17 Mini Travel Essentials That Make A Massive Difference

First, if you’re naturally heat resistant like me, a mini handheld fan will be your best friend in hot destinations. This TUNISE rechargeable personal fan will provide plenty of cool air to prevent you from overheating. Plus, it still works while plugged into a portable charger. And, it’s great for overnights if you always sleep with a fan on at home. I never travel without this fan.

Second, if you love creating content, taking photos and videos, and bagging high-quality travel selfies, you’re going to love this mini clip-on ring light. It’s pocket size, unlike most tripod ring lights. And, it provides plenty of light to take better travel photos in low-light environments. I’ve clipped it to my phone, DSLR camera and even my hotel bathroom mirror before!

Second, you seriously need one of these Perilogics plane seat phone mounts, especially for those domestic flights that don’t have seat-back entertainment centers. All you have to do is attach it to the tray table in front of you, and your phone becomes your own personal TV without giving you a kink in your neck.

Next, I first discovered the Gillette Venus Mini a couple of years. It is incredibly high quality for its compact size. In addition, it comes with a travel case to keep it clean in your toiletry bag, and to prevent unwanted cuts when you reach into your toiletry bag.

Furthermore, the Apple AirTag has become a bestselling mini travel essential for good reason. Why? So travelers always know the whereabouts of their luggage and, thus, to prevent lost luggage. If you’re luggage ever gets lost on a flight, knowing its exact location via AirTag will help you and the airport staff retrieve the luggage much more efficiently.

Similarly, if you’ve read any of my other travel essentials blog posts or watched any of my travel essentials YouTube videos, you know that I love my AirPods Max. However, there’s one thing I don’t love about them: they’re pretty large and bulky to pack. If you’re a mini-malist packer (see what I did there?), you might consider opting for the AirPods Pro 2 instead. They still have active noise cancellation, but they are conveniently pocket-size.

Next, the the Twelve South AirFly allows you to watch your in-flight entertainment TV with your bluetooth headphones instead of the cheap wired headphones that flight attendants give out. Furthermore, the AirFly Pro version can pair with multiple headphones sets at once, allowing travel buddies to watch TV together.

Furthermore, while on vacation, I always love having the option to listen to my favorite music on the go (when I’m not around people to annoy, of course). My mini JBL Clip mini bluetooth speaker is waterproof and dust-proof, meaning I can bring it to the beach or pool without fear of damaging it. Additionally, it has a built-in carabiner that I can easily clip onto my backpack, daypack or beach bag. It’s also way cheaper than competing brands without sacrificing high quality audio output.

When planning any trip that is going to involve physical activity or the outdoors, it is always wise to have first aid on hand. The General Medi mini first ait kit, which includes bandages, gauze, antiseptic towelettes, tweezers and more, is a fantastic packable option. I brought this exact first aid kit on our Arizona hiking trip, and I’ve brought it on every road trip since.

Now, if you’re anything like me, you’ve been trying to replace your plastics with non-toxic sustainable alternatives. So, instead of buying cheap plastic cosmetic jars for my travel liquids, I bought these Luo Bei Er glass cosmetic jars. I love that these jars are toxin-free, washable and reusable for every trip. The best part? They’re dishwasher safe!

Another mini travel essential that travelers are crazy about are the Tide To Go pens. With these miniature stain remover pens, you never have to worry about unwarranted spills or stains while away from home. You can easily pack them in your purse, personal item, carry-on or checked bag.

Furthermore, I purchased refillable perfume bottles last year, and they are life-changing. Here’s why. First, they are TSA-approved size for carry-on luggage. Second, you don’t have to worry about your expensive glass perfume bottle breaking in your luggage. Third, they are super easy to refill. Better yet, they will hold enough perfume for your entire trip.

My signature perfume that I wear regularly and that comes travel size is the YSL Mon Paris. This scent is perfect for the traveler who prefers a sassy perfume over a flowery or musky one. I love it so much that I even wore it for my wedding day! It comes in a 3.04 OZ size (TSA approved), 1.6 OZ size (TSA approved), 1 OZ size (TSA approved) and a 0.34 OZ mini rollerball size (most affordable and TSA approved, no refillable bottle needed).

Similarly, cologne bottles are often too big to pack in carry-ons. It only takes losing one $50 bottle to a TSA agent’s garbage to learn this the hard way. Prevent this mistake by purchasing a TSA-approved cologne bottle like this one, which my husband owns and loves.

In addition, lavender essential oils are known to reduce anxiety and promote rest. Whether you suffer from travel anxiety or are looking for a natural sleep remedy, this travel-size Silk Road lavender essential oil roller is phenomenal. Alternatively, my husband swears by this Migrastil Migraine essential oils roller stick to treat car sickness.

Next up, one mini travel essential that I will be adding to my repertoire as soon as possible is this Newbealer travel steamer. I’ve always heard great reviews of this steamer, and I finally got to test it for myself when my sister brought it with her on our Norway girls trip. It worked better than any hotel iron I’ve tried.

This next mini travel essential might be controversial, as it’s definitely overpriced and probably unnecessary. But, I’m in love with it. The Beis Micro Weekender charm is no ordinary keychain. Not only is it adorable, but it’s actually large enough to fit other mini travel essentials, such as a hand sanitizer, earbuds, and a chapstick or lipgloss, making it both cute and practical. This way, you can attach these other mini travel must-haves to the outside of your bag, making them easily accessible, and save room in the bag’s interior. (Maybe I’m biased. You know I love my Beis products.)

Lastly, when you’re traveling, you don’t always have access to a sink with soap. It sounds gross, but it’s true. I always make sure to bring travel-size hand sanitizer on every trip. I especially love that these Purell travel sanitizers come with carriers for easy access on my purse or backpack strap.