DIY mini-travel containers for liquids and gels

[backpack]

For me, the trickiest part of one-bag living is getting all the liquids and gels I want into that darned baggie. This is especially true when I'm going to be on the road and traveling for a few weeks. I know, I know, I could just buy stuff there and toss it while traveling. But I'm picky about my health-and-beauty aids, and I travel a lot to China, where buying toothpaste and cosmetics can be a chemical-roulette game. So I'd rather have things I know work well for me.

I found this brilliant idea on how to use plastic straws to contain viscous liquids and gels. DIY Travel Size Toiletries in Drinking Straws**| Mighty Girl And, since I already have a heat-sealer for making freezer packs with our garden produce, I figured all I would be out is a packet of straws if it didn't work.

But it did! And because they're so compact, they let you save plenty of space in the 3-1-1 baggie. Now, they won't work for very thin liquids, but for creamy stuff, they're super. (I tried them for hand cream, sunscreen, and a retinoid cream--all a success.) I clipped the end of the packet with nail clippers when I wanted to use the whole packet at one go, and used the pinhole trick for stuff I wanted to last for a few uses.

Roughly, how many products and how much do you need?

What would worry me with products' transfer is the loss of product, I know that it is just a few drops for each transfer, but if it is expensive product, it adds up.

One idea that is not as minimalist as yours is to use empty lip balm containers, twist ones for creamy solids and little pots for more gel like items.

[sturbridge]

If you need more than can fit in a straw, I go to places that sell supplies for aromatherapy or soap/cosmetics and look for sample size containers. I just picked up some 1/2 ounce dropper bottles that are just perfect for saline and contact solution. Contact lens containers are also good for small amounts of more viscous items.

[luvdabags]

cool idea!

[flitcraft]

For me, the trickiest part of one-bag living is getting all the liquids and gels I want into that darned baggie. This is especially true when I'm going to be on the road and traveling for a few weeks. I know, I know, I could just buy stuff there and toss it while traveling. But I'm picky about my health-and-beauty aids, and I travel a lot to China, where buying toothpaste and cosmetics can be a chemical-roulette game. So I'd rather have things I know work well for me.

I found this brilliant idea on how to use plastic straws to contain viscous liquids and gels. DIY Travel Size Toiletries in Drinking Straws  | Mighty Girl And, since I already have a heat-sealer for making freezer packs with our garden produce, I figured all I would be out is a packet of straws if it didn't work.

But it did! And because they're so compact, they let you save plenty of space in the 3-1-1 baggie. Now, they won't work for very thin liquids, but for creamy stuff, they're super. (I tried them for hand cream, sunscreen, and a retinoid cream--all a success.) I clipped the end of the packet with nail clippers when I wanted to use the whole packet at one go, and used the pinhole trick for stuff I wanted to last for a few uses.