Traveling is great, especially when all goes well. What’s better than coming home refreshed with amazing experiences and your horizons broadened? There are a thousand and one packing lists of essentials out there and you probably even have your own.

These tend to be general and that is fine, but there are items you may not have considered before that will really pay off. We’re not just talking jewelry organizers and portable mirrors. We’re looking to get the most bang for your buck here.

Here are 5 essentials you may not have considered before that will absolutely change your traveling for the better.

1. Daypack

Daypacks are important for people who are really into an active lifestyle. Walking around your destination may require you to bring a daypack from time to time. 

This helps you carry your newly purchased souvenirs around, or other items like a water bottle, snacks, or other electronics. Make sure it’s a strong and durable one because the last thing you need is for it to tear and leave you with no way to carry your other essentials around.

Another great thing to look for is the pocket arrangement that suits your needs. Consider what you might want to bring, usually or on a particular journey. It’s not just for making sure things stay put, either. An organized daypack is super helpful in realizing when you’ve lost or forgotten something.

2. Journal

Forget about cameras and phones. We all know you’ll bring it. Think old school. Why take a million pictures you’ll never look at again? Besides, the view you want to capture never ever looks as good on a picture as it does right then and there. Unless you’re a professional photographer with all your gear, that’s a whole other can of beans.

A journal will allow you to write small maps and notes, as well as any phrases you catch in a foreign language. How exciting, right? Take a carriage tour, not a bus tour, so you can take in all the sights, smells, and sounds. Then, when you are back in your room or all the way home you can look at those scribblings, and the memories of the moment will come flooding in. So keep a journal of your adventure and, who knows, maybe you can turn it into a short story or a blog post.

3. Rain jacket

It’s such a light thing and it packs so well, but damn if it doesn’t suck being soaked in a foreign place. This thing will pack as well as a pair of socks but will save you so much headache it’s absolutely a must.

Invest in a good one, too. Good quality fabric with zippers for breathability will turn a rain event into an actually enjoyable experience. Go out into the downpour and be free. When the rain stops, shake it off, fold up your jacket into a fist-sized ball, and keep going like nothing happened.

4. Power bar

Especially important if you’re traveling as a couple. Phones, laptops, and power banks all need to be recharged. You don’t want to worry because a device’s battery is at 20% or have to prioritize one over the other. You don’t have to fight with roommates or your significant other about whose phone is more important.

Power bars are fairly light and don’t take up much space for the utility they provide. Of course, depending on the number of devices you tend to bring and the number of people it’s supposed to service, you will need to decide how many slots you will need.

Typically, a 4-slots power bar is good enough, but if you’re a part of a big family or a bigger group of friends, consider 6 or 8 slots ones. Add it to your packing list immediately, you’ll be thankful later for sure.

5. Portable door lock

It doesn’t really matter where you go, but this one tends to be more important if you are not traveling in an urban area and is particularly important for ladies. A portable lock is small and light but it will save you so much headache.

Just pop one inside your door when you go to sleep and you won’t have to worry about drunk tourists stumbling into your room, let alone something worse happening.

A portable door lock will keep you safe when you are in the room, but they don’t work if no one is staying in the room, so bring all the important stuff with you or safeguard your items if possible.

Conclusion

A few ideas for convenience and organization and one for safety - add these to your packing list ASAP. In fact, most of these are so generally useful and portable you can just leave them in your luggage.

Wherever you’ve decided to go, you won’t regret bringing these. Safe travels!

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