9 Must-Have Travel Packing Essentials (2025 Guide)

Some packing items are optional, the ones you take but may never pull from your bag. Then there are the items that are always in your suitcase. For me, this list reflects my “musts” for travel. As there is rarely a trip where I don’t need these travel packing essentials. They are some of my creature comforts, knowing my bag is packed well.

You know the moment on the way to the airport when you do the mental packing pep talk of “ok, I have a toothbrush, underwear, my passport, and cash. If nothing else, I can make it for a little bit.”? The items below are included on that list for me.

If this list inspires you to pack any of the below items, tag @accentgolden in your posts on social so I can see how you fare!

MY TRAVEL PACKING ESSENTIALS

1. Universal Travel Adapter with USB Ports
   • Whoever “invented” this all-in-one adapter is brilliant. To be honest, I even use it at home because it is that convenient. It’s a one-stop shop for your travel charging needs, with plugs for a variety of countries and the ability to charge multiple things at once. Need to plug in your laptop while charging your phone and your Kindle? This beautiful contraption has you covered.
2. Kindle (and charger)
   • I love a physical book, but a Kindle is perfect for travel. It’s thin and lightweight, making it easy to carry and fit into your bag. Make sure you download (and open to 100%) the books you are hoping to read when you have wifi. It’s a sad day when your books aren’t loaded and you’re out of luck until your next internet hub.
     • Pro-tip: If you’re renting from your local library’s digital catalog (I love Libby), once your books are fully downloaded, turn on airplane mode. It is a little sneaky, but this way, if you’re a little behind in your reading, they can’t “return” the book until you turn off airplane mode.
3. Zip-Pocket Lightweight Cargo Pants
   • I cannot express to you my level of love for these pants. I currently own two pairs and bought these ahead of backpacking South America. I knew I’d need hiking pants that were ideally breathable and temperature-sensitive. These have knocked it out of the park for me. They have three zipper pockets, easy and protected for the days you don’t want to carry a bag. They are also a thin, lightweight material that keeps you warm or cool in a range of temperatures. I comfortably wore these in the mountains of the Torres del Paine National Park (Chile) as well as strolling around the sunny streets of Rio de Janeiro.
4. Travel Pillow (that is actually supportive)
   • Once you have a GOOD travel pillow, your days of jerking awake because your neck rolled around are done and dusted. My personal favorite is the trtl travel pillow, which is curved to support your neck and has a “scarf” that wraps tight to keep it in place. Honestly, it’s amazing.
   • My second pick is the “J” pillow. Similar to the trtl, it is designed more for your neck and jaw. Sadly, it doesn’t have a wrap element, so you have to… grip it with your face? The perk of the “J” over the trtl is that it’s a little more cushiony in the event you get a whole row to yourself or somewhere you can lie horizontally. 
5. Quality Camera 
   • You don’t need to go out and buy a $1,000+ camera, but spending a couple hundos on a smaller one is worth the results. I always say that your phone takes pictures you can post, your camera takes ones you can print. I have the Canon Powershot G9 X Mark II and love it. 
6. Collapsible Water Bottle
   • The key takeaway of this tip is to bring a reusable water bottle. 100% there are going to be some areas you travel to where the water isn’t safe to drink and you have to buy single-use bottles, but there are so many more places where that’s not the case. That being said, I love this collapsible water bottle. It fits well in my bag and has a band on it where I can hang the bottle off my pack, day bag, or wrist. Do I love that it’s a plastic version? No. But I’ve had it for many years now and plan to keep it for many more.
7. Earplugs
   • Honestly, earplugs became my nighttime bff after I moved to NYC. Living in a tiny studio apartment with two cats and noise coming through the windows at all hours would have been a nightmare without them. They’ve also become a requirement on my travel packing essentials list for years now. Whether you’re staying in a hotel on a noisy street or in a 6-bed hostel room while backpacking, you need a quiet night’s sleep to restore all your energy for the next day’s adventures. These Mack’s earplugs are my favorite.
8. TSA Wire Locks
   • When I was researching how to backpack South America, I came across these locks, and honestly, thank goodness I did. If you’re used to the more padlock style or just a thicker bridge on your locks, these wire ones will change the game for you. Often, the lockers in hostels have very narrow holes, so traditional locks won’t fit every time. These can also easily double as luggage locks, so make sure you get TSA-approved ones.
9. Slippers
   • If you don’t know this yet, ya girl is a germaphobe. I hate the sensation of walking around in socks or bare feet in someone’s house, collecting any dirt on the bottoms of your feet just to snuggle right up with it in your bed at night. YUCK. Anyway, I always pack some type of slip-on shoe when I travel. Be they actual slippers – if I have the space in my luggage for a single-use item – or dual-purpose sandals (walking, slippers, and shower shoes). Slip-ons with no thongs are best, so you can easily slip into them with bare or socked feet.

Whether I’m traveling with just a pack on my back or sipping something in first class (one day!), these items will always have a place on my list of travel packing essentials. Here’s to a well-packed bag and amazing adventures!

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