Planning a trip is exciting – browsing blogs, checking hotel reviews, asking friends for recommendations… but once it’s booked the next thing to consider is packing. YES, PACKING!! This can be the least fun bit for some people; feeling overwhelmed at having to plan what belongings you’ll need for such an extended period of time, or just wondering how the hell you can fit a minimum of four pairs of shoes in one bag?!
But we’re going to share something with you. Something we wish someone had told us before our very first trip. Pretty much any standard thing you may want or need while away, you will still be able to find once you’re there. Forgotten your flip-flops? Lost your bikini bottoms? Need some walking shoes? Run out of insect repellent? After a few trips it becomes apparent, no matter where you are in the world, these things can always be found, so don’t stress about having to take EVERYTHING with you.
We have however, pulled together our list of the ultimate ‘BASIC SIX’. These are six things we recommend you do get in advance and pack into that backpack, which will 100% make your entire experience more seamless. Some pretty ordinary household things which can double up as must-pack hacks!Here’s how to do LHD so damn well, that your flight is at least slightly bearable:
1: A GLASSES CASE
This multi-tasking case is a total winner. You know the ones – the hard cases that snap completely closed. These are perfect for holding jewellery, batteries, usb cables, memory cards, safety pins, bobby pins, anything fiddley, precious or delicate that has a tendency to disappear. (Seriously where to all the hair pins of the world go?!)
2: A SMALL OVER THE DOOR HOOK
This can be an absolute savour, especially when hostelling. Not every hostel will have designated hooks for each guest, and with sandy or damp floors, you can run out of options. Bringing your own over-door-hook will become your fave trick, ideal to air out musty clothes or even better, damp towels.
3: LET THERE BE LIGHT!
Save embarrassing moments or annoying your roommates when getting up in the night. Pack a small LED book clip light to use as a night light! They last forever so no worries about batteries running out quickly, or having to find an available outlet in your hotel room. These ones give off just enough light in a dark room to find your bearings, without blinding or waking others up.
4: AN EXTENSION CUBE
For all the digi nomad ladies out there, packing light never really impacts all the electricals we carry around – laptops, cameras, chargers, ipads, etc. With gadgets now taking priority over those extra sandals or that one last beach dress, one of the best packing investments can be a small, light extension cube. Electrical outlets are often positioned in awkward or unaccessible spots, or in high-demand if lots of people are sharing a room! An extension cube can really be a game changer, without taking up TOO much room! Allowing you to plug in multiple items easily is especially handy for overnight charging of all the tech, all in one go!
5: UNDER MY UMBRELLA ELLA ELLA ELLA
Yes, we know, you’re going to a hot country, and it’s not rainy season… You want to get away from needing umbrellas! But trust us, we’re not talking crazy. This one is not about weather, in some of the more rural spots in China, Central America and Asia, toilets can often have no doors. That’s when your handy, light umbrella becomes your best friend. It’s a go-to for ladies in lavs across the world, open it in front of you for even a little bit of privacy. Plus you will definitely entertain the locals who are waiting their turn for the open air country loos.
6: THE QUICK TOWEL Possibly the best thing to pack on any trip is the quick-dry microfiber towel. Even in hostels they usually do supply each guest with a towel, but usually these come with a strict ‘no beach’ rule… (which you’ll thank them for later, when hopping out of the shower into clean, sand-free fluffy joy! 🙌!) But yes, you still need one for the beach/pool. Enter the micro-towel – not only a real space saver, but also weighs next to nothing and dries in a snap! We tried a few different different versions, before finding our hero towel from Dock & Bay. The cheaper ones on Amazon etc, really didn’t make the cut – always feeling just a little bit damp, coming up really small or just being a magnet for sand, not ideal. But Dock & Bay towels are real winners here, coming in it’s own drawstring bag, with all packaging being 100% biodegradable and so many cute patterns and colours. Ooh plus there is even a little hook, making drying even easier.
