The key to a successful business trip or vacation is a strategic, well-thought-out packing list. Sure, you can fly blind and absentmindedly throw a few T-shirts in your suitcase. But forgetting an essential item — like medication, a passport, or a money belt — could cost you time and money. To help you come up with the ultimate packing list, we’ve compiled a list of the most common items that travelers tend to forget, according to r/TravelHacks Redditors.
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First-Aid Kit
Let’s say you’re walking along the beach, and you step on broken glass. You’re wearing flip-flops, and the glass goes right through your Reefs. While you might be tempted to start shouting help at the top of your lungs, you’re far better off bandaging yourself up with a handy first-aid kit. In other words: S–t happens. Be prepared.
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Flushable Wipes
Whether you’re stranded in a place without toilet paper, your face is covered in barbecue sauce, or you just got off a grimy train, a package of flushable wipes can be a godsend. They’re cheap, light, and useful — exactly the sort of thing you want when you’re traveling.
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Pepto-Bismol or Imodium
Indigestion while vacationing is so common that there are several names for it: Montezuma’s revenge, Delhi belly, traveler’s diarrhea … we could go on. Luckily, there are two over-the-counter fixes, pink bismuth (aka Pepto-Bismol) and loperamide (aka Imodium). If you’re on a tight budget, buy generic.
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Lighter
If you’re lingering outside a bar in Paris and a stunner asks you for a light, you’ll be kicking yourself if you forgot to pack one. Besides being great conversation starters, they’re excellent for lighting old gas stoves, candles, and emergency campfires. Plus, they’re allowed in checked baggage!
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Allergy Medication
Allergy medication is in the same category as Pepto-Bismol. Without it, your trip could turn from bad to worse.
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Nail Clippers
Even if you’re not obsessive about your nails, it’s worth packing nail clippers for hygienic reasons alone. Do you really want to use Airbnb’s dirty old toenail clippers? We didn’t think so.
Scissors
You don’t have to take a giant pair of kitchen scissors on your trip, but one Redditor says that a small pair of children’s scissors is one of the most useful items they carry. “I travel internationally several times a year and only once was a pair taken from me by a TSA agent,” they write.
Pain Killers
Jet-lagged-induced headache? Spontaneous fever? A couple ibuprofen pills could make your trip tolerable, at least long enough until you can see a doctor. Just don’t mix them with alcohol.
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Tums
They may not be as potent as Pepto-Bismol or Imodium, but a couple of Tums is the perfect solution for mid-travel heartburn.
Earplugs
Never travel without earplugs. They’re just too useful. Annoying seatmate on the plane? Earplugs. Inconsiderate bunkmates at the hostel? Earplugs. Snoring partner … you get the idea.
