My Travel Essentials

If you’ve been around here a bit, you know my husband and I travel a lot. It’s mostly work trips, though we do sometimes go just to visit family. Or we take our kids and grandkids somewhere so we can get uninterrupted time with them! A mission trip will often also account for at least one of our times away. And then there is the rare actual vacation! 

The point is, I’m on an airplane at least twelve times a year—usually more! So in case you are traveling this summer, I thought I’d share some of my travel essentials. 

For your luggage: 

Heavy-duty vacuum bag with pump

We’ve tried every kind of compression gizmo to create more luggage space, because we are “carry-on only” people. In May, we carried on for 10 days in France and Scotland. After that, we did the same for 10 days in Pennsylvania. (All of which were easier than a five-day business trip anywhere in which we need clothes for daytime and clothes for dinners!) This means we are always looking for ways to get just a bit more space in our bags. This one was huge. Way better than any other compression bag we’ve tried. The material is thick, and the “vacuum” is tiny–I’ve used it nearly a dozen times so far with no need to recharge. 

Pro tip: In a carry-on-sized bag, use one bag and fill it full but as evenly as possible (so it compresses as flat as possible). Then put it in your suitcase before you use the vacuum to compress it. Press down places that rise up as it sucks the air so it goes as uniformly flat as possible. Be sure you’ve zipped it up all the way, too! Once you get the hang of it, it’s easy. 

For the plane: 

Sondur travel cushion

Y’all. This. Is. A. Game. Changer. So many times I came off even short flights with an achy bottom and sore hips—even if we’ve been upgraded to First Class! This little gem has solved that. It has cup-like sections which fill with air through the built-in pump. And by fill, I mean inflate them 1/3 to 1/2 full. Sitting on air distributes your weight, and no part of you gets achy or numb. I’ve used this on two-hour flights and ten-hour flights with the same results. Once the flight has landed, pull the plug, roll it up (which pushes out the air), and store it in the zipped bag, which has an outside strap to clip on your backpack or bag. There is defnitely a learning curve to getting the right level of air and getting it back in the bag, but after we’d done it a time or two, we had it down! The best money we’ve ever spent on travel gadgets. 

Pro tip: There are knock-offs on Amazon, but I’d watch for a sale on the real website instead. Not only is the carrying case better, my guess is that the longevity is, too. 

Travel pillow (neck)

Not a cheap one, mind, but one that holds your neck up and doesn’t let it dip to one side or the other (or down). I got this one. I love it. You do have to get used to the fact that it doesn’t sit between your jaw and your shoulders. But that’s why it does its job so well. Even if I’m not sleeping on a flight, this helps keep my neck and shoulders from hurting later. My husband got the same brand, just a tad different. You can see it here. 

Kindle page-turner remote

I use this other times, but my most constant use is on airplanes. Why? Because whether I’m using my neck pillow or not, I know the importance of keeping my tasks at eye level to avoid later neck pain. Enter the phone holder on the back of the seat! It will actually expand to fit my Kindle! Yay! But then page turning became a thing. The whole leaning forward to reach the screen got old quick! Enter this remote. I got the ring one, which is great. I don’t have to worry about dropping it. So helpful when I want to read on the plane without my neck regretting it later! (Don’t get me wrong, it’s quite useful everywhere else, too!) 

Compression socks

I bought these for our last Europe flight, but I tested them on shorter flights first. I definitely think they make a difference. Something about my legs being less stiff later. The same thing with wearing them while doing a lot of walking. Of course, not as easy in the summer with shorts or dresses, but worthwhile if you are in pants! I got the merino wool ones from Amazon, which are fine. But I splurged on one pair of Wellows, which are bamboo, and they were awesome! The best thing about wool and bamboo is I don’t need a different pair every day. I’d love a pair of the lightweight Wellow ones for summer because I do tend to wear long pants on a flight no matter the season.

For overnight stays: 

Noise machine

There are so many small ones to choose from now! If you prefer fan noise at night (which we do), this has been a huge upgrade from phone apps. We got the Snooz one since we already knew we loved the brand. (We have the regular one at home.) Now I don’t hear slamming doors or voices in hotel hallways or those annoying little sounds that make you lie awake wondering what they are! This has made a significant difference in our sleep when we are away from home. There are really good ones on Amazon that are smaller and cheaper, too. 

Eye mask

I only use one when I travel. I guess because I’m used to the amount of light in my room. But somehow the dark/light ratio in other places is never the same, so this really helps me sleep in a room different from my own. I tried several before landing on this one, which feels like a well-worn sweatshirt and really blocks out all the light. 

For anywhere: 

Collapsible water bottle

I didn’t pull the trigger on this Hydaway bottle until recently—and I love it! No more empty water bottles tumbling out of the side pocket of my backpack. I got the smaller (17 oz) ones, but I might buy the 25 oz soon. The middle section is rigid, so it doesn’t collapse in your hand unless you grip it in the wrong place! And it is not a straw, so opening it once you are in flight means it doesn’t bubble over from the air pressure like bottles with straws do. 

Pro tip: I did not buy the extra travel case because this is small and easy to store as it is. The travel case seems to me to just add extra bulk. 

Of course, I have so many other small travel hacks, but these are my essential products that make traveling more comfortable. I hope some of them help your travel be more pleasurable, too!