Some new favorite things

This should be an interesting thread. I find the ziploc-type bags handy for all sorts of things, also rubber bands.

There are at least two brands of reusable zipper bags on the market: Blue Avocado and rezip. I've used both for some time at home and to a lesser degree when traveling. Like Laurel's Bee's Wrap, the reusable bags allow me to cut down significantly on the throw-away ZIP Lock bags I travel with. I especially like having a small, snack-size bag I can carry around with me every day, full of nuts or some sort of trail mix.

Here's an Amazon product list, but there are other sources. I think you might be able to see a limited selection of the products at The Container Store or a kitchenware store.

Some of the bags have what seems to be a fabric zipper rather than being made of all heavyweight plastic. I don't see how those could be watertight, so be sure you know what you are buying.

It is possible to damage the bags if you just throw them in a suitcase or put them in an overstuffed drawer. I have a couple I'm going to need to mend with duct tape before my next trip.

Along the lines of Wash-Eze, for those that want a fragrance free option, I used LIFE unscented laundry sheets on my last trip and they worked great. They come in resealable pouches and I also cut in strips for hand washing. Best part is they dissolve in water so you don't have to look for the little strips later!

CL, thanks for the fragrance free option. Around the holidays, my DH has to vet the newspaper ads to get the stinky ones out of the house before I end up with a headache. Macy's and Beall's are the worst!

It's surprisingly hard to find unscented deodorant, too, although Arm and Hammer has one. But they seldom show up in the travel sizes.

I always pack 3 Ziploc sandwich bags inside a couple of quart bags inside a gallon bag. I also pack two travel spoons, forks and a knife inside one of the bags. I buy the freezer bags because they are slightly thicker and am able to reuse them to last the entire trip for numerous picnic lunches, apartment cooking, etc.

Is there any risk that the beeswax on the product listed will warm against clothing, etc. in a backpack, etc. and ruin clothing?

Jane,
Oh, those fragrance samples in the magazines and flyers don’t come in our house, either! I’m allergic to so many of those scents.

For deodorant, I brought this small travel crystal on my last trips. It works well. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000L998JY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1

Don't forget Tide pens to remove stains on clothes.
And a couple of Tide Pods taken in a sealed plastic bag in case you've got to wash clothes for any reason.

Laurel,

Thank you for recommending the sandwich wraps. After I read your post I went shopping at our local Trader Joes and happened to see their brand of this type of product. They sell a pack of 3 sizes for $8.99. Has anyone tried these?

Another laundry product that I use for hand-washing is "Sea to Summit Trek and Travel Pocket Soap."
It comes in a tiny flat container and contains 50 leaves. I first bought it at REI, but it is available on Amazon as well. I have been very pleased with the product.

Jane, I recently found a travel size deodorant called Alba Botanical, 0.5 oz. It's a clear deodorant, tea tree, free of aluminum & propylene glycol (great for those who have sensitivity). I found it at my local Fred Meyer for $3.29. Of course it's available on Amazon!

Another recommendation: Instead of packing 3 eating utensils, we pack "The Spork." Combo fork, knife & spoon. They are well made, light weight and can be found at REI & Amazon...

I discovered pill sized Ziploc bags this spring. They are great for packing just a little spice. Six of them, each full of a spice fit easily into one Ziploc snack bag. They are a good way to store a little jewelry too.

The little ZIP Locks can be large enough for mid-day pills, though they will eventually break apart at the bottom seam if you're on a trip of any length. I've also used them to store wrong-country coins after crossing a border.

Oh great....more stuff to hoard for the "travel bins", hahahahaha!!!

Laurel, I'll have to look for those Bee's Wraps.

Jane said - "Around the holidays, my DH has to vet the newspaper ads to get the stinky ones out of the house before I end up with a headache. Macy's and Beall's are the worst!"

-->I hate these! I did call Macy's years ago and asked if I could get non-fragrance bills. They said yes, they could and yep, for the years that I used the Macy's card they came fragrance free. We don't seem to get fragrant newspaper ads, thank goodness!

I LOVE those teeny ziplocks from Michaels. I use them for my change as well, but have enough that I can always have one for my current currency as well.

Washeze also comes in an unscented form. I've been using them for years. For hand washing clothes, I also use the Sea to Summit laundry leaves.

These are great ideas! I knew about Bee's Wraps, but never thought about them for travel. And I've never heard of reusable ziplocs -- I'm going to try those at home. I do love unscented Wash-Eze sheets and bring them always for travel; even if you don't think you'll be doing laundry, a Wash-Eze sheet and a sink can fix a disastrous spill!

I also hate scented deodorant, and my husband is sensitive to most brands. So what I do is buy 0.5 oz empty twist-up containers:
15 ML Clear Empty Plastic Oval Deodorant Containers. (this link is for 10 tubes; you can get smaller quantities if you search around, or bigger sized containers if that works better for you)

Then I melt a big chunk of my preferred stick deodorant in the microwave using a Pyrex measuring cup and pour the now-liquid deodorant into the twist-up container. Once it cools, it's good to go. One container lasts 2+ weeks. When it gets low, I can pry out what's left, add it to the Pyrex cup with another new chunk, and melt up some more.

It's hard to find an unscented deodorant stick in Europe. I found these and stock up when in the UK.

https://www.boots.com/toiletries/deodorants-antiperspirants/simple-soothing-anti-perspirant-deodorant-stick-40ml-10245278

It's available in other stores and supermarkets besides Boots.

In addition to the Ziplock sandwich, quart and gallon plastic bags, I also bring along the reusable/disposable Ziplock or Glad Tupperware. They have a lot of uses.

Any reason you can't just wash and reuse normal Ziplocks? At home I have been doing this for years. I do the same on vacation.

The snack- and sandwich-size bags are quite thin. They fit nicely in a purse since they are very flexible but may not survive more than a day or so. I've often found peanuts (and salt) floating around the bottom of my purse. However, that's a good point: For the more normal trip, lasting only 2 weeks or so, regular ZIP Locks might make more sense. You probably wouldn't need all that many of them.

Off-topic: I buy bakery bread at home, slice it and freeze it. It takes me a good while to work through an entire loaf. The heavy reusable bags keep freezer burn at bay longer than the regular freezer ZIP Locks even though I double up on the latter.

Maria, I have some off-brand Ziploc type freezer bags that I have used and reused for years.