I have a few trips planned this year, and that means a bit of packing. I love watching packing videos on Tik Tok, and it’s had me thinking about my travel essentials. These are items I pack almost every single time I travel, or items I think make packing easier and/or more efficient. I thought I’d share those items in case it’s helpful for someone else. If you want to see more of these products in action, or packing videos, tips and tricks, and travel content, check out and follow my Tik Tok and Instagram.

Lighted Mirror

No matter where you stay when you travel, there’s a good chance the lighting isn’t going to be great. Whether it’s a hotel or an AirBNB, the lighting situation is usually a struggle. Even when staying with a friend, the lighting isn’t always ideal. I love this mirror for getting ready in dim lighting. It’s really helpful to have extra lighting for hair and makeup. It’s not so bright that it will wake someone up in the same room, but it’s great for seeing what you’re doing without having to turn the bigger lights on if they’re available.

Phone Ring Light

I usually keep one of these with me at all times, but especially during travel. It’s so handy for pictures when there’s dim lighting. I love taking makeup pictures, so this is a great tool for selfies, but it’s also great for taking product shots and food pictures when the lighting isn’t the best.

Weekender Bag

I saw this bag all over Tik Tok, and I was so excited to get it. I love that there’s a shoe compartment at the bottom, and it’s structured so it stays open while you’re packing. There’s a sleeve for luggage handles, which is perfect for travel (especially for road trips, which is most of what I have planned for this year). It also has a ton of pockets, which I love in a travel bag. It’s a more affordable version of the Beis Weekender bag, and from reviews I’ve seen of the Beis, this one’s better quality too.

Travel Backpack

This is usually my personal item when I fly. I love that it’s a backpack, so I don’t have an extra bag to hold onto while I’m making my way through an airport. It has a laptop sleeve, which isn’t super important to me since I don’t usually fly with my laptop, but I know some people need that feature so I just wanted to mention it. There are a few pockets in this bag, which IS important to me. It holds quite a bit, and zips at the top. I love using this bag.

Packing Cubes

These have been an absolute game changer for my packing game. Compression packing cubes are my favorite, because you can use the double zipper to compress your clothes, giving you more space. Even if you don’t need the compression, I love separating my clothes using these. When I pack outfits, I usually use one cube for tops, one for bottoms, and one for extras. It’s really helpful when I’m packing to see all the clothes I’m packing separated out. It really helps me not overpack (well, as much), and helps keep me organized.

Toiletry Bag

There are many toiletry bag options. This may not be the best one to fly with unless you’re checking a bag, but for road trips, this one’s been perfect for me. It opens up with two sides, but then the outside also has extra room. Empty bottles came with the bag, but I took those out and added in some of my favorite larger items – sunscreen, dry shampoo, my own shampoo and conditioner, etc. Inside, I keep all my liquid/spillable items in the plastic pouch, and other items in the mesh pouch. This makes sure my toiletries aren’t leaking out everywhere, and also just helps me keep them separated and organized.

Megababe Thigh Rescue

This is an absolute staple for me, and I haven’t traveled without it since I found out about this product. If you struggle with your thighs chafing, this is an absolute life saver. When I went to Nashville a few years ago, my thighs bled from rubbing together, and it was absolutely miserable. This product is like a deodorant, but much stronger when it comes to anti-chafing. It’s incredible, and a complete game changer. I’ve used it for walking, at work while wearing dresses and skirts, and even for the Eras Tour when I wore shorts and fishnet tights, while walking from Newport to Cincinnati (and back at the end of the night), and dancing all night, and I never had another issue. It’s incredible and a staple in my packing supplies. It also comes in a mini size, which is usually what goes in my toiletry bag.

Jewelry Organizer

I love packing basic clothing options for travel (all black outfits are usually my go-to), but I love accessorizing. Jewelry is a must for me, and I usually take a few options. This organizer helps me figure out what jewelry I’m taking, and keep it separated. There are necklace clips so those don’t get tangled, and a few compartments to keep my jewelry organized. It folds up into a small, thin pouch, which is really helpful when trying to save space.

Jewelry Organizer (Small) Jewelry Organizer (Large)

These organizers are the same concept as the one above, but I’m a sucker for packaging, and these are so cute. There’s a small version and a large version, and both are great options for packing, depending on your specific needs.

Charger Organizer

I take a few chargers with me when I pack. A couple of phone charging blocks and cords (just in case one stops working, and a fast charging block is a must), portable charger cords, one for my portable fan (see more about that below), and a couple of extras. Usually, I also bring a block that has multiple plugs, just in case there aren’t enough outlets available. This is helpful for charging a phone, a couple of portable chargers, my fan, and mirror light all at once, plus possibly using my straightener at the same time. This organizer is also where I keep my portable chargers and fan, so they’re all in one place.

Portable Chargers

You will very rarely catch me without a portable charger. I like keeping my phone charged at all times. There’s usually one in my purse, maybe an extra one if I’m going somewhere like a softball tournament, and a few extras at all times in my travel bag. When I travel, I take a few with me. I’ve been in DC and had my phone die while waiting for a friend, and it made me never want to experience that again. I’ve tried quite a few portable chargers in my time, but these are my favorites. They have a few cord plugs, so you can use almost any cord with it, you can charge multiple devices at one time, and they’re affordable – $20-$30 for a set of two, which is great.

Travel Makeup Brush Set

This may not be useful for everyone, but I do love doing my makeup when I travel. This brush set is great for me, because it includes pretty much every brush I’d need, and keeps them in one place. It rolls up in the case it comes in, making it really convenient for travel. This always goes with me when I travel, even just on overnight trips, because it’s so easy to keep all my brushes in one place. One thing I also love for travel is brush switches, so it’s easy to clean your brushes after each use (especially if you’re like me and love using colorful shadows and may want to use the same brush for different shades). It doesn’t deep clean the brushes, but it’s a great option for on-the-go.

Adjustable Popsocket

Popsockets became popular quite a while ago, and I love them. They’re very helpful for setting a phone on its side to watch videos (how I sleep when I travel), setting it up for photos, and keeping a grip on your phone in places where you just need a little support. One thing I don’t like about Popsockets is that once they stick to your case, they can be hard to remove and add to another case. That’s why I love this one that’s adjustable. It can easily be moved from case to case, adjusts with any phone, and can be easily removed (I keep a wireless charger at my desk at work, and I take my Popsocket off to charge my phone. Having one that can easily be removed is very helpful for that).

Portable Fan

Being a sweaty girlie can be a miserable experience for travel. I hate, HATE being hot – give me the cold all day every day. Portable fans are amazing for me. I’ve used them at concerts, weddings, walking in cities, at the zoo, in the airport, and so many other places. I don’t care if it makes me look ridiculous… because I’d rather get weird looks for keeping cool than for being grossly sweaty. When Taylor Swift released one on her site, I snagged that immediately, but I’ve also used the one I liked here and really liked it (sometimes if I’m traveling with another person I’ll pack a second one for them to use, but I also love leaving this in hotels and AirBnBs when I travel. They’re a great thing to have around if you get hot while getting ready, like I do).

Medicine Organizer

Not having medication when on a trip can be rough. I get headaches easily, but I also have acid reflux and get heartburn pretty frequently. An organizer like this is really helpful for me. I keep Ibuprofen, Advil, antacids, Imodium, and Benadryl in mine (I am highly allergic to cats and never know when a reaction is going to strike and I need to be prepared if it does), just in case I (or my travel partner) needs one one a trip. It’s also easy to throw into my purse when I’m out and about in case something comes up.

Tripod

Like the makeup brush roll, this may not be for everyone (in fact, I feel like this is probably not for most people). BUT, I like packing a small tripod with me. It usually stays in the hotel or AirBnB, but sometimes I will take it out with me if I’m traveling by myself. I like being able to set it up if I’m filming a makeup tutorial or “get ready with me” video (which I frequently film for my Tik Tok), and having a tripod just makes it easy for me to do if I want to do my makeup on the floor or bed or somewhere without a sturdy surface to set my phone. If I’m going out on my own, I like being able to set up my phone for pictures too without having to ask a stranger to take a picture for me. The one I have has a remote with it too, which makes self-photography so much more convenient. I love taking outfit pictures too, and a tripod can be really helpful for that.

I’m going to try to post more travel content on my blog this year, so sign up for emails to follow along. If you want to see more detailed or frequent travel content from me, check out and follow my Instagram and Tik Tok. I love posting makeup tutorials, outfit videos, get ready with me videos, travel photos, food photos, makeup products and reviews, and more, on both those platforms, and in more real time than blog content may be (I post blogs when I return from events or trips, but on those platforms I’m more likely to be posting in real time).