Helpful Items to Pack- non clothing

OOPS! Should have known there was a RS list somewhere! Did see one on the other list that was interesting.... dental floss for multiple "tying" purposes and a small compass....

A 'small' compass is worse than no compass. Those things the size of a quarter (or smaller even) won't let you figure out anything closer than thirty degrees and lock up with just a little bit of tilt so that they're unreliable. You actually don't need a compass at all since it's fairly easy to orient a map without one if there are any kind of landmarks around. If you absolutely feel you have to have one (I only use for for hiking in the far beyond) get a big one with a sighting mechanism. Fifty bucks would make it a non-starter for me just to have one for the heck of it.

What's really handy is a key-chain size led flashlight. Ideally, it would have just a 'press to hold on' switch, but the last batch I've come up with also have a 'stay-on' position and a 'blinking' position -- both of which are a distracting nuisance. Ones that are really bright (the most important factor) seem to cost about six bucks. I use one for a zipper pull on my jacket and have another one that's usually attached to whatever piece of junk is always in my pocket.

Most important of all, one of those small packs of kleenex for the times that sort of thing is not available.

I always take a couple of empty gallon-size ziplock bags. Seems we always find a need for them.

I, for one, thinks that the small quarter size compass is essential. Have carried one for years. I am not doing any orientating so a big compass with a sighting lens is over kill. When I came out of the subway without direct sun I want to know the general direction for north and the small compass is more than adequate for that. Now have one built into my watch which is even better.

Frank & Ed- Now boys, how many times do we have to tell you that the size of your compass doesn't matter? It's the direction that makes all the difference.

As long as its going North, Karen.

Duct tape is supposed to be the must-have item these days.

Good one, Jo.

I've not yet had a need for duct tape.

I like to use the quart ziplock bags to organize things I'm going to need on a longhaul flight, so I don't have to keep rummaging and little things don't get lost.

I eat a lot of picnic-style meals, so I pack extra baggies and a couple of plastic knives or a small paring knife too.

Manicure scissors - so useful, espcially to cut the moleskin, another must-pack item.

Wash cloths - European hotels never have them

And I keep my packing list from trip to trip.

LOL! Thanks girls for the levity- pun intended :)!

The one item I picked up from the Steves' site years ago that was a gem is a light weight cutting pad,board ??? About a foot square, a very tough plastic is rolls up to about the size of a paper towel core. It is valuable if doing picnic, snacks, even in the room. You have a clean hard surface that you can safely cut cheese, apples, etc. on. Weighs about 2 oz and hardly takes up any room.

Frank, that is a fantastic idea that I will definitely use.

Got to agree with Frank on the compass. It's the single item that has come in most handy for us over the years. (Well, maybe second to our handy little corkscrew.)

We also bring a bar of good old normal-sized American soap, and a bunch of individually foil-wrapped antiseptic hand wipes.

Some dryer sheets to keep clothes smelling fresh in your luggage. And a zip lock bag with poder detergent for use in Laundrymats or for handwashables.

Ziplock baggies, large and small. Great for many things,plus for packing food .

All the meds listed by Michelle,, I like having my own stock,, even though you can buy most of it in Europe,, when you need something at 1 am ,,, its nice to have it .

Plastic spoons for yougurts etc,, they are always such a rip in the stores in central Paris.

I have never taken a compass.. I navigate by the sites, and the river. I think a compass would just confuse me.

I do think one has be be careful how many extras they pack. Everyone does list things that ARE helpful,, but you really have to weigh how often you would use something to make it worth packing .

Great Topic. I also take a variety of sizes of ziplock bags, I love to picnic and these help. For a cutting board, I simply used a lid from a large yogurt container brought from home, big enough to cut most cheeses and very light. I found a spork, which I see in many sports/backpacking stores, it is a plastic spoon with one side that is a forkish looking thing, one of the tines has a knifelike part. Very useful. In my picnic ziplock, I keep a J-cloth, which is a very light type of washcloth, easy to wash in the sink. I also take a flat rubber sink stopper, the flat type that will fit all sizes of sinks so that I can do laundry.

Clothespins,, I always pack a few so I can dry a few small items , sock sundies etc. I don't like having to lay or drap my stuff on hotel surfaces,, where others may have done same.. yech.

I found some that actually have little hanger heads on them so you can hang them up on shower rod etc. VERY helpful!

I agree with everyone else...extra Ziploc bags are always good on a trip. I also like bringing travel size toilet paper. Sometimes the bathrooms in Europe don't always have toilet paper so it's nice if I have some the travel size in my purse. I also like bringing hand sanitizer wipes.

Great ideas all! Wondering if I should stop looking as I keep adding to my bags.... I think there were even some listed that RS didn't have on his list Steve ;)! Leaving in less than 24 hrs.... Ciao!

Just returned for Heart of Italy Tour.... Ziploc or variations thereof are essential this time of year... Hot Humid thus Sweat... an extra layer of plastic bag in the essential money belt is an essential... we are talking hot hot hot - thus sweating to the oldies by 9 am.

Oh, you girls - Keep It Up! (snicker)

1)Starbucks Via instant coffee packets (tucked some Splenda packets inside the little box too,) and I was set with my morning "American coffee" in the apartment before heading out to the streets (where I always found great cappucino later in the day!)

2) Downy Wrinkle Release spray (in 3 oz. travel sizes)I flouted the travel advice and did pack some cotton shirts and pants, and voila, wrinkles were gone!

I always travel in Europe with a booklight that folds flat. Necessary for reading in hotels with dims lights & useful to use as a flashlight for night time bathroom trips.

Just back and need to add one- portable stain stick! Chocolate gelato stains on kids shirts- NOT PRETTY!

What's the consensus from all of you about soap availability in hotel rooms? I've heard "yes" and "no" many times. Does it depend on the hotel or should I be sure to pack some small travel size bars?

Pele, in my experience...hotels usually had hand soap (bars or liquid), but not body soap nor shampoo. Seems like that's changing, though. You might bring at least enough of your own to start with. And a washcloth, if you use them.

Don't forget an electrical converter for any small electrical items....

I love those little Tide pens to erase stains, or those small packets of Tide detergent for washing something in the hotel bathtub.
In addition to your meds, may I suggest Neosporin or some other anti-infective. You never know what may crawl into an open wound.
Vaseline is a wonderful item for a number of reasons. Rick says for feet, but it's also a great chap stick, removes eye make-up, seals blisters, moisturizes cuticles, dry heels and elbows, and if you see that cute little Italian guy, a very thin layer on your front teeth gives you a Miss America smile. I love multi-purpose items!

Tide stick, shampoo, bar of soap, laundary detergent kept in a ziplock baggie, several electrical converters (you need more then one), roll of toilet paper with the cardboard roll removed, laundary clothesline, a medical kit with pills to cover most stomach ailments, wound ointment and various-sized bandages. My wife now uses sports foot tape or something like that, which she puts on her feet before hiking around in walking shoes all day. Swears by it now.

A small travel wallet for day touring that fits in a shirt pocket.

Travel shirts and pants that can be easily cleaned and dry overnight.

Oh, yes, travel locks for your bags when you are carrying them around from place to place and for your daypack as well. Helps give you that secure feeling when you can't be watching everything at once.

Copies of your credit cards, passports, and contact information for everything.

A GPS if driving. Your own, not the companies. You can preprogram your own for all hotel addresses and other sights before going.

I like the idea about taking extra ziplock baggies. Should have thought of that one.

Yes on the duct tape, I've used it several times.

There's a new product in the US by Purex called Complete 3-in-1 laundry sheets. They have the soap, softener, and anti-static in one non-liquid sheet. I cut off the anti-static end and cut the rest of them into strips. Throw one in the sink with your laundry and voila, suds and clean clothes. Very handy and no mess possible like powdered or liquid detergent.

ton's of ziploc bags

Aside from keeping passports and cash dry and keeping leaky shower stuff from messing up the rest of your clothing - why so many ziplock bags?

I bring different sizes of ziplock bags...for receipts, clothes that are still damp when you need to move on to the next place, to put food in, a super large bag can be used to wash your clothes and keep the mess contained...

And another ziploc bag to put the dirty clothes in. And, of course, I also put the meat and cheese we buy for sandwiches in a ziploc which then goes into our soft-sided cooler. On previous trips, I could not find ziplocs for sale in the grocery stores so I try to bring a lot. After all, as my aunt would say, they don't eat anything.

Someone did mention one of the required occupants in our suit case. A cork screw, and bottle opener. (You can spend as much for a cork screw as a bottle of wine.)

The other is a short light extension cord and a 3 way elictrical splitter. Seems hotel room designers have a requirement to always put electrical outlets in inconvenient locations, for chargers. And we have to recharge 2 cell phones, two Ipods, and a small movie camera battery.

Our present point n shoot takes AA batteries. So I bring a large pack of batteries. And leave any unused ones at the last hotel. Eliminating one charger.

I bring a few of those therma care heat packs in various sizes. They are wonderful after a long day of sightseeing. I, too bring dryer sheets. I put one in suitcase and put one in a medium size plastic garbage bag. That way when I put dirty laundry in it I don't get knocked over by the smell when I get home. We also bring a door stop (little triangle thing that gets shoved under the door). We just feel a little safer at night knowing there is an extra layer of protection.

donna

We always travel with a small pair of binoculars. Great for looking at the details inside the churches. Brings the beauty of all the art inside so much closer. We just sit on a pew & scan the ceiling, windows and walls. So much is missed with just the naked eye. Also great outside to look ahead for street signs and to take in theaArchitecture on the outside.

Someone mentioned this on another post and if you have room in your suitcase, it's another multi-purpose item: anti-hemmoroidal cream. It treats what it's supposed to, and it also reduces bags under the eyes and acne flare-ups.

Ziploc bags and a few sheets of small bubble wrap - wrap items up for the way over and wrap up any fragile items you may buy on the trip. In the past, a small pocket knife - but alas, no more!

BRING ANTI-DIARRHEAL MEDS (prescription Rx if your doctor will give it to you) for just such an emergency! They can be a lifesaver! Ate bad eggs in Siena and almost pooped myself in the Doge's Palace in Venice!