My Travel MVPs: 10 Favorite Finds for Fabulous Solo Trips

Here are a few of the travel must-haves I have found most useful in my travels! I hope they help you out, too. Please let me know what you think in the comments.

1) Tripped DayPack

I love this lightweight, water-resistant, collapsible day pack! It has lots of compartments, including a felt-lined compartment for glasses or sunglasses. It folds down from 18x14x8 inches to a 10x8x1-inch pack! Perfect to pack in your carry on, then use during the day for your sweater, water bottle, sunscreen, snacks, newly purchased treasures, etc while you’re out exploring.

Comes in 5 different colors.

2) Adjustable Laptop Stand and 3) Wireless Keyboard & Mouse

For working while traveling (or even personal computer use) I decided to try these small and lightweight Laptop Stand, Keyboard and mouse to see if they made a difference. They have! It is so nice to not be hunched over my laptop in what I know is a terrible position ergonomically. Being able to raise my computer screen to eye level and have a comfortable separate keyboard and mouse has made a world of difference for me! The last thing I need while traveling is extra neck/shoulder/arm/wrist strain!

The laptop case folds up and comes with its own little pouch. Logi keyboard and mouse have a good feel and easily connect to up to 3 difference computers/tablets at the touch of a button/key.

4) Travel Door Lock

This pink portable door lock fits into the slot of your door lock and prevents anyone from opening the door from the outside, even if they have a key! It’s only 6 inches long x 1.65 inches wide and comes in it’s own pink pouch. Its so small it’s easy to just keep in the pocket of your suitcase just incase you’re staying someplace that feels just a bit dodgy! Click here to see all of my travel safety tips.

5) Packing Cubes

This set of 6 Packing Cubes has been awesome for organized and stress-free packing! I have 2 sets of 6 so I have lots of flexibility depending on the length / packing needs of my trip. I roll my clothes, organize them by type (tops, bottoms, socks/underwear, sweaters, shoes, etc). I love being able to “unpack” my suitcase in literally 5 seconds when I arrive at my destination! There are 13 different colors to choose from.

Be sure to check out these posts: Packing for a Month in Europe, Follow Up: Packing for a month in Europe…How did it actually go?, and A Downloadable Packing List

6) The Best Sunhat

I am always on the lookout for a good sunhat. With my white-as-a-sheet Irish skin I am obsessive about trying to stay covered! This one has been the best I’ve found! Keeps its shape really well even after being packed (I don’t crush it flat when packed, but fill it in with other items). I love that it has a drawstring strap to keep it on in the wind. It’s also eco-friendly, made from recycled paper. Comes in 8 different colors and different sizes. (The Large-XLarge size even fits my huge head! 😀 )

These books by Corinna Cooke really helped get me excited for going to Italy. They are full of great ideas and history. Also who doesn’t want to think of themself as embarking on a glamorous trip to Rome or Venice?

9) Luggage Scale

Believe me, you don’t want to get to the airport and find out your suitcase has exceeded the weight limit! (Ahhh, brings back memories of the time I thought it would be a great idea to bring home bottles of coconut syrup from Hawaii for all of my coworkers, friends, and family. Luckily I was traveling with others and was able to spread the coconut syrup out between all of us!)

This digital scale makes it easy to make sure you’re within range. It even has a little tape measure included so you can ensure you’ve got the suitcase size right.

The scale is rechargeable, but I’ve had mine for 3+ years and it’s still going strong on the original charge.

10) Twist Memory Foam Pillow

On a long flight, this silly-looking memory foam pillow is a lifesaver! You can twist it whichever way you want. It has a snap at the ends to hold it together. I love the washable, super-soft velour cover. It comes in a drawstring bag you can hang from your backpack or carry-on to make transporting it easy.