Whether I'm staying in an economical hotel abroad, renting a room in an Airbnb apartment instead of an entire place to myself, or staying with friends and family, it's not uncommon for me to have to walk through a common area to get to the bathroom. I don't want to do that while carrying an armful of clothes and paraphernalia, nor do I want my stuff getting wet due to overlooked patches of dampness. Here are the products I use to avoid both those situations:
Large Bathroom Bag
This Blue Q Shoulder Tote is big enough to hold everything I need - a set of clothes, a robe, a hairdryer, and all of the other products on this list. The exterior has a waxy water-resistant surface that allows me to set it down anywhere without worrying about anything getting wet. It also weighs practically nothing, and folds down completely flat to travel. I chose this particular one because I think it's pretty, but the brand has a fairly wide selection.
Buy it here for ~$22: Blue Q Shoulder Tote
Turkish Towel
Even when visiting private homes, I always use my own towel, and this flat-woven peshtemal towel is far superior to any microfiber travel towel on the market. It just as light and folds every bit as flat as they do, and costs about the same. Yet, you can use it like a regular towel and not have to just pat yourself dry the way microfiber towels require you to. It’s nice and big at 37" x 65", and it’s multi-functional since it can also be used as a sarong or blanket. Packing products that can be used in more than one way allows me to save room in my luggage, which is extremely important when you only travel with what you can carry.
Buy it here for ~$18: Turkish Bath Towel
Muslin Washcloths
Yes, these are meant for babies, but they're just as good for travelers, because they are lighter and softer than microfiber washcloths, and dry even faster. Since they’re so compact, it’s so easy to keep one in the bathroom bag, one in a purse or backpack, even one in a coat or sweater pocket. Seriously, you never know when a small towel will come in handy, particularly on travel days. I’ve been known to spill a cup of coffee on the tray table of a train, so I like to be prepared, and these are perfect.
Buy them here for ~$7: 5-Pack Muslin Washcloths
Small Shower Caddy
With worldwide airport restrictions, most people use tiny travel-sized containers for their toiletries, yet this was the only shower caddy I could find that didn't seem to be designed to hold huge bottles. It will hang right off the water knobs in a shower, which is a lifesaver, because most of the showers I come across don't have any shelf space whatsoever. The smaller size is a huge advantage, and the fact that it folds fairly flat is a big help, as well. But this caddy gets bonus points for the two elastic loops inside its lid that can hold a toothbrush and razor. The mesh is quick-drying, but If it needs to be packed immediately after a shower, the small size means I can stash it inside a shower cap to keep anything else in my bag from getting wet.
Buy it here for ~$7: Mesh Shower Caddy
Rectangular Bottles
Speaking of travel-sized liquid containers, why are so many of them round, when a rectangle shape is so much more space-efficient? I like these because they line up very well in the bag I use for liquids at the airport and because they’re different colors, so I know at a glance which one holds what. I don’t want to have to worry about accidentally washing my face with hair conditioner.
Buy it here for ~$7: Klickpick 6-Pack Plastic Bottles
Soap Bags
Even travel-sized soap dishes are too big and bulky, in my opinion, but I only found these mesh bags when I went looking for soap-on-a-rope (none of which I liked). I do find it strange that there don't seem to be any sets available with just two or three bags, but I like that the ones in this set have different colored ribbons, so I can tell at a glance which has soap and which holds my solid shampoo.
Buy it here for ~$6: 10-Pack Drawstring Soap Bags
Perfectly Sized Pencil Cases
Pencil cases are my favorite organizer bags. I use various styles to hold everything from electronics to my supply of tea bags, but these two are for my makeup and basic toiletries. I don't always need to bring my big tote with me to the bathroom. Sometimes all I need is a little bag that holds my toothbrush, toothpaste, a muslin washcloth, plus a few creams and lotions. As usual, having two different color trims means I can tell which bag I need at a glance when I’m rooting around for them in a larger bag.
Buy it here for ~$5: 2-Pack Pencil Case
GoTubb
I love GoTubb containers, I actually have 2 sets, small and large. These small ones hold my face cleanser, night cream, and moisturizer, and easily fit inside the small pencil bag mentioned above. While the contents are just different enough that I could probably identify them just by looking, I don’t like to take the chance of being mistaken if I’m in a hurry. So, again, I like having different colored tops to distinguish them from one another.
Buy it here for ~$10: 3-Pack GoTubb Containers
