A to Z – packing the essentials

When I’m packing to go away, as well as reading through many of my favourite travel quotes, I find myself making a list at least a week in advance of things I know I’ll need when I go away.

I’m constantly adding to that list when things I remember crop up. It is always the little things that seem the most obvious, once you remember them! They are always the things I forget to pack. Therefore, I thought I would make an A to Z of all those little things that I find are packing essentials! Obviously there may be times where all 26 on the list are a bit too much, but if reading this list sparks just one memory and you don’t forget that all important essential, then this post has done it’s job in my eyes.

A – Adaptor. I have so many of these lying around at home and it feels like such an expensive exercise to buy a new one when I realise I’ve forgotten my own. My European adaptor I bought from Sainsbury’s for about £3, and it does the job perfectly! No need to spend a lot of money on one.

B – Book. I never get as much time to read as I would like, and I love to read when I travel. It really helps me to relax. I hate it when I’m sat on the plane, go into my bag and realise that the book I intended to pack is still sat on the bookshelf sad and alone at home. It’s never the same reading a book on a tablet. There’s no new book smell, no satisfying page turning. But saying that, tablets can come in handy if you’re travelling somewhere for an extended period of time and get through books quickly, or if you have limited space. Having reading material is an essential for me.

C – Charger. This is the thing I always throw into my bag last minute as I’m using it right until I leave the house. I guess this also includes my portable charger, which has saved me so many times! It’s so much easier than trying to find power for your phone, and saves you all the stressing that comes with your phone running out of charge when has all your passes stored on it!

D – Deodorant. Because travelling for long periods of time can make you feel a bit gross. And deodorant can help make you feel a little bit less gross.

E – Earphones. I love listening to podcasts, audiobooks, music etc. when I’m travelling. I find it really helps to pass the time. If I’m travelling alone, I find using earphones to listen to these things makes me less aware of being on my own.

F – First Aid things. Usually this includes items like pain killers, plasters, allergy tablets, creams. I’m quite accident prone and having these items packed rather than having to find them in a store really helps.

G – Going Out Shoes. I am usually so prepared with shoes for exploring during the day, but having shoes that transition into something you can wear on an evening when you go out too is something I almost always forget about and really regret.

H – Hat. Packing to deal with the weather conditions is so important, whether you are travelling somewhere warmer or colder than your current climate. A hat to protect your face from the sun and provide that much needed shade or to keep you warm in freezing temperatures is a must!

I – Itinerary. Travel documents such as flight details, boarding passes, transfer information, accommodation reservations, any activities booked and confirmed, do’s and don’t’s of some countries you might be visiting. Having these things prepared in advance can make your travels so much less stressful.

J – Jacket. Even if the place you’re travelling to is meant to have high temperatures for the entire duration of your stay, I think you should always be prepared. Freak weather changes can happen and there’s nothing worse than being cold and not having another layer to wear!

K – Keys. This sounds so obvious, but I’ve gone away without my keys before as someone else has been there to lock up. On my return I realised that I wouldn’t be able to get into the house without someone staying in for me. I hate making people change their plans because I’ve been disorganised or forgotten something!

L – Laundry Bag. I like to keep clean clothes and worn clothes separate in my case, especially if I’m travelling to a few different places in one trip. I’m a bit lost without a laundry bag!

M – Make Up Remover. It is nowhere near as satisfying just washing your face with water and attempting to scrub off that waterproof mascara. Proper make up remover is an essential for me.

N – Nail Clippers. When you inevitably break a nail, it is so frustrating when you have nothing with you to sort it out. If I don’t have nail clippers I usually end up turning a small thing into that annoying tearing of the skin all the way down the side of the nail which is super painful.

O – Outdoor Gear. Swimming gear, waterproof jacket, hiking boots. Depending on location and type of holiday this one will vary but it’s handy to be prepared for anything the outdoors will throw at you!

P – Passport. For any trips involving travel to another country, this is a must!

Q – Quizzes / Games / Entertainment. I cheated on Q a bit (if you can think of any travel essentials with the letter Q, let me know). These are great things to have with you, especially if you find you’re delayed. For example, when my friend and I had a 3 hour delay in the airport, a pack of cards saved us from boredom and time passed so much quicker because of it!

R – Repellent. I don’t know about you, but I get attacked by insects almost everywhere I travel. For me, finding a good repellent is essential and saves me the unbearable itchiness the next day, it’s so irritating!

S – Sunglasses. The number of times I have gone away somewhere for a weekend and not thought that sunglasses would be necessary. I have been wrong almost every time! Therefore, in recent years they have become a packing must for me. Plus, they don’t take up much space and so it doesn’t really matter if they never get used!

T – Toothbrush. No one wants to get where they are staying for the night, go to get ready for bed and find that their toothbrush is nowhere to be seen. This one was definitely a must for the list.

U – UV protection. Whether this be in the form of make up, moisturiser or sun cream, it is so important to protect your skin from the sun! Even on a cloudy and overcast day, those UV rays can still have such an impact. I almost always wear some form of UV protection wherever I go.

V – Visa. For those trips to countries where visas are required, you won’t get very far without one!

W – Water Bottle. Just taking a reusable bottle instead of buying plastic water bottles everywhere you visit is not only helping the planet, but can also be cheaper!

X – Xtra snacks. Snacks are a must if you get hangry! (Yes, “xtra” is completely cheating for the letter X I know!)

Y – Yourself. Make sure you are present. Sounds weird I know, who would forget themselves?! But what I mean by this is don’t forget to allow yourself to enjoy the moment and be present on your travels. Make sure you’re in the correct mindset to enjoy your travelling to the fullest!

Z – Zip Bags. These bags are so handy for putting your toiletries in in the event that they leak, or keeping things separate and organised. Putting your toiletries in one of these before you get to the airport if you only have hand luggage also saves you from emptying your bag / messing around at security.

There we have it! An A to Z list of all the things I consider to be essential to my packing when I’m travelling. What things are a must for you? Do you have anything you cannot live without when you’re travelling? Let me know in the comments!

Also, if you have any ideas on what to do next for an A to Z list, comment them down below!