Recently, a man walked up to me before Mass and said “You look like a person who carries 
band-aids. Could I have one, please? My son cut his finger and needs some help.” Not only did I have band-aids to share, I also provided a cleansing wipe, alcohol pad and a few tissues.
Yep, that’s how I roll. I carried a mom-bag even before I was a mom. I’m the one with a safety pin, phone charger, hand sanitizer, gum (even though I don’t chew it), toothpicks and tylenol. If you need something and I’m in the room, go ahead and ask, I probably have it.
My thoughts are on travel this month and I want to talk about my travel kit. Our “travel kit”, shave kit, travel toiletry bag, etc. is the bag of travel and hygiene essentials that we all should get used to taking with us when we travel.
And here is a little secret – Keep it packed and up-to-date ALL THE TIME to make life and travel so much easier! I travel often enough, especially during the summer, that leaving these essentials packed all the time saves lots of time and hassle.
How to? Here we go!
- Determine your list of essentials. Yes, I actually made a list, printed and laminated it and posted it on the inside of one of my medicine cabinet doors (I had a list for the kids when they were little, too). My list includes:
- toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, soap / bodywash, face lotion with sunscreen, body lotion, hair styling product and comb, and deodorant. A travel size of all of these items stay in the kit all the time, as do
- lip balm, nail trimmers, tweezers, scissors and an extra eyeglass case.
- Planning for emergencies, I also pack a glass repair kit, mini-sewing kit and first aid kit.
- When I am ready to leave, I will add: contacts and solution, cosmetics, nail polish (for touch ups), and a jewelry pouch.
- In the kitchen, there is a bag and a check list ready for packing my vitamins, protein shake, and travel coffee (Starbuck’s Via Packets) and tea for just in case.
2. Find a pouch or two that will hold everything. Consider your options: washable (mine is plastic and wipes clean); transparent (best for air travel, and for being able to see and find stuff!) or opaque (for privacy); appropriately sized – not too big or too small! I use two for longer trips, with shower stuff in one and everything else in the other, as they are less bulky in a suitcase this way.
3. If you have a habit of forgetting your kit in hotel rooms, you could use a resealable quart or freezer size ziploc with disposable items inside.
4. Check your linen closet or medicine cabinets for extras of the essentials, and populate your kit. Grab travel sizes of your essentials, or those hotel sized toiletries you seem to collect but never use! Once you know what you need, and what you already have on hand, take a swing through the travel size aisle at your local pharmacy for the items you’re missing.
5. Most importantly, when you return from your adventures, check your list and your pouch contents again and restock anything you may have depleted while you were traveling. Put your pre-packed travel kit away until you pack for your next adventure, when it will be waiting to help you out!