Packing Essentials

Well hello there! If you haven't heard, I'm MOVING TO EGYPT IN TWO WEEKS! How crazy is that?! Read more about the how and why here! :)

As my date of departure (August 7th) looms nearer and nearer, I've received many questions about how my packing is going. Those of you who know me can attest to my Type A, planner personality. You will be shocked to hear, however, that I have not even started packing yet! Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely been researching and sending emails and chatting with other international residents, but the actual laying-out-the-clothing and estimating-the-available-space stuff has yet to happen... That being said, I have compiled a list of my absolute travel necessities to share with you!

1. If you are going to a place where you do not speak the language, GET A DICTIONARY. I cannot stress this enough. Even when I studied abroad in Spain last summer (and I speak Spanish) I brought along a dictionary. I'd also recommend a good guidebook. Rick Steves are my favorite!

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2. Electrical adapters! I'll be bringing along about 7 to Egypt with me. Thankfully I can use the same ones I took to Southern Europe last summer, but I also purchased 4 more (see above) via Amazon. They can also be used in the UK (bottom square-ish prongs) which is an added bonus.

3. HumanGear GoTubb and GoToobs. These are absolute lifesavers when packing! The GoTubbs fit anything from meds to snacks to lotion (and the bonus is that you can open then one-handed)! I recommend buying them off Amazon- a couple dollar discount and speedy shipping.

4. Luggage handle wrap. For those of us with uber-sensitive skin (only me, I know) that get rashes from handling metal luggage handles, this is a necessity! I found this adorable one on Etsy. 

5. Document binder. I took this exact binder with me to study abroad last summer, and it was a lifesaver. I printed every piece of information I could possibly need (plane tickets, train schedules, hotel confirmations, copy of passport/ID/credit cards). It came in handy when I either didn't want to pay for WiFi or the printer didn't work wherever I was at the moment (which was more often than you'd think).

6. A luggage tag may seem like a no-brainer for some people, but every time I'm at the airport I see passengers scrambling to get those silly little paper ones from the airline desk. Not only do these Vera Bradley luggage tags last forever, they are cute and easy to spot at the baggage claim! I like to mix and match, so I have 4 different patterns for my luggage.

7. Jewelry cases! I've spent the better part of the last 2 months researching and trying to find exactly what I wanted to take my jewelry to Egypt. These Vera Bradley Jewelry Folio's are just the ticket! As you can see, I had to purchase 2 to fit all of my jewelry- definitely worth the investment. They have all kinds of different sized compartments (all of which are clear) which makes it easy to sort and find exactly which piece you need in a hurry!

8. Gadgets! No matter where I'm headed (short or long flight), my Nook, iPad, and Bose in-ear headphones always make the list! For a longer trip, like a week in California or moving to Egypt, I will also bring my MacBook Pro along. 

All of these items always make it into either my "personal item" (which is the largest possible tote I can get away with) or my roller carry-on suitcase. They are items I wouldn't risk checking and losing for my life. 

What are some of your favorite packing essentials?!