How do you keep you toiletries tidy when you travel? I just got back from a weekend trip and was very frustrated because I couldn't find anything. I through all my stuff in one toiletries kit, but since everything is loose and small, it was a mess. The things I wanted together weren't together and I had to dig through everything to find them. Any solutions?
Overall Rating: votes
-
Posted 2 years ago #
-
Zip Loc bags are my friends when I travel. Soap, razors, and small bottles of shampoo in one, loose make-up in another, toothbrushes and toothpase in one, and so on. It's easy to see what is in each bag and all zip locs usually fit in one travel bag away from the clothes.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Years ago I found a great toiletries bag for travel. It has two lengthwise sections.
One side holds travel soap dish, shampoo, hair gel, razor, hairbursh, and hairdryer (the shower/hair care half of the bag).
The other side holds the smaller containers: body lotion, face soap, tube of petroleum jelly, toothbrush, toothpaste, small clear round stacking containers for daily vitamins (one for each expected day + one extra day), face moisturizer, a snack-size zip lock bag with the extras (cotton swabs, cotton puffs, earplugs, safety pins, small pieces of moleskin for blisters, bandaids, etc.).
If I'll be swimming at my destination (I'm a lap swimmer), I also bring two extra small nalgene bottles: one with baby oil, to use as a skin moisturizer, and one with rubbing alcohol or hydrogene peroxide, to use with a cotton swab to dry moisture in my ears).
Posted 2 years ago # -
I have a travel washkit from ikea with two see through zip pockets and 6 varios sized pockets to take larger stuff. The whole thing unzips and has a hanger. Its been quite way with me. I also have plain refilable bottles from the chemist so I just decant my usual toiletries into them. I have a spare toothbrush and paste already kept in there ready to go so its already mostly prepacked.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I have a back of the door hanging organizer from ll bean
http://tinyurl.com/6rgfha
and i never unload it.
it hangs on the back of MY bathroom door when not in use
and it is easy to replace what's needed zip it up and off I go.
they have about 4 sizes including a family size, worth every penny.Posted 2 years ago # -
I have travel sizes of shampoo, deodorant, powder, lotion, etc. that I keep in Ziploc bags in my travel toiletries bag. When I'm ready to go somewhere, I throw in my medicines, makeup, hairdryer, etc. Everything stays separate and doesn't leak on anything. I put this bag in my suitcase and I'm ready to go.
When I get home I fill all the bottles so I'm ready to go again in a minutes notice.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I second the L.L. Bean organizer. I think I have the medium sized one and it is plenty of space for me. Keeps things very together and organized. I love it!
Posted 2 years ago # -
I like the look of the Rick Steves bag. I haven't been able to get my hands on it though, since neither Rick nor Amazon will ship it to me in Ireland.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Well, I've just ordered the L.L. Bean one. Sorry, Rick.
Thanks for the tip!
Posted 2 years ago # -
I am a full maintenance woman--I do hair and makeup everyday.I got a great Vera Bradley roll-up organizer as a gift. It has several zip pockets with clear vinyl on one side and two non-see-through pockets. I can put different types of make-up in each pocket (one for eyes, one for face--(sunscreen, concealer,blush), one for lips--several shades, and have a pocket for brushes. I have a separate make-up bag for my night-time stuff--night creams, clear lip balm,ear plugs, eye mask. A third larger bag holds hair-styling stuff. A fourth is the morning shower/bathroom stuff-- shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, floss, mouthguard and case. This system works for a weekend or, as I did this summer, for five weeks away. Everything has a place and each task set is grouped together. It all goes into a small traincase -- or carry-on in the rare cases that I fly.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Same as badkitti above, I own the travel toiletory bag from Ikea. It hangs from towel rod or shower curtain rod, with the flap open vertically. You can see everything, very convenient.
Once a year, I go on vacation for 3 weeks. The bag is large enough to put full size (200ml) shampoo. I like how the pockets are mesh instead of plastic, so you don't get mold. It is machine washable.
I think the trick here is to get a bag with multiple pockets and opens up so you can see everything.Posted 2 years ago # -
I'm another member of the Ziploc bag crowd. But, I buy those little travel packets of toothpaste, shampoo/soap, lotion, etc. (not tiny bottles, tiny packets)so I can do 2 weeks with a sandwich bag.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Yep, I, too, have had the occasional spills and leaks before and started protecting my clothes by using thick plastic bags. I have since moved to thin, transparent plastic bags from the fresh fruit/vegetable section of my supermarket and put everything liquid or creamy in separate bags. Then, I will put everything in a former shoe bag (Samsonite), which I can quickly pull out of every trolley/suitcase/bag that I may use for my trips.
Actually, the best thing about those fruit bags is that they don´t smell (unlike other plastic bags). They are reusable, cheap, light-weight, don´t take up much space and can be easily thrown away (recycling, of course).
I started to pack my clothes into those bags as well (bags with clothes for "grey/black days" go left, bags with clothes for "blue days" go right). This way, I can leave them either in the suitcase or put them into not so clean hotelroom drawers (have had rather bad experience with dusty, smelly or plain yucky hotelrooms).
Posted 2 years ago # -
World travelers,
In the states I traveled a fair deal at a last minute notice. I now live in Beijing. After living in Beijing I realized my coworkers thought I loved carrying around things!
Today I keep a packed bag ready at all times.
Here is what I carry today:
- 3 blade razor
- tooth brush
- tooth paste
- comb
- deodorantI use conditioner as shaving cream (it works ok). If traveling in China you don't need a tooth brush, tooth paste or comb as they are provided for free. Outside the deodorant I think I could fit all of things I need in a small 4x6x1 bag.
Posted 2 years ago # -
i am a travel toiletries minimalist.
i pack the bare essentials into the smallest possible containers and then into ziplock bags and i have a hanging folding bag as well.
i like solid shampoos and conditioners and i have friends who make these items...amazing space savers!
i go travelling for six weeks quite happily with a very small amount of stuff.
i've learned not to use a great deal of product and to keep things very smple on the road.
i value the feeling of travelling light over the feeling of having the perfect lipstick colour for every outfit. not that the perfect lipstick colour doesn't have it's place too!Posted 2 years ago # -
bandicoot - tell me more about solid shampoos and conditioners - I may have use for them. How does one use them and is there any limitation on length of hair for which they are suited?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Yup, Ziplocs here too. They are required to carry them on (and with the history of airlines and suitcases, toiletries always get carried on). :)
I LOVE Lush solid shampoos. The conditioner isn't that great in my experience, but the shampoo lasts a couple of months at least. I also like the solid massage bars - great for sore muscles or they can also be used after a shower instead of lotion because the ones I like have cocoa butter in them.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I have a small container from Muji that is basically the same as the LL Bean ones but much smaller. I also have tiny bottles that go inside with shampoo, conditioner, face wash, etc. I keep my makeup in a separate small bag. I traveled to Moscow with my husband and then all over Korea with this system and no problems. I can take it on a plane in the US, and its enough stuff for two people for three weeks. When I get home I put the little bottles out and use the stuff in them up (its usually mostly empty by then), then wash them out and put them in the bag. I don't travel more than once or twice a year, so I don't want to use stale stuff!
Posted 2 years ago # -
for solid shampoo and conditioner:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/GetLathered
lovely product...she really knows her stuff... and the shampoo in particular lasts and lasts and lasts.
after some weeks, the bar will get a little soggy if you use it every day and keep it in the shower....at this stage, i just stuff it into a small (re-purposed) container with a lid...and scoop a little out as i need it.
i took a new bar around rajasthan for 6 weeks last year and i was still using it three months later.to use: wet hair thoroughly, then rub bar across hair a couple of times. lather and rinse as usual.
i've just made a very concentrated travel lotion for myself.
you know how moisturisers and lotions are up to 80% water content? it's not a bad thing, it's just the nature of the formula.
well, i began wondering what would happen if i took the water out of the picture and just left myself with oils/butters/emulsifiers/essential oils/other fancy additives for anti aging etc.
removing the water also removes the need for any preservative.
well, i have something that has to be packed in a jar....it's like a very soft balm oil gel in texture.
i get a tiny bit onto the palm of one hand and i wet the other hand and then i rub the palms briskly together for about 5 seconds and voila....a lotion appears.
i use it on my face/hands/body/feet/ends of hair.
i estimate that about 20 grams of this stuff will be enough to see me through a 6 week trip. and i'll be testing it out in february/march!a friend of mine got working on a solid version of this....it is in a stick form, like a lip balm....but i am finding the butters are a bit rich for my climate and skin. if and when she starts selling it, i am sure it will be a hit with drier skins and drier climates.
Posted 2 years ago # -
If any of you are worried about leaking liquids in your bag, check out the silicone travel bottle ($20 for two, bit expensive and hard to find) or the cheaper gotoob for ~$20 for four (and the 2oz gotoob has suction cups on it!).
I've been looking around for good travel bottles for a long time, and never found any that didn't eventually break/lose the cap or leak or get dented (and leak), so I've tossed many a bottle that way. Not to mention they all have small openings so it's incredibly annoying to refill them quickly. I went and bought those silicone bottles instead, and they're a dream. Not had a leak even if I squish my toiletries bag into a cramped suitcase, no caps falling off, no leakage whatsoever, the mouthes are wide so it's incredibly easy to refill...
Posted 2 years ago #
Reply »
You must log in to post. If you do not already have an account, you can register here.
