on luggage and are basically small convenient bags where you have valuables such as camera equipment, laptops, portable batteries, wallets, and items that you do not want to check-in. This includes:
- Beach bag
- Camera bag
- Fanny pack
- Purse
- Small backpack
The Ultimate Packing Checklist
Once you figure out the type of luggage you’ll be bringing, it’ll make it easier for you to know what and how to pack since now you know exactly how much space you have. Being at home is easy because you have everything you need at your convenience. But when you travel, you’re limited to a certain size and you don’t have the luxury to go back and get something if you forget it. Here’s the ultimate packing checklist that you should go through and determine if it’s something you need to bring with you on any of your trips.
Travel Documents
Don’t forget to make a copy of each of the below and put it somewhere safe! It’s a good idea to save an electronic copy on your phone as well as print extras just in case.
- Passport
- NEXUS or Global Entry card
- Driver’s License
- Health Card (depending on your country)
- Travel Insurance
- Flight/Hotel Confirmation
- Emergency Contact Information
- Your Embassy’s Contact Information and Address
- Travel Itinerary
- Map
Funds
It’s smart to have different forms of payment on you especially when traveling. Don’t forget to call your credit or debit card companies and advise them that you will be traveling and let them know where you’ll be and for how long so that they don’t freeze your cards. However, some credit card companies are advanced enough to know your spending habits when traveling so that you don’t need to alert them.
- Travel Credit Card (for Canadians – I personally like using Brim Financial because it’s a no fee, no foreign exchange fee, and a cashback credit card)
- Credit Cards (your regular credit card if you don’t have one specifically for travel)
- Debit Card (only if needed)
- Cash (your own currency and the destination’s currency)
Electronics
One of the most important travel essentials is electronics, especially your cellphone because it just does so many things including helping make traveling easier for you. We always need to be “entertained” and a lot of people can’t go without their laptops, gaming devices, or tablets. For those who are into photography and capturing the best moments of your trip, bringing the right gear such as these photography essentials is important too.
- Chargers (for every electronic device that you bring)
- Cellphone
- Headphones
- Tablet
- Laptop
- E-Reader
- Camera / Lenses / Extra Batteries / GoPro / Accessories (see above link for details)
- Travel Adapter
- Portable Battery Charger
- Portable Speakers
- Portable WiFi
Non-Electronic Entertainment
If you want to go technology-free for a little while, but still have some form of entertainment for your mind, these are great options to have.
- Books
- Card Games
- Magazines
- Puzzle Books
Consumables
I almost can’t go anywhere without bringing some type of snack and it has saved me and the people I travel with many times.
- Caffeine / Energy Boosting Snacks
- Gum
- Mints
- Your Favorite Snacks
- Water Bottle (for refilling)
Health
You’ll likely not have to use any of the below for your travels except maybe vitamins for the most part, but it’s always good to have in case of an emergency.
- Allergy Medication
- Mini First Aid Kit
- Cold and Flu Medicine
- Hydrocortisone Cream
- Melatonin
- Medicine For Nausea / Vomiting / Traveler’s Diarrhea
- Painkillers
- Prescribed Medicine
- Vitamins
Personal
Personal items are totally dependent on you and what you may need, but some of these may be good to have for sanitary purposes. You can never be too clean particularly when you’re in a new environment.
- Eye Drops (for red or tired eyes)
- Face Mask
- Feminine Products
- Glasses / Contacts / Contact Solution
- Tissues
- Sanitizer
- Personal Wipes or Wet Wipes
Personal Comfort
To make traveling a little more comfortable, these are some items that provide personal comfort that you may not want to go without.
- Bedsheets
- Ear Plugs
- Eye Mask
- Pillow Case
- Travel Pillow
- Travel Blanket
Beauty Essentials
Beauty products including body, hair, makeup, and skincare are one of the most important items for me when packing for my travels. Here are Must-Have Travel Beauty Products For Every Vacation and A Comprehensive List Of Beauty Travel Hacks you should know. If you need more ideas on how to pack your beauty items, here is What’s In My Travel Makeup Bag and What’s In My Travel Toiletry Bag. If you need beauty recommendations, visit Shop My Favorites.
Body
- After Bite
- After Sun / Aloe Vera
- Anti-Perspirant / Deodorant
- Body Wash / Body Scrub
- Body Lotion
- Bug Spray
- Razor
- Shaving Cream (or use conditioner to save space)
- Sunscreen
- Perfume / Body Spray
Hair
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Dry Shampoo
- Leave-In Conditioner
- Hairbrush / Comb (I like using the Wet Brush and they come in travel sizes too)
- Curling Iron
- Flatiron
- Travel Hair Dryer
- Hair Band (to help you wash your face or apply makeup easier)
- Hair Clip
- Hair Ties
- Hair Oil
- Hair Spray
Makeup
- Face Primer
- Concealer
- Foundation / Powder Foundation
- Blush
- Bronzer
- Contour
- Highlighter
- Eyebrow Makeup
- Face Powder / Setting Powder
- Setting Spray
- Makeup Brushes
- Makeup Sponge
- Lipstick
- Lipgloss
- Lip Liner
- Eyeliner
- Mascara
- Eyeshadow Palette
- False Lashes
- Eyelash Glue
- Travel Mirror
Skincare
- Makeup Remover
- Cleanser
- Face Scrub
- Essence / Toner
- Face Mist
- Eye Cream
- Serum
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
- Lip Balm with SPF or Lip Mask
- Eyelash Serum
- Acne Solution
Other Toiletries
- Cotton Pads
- Nail File
- Q-Tips
- Sewing Kit
- Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover
- Tweezers
Oral Hygiene Essentials
This goes without saying that oral hygiene is of utmost importance. These are a few things that are necessary to use and bring on your trip.
- Tooth Brush
- Tooth Paste
- Mouthwash
- Floss
- Mouthguard
Footwear
Having the right footwear is important. You want to be able to dress for the occasion, but also make sure that you don’t go back to your accommodations every night with painful feet. It’s good to have options and interchange your style as well.
- Sneakers or All-Around Shoes
- Dressy Sandals
- Flip Flops / Sandals
- High Heels
- Tennis Shoes
- Hiking Shoes
- Rainboots
- Water Shoes
- Booties
- Wedges
- Winter Boots
Clothing
I like matching my outfits to the locations I’ll be visiting as well as the weather. One reason is for comfort but the other reason is also to be able to take good photos! Although I don’t go all out and wear a gown for photoshoots when I travel (wish I had the patience and time to), I still like to at least look stylish and fashionable in some way, but also practical. Below is clothing that you may want to bring with you on your vacation so that you don’t leave anything out! Here are also some Winter Vacation Packing Tips To Stay Warm if you are visiting a colder destination and Must-Have Items For Traveling In Style.
- Activewear / Workout Clothing (I also use this as hiking outfits in hotter climates)
- Bathing Suit
- Beach Cover-Up
- Bra
- Cardigan
- Coat/Jacket/Outerwear
- Casual Tops
- Crop Tops
- Dress Tops
- Dresses
- Hoodies
- Leggings
- Loungewear
- Jeans
- Rain Jacket
- Shorts
- Skirts
- Socks
- Sports Bra
- Stick-On Bra
- Sweaters
- Sweatpants
- Tanktops
- T-Shirts
- Pyjamas
- Underwear
Outfit Accessories
Accessories are items that complete your outfit. You may or may not need everything depending on where you’re traveling to and what kind of climate you’ll be in.
- Anklet
- Belt
- Bracelet
- Earrings
- Gloves (winter, golf, diving, etc.)
- Hat
- Headscarf
- Necklace
- Ring
- Sunglasses
- Sunhat
- Scarf
- Watch (fashion, fitness, GPS, etc.)
- Umbrella
- Mini/Travel Jewelry Case
Other Items You May Need To Pack
The items below may not necessarily fall under any specific category, but these may be really good items to have with you on your vacation. They aren’t absolutely necessary but may be your preference to have.
- TSA Luggage Locks
- Luggage Scale
- Travel Door Alarm
- Beach or Personal Towel (only if your hotel or place you’re renting doesn’t provide it)
- Waterproof Phone Case
- Dry Bag
- Mask and Snorkel
- Pen
- Notebook
- Plastic Bags (to store your dirty laundry)
For more packing tips, here are Essentials You Should Pack In Every Beach Bag and 13 Things You Absolutely Need To Bring On A Hike.