Preparing for a trip or vacation can be a daunting and intimidating task. When deciding what to pack, it can be hard to shake the feeling that you’ve forgotten something, that you’re bringing too much, or that you’re packing too little.
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However, packing doesn’t need to be a stressful process. With these care package items, you’ll be sure that you or your loved ones are fully equipped and ready for whatever vacation or adventure awaits.
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Knowing that you’ve packed everything that you need for your trip is a simple way to make traveling less stressful. When creating your care package, be sure not to overlook the basic, essential items.
Traveling: The Essentials
No matter where you are going and no matter how you are getting there, there will always be certain items that you won’t want to leave at home. On a car, plane, train, or bus, these are the items that are important anywhere, anytime.
Sleep Masks
Planning a long or an evening flight? Sharing an overnight space with another person? Sleep masks can be extremely helpful for blocking out artificial and intrusive light so that you can get quality sleep and avoid throwing off your internal body clock. If you know that your loved one might be in unideal sleep environments while traveling, be sure to include a sleep mask in your care package.
Travel Pillows
Like sleep masks, travel pillows can be a god-send for people who are traveling in small or confined spaces but still want to get rest before they arrive at their destination. With many different travel pillow types and sizes, every traveler will be able to find a pillow that can help them get good sleep and avoid any stiffness or soreness.
Water Bottles and Reusable Containers
It’s important to stay hydrated, and it can be especially difficult to get the necessary amount of food and fluids you need while traveling. Luckily, there are tons of reusable, environmentally-friendly, and stylish water bottle options that are perfect for enhancing any care package.
- Hydro Flask - These products range from classic bottles, tumblers, coffee containers, and coolers. Regardless of which item you include in your care package, any of these products are sure to help with getting enough food or water while traveling.
- S’well - Offering reusable water bottles and other insulated containers, S’well products are BPA/BPS-free and triple-layered with stainless steel. Whether you’re looking for classic water bottles, travelers, roamers, or other reusable accessories, S’well bottles will keep your drinks cold for 48 hours and warm for 24.
- CamelBak - Another great option for reusable bottles, CamelBaks are especially perfect for travelers who love the outdoors. Know a camper or a skier? Be sure to check out these insulated, durable products.
- YETI - Specifically made for outdoor and travel endeavors, YETI bottles are also dishwasher safe and double-wall vacuum insulated. Better yet, every bottle size fits each of their five cap accessories.
Disinfecting Wipes and Hand Sanitizer
You never know when you’ll encounter a dirty or unclean space, especially when traveling. Whether you’re cleaning surfaces in a hotel room or wiping down a rental car, it is important to know that you won’t be encountering any unnecessary germs.
A great disinfectant option for travel care packages are Clorox On the Go Disinfecting Wipes. These wipes kill 99.9% of germs and also prevent bacteria growth for up to 24 hours. Another great option are Wet Ones Travel Packs. These packs are portable, light, and great for cleaning hands, dirt, and other messes.
Interested in including hand sanitizer in your care package? Check out these different brands and bottles to find the best option for your traveler.
Portable Phone Chargers
Phone chargers are small items that make a big difference. Forgetting a phone charger at home or having your phone battery die on the road can be not just an annoyance but a serious issue. Because so much of our lives depend on communication and online access, phone chargers are a must for travelers who still want to stay in touch.
When assembling your travel care package, a portable phone charger might be one of the most useful items to get your loved one. If you aren’t sure about which portable charger you should get, don’t worry. Regular phone chargers and adapters are equally important when traveling and are often slightly less expensive, too.
Hair Care Items
Sometimes the things we do the most are the things we think the least about. When packing for a trip, remembering to bring combs, brushes, or shampoo can sometimes slip our minds. Including any of these items in a care package is a great way to guarantee that your loved one won’t forget any of their usual self-care items.
Don’t know where to find these travel-size hair items? Check out these portable combs, brushes, and shampoos.
Toothbrushes and Toothpaste
Just like hair care products, dental care items are essential for any traveler. Make sure your loved one is equipped for all of their hygiene needs by adding a travel toothbrush and toothpaste to your care package.
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Some small items can go a long way when traveling. Putting sunglasses, lip balm, or flip flops in your care package will really make a difference for your traveler.
Forget-Me-Nots: Helpful Travel Items to Remember
There are essential items for every trip or vacation, but after the necessities are taken care of, there are still other helpful items that you’ll want to include in your care package. With these items, your loved ones will be able to relax on their getaway and be extra comfortable while traveling to their destinations.
Sunscreen, Sun Hats, and Sunglasses
Going to the beach, taking a hike, canoeing and kayaking, walking around city streets in the afternoon. Although each of these activities is different, all of them involve increased exposure to the sun. To ensure that your traveler doesn’t get burned or fatigued in the sun, consider adding some protective items to your care package.
- Banana Boat Suncare Products - These sunscreens and sun lotions are perfect for both intense outdoor activity and simple outings.
- Neutrogena Sunscreen - Interested in even more sunscreen options? Neutrogena offers a wide variety of products and SPF options.
- Columbia Sun Hats - Fashionable and useful, these hats are rain and stain repellent with UPF 50 sun protection.
- L.L.Bean Tropicwear Outback Hats - These hats are lightweight and quick-drying and are great for warm-weather activities.
- Sunglasses - A classic, sleek look for any summer day. Explore different brands and styles to find the best pair for your care package.
Flip Flops and Socks
They might sound unimportant, but if you’ve ever stayed in a hotel or used shared facilities before, you know how helpful these items can be. Pick out plain pairs of flip flops and socks or go all out with colors and designs. Either way, your traveler will thank you.
Lip Balm
Traveling can sometimes mean going to new climates and different elevations than we are used to. Anticipate this environment and humidity shift by including lip balm in your care package.
- Burt’s Bees Lip Balm - The perfect option if you are looking for a natural product with responsible sourcing.
- Vaseline - Coming in original, Aloe, or Cocoa Butter, Vaseline really has it all.
- ChapStick - This well-known brand offers lip balms that are meant to moisturize and medicate chapped lips.
Earplugs
Every traveler has experienced moments when they wish that the things and people around them were a little quieter. To ensure that your loved one has the option of getting quality sleep or being able to muffle noises on a plane, think about adding earplugs to your care package.
Umbrella and Rain Poncho
Even if you purposefully pack for the weather and climate of your destination, there can still be sudden changes when you’re out and about. As a traveler, having an umbrella or lightweight rain poncho with you can be helpful for unforeseen shifts in the weather.
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Vacations and trips are meant to be times of fun and relaxation, but it’s still important to prepare for accidents. Adding first aid supplies to your care package might be a great foresight that helps your loved one on the road.
Safe, Not Sorry
Traveling is a time for exploring new places, relaxing, and learning more about the world. Even though traveling is a positive, enriching experience, accidents can happen, and it’s important to be prepared.
Fortunately, there are simple items that you can include in your care package to make sure that the traveler you know has everything they need in the event of a problem or emergency.
First Aid Kits
If you’re not sure which individual first aid items to include in your care package, you might be interested in a pre-made kit. There are lots of options and varieties that are searchable online, but here are a few places to get started:
- Adventure Medical Kits - This company specifically offers a “Travel Medic” kit that is equipped with care for cuts and scrapes, pain medication, and hydrogel bandages.
- American Red Cross Kits - The American Red Cross offers extensive medical kits, but they also offer kits that are specifically meant for travel. Choose from a variety of travel kits to find the one that will best fit your loved ones needs.
If you’d rather assemble a first aid kit yourself but need more ideas, be sure to check out travel blogs and websites that walk through which items are important to include in your kit.
Flashlights
Power outages can happen anywhere, and if your traveler is primarily a camper, they will also have a need for a portable light. The great thing about including a flashlight in your travel care package is that there is so much variety.
Know that your loved one will be mostly on-the-go? Add a keychain flashlight to their care package. Know that your traveler will be out in the wilderness? Give them a durable flashlight.
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With quality, pre-assembled breakfast and snack care packages, the travelers in your life will never start the day hungry. Image courtesy of Carepackages.com.
Goods on the Go
If you know your loved one is always on the move, they might appreciate receiving some portable snacks so that they will never go hungry during their adventures.
Happy Camper Hiking Kit
Perfect for both experienced hikers and casual campers, this Happy Camper Hiking Kit is stocked with every snack and item a traveler could want, including:
- Peanut Butter Clif Bars
- Think Beef Jerky Classic
- Hippeas ChickPea Puffs White Cheddar
- Skippy Peanut Butter Tubes
- Think Brownie Protein Bar
- Fruit and Nut Kind Bars
- Mr. Nature Sweet and Salty Trail Mix
- Wonderful Pistachios - No Shell
- Nature Valley Granola Bar Oats 'n Honey
- Snickers Candy Bar
- Oreo Cookies
- Ready Bamboo Toothbrush
- Emergen-C Super Orange
- Germisept Alcohol Multi Purpose Wipes
- Eco Hand Sanitizers
- Bandana Face Mask
And even better news? The sender has the option to send a personalized greeting card with a message of up to 75 words.
On the Go Breakfast Care Package
Know a traveler who is venturing into the outdoors or is always out the door at the crack of dawn? Then this On the Go Breakfast Care Package might be the perfect thing to send to your loved one. With this care package, a traveler will be able to eat a well-balanced breakfast without losing those precious daylight hours.
This care package includes:
- Kar's Sweet & Salty Trail Mix
- Pure Organic Bars
- Bear Naked Granola Bites
- Quaker Instant Oatmeal packets
- Nature Valley Granola Bar
- Dang Coconut Chips
- Avalanche Swiss Granola
- Lärabars
- Annie's Organic Granola Bar
- Clif Bars
- Stash Chamomile Tea Bag
- Stash Earl Grey Tea Bag
Breakfast is an important part of the day, and your loved one will thank you for making sure they were able to have theirs!
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By including a thoughtful range of items in your travel care package, you guarantee that your loved one is ready for anything they encounter on their travels.
Travel is exciting, but packing and preparation can be essential to ensure that each adventure and vacation really is as enjoyable as it can be. When assembling or selecting a travel care package, be sure to include an array of fun items and helpful, practical items.
Still want more ideas for your care package? There are tons of travel blogs and websites that recommend more useful products and travel advice. Want to add something that wasn’t mentioned here? Feel free to get creative and tailor your care package to the specific needs of your traveler.