It’s a relatively straightforward process to pack all the travel necessities you’ll need, whether creating the ultimate checklist or collaborating with friends, family, and colleagues. Packing the essentials might be as simple as checking the weather forecast or attire expectations for an event.
But have you considered adding a few backup items to your packing list?
Regardless of how often you travel and whether it’s for business or pleasure, you may encounter an unfortunate incident that results in loss, damage, or malfunction of an item crucial to the success of your trip.
Even the most seasoned travelers experience some anxiety when it comes to planning for the unexpected. But with a few expert tips, you can feel confident that you’ll be ready for anything your destination may bring.
Don’t zip up your luggage without reviewing this list of clever backup items you’ll be glad you packed for your next journey.
Portable Power Bank and Charging Cables
While you’re traveling, your phone and devices aren’t connected to WiFi networks as often and utilize more data than you may realize. Usually, that results in the device battery draining more quickly as well.
Don’t get caught off guard with a dead phone or tablet while you’re in an unfamiliar city: bring along a portable charging bank and extra cords so you can power up whenever you need to.
An Alternate Device
If your phone becomes damaged, lost, or has technical issues, it’s wise to pack an extra device you can use to access your documents, applications, and contacts.
A laptop or a tablet is essential if you’re traveling for business. Still, even vacation goers can benefit from having a backup plan if you can’t replace or repair your phone right away.
Additional Medicine and Allergy Remedies
It makes sense to bring only the amount of medication, supplements, and allergy supplies you’ll need for the days you’ll be gone. However, if you can’t replace these critical supplies quickly and easily while you’re out of town, you might want to reconsider how much medicine you should pack.
Keep a daily supply of your medicine and allergy remedies with your primary luggage and carry your backup supplies in a separate piece of luggage (so you’ll have what you need if your other bag is lost or inaccessible).
Copies of Important Documents
Technology may be more convenient and capable than ever before, but it’s not always reliable. It’s okay to use apps and online travel tools to store important details related to your trip.
But be prepared for unexpected tech mishaps.
You might print out copies of your flight and hotel bookings, itinerary, or identification documents. Store any physical backups in a locking travel-friendly document case, travel with them stored in your carry-on bag, and place them in the hotel safe as soon as you arrive at your destination.
Extra Glasses or Contacts
If you rely on prescription glasses or contact lenses for any degree of sight impairment, then these items are vital to your safety and enjoyment of the trip. But no matter how often you wear corrective lenses, it’s always possible that they can be damaged or lost.
For this reason, carry extra contacts or get an additional pair of glasses to pack as a travel backup option. Prescription lenses take time to create, so be sure to order what you need about a month before your departure.
Travel Insurance
There’s always a risk that your travel arrangements may change or be subject to cancellation, impacting all other plans and causing an immense amount of stress. Personal emergencies, weather delays, airline staffing shortages, and meeting cancellations are just a few of many reasons why you may be stuck with the inconvenience (and expense) of last-minute travel disruptions.
Fortunately, there’s a simple way to avoid being stranded or stuck with the cost. How?
You can protect yourself from some of the most common travel woes by investing in travel insurance, so you’ll worry less about the unexpected and spend more time enjoying the activities your destination has to offer or engaging valued clients.
Essential Clothing Items
Even when you’d like to pack lightly to avoid lugging around a heavy bag, you might want to have a few essential clothing items handy in case the unexpected occurs.
It doesn’t take up too much bag space to bring along an extra pair of socks and underwear. Business attire such as a tie or tights can be difficult to find in a pinch, so consider packing one or two backups so you’re sure to be comfortable if a garment becomes damaged or lost.
A Way to Access Login and Contact Information
If you rely upon stored login credentials and a digital contact list, you’ll want to be sure that you have a way to access your accounts some other way.
To avoid any inconvenience that might come up if you lose access to your crucial accounts, use an encrypted device, the cloud, or a secure application to back up your credentials for quick access if you encounter difficulties logging in.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, you can’t always anticipate the frustrating mishaps that occur while traveling. But you can think ahead, plan accordingly, and pack like a pro.
Try packing some of the items from this list next time you venture out of town: you might find that having a few essential backups can make all the difference in your stress levels and enjoyment of the trip!