Georgia Dixon
Travel Tips

10 items people don’t pack but should

Passport? Check. Boarding pass? Check. Novelty-sized hat. Check. You might have most of the items for your holiday ready to go, but odds are there are a few, left-of-centre travel items that are useful, but haven’t made their way into your suitcase just yet.

Here are 10 items you might not think to pack, but should.

1. Plastic bags

While you wouldn’t want to rely on these as your main form of luggage storage, a few plastic bags can be a great way to manage dirty clothes (or shoes) while on the road.

2. Toilet paper

We take it for granted here, but there are parts of the world where toilet paper isn’t as easy to come by, so it’s quite handy to have a roll (or two) in your luggage, just in case.

3. Scarf

We’ve mentioned how useful these accessories can be before, and the right scarf is so much more than a neck-warmer, easily adapted into a beach towel, sarong and blanket.

4. Room spray

A travel sized room spray is particularly useful if you’re sharing quarters that have a less-than-private bathroom. A spray here and there makes things much more comfortable.

5. Safety pins

Perfect for repairs you need to make on the fly, safety pins can be converted into an innovative way to secure broken zippers, ripped clothing and all sorts of things.

6. Duct tape

It might not be the first thing you put in your bag when you’re packing for a holiday, but tape can help bind together guidebooks and remove lint off clothing.

7. Plastic utensils

Especially if you’re finding yourself eating on the go, plastic utensils can come quite in handy while you’re eating on the fly and would like to keep your hands clean.  

8. Thongs

Even if you’re travelling in colder climates, it’s useful to have a pair of thongs in your travel bag just to make sure you can navigate through the bathroom safely.

9. Whistle

This can be an effective deterrent for pickpockets when you’re walking through unsavoury neighbourhoods and need to alert someone to help.

10. Second wallet

Having a second ‘dummy’ wallet can be quite a useful way to protect your most-essential valuables from pickpockets. You can even use it as a change purse!

Have you ever brought any of these items on holidays? Are there any other items people might not think to bring, but definitely should. Let us know in the comments.

Related links:

Woman shows you how to pack 100 items into hand luggage

How to ensure your bag is never misplaced

5 reasons to always pack a scarf

Tags:
tips, travel, suitcase, holiday, packing