Travel items for when you aren't travelling

[lizalou]

I use my packing cubes to sort and store my stuff in everyday life. My small A30 aether packing cube holds my underthings, my pcsb stores swim gear, my medium padded pouch store my ipad mini, my small pouch houses my passport and extra bank cards, a large pouch holds all my important documents and banking/tax forms. The only item that is used solely for travel and has not found an everyday use for is my one-bag travel bag, a cotopaxi nazca. I am a weirdo exception to the rule though, as a minimalist (bordering on extreme minimalist) I only own so much to begin with. During one of three evacuation pack-ups I’ve had to do this summer (busy hurricane season) the question finally dawned on me, if it isn’t important enough to travel with, what true and real purpose is it serving in my life? In other words, if I don’t travel with it, why keep it? It prompted yet another clean-out for me. And just in case anyone was curious, the only items I kept that I wouldn’t travel with was work clothes, and camping gear, everything else was donated or sold.


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I LOVE this question and way of thinking - I 100% agree and am driving my self in that direction. At the moment, everything we own except furniture can probably fit in 3 large suitcases with an extra box for kitchenware that would be expensive to replace (but I could live without if I absolutely had to). A bit more than my usual S25 one bag and there are probably still some areas to work on but I'm pretty pleased. My question is always, would I pay for this to move countries with me? Why/why not? If not, it probably doesn't get to stay. I'd really like to replace some of my storage with packing cubes just to make it easier and more streamlined.

[Ms. Ferret]

One of my favorite little things lately has been the fulFILL container, which I learned about from kieri's post in this extremely dangerous thread.

I love that the small wells are completely separate, so you don't get migration between them. Very convenient for carrying small amounts of useful things (lip balm, anti-fog paste, all-purpose salve, bug balm, solid SPF, little dabs of lipsticks, dental floss, safety pins, ferrocerium rods, Q-tips, band-aids, bobby pins, sewing needles, pills, mints, etc.) in a tiny flat package. If you wear powder cosmetics, note that TKB Trading sells a pressing kit in what appears to be the same pan size.

I carry mine in a Pocket Pouch, clipped to the O-ring in the front zipper pouch of my Everyday Cubelet.

[b1gsky]

I look at it from the other side - if I shop items for everyday life I try to consider if they would travel well. I don’t like to buy items that are only for travel (especially clothing), so I try to keep an eye out for things that weren’t specifically made with travel in mind but work quite well for it regardless.

[bijoux]

I do wish there were more options for womens plus size merino blend clothing that wasn't a sporty t-shirt !

Hi I noticed you're in Australia both these companies have plus sized options - Merino Country - Smitten Merino

[sturbridge]

One of my favorite little things lately has been the fulFILL container, which I learned about from kieri's post in this extremely dangerous thread.

I'm having one of those D'OH moments. I, too, purchased a fulfill container based on Kieri's post and its been sitting (filled) on my dresser. I thought it would just be perfect for say, when I got dressed up to go out but either didn't have a purse at all or had a tiny evening bag. And of course, times being what they are, I won't be getting dressed up and going out anywhere for the forseeable future. So I see it, unloved and unused, on my dresser each morning.

Here's where the D'OH comes in: it never occured to me to use this in everyday life where I'm already carrying a purse and therefore have room for things like lipbalm and the like. Having that small container to pull out will be easier than the current rummaging through my bags that I currently do. I have moments like this where people point out the obvious, and its something that never occurred to me. I guess I have a tough time thinking outside the box sometimes.

[haraya]

It's actually really, really thin - enough to wear as a scarf while traveling. I have shawls that are bulkier!!

The DLBP is a great travel/hiking pack. Love those shingle pockets.

Another item that I love for travel and home is my 3/4 rain trench (Kuhl Jetstream - I got it on sale at REI, now out of stock but still available elsewhere). It is extremely packable, very flattering, and a practical length for dog-walking as well as sightseeing (I even wore it on a 2-hour rainy hike to Arthur's Seat). I pair it with a packable down vest for warmth - I prefer one without a collar so that I don't get "collar stack".

I LOVE the look of that blanket! Is it too big to use as a scarf in winter as well?

My DLBP is my fav daypack for travel but I'd forgotten about it tucked away in my S25 until a recent local 10k walk - it would have been perfect and I really need to start using it now that it's getting warmer and we can get out more.

[haraya]

Thanks for the idea, I will try mine as a hair towel!

I bought one on a whim as I liked the look of it, thinking to use it as a shawl or travel blanket (or a beach blanket). But I much prefer merino for travel purposes - lighter and warmer. And we don't go to the beach all that often.

I bought mine from Costco. They are great to wrap wet, long hair. Lightweight on my neck and they absorb so much more water than a normal towel. I've washed A LOT over the last year, and their absorbancy hasn't changed. My husband doesn't like them either, though. Too much change for him... maybe.

https://www.costco.com/turkish-towel...100035511.html

[haraya]

Here’s a comparison of the blanket and a scarf. Blanket (navy/"graphite blue") on the left, scarf (light blue) on the right):



This is the Cocoon blanket folded lengthwise and loosely scrunched in hand:



This is the scarf - supposedly an acrylic/wool blend though it might just be all synthetic (no tag). It's half the width of the blanket.



Here, I folded the blanket lengthwise and lined it up with one edge of the scarf. If I were to hold a corner of the blanket in each hand, it would be as wide as my armspan. The scarf only goes from my fingertip to my shoulder. But you can see they are both quite drapey.




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[lizalou]

Hi I noticed you're in Australia both these companies have plus sized options - Merino Country - Smitten Merino

Ooh those are great suggestions, thank you! I’ve added a scoop neck black tee, a plain tank and a lovely magenta scarf to my Christmas wish list.

[lizalou]

What a neat little thing! Also, that thread is amazingly dangerous...

[lizalou]

I look at it from the other side - if I shop items for everyday life I try to consider if they would travel well. I don’t like to buy items that are only for travel (especially clothing), so I try to keep an eye out for things that weren’t specifically made with travel in mind but work quite well for it regardless.

That’s definitely how I’m trying to think now - it’s so so easy to get sucked into the excitement of planning and buying specific travel things that won’t get used in everyday life.

[lizalou]

Here’s a comparison of the blanket and a scarf. Blanket (navy/"graphite blue") on the left, scarf (light blue) on the right):



This is the Cocoon blanket folded lengthwise and loosely scrunched in hand:



This is the scarf - supposedly an acrylic/wool blend though it might just be all synthetic (no tag). It's half the width of the blanket.

Thanks for taking the time to share - it seems the blanket is a great, flexible option!

[kathryn]

"how can I optimise my usual everyday lifestyle for travel"

I made the decision to do this for clothing and bags at least several years ago. I realized that a lot of the items I was buying for "travel" were really great for everyday, like Uniqlo merino cardigans, which I now basically wear daily in the winter. I have trousers I bought with work travel in mind, but now wear a lot even at home. My grey trench from Costco goes everywhere with my in fall/spring, including to Ireland last fall which was my most recent international trip and two early 2020 work trips to San Francisco. Omg, I almost forgot the biggest two: wool socks and "travel" underwear! When I periodically thin out my drawers and closet, whether or not something is travel-friendly is a key factor.

TB stuff I use at home and for everyday includes travel trays, which I cannot imagine doing without at this point, and q-kits, key straps, and ghost whales in my ECD bag (which is an Icon).

[Cristina]

Yeah at some point I started buying items for everyday that were travel clothes. Jeans in particular because in the U.K. we air dry clothes as the default choice and quick-drying things are always valuable!

Wool socks are the other travel item that has taken over my everyday. I only wear wool socks or running socks.

My fave travel clothes are by Rohan, a U.K. travel and outdoors clothing company. All the jeans and bottoms have secret pockets, they’re really well made and pack so small and dry so quickly. I often travel (or go out for a normal day) head to toe in Rohan.

[northerngypsy]

When I was traveling for work (le sigh), I was often traveling carry-on only, and had to be really warm (like, rural Northwest Alaska warm) but semi-profesh-looking and I discovered that I LOVE LOVE the Kuhl brand Flight Vest. I got a couple new on sale, a couple secondhand, and now I probably own them in almost every color! I love all of the pockets for when I'm in the airport, and they are THE COZIEST over a black crewneck or turtleneck merino long-sleever. I could wear one vest and bring another color (I'm often seeing the same group of people every day, so I like to have a little variety), and the long-sleevers pack up so small! It was variations on a theme (blue or black boot-cut jeans with merino leggings under, black long-sleever, vest) that made me easier to pick out in a crowd if someone needed to pull me aside for a chat.