5 Unusual Things To Pack in a Suitcase

5 Unusual Things To Pack in a Suitcase

Unexpected things which you may need on your travels

1. More Bags

You'd be surprised on your travels how often you will need more bags.

- A tote bag is very useful when you just want to regulate your bought trinkets to whatever you can fit into it today or maybe you simply don't want to lug around a larger bag, but a tote bag can be an amazing addition to your travels.

- Plastic ziplock bags, you might be surprised, can vary in how easy they are to get, depending on where you're traveling. It can be highly useful to bring some reusable ziplock or sealable bags, so that you can take some extra lunch sandwiches along with you on your journey, particularly if you're on a budget.

- A set of reusable, fold up grocery bags are invaluable if traveling. The ones that can fold up very small in particular. I have used them so often on my travels that the handle for one has started to fray to almost be unusable. When traveling to get groceries, which you'll likely want to do if you have access to a kitchen at all, it can be very useful, particularly as many locations will make you pay for your grocery bag if you don't bring your own. Having tiny ones which can fit into a pocket or purse can be a life saver.

2. Bag clips

You would think this might be a bit strange - you can also substitute this out with clothes pins, but that doesn't make it less strange. But bag clips have many uses.

- As bag clips: it might be silly to say, but you'll probably want them for their actual use more often than not. If you get a bag of chips somewhere to snack on, you wont want the inside of your backpack to become crumb central. Having bag clips offers an amazing chance to save a bit of food for a later point.

- To keep something together: Something will, doubtlessly, break while you are abroad. A bag clip is far from a perfect solution, but you would be surprised how often they work. It can be so freeing to know that your camping tent flap isn't going to blow around in the wind, even after the zipper fully snapped off.

- To hang something up: As someone who has stayed in hostels, there is a surprising lack of places to hang things. With a well placed bag clip, you can turn most things into a location that won't lose your coat anytime soon. Alternatively, to hang up clothing because you got caught in a bit of rain.

3. A towel, even if you aren't going swimming

Because it can do many, many things. Extra blanket? Check. Better than the thin as paper hotel blankets? Check. Sound barrier from the drunk neighbors? Check. Cushion when sitting down for a picnic? Check. A towel has many a use beyond just its intended function. It offers that extra layer of cozy when the freezing temperatures come and it generally can just be a useful addition that is very versatile in what it can do.

4. A sewing kit

A sock won't live up to its full life-time or a hole will appear in your shirt, or, like me, you managed to rip the whole inner lining of your winter coat and that was going to be too expensive to replace. You'd also be surprised how often a needle or thread comes in use on there own, even without performing their intended function. It is better to have this than not when traveling.

5. A non-electronic fan

Not least because it doesn't need batteries to replace, a simple hand fan comes in clutch during the Summer months at any location, even if it just blows some bugs away. Your fellow travelers will quickly come to envy your tiny green hand fan as they sit in their own heat.

But truly, it can be very handy, if only to loan to a friend or family member when they are suffering.

And those are my 5 unusual things to pack in my suitcase. Thank you for reading!