Travel Essentials: How To Keep Organized On Weekend Trips
I dislike packing. Well actually…I’m being modest. I hate packing (with a passion). If my bags could magically pack themselves, I would be happy. True story – it’s the night before my weekend trip to Stockholm and I’m frantically trying to figure out what to pack. What do I wear? What’s the weather like? Mom, did I pack my hair tie? Do I even need a hair tie? How many outfits should I bring? Meh, you get the point. But one thing is certain. Although I hate packing, there are a few travel essentials that I can’t leave home without. These items are so important that I keep them in my weekend bag all year round. I can’t risk losing them because they keep me organized. I’ve also used PackPoint a packing app which has helped me reduce the burden of packing tremendously.
Weekend Travel Essentials
6 Things I Can’t Leave Home Without On Weekend Trips
Travel Bag
One of the most important travel essentials that you can buy for any trip is the right travel bag.
Over the past few years, I’ve become more of a packing minimalist. After a horrible experience dragging a heavy suitcase across London, I decided to stop over packing – this is when a packing list would have come in handy!
I now only travel with my CabinZero backpack and a foldable 18-inch wheeled tote.
The right weekend travel bag is lightweight and durable. It packs enough clothes and shoes but it also compartmentalizes. Compartments are great for storing your travel essentials.
The right bag is also easy to handle and doesn’t put much strain on your back.
Benefits to Packing Light For Weekend Trips
There are lots of benefits to packing light especially for a weekend trip.
1) Money-Savings
With a carry-on, you avoid baggage fees. Recently, Norwegian Air Shuttle charged me $65 USD to check-in my carry-on bag. This made a big dent in my Sweden budget!
2) Time-Savings
You don’t have to wait around baggage claim for your luggage. You can hit the ground running immediately!
NeatPack Compact Hanging Toiletry Bag
NeatPack compact hanging toiletry bag is one of my favorite travel essentials.
It’s a must have because I’ve never had a designated toiletry bag. Instead, I’ve always repurposed makeup bags. Maybe that’s why I’ve forgotten my toothbrush and deodorant so often.
The NeatPack compact hanging toiletry bag keeps my toiletries organized and visible. Its breathable mesh pockets remind me to pack things like my toothbrush, wipes, and razors.
The Neatpack toiletry bag falls in line with the company’s commitment to creating quality products that solve the most common travel problems. From compact hanging toiletry bags to passport holders, Neatpack is constantly coming up with innovative travel products tailor-made for travelers.
One of the bag’s cool features is a retractable hanging hook. With a hook, I can conveniently hang my bag on the bathroom door or over the shower rod. I can easily access my bag wherever.
Passport Wallets
Long gone are the days when you need to keep your passport and wallet separate. When traveling, I prefer keeping my passport with me instead of leaving it at the hotel.
Passport wallets come in all different shapes and sizes. They are multifunctional and serve as a wallet and a passport holder. They keep my documents organized and safe.
Passport wallets conveniently hold your passport, driver’s license, boarding pass, itinerary, credit cards, coins, cell phone and more.
And if you’re looking for Disney themed travel items, this cross body passport holder (under $25) features two zippers for valuables and doubles as a wallet.
Related: Holiday Gifts Traveler’s Will Love This Season
Universal Adapters
Another important travel essential is a universal adapter.
A universal power adapter charges my computer, phone and other electronic devices in any outlet around the world. I never have to worry about power conversion issues on the road.
Laundry Bag
I rarely get to do laundry when I’m traveling. So instead of having my dirty clothes mix with my clean clothes, a laundry bag keeps everything separate.
When I get home all I have to do is drop my dirty clothes into the washer. My clean clothes go back in the closet.
Packing Cubes
Although I don’t own packing cubes, lots of travelers swear by them. Travel Fashion Girl has used them for years!
Packing cubes are the ultimate luggage organizer and they help reduce space in your carry-on. I’m a bit behind on this but I plan to try them out in the near future.
They come in different shapes and sizes. You can use packing cubes to separate your tops from your bottoms. Or your underwater from your socks. Use it how you see fit.
What are YOUR favorite travel essentials for weekend trips?
Danielle Desir Corbett paid off $63,000 of student loan debt in 4 years, bought a house at 27, and has traveled to 27 countries, including her favorites, Iceland, China, and Bermuda. Go here to learn Danielle’s incredible story, from struggling financially and in debt to finding creative ways to earn more and live on her terms. Listen to The Thought Card Podcast, where Danielle shares how you can creatively travel more and build wealth regardless of your current financial situation. Reach out to Danielle by contacting: thethoughtcard (at) gmail (dot) com.
These are some great tips. I’m much less organized on weekend trips than this. I use packing cubes and such for my longer trips (3+ weeks) but it’s great that you’re able to! I typically have crap thrown in my backpack since I know exactly what I need because we’re weekend trip warriors.
Weekend warriors! Paige you guys are legit! I love it.
For fifteen years I traveled almost every week-end into the mountains. I knew by heart everything I had to pack and I did it very easily. Now that I’ve switched to travel in different countries for longer periods I’ve had to adapt myself and think my essentials differently. But I agree with separating the dirty clothes. If you don’t have a special bag for that, a plastic bag works as well.
For sure, I always keep a plastic bag in my carry on – it’s multi-purpose and you never know when you’ll need it.
I am so with you here. The more I travel, the more I hate packing. No longer is it part of the excitement of my trip. If only I had a butler! I swear by packing pods though
I need to get my hands on one asap!
I’m so with you. I hate packing. The more I travel, the more I hate it. I definitely swear by packing pods especially as I carry a ton of cables which I can now easily keep together. Love the hanging toiletry bag too
I am the ultimate last minute packer. I am starting to think to just keep some toiletries seperate, only for travels. I always forget my pj’s and hair brush because those are the last things I use before I head out the door. Love my new toiletry bag that looks very similair to yours!
You are absolutely right – I should just keep all travel toiletries separate. I always forget the basics but if its always there, that spares me. It’s also costly having to re-buy things all the time. Great point!
I’m totally with you! I used to LOVE packing, and now, the more I travel, the more I despise it. I think it’s mostly because of the “What to wear?” question. I wish my bags could magically pack and (especially) magically unpack themselves! haha Great list you’ve put together!