To travel to different countries is probably one of the greatest achievements a millennial could have. According to the United Nations, in 2017, around 20%or 200 million international travelers across the globe were millennials.

“Millennials don’t just see travel as something we do, we identify with it. We consider ourselves citizens of the world and we have an enthusiastic desire to immerse ourselves in another place and return rejuvenated, inspired, and ready for our next adventure. We are travelers,” said Tara Cappel, Founder of For the Love of Travel.

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With the excitement that traveling brings, there’s the struggle of packing the things you need for your vacation. Some people tend to overpack their luggage, feeling anxious that they might have a shortage of toiletries and clothes.

To help overcome the anxiety of forgetting your toiletries and other necessities, here’s a checklist you can follow for packing your travel essentials:

1. Choose a comfortable hand-carry bag

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Most airline companies offer a seven-kilogram allocation for hand-carry bags for every passenger. Some travelers don’t use up their hand-carry allocations because they availed of a check-in luggage allowance, too. But for some travelers, like backpackers, they would need to squeeze everything in within the 7-kg budget.

So, pick a hand-carry bag according to your baggage allowance. If you bought additional check-in baggage with your plane ticket, here’s what you need to pack in your hand-carry:

Passport
Plane ticket
Wallet - with your travel money and credit cards for emergencies
Cellphone and/or tablet
Power bank and cable for long flights
Earphones
Small snacks - in case you get hungry after the in-flight meal

If you’re traveling by land, the same essentials apply to your first bag (sans the passport and plane ticket).

2. Packing your luggage

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Here’s the tricky part: packing your luggage. Now, it’s really time to bring out the checklist of all the essentials for your travel. For flight travels, make sure your plane ticket has a check-in baggage allowance before packing separate luggage. Most airlines allow a 10 to 20-kg allowance per person.

In picking a bag to use, consider getting one that’s lightweight; so it won’t eat up your baggage allowance. You can go for a four-wheel suitcase or a duffel bag, depending on your comfort level. When packing all your things, separate them by placing them inside packing cubes or compression bags, first; so they stay organized inside your luggage.

Now, if you have chosen your luggage to bring. It’s time to bring out your packing checklist and begin. We’ll break it down by category; so it won’t confuse you.

3. Packing toiletries

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Your toiletries are very important in your packing list. You can’t afford to forget any of it, especially if you’re traveling abroad. Moreover, liquids being boarded onto a plane have limitations.

Keep in mind that for flights, only 100 ml bottles are allowed; so have some refillable bottles ready for your trip. Don’t even think about bringing all your bottles from your home bathroom; that won’t make sense.

Here are the toiletries you can pack in refillable bottles:

Shampoo and conditioner
Body wash
Facial wash
Feminine wash (for the ladies)
Moisturizer and Toner
Sunscreen

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Add these other essential items, too:

Deodorant
Toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash
Hairbrush or comb
Shaving kit
Sanitary pads or tampons
Basic make-up

Now that the list is out of the way, it’s time to figure out how to pack them and keep them under 100 ml, the requirement of most airlines for liquid containers. Exactly how are you expected to budget 100 ml for a weeklong trip?

Here are some tips on packing toiletries for your travel:

4. Ask yourself, is it necessary?

Considering your baggage allocation, do you really need that much liquid bottle in your bag? Take a look at the list above, what’s really essential for you? Do you really need to bring make-up to the beach? If not, then you should probably leave those behind.

5. Transfer your liquids to a 100 ml container

One way to keep yourself within the 100-ml limit is to transfer all your toiletries in 100-ml containers. This way, you can have more space and less weight in the bag versus bringing the original containers. Travel bottles are commonly spill-proof, which is very advantageous for you.

Avoid filling up the entire 100-ml container. Instead, consider filling up half or only 7% of the bottle. To minimize is the key to packing light toiletries for your travel.

6. Does it have non-liquid options?

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If your toiletries have non-liquid options, like soap, shampoo bars, or wipes, then bring those instead of their liquid counterpart; so there would be less hassle for you in the check-in counter.

7. Trust hotel toiletries

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If you’re not sensitive to unfamiliar products, then you can take advantage of the free toiletries that your hotel room offers. This way, you won’t need to worry about having your bottles confiscated during your check-in.

These are just some of the ways to pack your toiletries. Pack your toiletries in a separate compression bag; so you won’t lose them in your luggage.

The next items are equally important, especially if you’re traveling to a far, unfamiliar place. Pack your toiletries in a separate compression bag; so you won’t lose them in your luggage.

8. First-aid and medicines for emergencies

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When traveling to far destinations, you should always be ready for anything, including circumstances such as emergencies, like a sudden illness or injuries. Always pack a medicine bag with these supplies in it:

First-aid essentials - Gauze, Band-Aid, adhesives, Betadine, rubbing alcohol, antiseptic wipes, etc.
Your personal prescription medicines
Medicines for simple illnesses:

Paracetamol - for headaches, fever, colds, and flu
Ibuprofen - for body pain, cramps, toothaches
Loperamide - for stomach pains or diarrhea
Antihistamines - for allergy attacks
Medicines to prevent vertigo or motion sickness

Store these in different colored bags so you could find them easily. For flight travels, include these in your hand-carry packing checklist

Toiletries, first aid, and medicines are just some of the essentials you should never forget on your packing list. Remember to double-check everything you need to bring before closing your luggage.

Here’s How To Pack Light for Your Next Travel Destination