Katie’s Travel Must-Haves

Katie admits this is a splurge, but if you’re someone who travels often, having a sturdy suitcase is non-negotiable. This one from Tumi is expandable in case you need some extra space and has smooth wheels that make navigating airports a breeze. Plus, it has a special number permanently affixed to the bag, which makes it easier to identify at the luggage carousel, and you can register it under your name and contact info so that Tumi can help you find it should something go wrong.

The key to keeping the contents of your suitcase organized and compressed? Packing cubes. Simply fill these zippable cubes with your clothes and shoes, and everything will stay in its place. Those who tend to overpack will love how much space they save, as they remove all the extra air from your clothes, flattening them into a compact block.

This buttery soft sweatsuit is Katie’s go-to for long travel days and cross-country flights. It’s super lightweight but still cozy, and the tapered cut of the pants and pleated back of the sweatshirt give it a more refined look than your average sweatsuit. Plus, it comes in sizes XS to 3X.

A pair of shoes that can easily be slipped off in airport security will save you and all the other people in line from a common annoyance. These ones from Dr. Scholl’s are comfy for long days walking around new places, go with everything from sweats to sundresses, and won’t be hard to remove for TSA. Plus they provide a tiny bit of height, which Katie can’t resist.

Skip the flimsy airline blanket and bring your own multi-functional one instead. This cashmere scarf is extremely soft, and it’s large enough to cover your body (or at least wrap yourself up in) when the AC is a little too cold. Plus, if you fold it up into a square, you’ve got yourself a pillow for long car or bus rides, too.

If you don’t already have one of these viral belt bags, let Katie be the person to convince you. She takes hers everywhere, and says she can’t travel without it. It holds all the essentials (wallet, phone, keys, and more), packs down flat when you don’t need it, and it allows you to go hands-free, unlike a regular purse.

Drying your hair with a decades-old hotel hair dryer takes forever — and it’s probably frying your hair. Instead, Katie packs her own hair dryer when she travels. This one from Dyson is small enough to fit in her suitcase, and it’s efficient enough to cut her hair drying time in half. Just remember that it won’t work in other countries because of the plug type — she learned the hard way.

If she’s headed outside, you can be confident Katie will have her Supergoop sunscreen in tow. Standout products like the Unseen Sunscreen, Superscreen Daily Moisturizer, and Glowscreen make it easy to incorporate SPF into your daily routine, no matter how cloudy or chilly it is. Supergoop’s clean sunscreens don’t leave the white cast that other mineral sunscreens do, and they wear well under makeup or on their own.

Everyone thinks they’ll be fine without a travel pillow until they actually try to take a nap on the plane, in the car, or on the train…and it’s even worse in a middle seat. Ditch the classic bulky design that you have to jam into your bag for Cushion Lab’s less traditional version, which rolls up compactly and is shaped to support your head and neck more effectively.

Covid brought about a hand sanitizer resurgence that was, quite frankly, long overdue. Touchland’s update to leak-prone mini bottles was waiting in the wings. With a formula that’s both quick-drying and moisturizing and a spray-on application that doesn’t feel sticky, Touchland’s pocket-sized hand sanitizers are your ideal travel companion. Get a bundle of mists to put in every purse or jacket.

Katie’s always reading, and usually it’s on her phone or iPad. She keeps a pair of blue light-blocking Caddis readers on her at all times to keep her eyes protected, and she’s loving this retro style she recently got. They’re almost sold out of the light gray hue she has, but there are pink, blue, and green versions that are perfect for adding a bit of color to your ensemble.

When it comes to packing jewelry, there’s a lot of room for error. You can scratch favorite pendants, lose earrings, and generally end up with a ball of tangled chains, earrings, and bangles. Luckily, this thoughtfully designed jewelry case has a place for every item, including a ring holder, earring band, and hooks that will keep your necklaces separate and knot-free.

Nothing beats an easy last minute touchup, and one that can fit in your pocket is even better. Now imagine a tool that can tackle multiple areas of the face, taking up so much less room in your bag. ILIA’s Multi-Stick is a multi-tasking master for adding a quick, blendable dab of color to your cheeks, lips, or nose when you’re in a rush to catch your flight or car. 

Most cosmetic cases are bulky and hard to pack around, but not this one. Not only is it a perfectly packable size, but it unzips flat so you can easily access everything in it without having to rummage around. There are plenty of pockets and compartments to keep your toothbrush from touching your razor or messy lip gloss tubes, and the whole thing is waterproof for easy cleaning and leak protection.