Packing has become a bit of a routine for Sam and I lately. Either hopping on the next train to explore the hidden gems of the UK or boarding a flight abroad for the millionth time, packing is a pattern that never ceases to precede our travels. In just a few hours, we’ll be heading to the airport to explore yet another city from my Ultimate Travel Bucket List – Prague. As a matter of fact, this post might already be up when Sam and I are wandering around Prague’s Old Town and crossing Charles Bridge! Having ticked off Madeira, Brussels and Bruges in the last few months, I’ve become a bit of an expert when it comes to our holiday checklist. No matter the season, destination or type of transportation, I believe there are some travel essentials you always need to make sure to incorporate in your cabin-size wheelie carry-ons or travel backpacks. Our Herschel Little America backpacks are a favourite travel companion of ours, as they are not only comfortable but also the maximum size for carry-on luggage, fitting pretty much everything you need!
So, whether you’re going on a quick weekend trip or a week-long one, here’s my holiday packing list for short haul trips.
Quick important tip: lay out everything on your carry-on list the night before. This way, you’ll know exactly what you’ll be taking with you. Take time to fully charge and back up your electronic devices and check the weather in both your current location and your destination to avoid surprises when arriving.
The techie bits
- Phone, iPad, camera (fully charged and backed up), headphones, memory card, power bank (we have a great one from Anker that holds 7 full phone charges at a time!)
- Chargers for the above and adapters (double check the sockets used in the place you’re travelling to)
Travel documents
- Passport, Driving Licence, Visas (if needed)
- Credit/Debit Card, Multi-Currency Prepaid Card (we love our Caxton FX travel cards), Cash (double check the currency used in the place you’re travelling to)
- Travel Insurance, European Health Insurance Card (if you are in Europe)
- Itineraries: boarding passes (previously checked in; both printed and on your phone), train/bus/tube tickets, hotel/car bookings
- Travel guides, maps (Apps, such as Citymapper, can be very useful to get your way around cities), a list of things to do/see and a very much needed pen!
Holiday toiletries
- Travel Minis (under 100ml): toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, shampoo, shower gel, conditioner, face-wash, skin care, moisturiser, lenses solution, eye drops, suncream, hand sanitiser – if you run out of space, leave the cheapest items as you can easily get them later
- Toothbrush, lenses, retainers
- Makeup/cleansing/sanitary wipes, lip balm, tampons and pads (if needed)
*Top tip: Boots sells empty 100ml bottles that you can fill with your everyday products
Travel beauty essentials
- Travel makeup case, makeup brushes, hairbrush, hairbands, bobby pins, mini mirror, straighteners/curler
Entertainment and food
- Book, magazines, tv series previously downloaded on iPad (Netflix, iPlayer), enough music on you phone (Spotify, Apple music), podcasts
- Snacks, water bottle (bought after security)
Other travel essentials
- Pain killers, plasters, tissues, antihistamines and prescribed medication
- Suitcase lock and key
- Tote bag and a small lightweight bag (very handy to carry stuff around when you are exploring)
- Carrier bag (for used clothes or muddy shoes)
- Travel towel (for those occasions where your bnb/hostel doesn’t provide towels)
- Change of clothes (depending on location) – day and night outfits, pyjamas (for those cold at night), track bottoms, socks, underwear, raincoat (Sam loves his packable Patagonia Nano Puff hoody jacket), chunky cardigans/jacket if it gets chilly, shoes (trainers, flats, sandals, maybe a pair of heels for a night out!), swimsuit
Our must-have travel essentials
- Sam’s Bose QC25 headphones are his absolute travel essential. They’re great for blocking the engine noises, screaming children and listening to music when travelling!
- As for me, I love podcasts. I always make sure I have downloaded a few episodes from different podcasts so I can have plenty of options to choose from. Whether we are on a train, plane or car, podcasts are an absolute travel essential. And an everyday favourite!
I believe I’ve covered all my short-haul carry on travel essentials! Is there anything you think I’ve missed? If you really loved our post please leave us a comment and show us some love on social media using the buttons below 
G.x
Do you like travelling as much as we do? Then check out some of our travel guides:
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- Things you must do in Prague
- Affordable things to do in Cannes, Côte d’Azur
- The 10 best things to do in Edinburgh, Scotland
- Best things to do in York
- Things to do in Monaco on a budget
- The 10 best things to do in Lisbon
- 24 Hours in Coimbra
- The 10 best things to do in Porto
Love this list! I’m terrible about overpacking for short trips so these are great recommendations for a carry on!
Thank you! x
Great list! Headphones are definitely a must for me. Don’t even know how to survive most trips without them!
I agree! Headphones and music are a total must-have! x
A really helpful list. I always leave home with a full bottle of water, drink it on the way to the airport so that I’m hydrated and then take it through baggage check empty. Then you can easily refill it once you’re through baggage check. Saves buying a new bottle.
Enjoy your next trip. Look forward to reading your next blog about that!
Great tip, Jane! Will definitely keep that in mind for our next trip 🙂 x
Your right with the refill bottles. It’s something that we do all the time. It’s so much cheaper, and you can fill them up with what you have already at home. We buy the litre shampoo and conditioner, so it just makes sense to fill those small bottles with what we need.
I absolutely agree! It’s so easy and just saves up quite a bit of money, especially at airports x
This is a very helpful list. I think I’ve gotten better at packing over the years, especially for weekends away or short European flights. Like Jane’s comment I also bring an empty water bottle with me to fill up past security and if you ask nicely the in flight crew may fill it up for you as well.
Thanks for the tip! I didn’t know the in-flight crew could fill up your water bottle as well, will definitely keep that in mind! x
This is such a handy post! Enjoy Prague!
Thank you so much 🙂 x
This is super helpful! I need to pull up this post everytime I go on a trip haha. I personally like to take out a notepad and just jot down what I know I need to grab in the morning before I go, etc.. I always try to pack the day before as well, I hate packing last minute!
Last minute packing is so stressful, it makes me anxious! I’m definitely better at ticking things off the list 🙂 x
I do a lot of short travel tips and take most of these with me! Good to see it all outlined though, cool post!!
Thanks Gary! x
Really helpful post, and I love how you’ve categorised the items that’s so handy! I always forget something from the toiletries list! Xo
Thanks Lozza 🙂 x
I loved this post! I’m currently packing for our holiday, we leave a week today! I was doing the checklists and I feel like I’m forgetting things but reading this list – I’m not so that’s good! Hope you have a lovely time in Prague!
Liz xx
Thank you! I’m glad this post could help 🙂 x
Great list! It’s a really useful post 🙂
I generally thibk of all of these EXCEPT all medicine stuff and plasters, etc.
I always forget to take some of these as I don’t need them in my everyday life but I’m always ending up needing them on holiday or while travelling haha
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! Same, I always end up needing plasters or painkillers and I’ve learned the hard way to stop buying them every time we’re abroad and just bring a packet with me haha 🙂 x
Handy list! I always forget something, every time I travel.
Thank you! x
Love that you stuck with the absolute essentials for the short trip. I am a total fan of Herschel backpacks. Carrying all of the adapters is a big game changer. Instead of having to spend money, you have one a zip away. I like how everything fits in your bag! Thanks for sharing!
Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me
Thanks Nancy x
I always lay everything out and take pictures before I pack, but it’s so I can double check/not forget anything when I repack at the end of the trip haha. Great article!
KB | http://www.herlifeinruins.com
Thank you so much! x
Such an helpful post for travel junkies. You packed every possible thing which I really like. I do not travel much but when I do then headphone is a must have in my luggage.
I agree, travelling would be so much harder without headphones and music! x
Great list! If you are doing a lot of travelling you get very good at packing just the things you need. Enjoy Prague!
Thank you! x
This is so helpful! No matter how organised I try to be when I go away I always manage to forget one thing 😂
Hopefully this list can make your life easier! x
I always feel like I’ve forgotten something. Great list to keep any traveller on track with their packing
Thank you so much Emma 🙂 x
I just loved your photos! Those are great tips btw 🙂
Awe thank you so much! x
Wow from the list of items, you’ve proven you really love to travel, and are an expert at it too. Benefit “They’re Real Mascara” really does open up the eyes lovely. I too have that photography book. I got mine from Urban Outfitters, it’s really good. Great photography in there. A great travel tip post : ) xo
http://www.juanitalikes.com
Awe thanks so much 🙂 x
Great list to have handy, I would leave without the makeup! I know for shame!
Thank you! x
great list; wish i was traveling more but darn the health 😉
Joy at The Joyous Living
Thank you! x
Awesome post! Thanks for the great tips!
Thanks Holly! x
I love a good travel flatlay! This is a really helpful list, I’m hopeless at packing so I always forget something.
Megan // https://pixieskiesblog.wordpress.com
Thank you so much, Megan! x
Very helpful post and I will definitely be using this as a guide for when me and my boyfriend go on our travels! Great post x
Livslittleblog.com
Thank you so much! x
I always get so scared that I will forget something when travelling even though I am super organised haha. This was helpful, thank you xx
Recent post: http://lifeofellabella.blogspot.com/2018/10/travel-my-goals-and-my-fears.html
Thanks for the comment, Ellie x
This list has been so incredibly helpful! Thank you so much x
Thank you, Lily x
This is great advice, I am seriously terrible at packing! I always bring too much of the stuff I don’t need and not enough of what I do need.
I think I overthink packing!
I’ll be keeping this in mind for our next break x
It’s easy to get overwhelmed and not know what to pack! I always use this list and never forget anything! x
I absolutely love our Anker power bank. When we’re travelling, it’s usually focused on outdoor travel. Camping, hiking, canoeing, etc. This means that there’s no electricity where we stay, more often than not. At the same time, however, I’m working on the go and need the use of my phone and my tablet. The power bank makes this all possible. I wouldn’t go anywhere without it.
A fellow Anker lover! I love how practical they are – they’re compact and easy to store, and they hold so much energy at the same time! Definitely a favourite x
This is great, it can be so hard to pack for shorter trips I think. I like the fact that you get everything out ready to go, I bet it reduces that feeling of forgetting something. Also charging your gear is so important, you don’t want you tablet to die mid watching a film or something on the flight!
One thing that I have started doing whatever trip I am taking a plane for is to click and collect my toiletries. Saves on having to only carry a certain amount in your hand luggage and saves up valuable space too!
Thanks for sharing!
Aimsy xoxo
Aimsy’s Antics
Click and collect sounds like such a great tip, especially if you don’t have much space! Thanks Aimsy x
Thanks for this. Some great tips. I’m forever forgetting my headphones!
Thanks Graham! I hope this list helps you to never forget them!
I always try to only bring my carry on when travelling. It’s amazing how much you can stuff into a single bag if you pack smart. My last travel was a week away and all I brought was a backpack and a small handbag. To be fair, I always only bring one pair of shoes (the ones I’m wearing), and I don’t bring anything like hairdryer or curler. But I do love the aspect of travelling light, and just being able to grab my bag and go.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Travelling light and smart is the best, in my opinion. We’ve just been to the Cotswolds for a few days, and literally all my jumpers, boots and hiking clothes fit into a carry on! x
Great advice for travel
Always better to plan ahead
So many people always go on holiday and forget half of there items.
https://www.wattophotos.co.uk
Thanks Watto!