Portable Kettle
Hotel kettles are gross AF
So are the coffee makers, mugs, remote controls and anything people touch with their hands, or snot all over.
I have also seen, and have been disgusted by people COOKING RAW CHICKEN in coffee makers. You KNOW these things are not getting cleaned on a regular basis, if at all, especially kettles.
It has traumatized me enough to the point where I don’t touch, or use any of these items (well the mugs yes, but not before I wash them thoroughly with soap and hot water), but as I may sometimes not have access to the tea that I want (in bags, without microplastics, or matcha), I need some hot water in a pinch, and kettles… are gross.
So, a portable kettle is the only solution. Yes, it takes up space (like the size of a large travel mug), and yes it is extra weight, but you don’t need to drag yourself out of your hotel room in the middle of a rainstorm in the morning to hunt down the one decent place to have coffee, or tea, or matcha, when you can just do it in the comfort of your own hotel room before you start the day and try to wait out the storm.
You can also use it to make instant noodles, or instant miso soup. Endlessly practical and CLEAN.
Small Scissors
Endlessly useful, I swear
I mean, if you have nothing to check in and these are stopping you from flying, then no. Don’t bring them.
BUT. If you are road tripping, or going away for the weekend, and flying is not an issue, then these small scissors are so incredibly handy and useful.
I use them to cut open milk cartons for my aforementioned morning matcha, I use them to cut plastic tags (saves my fingers as I would never use my teeth to do this), or even to trim a few stray split ends. Super useful.
My partner makes fun of me and my obsession with scissors, but even he admits that they’re a must-have.
Valet Tray
Corral all the smaller items
They sell these fancy leather ones that you can snap together to make a tiny chic tray, but honestly, I use a fabric bread basket as a valet tray.
It is larger and big enough to really hold everything not just keys and a wallet, and I just tie up the little cute ribbons on the side to make a box.
You might be thinking – are you off your rocker, why would I carry a TRAY – but trust me… when you are hunting on your hands and knees, on dirty, disgusting hotel room carpet, looking for your solid gold earring studs, you will thank me.
I use it to corral my jewellery, my makeup items I use regularly, lip balm, anything that can easily roll off and behind a dresser or get lost.
I refuse to open and use drawers in any hotel room because I will inevitably forget I left something in there, so a valet tray for me, is a practical must-have, but the actual valet trays they have out there are too small. Hence the fabric bread basket.
You can also always find your hotel card if you use it, as you just instinctively toss it in the tray if need be.
Hotel Slippers
Hotel floors are gross AF too
Did I mention the disgusting, power-cleaned maybe once a year hotel room floors? Now think of people walking on there with their bare feet, or with shoes, and the ick factor goes up by 1000.
You can also just use socks, but I find slim hotel slippers the easiest because .. well, I actually use socks and may need to wash them once in a while, whereas with slippers, I can wash them once the trip is over.
Large Foldable Bag
To be used as a laundry bag
You know, like one of those bring-your-own grocery bag things? I like the shupatto bags (foldable Japanese bags) because they have long handles and a good zipper on them, and they carry a LOT.
Now, I am not using it as a bag per se (though you could), I actually bring it to use it as a dirty laundry bag.
In a pinch, it doubles as a regular sightseeing bag, but really, it is a laundry bag because where else can you gather all your items to wash in one spot when you get home? Or if you are like me, you use it to go to the hotel laundry room to do it mid-stay, or to the laundromat around the corner.
Nanoglass Foot Scrub
Odd but I kept needing one
This one is an odd one, I grant you, but when you are walking around and your feet feel rough, you may be thinking – damn it.. I wish I had a foot file. And you do.
I picked this one because it is super lightweight, never goes dull, doesn’t need charging or batteries, and works BEAUTIFULLY.
I use it on vacation quite often .. often enough for me to eventually cave and add it to the list of things to bring because I kept going out and buying the awful drugstore pumice stones to get rid of a rough patch, or what have you.
Enough was enough.
Sweater or Wrap
Never trust weather reports
I have never been on a trip, even to a hot destination where I regretted bringing a sweater or a travel wrap. On my most recent trip, I was told it would be SO HOT. I brought a sweater.. hesitantly.. and it ended up raining half the time I was there, which means the temperature was much colder than anticipated.
I was SO HAPPY I brought that dang sweater. Now I never travel without one, no matter what anyone says.
I REFUSE to be suckered into having to buy a crappy one-use-really sweater at some tourist trap on a day trip just because I forgot to bring one of my own that is much better.
Multi-hub USB C
One cable type to rule them all
I bring a lot of electronics when I travel – a phone, ereader, laptop, headphones – at a bare minimum. So I just bring a multi-hub with USB C ports, and multiple USB C cables with little tiny mini adapters for electronics like my ereader that uses microUSB, or my headphones which are still on the old Apple lightning chargers. I even got my electric toothbrush charger on USB C docking stand so I could eliminate another cord to carry.
I did an Office Series Post about USB Hubs, so you can take a look here.
So, those are my essentials.