The main thing I learned over the last almost eight months of travel is to maximize space by using products that make me work smarter, not harder. Limited luggage space, frequent unpacking and repacking, and trying to limit exhaustion on travel days have made me an expert in travel products that make my life easier.
Everyone who’s been here a while knows that this handheld fan with charger and light is my top travel purchase. Small enough to fit in a pocket or belt bag, this powerful fan works great for cooling down after moving 120 pounds of luggage onto a train (or anywhere). The battery lasts more than 12 hours, making it the perfect accessory for a hot hotel room or when you need some white noise to drown out the other noise. The phone charger and light are an added but very useful bonus. Normally $24.99, the pink one is on sale for just $14.39.
Before this trip I upgraded my universal adapter from one with just one plug to this one with a plug, 4 USB, and 1 USB-C spots and it is a game changer. I didn’t have to bring the adapters for my chargers, I can just plug the cords in. The front plug works great for my laptop, and it works with everything plugged in at the same time. And it works in the UK and EU. It’s a great space saver and extremely convenient. It is not a converter, so I still can’t use my blow dryer or curling iron with it (I left those at home).
Another tried and true space saver is a mini perfume container. I keep one of these in purse at all times, even when not traveling. I fill it with my favorite perfume (currently LV Attrape-Rêves) and it comes in handy so often. Especially in Europe, where I’m usually surrounded by smokers and can’t easily wash my clothes. It’s so nice to have a little perfume available. Normally $8.99, they’re on sale for $5.78 for a three pack.
One of my favorite travel hacks is using masks to feel more refreshed than you are, and these gold eye masks do a fabulous job. It may be because of how chilled they stay, even when at room temperature, or something in them, but they almost instantly de-puff my eyes after a long day of travel. Normally $15.88, they are on sale for $9.98 for 20 pairs.
When my skin is super dry from travel, especially from FL to drier climates, these sheet masks are a life saver. Even The Husband has been using them on this trip. I have no shame, so I use on one my flight, as well as morning or night of travel. Originally $24.00, they are on sale for $11.19 for 24! That’s almost cheaper than a bottle of water at the airport!
My favorite sleep mask is also on sale! I love this mask for sleeping on the plane or loud hotels. It’s soft, not hot, and the speakers are flat and moveable so you can still sleep on your side. The light stays out and the sounds stays in.
I listen to my BetterSleep app with the sleep mask. And every night even without the headphones. If you have a hard time sleeping when traveling, or at all, BetterSleep is a game changer. You can create custom sleep sounds, listen to meditations, or chose a bedtime story. Not a Black Friday sale but you can try it for a month for free.
I keep an Apple AirTag in my all of my bags. I have one in my purse, my suitcase, The Husband’s backpack, and his suitcase. It’s so handy for traveling, especially during flight days. I thankfully haven’t had to use it to find lost luggage, but I’ve watched them enough to know it would be helpful if I did. Normally $99.00 for four, they are currently on sale for $79.99. If you’re not an Apple user, Tiles work pretty well too. I also have them in my luggage, since I used them before AirTags came out. They have some limitations but still better than nothing.
Until this trip, I was not the type who would bring a pillow on vacation. The space required wasn’t justified, in my opinion. But with 8 months of Airbnb/hotel beds, I knew I needed at least one item of comfort. A few years ago, The Husband and I invested in a Purple 3 mattress and Purple pillows, and when I tell you the top thing I miss on this trip is my bed, I mean it. It’s so comfortable and stays cool and is one of the best mattresses ever made. And the pillow is just as great (and on sale!). But the thing that makes travel easier is the silk pillowcase I have. It doesn’t make my hair matted and sticking up like a regular pillowcase, allowing me to use less hair product and wash it less. I’ve used many different silk pillowcases and this one has worked the best. Normally $18.99, it’s on sale for $15.19.
As an avid reader (I’ve read 92 books this year so far!), I need to have a book available at all times. This is why I don’t mind delays, long travel days, or waiting in lines. I have a Kindle Paperwhite, which I love. You can see the screen in the sun and dark, and it’s waterproof, making it perfect for the pool. But the newer Kindle, the Kindle Scribe, is on sale for Black Friday. It has a larger screen and also works as a digital notebook. If I was home to get packages, I would upgrade my Kindle to the Scribe. But I’m not, so I hope one of you get it! Originally $339, it’s on sale for $239.99.
I don’t use a luggage scale, because I have an uncanny ability to guess the weight of my suitcase within less than 0.5 pounds, but there are some on sale with pretty good reviews. I also don’t use packing cubes but if I did, I would buy these. They have lots of sizes and are water resistant.
Not a true travel deal, but Oura rings are up to $100 off until the 27th. I’m obsessed with my ring. It tracks my activity, but more importantly, my sleep. It knows when I’ve been awake all night, whether from obsessing over something embarrassing I did in 7th grade or because I’m about to get sick. It’s intuitive and such a good resource for understanding why I feel how I feel. Here is a screenshot from the night BEFORE I woke up with the stomach flu in Dublin in July. I didn’t feel quite right, but once I saw that readiness score, I knew something was wrong. I put it on rest mode, moved to the couch, and sure enough, felt worse throughout the day. Without my Oura ring, I probably would have tried to do something touristy and the stomach flu would have hit when I wasn’t at home (yikes).
Those are my top travel items on sale for Black Friday. If you buy any of them, let me know! Also, drop a comment below if you have a travel staple you love that isn’t listed. I’m always looking for new things to buy 🙂
Disclaimer: Amazon links are affiliate links, but they are all items I own and love (except the scale and cubes). Affiliate links don’t cost you anything, but give me a few pennies toward my Amazon cart.