What is the best toiletry bag for travel? To be honest, I find myself reaching for a different type of toiletry bag depending on trip length, trip type as well as what type of luggage we’re taking. Here’s a thorough breakdown of when it’s best to use a hanging toiletry bag, traditional dopp kit or a clear toiletry bag on any given trip.
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When To Use A Hanging Toiletry Bag
One of my favorite types of toiletry bags is the hanging toiletry bag. I find hanging toiletry bags are most useful for long trips over seven days long, especially when I’m traveling with a lot of toiletries, such as multiple days worth of shower products, hair products and full-glam makeup products. This is the hanging toiletry bag I will be buying when I need to replace my discontinued version.
Hanging toiletry bags are extra handy because you can hang them anywhere in your hotel room for easy access to your toiletries. For example, I’ve hung my hanging toiletry bag on the hotel room shower curtain rod, towel hooks, towel bars, closet rods, and even mirrors before. Better yet, if the hanging toiletry bag has clear interior pockets, you can easily see and grab all of your individual products without having to shuffle through the bag like you would have to do with a dopp kit or clear cubic toiletry bag.
The only major con to a hanging toiletry bag is that usually hanging toiletry bags are much larger than other toiletry bags, ultimately taking up more precious luggage space. That’s why I typically reserve hanging toiletry bags for longer trips when I’m more likely to check luggage in addition to my carry-on anyway.
When To Use A Clear Toiletry Bag
Next, I personally find that clear toiletry bags are most useful when traveling carry-on only for trips seven days or less. I’ve been reaching for my clear toiletry bags recently particularly on all of my weekend trips. Many clear toiletry bags are quart-size, meaning they are TSA-approved to use for your liquids when traveling carry-on only. Basically you can use these quart-size clear toiletry bags instead of a clear quart-size single-use baggie. So, when you’re taking a short trip and packing carry-on only, you might consider packing clear toiletry bags.
However, some clear toiletry bags are cheaply made, break easily and get dirty quickly. If you opt for a clear toiletry bag, I recommend buying a clear toiletry bag that has sturdy material lining along the zipper, as opposed to a cheaper completely clear plastic version. I currently use this set of durable clear toiletry bags: the large one for my makeup and solid toiletries, and the small quart-size one for my liquid products. It’s very sturdy and easy to clean.
When A Dopp Kit Is Best
Lastly, let’s discuss when a traditional top-open dopp kit is the best toiletry bag for travel. Dopp kits are very versatile. They are the most common type of toiletry bag for travel for a reason. From my experience, dopp kits are a great in-between toiletry bag option when comparing them to hanging toiletry bags and clear toiletry bags. Typically, I find that traditional dopp kits are smaller than hanging toiletry bags but larger than clear quart-size toiletry bags. If you want a toiletry bag that works for any length trip while taking up the least amount of luggage space, I suggest using a dopp kit. I have this dopp kit!
I’ve used top-open dopp kits for long trips and short trips alike, especially when I know my hotel bathroom has decent countertop space. Dopp kits are really easy to sort through to find your toiletries when you have spare countertop space. But, if I know that my hotel bathroom has limited countertop space, then I would definitely reach for my hanging toiletry bag instead. It’s easier to sift through your toiletries in a hanging toiletry bag when you have a standalone bathroom sink.
That being said, my husband has exclusively used dopp kits for his at-home and travel toiletry bag for a decade, and I would be shocked if he used a different type of toiletry bag in the near future.
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