The affordable items our travel team use for pain-free holidays that we guarantee will improve your summer vacation
HEADING on a summer break and not sure which essentials to take, Sun Travel has a handy list just for you.
From ways the size of your carry-on to handy travel-sized items, here’s what you should take on your next holiday.
Narwey bag
With the Narwey bag, we’ve never had to worry about whether or not our carry-on bags will fit into the size requirements.
The bag comes in various different sizes to meet strict personal item requirements set by Ryanair, Spirit and Allegiant airlines.
This bag has been described as a “life-saver” by some travellers in the Amazon reviews and you can buy the Ryanair bag from £9.99.
One of our Sun Travel writers tested out the Narwey bag and found that it could fit everything for a five day trip.
Free hotel slippers
If you happen to check into a hotel that offers free slippers in the room, make sure to take them home at the end of the trip.
When Sun Travel spoke to a Jacob Tomsky, the author of Heads In Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles and So-Called Hospitality, he said: “The dirtiest part of a hotel room are the carpets.
“Yes, they are vacuumed but they will almost never get a shampoo and a deep clean as there are constantly people staying in the rooms.”
It’s not just in hotels that the slippers are useful, you can wear them on the flight home so you don’t walk around the plane cabin in your socks.
You can also take them on your next trip, as they last at least two or three holidays if you don’t get them wet.
Travel Blanket
Planes have been known to blast the air-con during a flight and it can become chilly very quickly.
If you’re heading on a summer holiday and didn’t bring a jumper, travel blankets come in handy.
This one from Dunelm costs just £8 and doubles as a travel pillow too.
These are especially handy on long-haul budget flights, when you no longer get given a free blanket, but they are also useful on long coach journeys and if you’re caught in airport delays.
Eye masks for kids
Another great investment is eye masks whether you’re on a night flight or not, according to Caroline McGuire, our Head Of Travel, Digital.
For anyone travelling with children who want to take a nap, these can be really useful as they block out all the light and distractions.
Convincing a child that they should sleep at 9pm on a brightly-lit plane is next to impossible, but they will often happily nap with one of these.
And if they’re asleep, then you get some quiet time too.
These ones from Amazon come in a pack of 12 for £7.99, which works out at 67p each.
Power Bank
If you don’t have a power bank by now, why not?
They are an absolute game changer for travellers, especially on budget airlines when there aren’t chargers around.
Or when you’re travelling and need to rely on GPS maps or are searching for local restaurant recommendations.
Travelling with a power bank means you can always charge your devices whether that’s a phone or tablet.
This portable power bank is £17.99 from Argos, but you can pick them up from everywhere, including supermarkets.
Just remember that you can’t pack them in your hold luggage.
Laundry Sheets
Whether you’re going away for a long period of time and need to wash your clothes.
Or if you’ve spilled something on your favourite holiday shirt or dress, then laundry sheets come in handy.
They’re compact so don’t take up space in your case, and with these ones from Waitrose, you get 25 for £3.50.
They are designed to completely dissolve so can be used in a sink or washing machine.
Head of Travel Lisa Minot added: “I also love my Tide To Go instant stain remover pen, it just sits in my handbag and is great for those oopsie moments when you spill your dinner down your favourite top!”
You can get a pack of three for £12.99 from Amazon.
Silicone Travel Bottles
Anyone going on a weekend away to Europe this summer can go with handy carry-on luggage.
It’s easy to pack light, I find, until it comes to my liquids like face wash, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel.
Silicone travel bottles have become a lifesaver, especially in the summer when I tend to fill one with sun cream and then take in my handbag.
They’re lighter than a classic sun cream bottle and these ones from Amazon have a 3-layer leak-proof design.
An extra tip is to take a shampoo bar – these are great if you have more than four different liquids to pack.
Quick Dry Towels
We’ve all decided to take a last minute dip in the sea and then realised we would have to wait another 15 minutes for our towels to dry.
Well, there’s a handy towel by Dock & Bay that is quick drying and can also be packed away into a little travel bag so you don’t have to lug it around with you.
The towels are made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles and come in 36 designs in lots of various colours from stripes to checks.
At full price they are £25, but some are currently £12 in the sale.
Handheld fan
Brits look for heat when it comes to a summer holiday, but sometimes it can be a bit much.
One handy gadget to take is a handheld fan like the Jisulife one.
Its lightweight and compact size means you can take it with you wherever you go, from hiking to relaxing on the beach.
There’s a torch feature too so you can use it when the sun goes down, and it has USB port system so you can charge your phone.
One reviewer wrote: “It fans, it charges your phone & it’s got a torch. I liked it so much I got one for my partner & one for my grandson, now all the other grandchildren want one,” agreed a third.
You can buy them on Amazon from £19.99, and it comes in pink, brown, white and green.
Sun Travel also has seven easy things that will save you loads of money on holiday.
And the clever packing hack that stops your clean clothes getting dirty on holiday.