ACCESSORIES NO TRAVELER SHOULD EVER BE WITHOUT

Let’s be real. Not every traveler needs a $25 designer shoe bag (grocery bags work just fine, thank you). When it comes to travel accessories, some brands get a little carried away, but that doesn’t mean that you should ignore travel items altogether. Some companies actually make things that provide real value.

Whether you’re flying, embarking on a road trip, or just planning for a seasonal vacation, check out these practical accessories guaranteed to make your next journey easier and more enjoyable.

Sturdy luggage tags

Luggage tags are definitely a good idea when you fly. You want some form of obvious identification in case the airline loses your bag (which unfortunately happens more than you might think). However, don’t settle for those thin paper tags offered at the check in counter. They tear easily and the ink inevitably smudges, making the text illegible and undermining the whole point of identification. Instead, invest in a luggage tag made form sturdier material, and preferably brighter in color. You’ll never worry about identifying your bag again.

Waterproof phone case

Even if you’re not going on a cruise or lake vacation, you should still consider protecting your phone when you travel. The reality is that you just never know when you might accidentally drop or splash water on it. At home, this would be bad enough, but if you break or short out your smartphone hundreds of miles away, you can seriously interrupt your trip. Put the mobile in a waterproof case; it’ll be one less thing for which you have to stress.

Power converter

This applies mostly to international travelers who might suddenly find themselves in a hotel room with a foreign outlet. Don’t get caught in this situation. If you can’t charge your phone or plug in any other type of necessary travel appliance, you’ll kick yourself. Instead, invest in a step up voltage converter to ensure that you never have to worry about power-less devices. Otherwise, a dead phone or other portable device means you might miss out on important messages.

Liquid travel bottles

By now, we all know the drill: airport security requires every flier to pour liquids into a 3 ounce or less bottle. However, not all liquid bottles are created equal. Cheap ones can be hard to fill or worse – they leak in your bag, soaking the rest of your toiletries. Rather than hassling over it, buy easily refillable liquid bottles. They require very little work to operate, seal tightly, and are available pretty much anywhere that sells travel accessories.

Cell phone charger platform

Most fliers have experienced crowded gates. Either you wind up sitting on the floor, or have to stand, waiting for the plane to board. And good luck if you want to charge your cell phone. If there is an outlet, it’s low to the ground, and there’s no place to set your phone other than the floor. And then you stress over whether or not someone’s going to step on it. Fortunately, there’s now a solution to this problem. Cell phone charging platforms support your phone while plugging into the outlet, so you never have to rest on the ground in a busy gate again.