We have had the privilege of being allowed to travel a bit in the past few years and if there is anything that I have learned in our travels, both domestic and international, it is to be prepared, pack as lightly as possible and make a list. Today I thought I would share with you some of the things that I pack in my suitcase that you may not have thought to pack.

1.  Outlet strip. Our youngest son gifted me this handy dandy outlet strip that goes with me everywhere. The plug actually plugs into itself for handy storage and carrying and provides an additional 6 outlets. Hotel rooms are notorious for not having enough outlets to charge our phones, laptops, Kindles, iPads, etc. This handy dandy little device ensures that everything gets charged. I also have one that has USB ports along with the regular outlets so that is the one that usually gets packed.

2.  Fabric softener sheets. I know it sounds strange but they really come in handy. If the room has a stale smell you can just rub one over your bedding to freshen it up. They are great in helping reduce static in your clothing and a bonus is they make your suitcase and clothing smell yummy. Just make sure to pick a fragrance that you like and stick it in with your shoes and other clothing for a nicely scented option.

3.  Band aids. I NEVER leave home without a little container of bandaids. Aside from the fact that I am a bit of a klutz I need them for other things, too. Even though I usually try to wear shoes that are broken in and comfortable there are those times when blisters form and a little bandaid is very welcome. On a  trip to NYC we had planned to take the subway but since it was a beautiful day we walked instead and I did not have the right shoes on. The result was massive blisters. Ugh. That day I could have used preventative bandaids!

4.  Ziplock bags. I always have these packed in my suitcase and on a recent trip our youngest son needed to have something to put seashells in. I whipped out a sweet Ziplock and he was amazed and asked why I had one. Because I am Mom and always try to be prepared. 

5.  Sewing kit with safety pins. Inevitably I always lose a button when we are traveling or need a safety pin to cover a gap or something and a simple little kit comes to the rescue every time. All you really need is one of those little ones that lots of hotels have in their bathrooms . The day is saved.

6  Moist towelettes.  I always have antibacterial hand sanitizer in my bag but the moist towelettes really come in handy when you want to wipe down phones, remotes in hotel rooms, tray tables and other surfaces that you just want to be a little bit cleaner. Plus if you pack these instead of the liquid sanitizer there is no need to take them out to satisfy TSA requirements.

There you go–my top 6 must pack items for traveling.  It is difficult to narrow it down but these are definitely the ones that top my list.  What do you pack that others who don’t travel frequently might neglect to pack?  Let me know in the comments section.