Summer holidays are looming, travel restrictions seem, for the most part, to have thankfully come to an end and finally we're all starting to think about getting away from it all, possibly for the first time in ages. But if you're anything like me the first time you stood over an open overnight bag you had a bit of a mental block over exactly what to pack.
Everyone has those little items that make life a bit simpler when leaving your home comforts behind for a while. But just in case you've forgotten yours, or want to find some new ones, we've tried and tested a host of holiday essentials perfect for wherever you're heading off to this summer.
Lencent USB charger plug
If there is one travel item everybody needs it's this. I didn't realise how few plug sockets the average hotel room has until the first time I tried to charge mine and my husband's phones and smart watches, our children's tablets and plug in a nightlight for our then 4- and 6-year-old. Once they'd gone to sleep we basically spent the evening plugging and unplugging tech at hourly intervals to try and get everything ready for the morning.
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This travel plug was a total game changer, and the best £15 we've spent to ease travel hassle. Not only does it have space to plug in four USB cables, meaning we can charge pretty much everything we need at once, but it acts as a night light and is usable in the UK, US, Australia and Europe.
The Lencent charger plug is available on Amazon for £15.99. It also comes in a handy storage pouch.
Zap-Ease Instant Bite Relief
As someone who suffers from allergic reactions when I get insect bites I do everything I can to avoid them - mostly by eating Marmite regularly as, I found out living abroad in my twenties, this really does keep the mosquitos away. But recently I was caught out by the unexpected heatwave and ended up with more bites than I can remember. Zap-Ease is an incredible little gadget to ease the pain of the bites.
You simply press the end to the bite and press the green button, you'll hear a little click and instant relief. It works by delivering a safe low level electrical discharge which stops the release of histamine, which is the hormone that produces itching. Zap-Ease is chemical free, doesn't require a battery and apparently is good for 1,000 bites. To get the best from it I find clicking it two or three times works but you can feel the relief even with just one click. It's also usable on children aged 2 and up so I was able to use it on my son when he had the urge to scratch - don't let the 'zap' in Zap-Ease put you off, it sounds like the clicking of a biro and then just a lovely feeling of relief.
It's one of those gadgets that works even though you're not entirely sure how, but now lives in my sunglasses case in my handbag in case anyone gets bitten while we're out and about.
Zap-Ease is available from Ocado and is currently on offer at 15% off for £5.52.
Gomatic Travel Pack
If your overnight case or laptop bag didn't last the pandemic and you're looking to buy something new then this Gomatic travel bag is everything you need for both - and more.
When it arrived and I unpacked it I was surprised by how compact it looked. It has a 20 litre capacity which you can unzip to expand to up to 30 litres.
What does that mean in real terms? Well for me it meant I could pack everything I needed for a five day break into the backpack, including a pair of sandals, clothes, washbag, laptop, iPad and assorted tangle of tech chargers and still have room to pop my sunglasses in the top and a water bottle in the side pocket. What's more, even expanded it counted as hand luggage for airline purposes, so I didn't have to faff with checking in my bag or waiting for it at the other end. Plus the comfortable straps and padded back panel which does double duty by keeping laptop and tech protected made carrying it for extended periods a breeze.
As someone who loves everything to have its place this bag left a song in my heart. It has 22 different pockets and compartments including an RFID section perfect for money and cards. There are also little gaps for you to pass cables through so, if you're in transit and your phone needs a blast of charge you can connect it to a portable battery pack within the case without getting into a tangle.
It's not cheap but it's stylish, sturdy and I'm hopeful it'll last a good long while for the price tag. The Gomatic travel backpack is available from Amazon for £229.
Wuka swim period bikini briefs
There's nothing worse than finding your cycle upended by a flight and suddenly getting your period at a point in the month when you weren't expecting it, especially when you're on a long-awaited holiday and looking forward to pool time.
But if the unexpected does happen then these swim briefs made by period pants brand leader Wuka can be switched out with your usual bikini bottoms so you needn't feel uncomfortable by the pool.
Perfect for women and girls of all ages I was really surprised by how comfortable these were and how much more relaxed I felt by the pool wearing them - I didn't realise how subconsciously stressed I was about leaks until I put on briefs that meant they weren't an issue anymore.
The bikini briefs are best used for lighter flow days - the manufacturers says around two small tampons' worth - but with the higher cut legs if you're feeling self conscious they can be slipped under your normal swimming costume for additional peace of mind. Wuka also makes a full swimsuit more suited for heavier flow days.
Wuka swim period bikini briefs are available from £21.99.
Philips Sonicare One travel toothbrush
When you use an electric toothbrush twice at day home, switching to a manual while on holiday feels like a definite downgrade but you don't necessarily want to pack the charger and kit to take away. This cheerily coloured battery-powered toothbrush comes in with co-ordinated handle and head, a matching travel case and includes the AAA battery.
For a battery powered toothbrush it has a surprising amount of oomph and leaves your teeth feeling sparkling clean. It's also currently available on offer at Tesco for £20, or 33% off.
Grid-It
Grid-Its are perfect for keeping track of all the cables, power banks, headphones and other little bits and pieces that sometimes get lost in the bottom of a travel bag.
They can hold everything from pens to make-up to tech bits and bobs and, since I got one a year ago I've found I've moved it from laptop bag to overnight bag to suitcase as needed. You can also get ones that are tablet cases on one side and Grid-It storage on the other, although we've stuck with the classic version - although I'm tempted to upgrade to a bright purple one.
Grid-Its are available in a range of sizes and colours. This one pictured is currently £15.73 on Amazon.
Digital travel scales
If you're planning on checking in your suitcase for a flight then some digital travel scales will make sure to ease any nerves, particularly on the way home if you've got a bit carried away with your holiday shopping. You simply hook the strap round the handle of your case and lift it and it will give you an LED reading of the weight. No more trying to balance it on your bathroom scales and look under the edge of the case on the way out or outright hoping for the best on the way home.
These scales are lightweight, reasonably priced and, most important of all, accurate. They are small enough to tuck into a suitcase pocket.
The AA digital travel scales are currently £10.99 on Amazon
Cooling towels
Perfect for running under a cold tap, wringing out and mopping brows and backs of necks while out and about in hot temperatures, this multipack of towels works out at less than £2 each. We had them in change bags when the children were younger, as well as in grownups' yoga and golf bags for when workouts got a bit too hot to handle.
More expensive options are available which come with a little storage bags, if our experiences are anything to go by, they end up disappearing into the bottom of the bag anyway so you might as well go for the more reasonably priced option.
Three cooling towels in a range of colours is currently £5.57 on Amazon.
Amazon Kindle
The entry-level Kindle has an RRP of £69.99 but is often reduced by the internet giant so it's worth keeping an eye out for deals. I got mine on Amazon Prime Day for £35. I'd easily spend the same amount at least on half a dozen books for my break and this way I have more choice and less weight in my suitcase.
I've had Kindles before but this is genuinely next level stuff. The setup was painless. I was able to sync with my existing library easily and as the latest version of the Kindle has four LEDs I can reading at night without waking my husband by turning on the bedside light as well as making the most of the anti-glare screen reading by the pool. I'm really happy with it.
Boots Travel Fresh flight socks
If you're going to end up on a flight this summer make sure to pick up flight socks before you get to the departure lounge, especially if you know your medical and family background makes you more at risk of deep vein thrombosis.
I forgot mine and had to buy them once I'd got past security where there was, inevitably, a mark up on Boots' standard in-store price, but these were comfortable, didn't slide down and felt like they gave me good compression and support but didn't leave me with red marks around my legs after a long period. They really did stay surprisingly fresh too, even when I had to wear them on the way home with only a rudimentary hotel room hand wash beforehand.
Boots travel fresh flight socks are currently £14.99 but are available as part of promotions for buy one get one half price on summer essentials so it's worth checking what else you need for your trip.
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