These 27 Things Improve The Experience Of Traveling With Only A Carry-On (2025)

It also features adjustable warm light that's much easier on your eyes.

Former BuzzFeederAbby Kassswears by her Kindle as a travel must-have: "Yes, that is me sitting in a pool in Hawaii holding my Kindle over the water without fear or stress that if it falls in, it will break. Truly living my best life."

Promising review: "I LOVE reading and being able to access a book anywhere with this thing. It is easy to navigate, very easy to read and adjust the brightness or how warm the light is. It doesn't auto adjust, but I don't need that feature. I've read in bright sunlight to dark rooms, and it's always been so clear. You can adjust the font and use the library to search whatever books you want. Makes packing books fortravelingvery easy. Battery life lasts me two weeks if I'm reading every day for a few hours." — R@L0

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Promising review: "I travel frequently and travel light. My luggage is usually limited to a backpack that slides under the airline seat. For a two-week European cruise, I added a carry-on rolling suitcase. I've used these packing cubes twice so far, and I am hooked. One cube holds everything (including clothing) I take on a three-night trip. The cube slides into my pack, saving massive amounts of room, and everything is easy to find during travel and at the hotel. Taking out one cube and unzipping is much better than digging through a pack! I will never leave home without these!" — Gura

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Just pack in your clothes, roll up the bag, and watch as the excess air is squeezed out.

BuzzFeed Shopping writerEmma Lord says, "HELLO, I AM OBSESSED WITH THESE. Despite all the rave reviews I was definitely skeptical of space-saving bags that didn't require a vacuum, and even as they were actively squishing my clothes into oblivion I still couldn't quite believe it. I had easily two suitcases worth of clothes I wanted to pack for a three-week trip to London, and I managed to neatly pack the entirety of my wardrobe in one roller carry-on bag. Truly all I had to do was put my clothes in the bag, push them to the bottom, and then sit on it to get the air out before sealing it up. I had tons of extra bags and make a habit of taking them with me in case other people joining me on trips need them to be able to pack souvenirs on the way home. I'm never taking a long trip without these again — these are worth every damn penny."

Promising review: "Itravelmonthly forwork, usually gone for 4–5 days. Before these, I would have to check a bag. Dress shirts and pants roll up nicely and stay wrinkle free. It's tempting to want to over-stuff these, but if you're packing golf shirts or cloths with 'slippery' fabric, they slide out of the top of the bag as you get close to the end. The clips take a minute to get used to, but after a couple of times zipping up the bags, it's pretty easy." — BigSkinny

Plus, it has a zipper compartment at the bottom for putting all your dirty clothes in so they don't get mixed with clean items (forcing you to end up just washing everything when you get home).

Promising review: "I just love it. I travel alot. Now I don’t have to hang anything up but my organizer. I can see what I pack and where everything is. Just love it. I can easily fit seven days' worth of outfits and three pairs of shoes in a carry-on suitcase.Just great." — Amazon customer

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BuzzFeed Shopping editorElizabeth Lilly is a big fan of these: "Each pack comes with three packets. And, because they are liquid, they'll easily slide into the side of your toiletries bag. I've packed these on international trips to much success!"

Promising review: "Taking these out of the country to wash under things is exactly the right size." — Laura Wilson

Promising review: "I love this little gadget. I used it to attach my jacket and computer bag to my luggage on an extended business trip. It made my airport walks so much easier. Now that I'm back home, I've been using it daily to attach my jacket or cardigan to my work bag or purse." — Michele

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The "daily routine" set includes four medium and three small capsules as well as magnetic, interchangeable labels for shampoo, conditioner, body wash, moisturizer, cleanser, a pill icon, and a blank tile.

They also offer skincare, bodycare,haircare, and pill case sets as well as extenders that increase the size of the capsule! And if you fall in love with these and really want to customize your collection, head to their site to build your own unique set.

Cadence is an AAPI woman-owned small business that was founded by Steph Hon with the goal of eliminating single-use travel-sized plastics. The containers are made from recycled ocean-bound plastic.

Promising review: "These containers are perfectly sized for all my travel needs, whether it’s skincare products, vitamins, or even small jewelry pieces. They fit neatly into mycarry-on, saving space and keeping everything organized. No more messy toiletry bags or digging around for tiny items — everything has its place with Cadence. The quality of the materials is top-notch. The containers snap together securely, making it easy to keep them organized and prevent any spills. It’s such a clever and practical feature that adds a touch of luxury to the whole experience. Plus, it’s oddly satisfying to hear the little click when they snap into place!

"I’ll be honest — the price did give me pause at first. These containers are definitely an investment, but I can confidently say they’re worth it. The peace of mind they provide, knowing my products are safe and secure during travel, is priceless. Plus, the high-quality build means they’ll last for many trips to come, making them a smart long-term investment." — Randy G.

The set comes with four bottles, four jars, two spray bottles, two scoopers (to help transfer creams), one funnel (to help transfer liquids), one cleaning brush, a page of labels, and a bag that everything fits in.

Promising review: "I’ve purchased a lot of different travel sets for my toiletries over the years. Inevitably, they are hard to fill and tend to leak. This set was magic! The wide mouth made it easy to fill from a larger bottle, and the little scoops made transferring creams to the jar containers very easy and with much less mess. The only con (hardly worth mentioning) is that once you squeeze the bottle, it takes a few minutes to expand with air again, so the sides are a bit sunken. I solved that by unscrewing the top just a bit for a quick release of the vacuum pressure. I had no leaks, and plenty of containers for every toiletry." — MDC

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Promising review: "Don't be fooled by the tiny price or size, this little baby is serious. If you are looking for a small travel option rather than lugging your big straightener and giant curling iron around the world, than I think you'll love this. It performs really well, turning my frizzy wavy hair into a smooth and sleek style. The curling iron option also creates shiny, silky lasting curls! It's easy to transition between both. I also like the grippy handle and the fact that the curling iron clip is a different color than the straightening bars because that helps me see how I should be maneuvering it around. The voltage goes up to 240m, so you are good using it internationally without a converter (but you will need an adapter just to fit it into various foreign outlets). At this price, definitely give it a try and flaunt your tresses abroad." — Christine

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All it is is a hood attached to a vest you can wear under any jacket to protect yourself (and your hair) from whatever the weather has planned.

Promising review: "I love this! The quality is very nice and it fits great. Wore it last week in the rain with a coat I love that doesn't have a hood and it was perfect. It slips right under your jacket so all you see is the hood, so it pretty much blends in with your jacket. Such a great idea! Wish there were more colors and patterns, I'd order more." — Jill Hammel

Multitasky is a woman-founded and -run small business that began in 2020 as a way for founderJulia Xu to create products that were both functional and cute.

Promising review:"It does as it says it does, allowing my Dell XPS15 to operate a pair of USB devices from my lightning port! The laptop has two USB ports, one of which is always occupied by my USB mouse dongle and the other by my protected USB drive. If I wanted to plug in my phone to switch data or add another thumb drive to transfer a device, everything might have to be disconnected, but not anymore. It was really worth it." — Liberty

Anne Cate is a woman-owned small business based in Cleveland, Ohio, that handmakes minimalist keepsakes with a skyline from more than 100 cities and colleges around the world!

The kit includes a hair tie, ChapStick, two floss pics, a sewing kit, bandages, emery board, two safety pins, two earring backs, a makeup wipe, two bobby pins, two mints, a deodorant wipe, a Shout wipe, a tampon, hand sanitizer, and Tylenol.

Promising review: "I’m heading to Rome this fall with my best friend and our husbands. I thought this would be the cutest little emergency case to bring along so I got each of us one. I am so excited to give it to her. She will love the Rome skyline and all the goodies inside." — Jen

Promising review: "Excellent for travel! Nice to have a go-to individual pouch especially for the chords. Husband travels forbusinessand this is a must, so if he's in an airport or hotel he can locate them easily and they don’t get mixed with others." — Brent Webb

Promising review: "Itravelfrequently forworkand keep this in my suitcase.Worksgreat; I no longer carry a lint roller." — Liza Przekop

Promising review: "Lots of space. I bought this for abusinesstrip so I could carry my laptop and clothes for two nights and not check a bag at the airport. This worked perfectly and looks nice." — Angie J

Promising review: "It’s a little hard to fill but if you have a small funnel already it makes it a lot easier. They’re super easy to use and really convenient for packing. I use it for the gym, travel, and I also travel forworkoften and it comes in handy there." — Kelsey Jacobi

Promising review: "My favorite traveling item! Before I was sticking jewelry in ziplock bags and in my suitcase and I’d lose them in there or they’d tangle and I was limited on what I could bring. I bring this with me every time we go out of town forbusiness." — Kristy and Jose

Promising review: "Just what I needed. This worked perfectly on a recent business trip. Felt refreshing and left my skin feeling soft." — Glenda E

Promising review: "This product...I have no clue how this works, but it does! Let me start by saying I was wearing a full face of makeup. I mean foundation, contour highlight, eyeliner, seriously the whole nine yards. All I did was wet it and wiped my face, my jaw literally dropped. This is hands-down my favorite makeup remover. The best part is that they are reusable so you don't have to keep buying those expensive disposables that leave your face feeling greasy." — Heather Griffith

Promising review: "Perfect. Have used these for hiking andbusinesstravel. Can't imagine anyone having a bad thing to say about them." — G. B.

Promising review: "I love that this product is an all-in-one! It saves me so much space when I travel, and the products are high-quality too. The lightest brow pencil is still a little dark for blondes like me, but the other shades complement me perfectly. I like the lip liner the best; it easily elevates a simple lip look!" — Sam

Promising review:"Hate dragging out the old hotel iron and board, soI just spray my wrinkled clothes with this, and viola!Takes the wrinkles out, and off I go — no wrestling while putting the iron and board away. I even have a small travel iron or use my hair styling irons if I want a better finish, but this usually does the job nicely." — Audie

Plus, it's lead-, latex-, and BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and can be used for hot or cold drinks.

Promising review: "Bought this water bottle for a trip to Disney World. At home, I always have my 40-ounce water bottle nearby. I was worried about walking around the park and not having quick access to water on those hot park days. We only brought a fanny pack in and didn't have room for something big. This was perfect! Itwasn't too overbearing to hold and was super easy to fold up and throw in the bag when not in use. My only regret is I didn't buy two!" — E. Alarcón

This powder shampoo is benzene-free!

Promising review: "I was looking for a dry shampoo that would be easy to use on the go for a trip I was taking. I had no issues taking this throughTSAand it was so easy to use on the go. You literally just pat the poof on your scalp and then rub the powder in. I do have black hair so dry shampoo is usually very visible in my hair, but I didn't have any harder time than usual rubbing this powder in. It did a really good job of soaking up all the oil and giving my hair volume. I'm not a fan of the price for the amount that you get, but it is lasting longer than I thought it would. I would definitely recommend and will purchase again." — Teresa

Get it from Amazonfor $18(available in six shades).

Elizabeth(that's her above) has traveled with this in her carry-on and loves it:"Here, I used hotel shampoo (it was pretty fancy, NGL), this shampoo bar, and my roommate'sMoroccan Oil curl cream. The bar is basically foolproof. You rub it directly on your wet hair after rinsing out your shampoo. I normally wash my naturally curly hair once or twice a week but on this trip was taking daily dips in the sea, so I washed my hair 5x over a week. Because of this, I let the conditioner sit for a few minutes, though you probably don't need to do that if you're washing your hair your usual amount on your trip. Each bar is supposed to last 200 washes and it might do a little less for me, but I know this'll be good for many future trips!"

Promising review: This is incredible! It leaves my hair feeling soft, hydrated, and healthier with every use. I was skeptical about switching from a traditionalliquidconditioner, but this bar exceeded my expectations. It’s compact, eco-friendly, and lasts longer than I expected." — Niki Saigeon

Promising review: "I recently traveled and had no problem withTSA. I like the moisturizer; you can just rub it in. If you have coarse hair, the blades may dull sooner than later. I preferred just to wet my leg and then spray the water. It seemed to get more of a lather for me. Super convenient!!" — Western Pa mom/grandma

Promising review: "I used mine nonstop for almost a year and loved the versatility. I travel a lot for myjoband wanted something easy for the airport, but I ended up using it all the time. I purchased the brown color, which is more like a mauve pink, exactly what I was looking for. I used mine until it died and am going to purchase another!" — sarah noe

Elizabethalso owns this — shepacked it as her only day bagfor a busy trip to Iceland, and not only did it hold a ton and keep her hands free, it easily fit around her waist over her outerwear.