Today is your first day on a plane. You get on board, sit down, and prepare to take off.

You’re a few hours into the flight when, suddenly, pure chaos begins.

There are so many sounds that you have to deal with when you’re flying between loud passengers and crying babies. It’s hard to hear yourself think let alone enjoy the book that you brought with you for the flight!

You should have brought noise-canceling headphones. These headphones are only one of the essential travel items that you should always have with you that nobody ever thinks about. Keep reading for a complete list of things no vacation can do without!

1. Packing Cubes 

Are you having problems closing your suitcase?

Don’t worry because that doesn’t mean that you have to ditch some of the clothes that you’re bringing along. It means that you need to organize them a little better.

Pick up some packing cubes. They make it easier to find things when you’re unpacking if you sort them by clothes type. They also have a handle so you can carry some of them if not all of them will fit in your suitcase.

2. Handpresso

Be honest… how much money do you spend on Starbucks when you travel? The answer is probably a lot. You should consider picking up a Handpresso so you can save that coffee money for other stuff during your trip.

Pick up a bag of your favorite coffee, put some of it in the pod, pump the Handpresso, add hot water, throw in as much milk and sugar as you want, and you’ve got a tasty latte.

3. On-The-Go Detergent 

Doing your laundry while you travel is often not free and can get pretty expensive after a few washes.

You could pack a lot of clothes so you can avoid doing it, but that takes up a lot of room. That’s why you should slip a few on-the-go detergent packs in your suitcase.

Doing so will allow you to do your laundry in the comfort of your hotel sink or bathtub and you won’t have to bring your entire wardrobe on vacation.

4. Power Bank 

Your phone can provide you or your children with lots of great entertainment. Until it dies, that is. Even the newest phone’s battery will die eventually without a proper charge.

If it dies when you’re out on the town and you get separated from your group, you won’t be able to call anyone to find out where they are. This is why it’s so important that you make portable power banks a traveling staple because it actually can keep you safer.

5. A Book

You never know when your flight will be delayed. When that happens, you’ll be glad that you brought a book to keep you occupied while you wait.

It’s also great to curl up with a good book during a long flight. You could bring an e-book, but an old fashioned one is also a wonderful option. You don’t have to worry about a physical book blacking out on you when the battery gets low.

6. Noise-Canceling Headphones 

Being on a plane can get pretty loud. It will be hard for you to think, let alone enjoy your book or in-flight movie. You’ll thank yourself if you pick up a good pair of noise-canceling headphones beforehand.

Once you put on an audiobook or your Spotify playlist, you’ll be able to drown out everything around you and get a little peace.

You can turn on a noise-canceling feature and it will scan the area for noise and stop it from coming in.

7. Swim Suit 

Even if you’re not planning to go swimming, plans change. If your hotel has a pool and you don’t think you’ll have time to use it, you may decide later that you actually really do want to fit in some poolside lounge and swim time.

Not bringing a suit means you may have to go and buy one. It makes more sense to bring it with you just in case, especially since it doesn’t take up much room in your bag.

8. A Comfortable Pair of Shoes

Those heels that you’re packing look cute and will go with all of your outfits, but your feet will probably hate you by the end of your vacation.

That’s why you should make sure everyone in your group packs at least one pair of comfortable sneakers. You can check out these options for your kids as well.

Everyone (including yourself) will be thanking you by your third museum tour. Consider packing a few insoles while you’re at it. If you’re not sure which insoles you should pack, take a look at the options Protalus has to offer.

9. First-Aid Supplies 

You never know when an emergency is going to pop up. If you have kids, then you know how common scraped knees are.

You can’t stop these moments from happening while you’re on vacation, but you can be prepared for them. Bring a first aid kit with plenty of bandages and antiseptic spray.

10. A Sweater

You want to pack a pullover sweater even if you’re traveling in the middle of the summer. Sure, it’s hot outside, but most businesses are cranking up the AC. It will be hard to enjoy your meal at the restaurant you’re at if your teeth are chattering the whole time.

Even if you never use the sweater in a building, it will make a pretty efficient blanket or pillow if you want to catch some sleep on your flight.

Essential Travel Items to Take With You Anywhere 

You want to be prepared for everything when you’re on a flight.

Take some of these essential travel items with you even if you don’t think you’ll use them. You’ll be glad that you did.

Did you enjoy these useful travel tips? Visit the travel section of our blog daily for more articles like this one.