What Should Be in your Checked-In Bag?

via This is Glamorous

I am a list maker. I love making lists and checking stuff off the list. I found this great list on This is Glamorous blog. It is pretty comprehensive and general. I loved the colors, and I loved the pictures, and I basically loved everything about it. Print it. DO IT.

1.     Extra underwear. I can’t stress this enough. As with medicine, better be safe than sorry.

2.     Tampons. O M G. I learned the hard way that tampons in America are superior in so many ways to the tampons found anywhere else. If you use tampons, please pack up. I had a very bad experience in Germany where the tampons lacked applicators. I seriously can’t begin to comprehend how these women do it.

3.     Flip flops. Who knows who/what has been in that shower? I especially refer to the hostels. I’ve stayed at some very shady places and, I no longer want to share bathrooms after that. I’ll pay the extra money if I have to.

4.     Medications. You’ll thank me later. Traveler’s diarrhea is real people, the flu is real, and when you ‘re in a foreign country and you don’t know how to explain to the pharmacist what you have, you will be glad you have these at hand. Anti-histaminics, Pepto-Bismol, aspirin, anything else you think you might need you WILL need.

5.     Chargers. And their adapters. While we’re on the subject of electronics, extra SD cards where super helpful considering that when I went to Norway, I took 8,000 pictures. Yes, I did.

6.     Nail stuff. Files, clippers. You don’t know how much you need them until you don’t have them.

7.     Extra plastic bags. For dirty clothes, for dirty shoes, for shampoos, creams and lotions that may spill during the flight.

8.     Small bag for weekend trips.

I wanted to make the list until 10 items, but I think you get the picture.  About packing your clothes, I suggest rolling them. Also, if there is no iron available, I found it best to hang your clothes (that you will wear the next day) the night before and it reduces the wrinkles. They will not be completely gone, mind you, but at least it's better than right out of the bag. 

Speaking of which, I really should start packing up...