In addition to working on my side business of sallydavisberry.com, I also have a full-time job as the Tourism Sales and Marketing Manager at the Corning Museum of Glass in upstate NY. I travel at least once a month and my trips can range from a one night stay in NYC to a never-ending trip I did in 2014 where I went from the WTM trade show in London, to a sales mission in China, to an overnight in LA before making my way home. I literally went around the world in three weeks! And while I don’t recommend that to anyone, I have learned some valuable lessons on the road. I thought I would share some of my top travel items that make my life on the road as a road warrior easier, and even enjoyable!
These items have affiliate links which means I get a small commission for anything you purchase. It does not affect your pricing at all.
LL Bean duffle bag-
I have been traveling with the extra large size Rolling Adventure duffle bags for at least a dozen years. Why? For starters, it comes in bright colors so you can spot your bag the minute it comes off the baggage ramp. No one ever picks my bag by mistake! Secondly, it has wheels so its pretty easy to tote through airports and hotel lobbies. Third, when I am not traveling it folds flat and slides under a bed in the spare room. Lastly, it’s from LL Bean so you know it’s sturdy! I did have one that developed a small tear within the first year so I returned it and got a new one at no charge. Can’t beat that!
Best of all, one time when I was going to a hotel in Canada, the young man who grabbed my bag asked if I was a professional hockey player because he thought it was my hockey equipment bag! I was so proud of myself that he thought I was capable of playing hockey!
Downside- there are a few. First off, it is not waterproof and if your bag gets stuck in the rain while it’s being loaded, your items will get wet if they aren’t protected( but see my solution below- Ziploc bags!). Secondly, it doesn’t stand by itself so you have to lean it against a wall.
However, the price is awesome $139.00 With all my travel, I usually get about 3 years out of one. And I can take it on our annual family camping vacation to the Adirondacks and it fits right in!
XL Zip loc bags-
I started using these right after I saw a TSA agent pawing through someone’s bag and drop this person’s shoe on the floor. I am as happy as anyone that the TSA does a thorough job, but I don’t like the thought of someone touching my clothes. So these huge Zip loc bags prevent that but do so much more that they are indispensable when I travel. I put each outfit in its own bag. That way I ( usually) pack the right amount of clothes. If my bag gets caught in the rain somewhere, my clothes stay dry. And if you push all the air out once your clothes are in the bag, its like they are vacuum packed and you can fit more in your bag.
They last a long time and it is hard to find them at a grocery store so I order them online.
Badger sleep balm
I can’t remember how I got my first container of this Badger sleep balm, but I love it. If you travel outside your time zone or have trouble falling asleep when you are on the road, this helps. It smells like lavender and is very relaxing. You apply it at bedtime like Vicks vapor rub. The pleasant scent helps me fall asleep and I believe it also helps me stay asleep. The container is small but lasts a while. Doesn’t take up much room in your toilet kit either.
Facial Masks
I don’t know about you, but I never make the time to pamper myself at home. I’m lucky if I floss a few times a week! So when my sister sent me a pack of these Orgaid facial masks, I wasn’t too sure if I would use them. Turns out they are perfect for traveling. They are each in their own packet and they take up no room in the luggage. I find there is often one night per trip when I can get back to my room at a decent hour. That’s the night I will put on this mask and enjoy some TV. They look ridiculous so I don’t think you want to wear them around others anyways! But after you peel the mask off, your face feels wonderful for days. I always keep one of these facial masks in my bag now so I don’t have to remember to pack one.Business trips are stressful enough; take a bit of time to regroup and do something nice for yourself!
Vitamin C drops
Check out the links on my Resources page for all the above items
Baby Boomer VS Millenial packing tips
So those are some of the items I love to have with me when I travel. But I’m in my 50’s and what I need might be way different than what a younger person would think about packing.
That’s’ why I reached out to my nephew Tristan. He works at Emerson College in Boston as an assistant in the men’s and women’s volleyball program. He is learning the excitement of getting up to catch an early flight for tournaments and recruiting and the thrill of being jammed into an airline seat. I asked him to write a post about his favorite travel items. Check out his post here about his favorite travel items and let us know what you think!