The Ultimate International Packing List

One item that is absolutely essential on everyone’s international packing list, is liquid antibacterial hand soap. Hotel bathrooms typically only offer bar soap. Whereas, soap may not be offered at all at tourist sites. When we travel, we always pack at least one bottle of antibacterial hand soap. It’s very important to stay healthy while traveling.

Following the liquid hand soap on your international packing list, another beneficial item is squeezable hand soap dispensers. Often, foreign countries don’t offer soap for hand washing in restrooms. In case this happens, having access to some antibacterial hand soap is crucial. Before you sit down for a meal, cleaning your hands will definitely help you stay healthy while traveling.

Finally, if you keep a mini hand soap with you, you’ll want to be able to dry your hands. That’s where these awesome mini microfiber towels come into handy. These mini towels can be thrown in your bag and take up very little space. 

When we travel, we typically spend all day on our feet exploring. All that exercise can make us sweat. As a result of all this exercising, we run the risk of becoming dehydrated. As a consequence of dehydration, our bodies become low on important nutrients, such as potassium and magnesium. Personally, I get dehydrated very easily. Because of this, I keep the SOS Electrolyte Packets on my domestic and international packing list. I’ve even started keeping these packets in my purse, just in case. These packets have been extremely beneficial in staying healthy while traveling. 

Have you ever packed an expensive bottle of wine in between socks and underwear in your luggage? Now those days are behind you! If you’re planning to visit a wine region, tour a whiskey factory, or pick up your favorite bottle of liquor, you need these bags. These bags are made to fit a variety of bottle sizes. Finally, you’ll be able to bring those bottles back safely.

Without a doubt, locks on luggage going through US airports must only have locks that are TSA approved. However, I always include a NON TSA lock with my luggage. Unfortunately, not long ago, the Washington Post accidentally posted a photo of the universal key that the TSA uses to unlock those locks. Subsequently, it’s now very easy to duplicate those TSA locks at home. If you will be storing valuables in your hotel room, it’s a good idea to have a NON-TSA approved lock. This way, you’ll be able to lock up your possessions while you’re exploring a new city.

Ladies, if bathroom mirrors are too far away or ill lit, a travel sized makeup mirror is perfect for you. Most travel mirrors offer different features to meet all your needs. For instance, magnifying to ensure you can tweeze each stray eyebrow hair. Also, side lighting to ensure all around coverage of your makeup. The days of straining yourself at the hotel bathroom mirror are now behind you!

If you’ll be spending a lot of time exploring outdoors, this dress is a must have!  I personally own this exact dress and am ready to buy it in every color. It’s extremely comfortable and very flattering on nearly all body types. Also, this dress can be dressed up with jewelry or dressed down with sneakers. Without a doubt, this dress will always be included with my domestic and international packing list!

Unquestionably, Summer is the most popular time to travel. However, with Summer comes heat. We picked up these handheld fans for a particularly hot baseball game, and they were a lifesaver. We were so impressed with these fans, that we’re now including these on hot summer trips. 

Without a doubt, the number one way to stay healthy while traveling is to stay hydrated. To that end, keeping a bottle of water with you is imperative. I used to carry a hydroflask with me. Although it was great at keeping water cold, it was extremely heavy. I’m very excited to try these collapsible water bottles on our next trip!

If you’re anything like me, you’re constantly taking photos and videos during your trip. After years of shaky videos, I decided to treat myself to this exact cell phone gimbal. Holy cow! This thing is amazing! Now all my videos are smooth and professional. 

Drawstrings bags are an item I add to my international packing list if we’re traveling with our kids. Before we leave the hotel in the morning, I’m able to throw these in my backpack. If our kids buy souvenirs, pick up snacks at a market, or find seashells on the beach, I’m no longer stuck having to carry their stuff around. Our kids can now be responsible for their own belongings.

While most hotel rooms have a few USB ports on their nightstands, we’ve stayed in some older rooms where we end up unplugging a lamp or alarm clock in order to charge our devices. This handy gadget eliminates the need for that by offering 6 ports to charge everything. Put this on the desk or dressers and you have a convenient location to charge all of your devices in one place. As an added bonus, when we’re not traveling, we keep this on our side table in our family room for charging needs. 

Although I’m not prone to motion sickness, I still make sure to add motion sickness medication to my international packing list. International travel comes with longer flights, car rides, train rides and other opportunities to leave one feeling queasy. Even though you might not get nauseated very easily, you’ll find comfort knowing relief is close by.

If you love to pick up souvenirs from your travels, you might find yourself running out of luggage space. This is exactly why I include a foldable duffel bag on our international packing list. If space becomes limited, I can throw all my clothes in the duffel and make room in a hardsided suitcase.

These charcoal odor absorbers are a very recent addition to our domestic and international packing list. Last year, we took a trip to Florida and spent hours walking around in torrential downpours. We had jackets and umbrellas, but our shoes became soaked. Once the rain stopped, our shoes became soggy and smelly. Even after changing into fresh shoes, the rain soaked shoes left our hotel room smelling awful. Now when we return to our hotel, I can pop these into each shoe to keep the smell at bay. 

If you’ll be traveling somewhere tropical or sunny, I would definitely include a packable sun hat on your international packing list. These take up hardly any room in your luggage and they’ll be so worthwhile to have in the sun. Now you can lay out on that beach and protect your face from the sun’s uv rays. 

It’s no secret how much pollution plastic bags have caused. Because of this, plastic shopping bags are now banned in many states and countries. If you’ll be doing shopping on your journey, having some canvas shopping totes in your backpack will come in handy. You can carry your new trinkets while keeping your hands free for photos.

I am notorious for dropping my phone. Because of this, I have had photo opportunities ruined due to a crack in my camera lens. That’s when I found these wrist straps. Now if I’m on a boat or walking around, I can keep my phone close by for those photo moments. The wrist strap has now saved my phone countless times and I have the photos to prove it.

In all fairness, I have yet to find a neck pillow that truly provides the proper amount of support when I’m sleeping on a plane. However, these pillows claim to offer more support than most. Before our next trip, I’ll be purchasing one of these to see if it truly helps me catch some midair z’s. 

While some countries are very safe, other countries are still prone to petty theft. One way to avoid pickpockets is to keep your money, cards, and passport in a money belt. Discreetly keep your valuables hidden and prevent yourself from becoming a theft victim.

If you’ll be spending your trip on your feet for hours a day, it would be a good idea to invest in a smart watch. You’ll be able to track your steps, monitor your heart rate, and keep in touch with loved ones at home. As technology continues to advance, features are improving all the time. I can’t wait to gift myself that rose gold Samsung watch that I’ve been drooling over!

Noise canceling headphones are essential on any long haul flight. These days, there are literally hundreds to choose from. My husband splurged on an expensive set of Sony noise canceling headphones, and he absolutely loves them. However, I bought myself these headphones for less than $50 and they are amazing! I was so impressed with them that we bought a set for each of our kids. They now use them during travels as well as virtual learning. These are definitely a great buy!

For the most part, we will rent cars when we’re traveling. Having our own car provides a lot of freedom to go where we see fit. It also allows our kids to enjoy a little more space in the back. Because of this, we alway include a car charger on our international packing list. This allows us to charge our devices. Now we can listen to music, check our emails, and pull up directions.

When our family is traveling internationally, we have a lot of passports to keep track of. I’d love to say our kids are responsible enough to care for their own passport, but that just isn’t realistic. And the idea of a lost passport abroad, gives me anxiety! We found a family sized passport wallet and it’s been fantastic. Now we keep all our passports together and don’t have to worry about our kids leaving theirs behind.

A universal adapter on an international packing list is a no brainer. Countries around the world have many different types of power outlets. Now you can power your devices in almost any country.

If you suffer from restless legs, a footrest can be a life saver. Most US airlines do not offer one but now you’re able to bring your own. If you’ll be flying for a long time, I highly recommend throwing one of these into your carry on.

Ladies, if you’ll be bringing makeup on your journey, it’s important to keep it contained. A quality makeup bag will keep your expensive makeup protected and prevent your belongings from getting stained with eyeliner. I personally own this one and the compartments keep my makeup very organized.

If you’ve ever traveled, you more than likely already own a toiletry bag. This is one item that is more than likely on everyone’s international packing list. If you’ve invested in a quality bag, it will last you for years. For instance, my husband has had his toiletry bag for longer than I’ve known him!

My husband was skeptical of these but has since become a compression cube fan. We’re now able to fit a lot more clothes into our luggage. We purchased a different color for each person in our family. Now, when we arrive at our hotel, unpacking is extremely efficient and fast. I will caution to keep your luggage scale handy. These compression cubes are so awesome at fitting more in our luggage that it becomes very easy to become overweight.

Say goodbye to tangled necklaces forever! By keeping all your jewelry in a handy organizer, you can travel the world without your jewelry becoming one big knot. 

A quality power bank is something everyone needs. Not only will they provide power while traveling, they can also keep your devices charged during an emergency. We keep one for each person in our family, charged and where they can be reached quickly.

Our phones are the most germ infested item in our possession. With a portable UV phone sanitizer, you can disinfect your phone after each day, in just a few minutes. Enjoy your travels while staying healthy. 

Do you have a habit of over packing? Do you stand at the check in counter waiting to see the weight of your luggage? Now you can take the guesswork out of your luggage weight. As you’re packing, ensure you’re within weight requirements from home. It’s much easier to lessen weight at home than in the middle of the airport!

As a rule, my carry on bag will always serve as an overnight bag. I try to keep essentials in it just in case our checked luggage gets lost. Finding the right balance of space and portability is critical in an overnight bag. Below are a few options to keep your travel must haves nearby. 

Without going into too much detail, new foods can be harsh on our tummies. This spray would be handy to have on hand just in case.

With COVID in mind, I wouldn’t want to touch a strangers camera. So as much as we joke about Selfie Sticks, in 2020, they are a product that can keep people healthy. Now you can capture those family moments without a stranger touching your phone or camera.

With a lot of people in our family traveling together, we have lots of cords. I can’t count how many cords and chargers have been lost during our travels. Now I can keep them all organized and accounted for.

Prescriptions are very important in how to stay healthy while traveling, but so are vitamins and nutrients. In addition to your prescription medication, be sure to pack your personal physician approval vitamins. These days, you can find multivitamins in easy-to-use, individually sealed packets. I much prefer these packets, so multivitamin pill bottles don’t rattle in my purse like a child’s toy. 

If you’ll be crossing many time zones, it’s very easy to suffer from jet lag. This medication promises to solve that. I’ve never personally tried it but I know people who swear by it.

We often travel as a family, so it’s even more important we all get good sleep. If we’re all well rested, we’re more patient and understanding when things don’t go as planned. Children also tend to behave better when well rested. When traveling, our family always packs a bottle of melatonin. Not only does it assist us with falling asleep but also getting quality sleep.

If you’ll be walking a lot, your feet will surely be sore. Due to this, it would be wise to look into a quality pair of shoe inserts. Your feet will thank you.

Rain is almost inevitable during a vacation. That’s why you definitely can’t forget to pack a rain jacket. These awesome ones even fold up to a convenient packable size.