Imagine this: you’re walking through an international airport on your way to Costa Rica. You have a backpack on your back, your mobile phone in one hand and a large, extra hot Mocha in the other. People are rushing by you, dashing from one gate to the next, the overhead announcement reminding travelers not to leave their bags unattended. You squeeze onto the people carrier (or tram or elevator), and then you keep walking at a quick pace to get to your own gate – with hopes of finding a wall socket to charge your phone and a seat where you can regroup and relax for a minute. When you finally get there, you have a… headache.
This scenario happens to me pretty frequently, and my hybrid office experience has its challenges too so I started to pay attention to the types of problems that kept coming up for me, and that’s when I realized there were essential things I could carry that would help to make my days easier.
I carry my laptop in a backpack pretty much everywhere I go so it was a no-brainer for me to pack these “New Essentials” in the pockets of my pack. The laptop, keyboard, mouse, charging cables, and bottle of water were already heavy so I made a point to consider the shape and size of whatever I planned to carry.
“New Essentials” needed to be:
- Compact
- Lightweight
- Fit in the top pocket of my backpack
By keeping them together in the top packet, I always know where everything is. There’s no struggling to find something at the bottom of the pack, and it’s especially easy to get what I need when I’m on the airplane with my backpack under the seat in front of me… when there’s no room to pull it out.
Now, let’s start by taking care of that headache at the international airport.
Essential #1: Pain Relievers: aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen
I get headaches. Sometimes I can cure them with coffee, like with my sinus headaches, or sometimes it’s water for dehydration, but when neither of these does the trick while I’m away from home, I have a choice of Pain Relievers in small containers. Travel sizes are easy to find at most drug stores and I make sure to check mine before a big trip or once a month. I refill these small containers from my larger sizes at home, and since they are all a different shape, I can reach into the top pocket and grab the one I want just by feel.
Besides headaches, pain relievers are great for muscle, joint, or back pain from physical activity like setting up a trade show or directing a fashion show; swelling from sprains, air travel, even elevation changes; or any type of pain that needs immediate attention.
Essential #2: Charging block
You would think there would be electrical outlets everywhere, but when you really need one, you can never find it… or it’s being used by someone else. That’s why it’s imperative to have a dependable charging block. This one has connectors for iPhone and Android as well as a USB port and USB C port.
I can’t tell you how many times this has saved me when my mobile and devices were almost dead. Make sure you keep your charging block fully powered so you will always be ready for when your phone needs it. Never get caught off guard in an emergency, calling for a Lyft, watching the inflight movie on the airplane, or listening to a podcast on the beach.
Essential #3: Headphones, both wired and wireless
Wireless is the way to go except for when it isn’t. That was the case on a recent flight I took to Costa Rica where the audio for the inflight movie could only be accessed by a wired set of headphones plugged into the armrest. Luckily, I had just such a set with me.
I like this wireless set because it can hang on my neck when I’m not using them. Otherwise, I would lose them in a day. The microphone works pretty well in them too so hands free calling is easy anywhere.
Essential #4: Mini Portable Office Kit
This office away from the office has been a real lifesaver for me and those around me. This kit has a stapler with staples, rubber bands, tape, mini sticky notes, and paper clips.
Here are a few places I’ve used this: trade shows, special events, The Big Sur Fashion Show, school events, sporting events, printing press checks…. and there are other places I can’t think of right now.
There is just something great about knowing that you can do a few really basic things like taping back the corner of the check you ripped while opening the envelope or stapling the receipt onto the invoice from the doctor’s office. By doing these small tasks in the moment, you can stay organized and stress-free.
Essential #5: Small mirror
Vanity aside, a small mirror comes in handy for anybody. Now hear me out. Sometime you need to see what it looks like after you accidently scratched your face or might have something stuck in your teeth. The magnifying side can help you see that piece of lint that flew into your eye. You also never know when you might need to see if someone is following you or need to signal for help. These might seem out there, but seriously, a small mirror is essential!
Essential #6: Toothpicks
Speaking of something between your teeth, having a tube of toothpicks can help you look your best before a big meeting with the boss or dislodge the sharp piece of potato chip that is sticking you in your gums. These are mint flavored but there are MANY gourmet flavors out there too - Bourbon, French Vanilla, Absinthe, to name a few. Toothpicks can also be used for picking up an appetizer, filling a small gap, and other random uses that come up but you will be prepared for.
Essential #7: Nail File
My nails split all the time, so having a nail file is a no-brainer for me, but I’ve also used it to smooth burrs off of screws and file wood ever-so-slighty.
Essential #8: Measuring Tape
I’ve pulled out my measuring tape to measure tables, clothing, space in a box, boxes for shipments, height of children (kids love it when you say, “My you’ve grown.” and you pull out a measuring tape), cat condos, paving stones, closets…
You name it, you can measure it!
Essential #9: Emergency Sewing Kit
I remember my grandmother giving me a mini sewing kit when I was a kid. She’d made a small, flat, felt pad with attached pre-threaded needles with white, black, brown, and blue threads; and a needle threader and tiny scissors lightly stitched on. I treasured that gift and kept it in the drawer of my dresser for years. Once I started traveling for work, I realized that it’s the type of thing you need when you’re NOT at home.
Essential #10: Coffee K-cup
This might seem like a weird one to some. Most offices and AirBNBs, and a number of hotels now have the standard Keurig set-up with a machine and K-cups. Even some events will have these. But… more than once… more than 10 times… I’ve been somewhere that has a Keurig and there are no K-cups. TRUTH!
I started to carry one K-cup because no one wants to see me without at least one cup of coffee in me.
As a side note: I used to carry packets of Lakato Monkfruit sugar in my backpack but I stopped when one of them opened and I had a really hard time getting it all out. Eventually, it got sticky like sugar would, and I had to wash my backpack. That was the end of that!
There are other things that I carry in my backpack like a few quarters and such but they don’t really rise to the level essential for me. In the same way, the following two BONUS items are less essential “preparedness” items and more good-to-haves that I like to have on the ready:
Bonus #1: Business Cards
If you have a business or project, it’s easy and convenient to have a supply of business cards ready to give.
In my case, I published a book called, DEEPLY SLEEPLESS: 75 Collected Poems About Life, Death, & Everything. When I meet new people and we want to exchange contact info, we usually add our phone numbers in our mobile phones, but I follow-up on that by also handing them my card that has my contact details. When they see my book cover on the card, we have another level of conversation. People love to see what your passions are and business cards are an easy way to share that.
Bonus #2: Permanent Marker
I usually use this to mark boxes at trade shows but I’ve also used it to cover scratches on my black shoes, a nick on a black cowboy hat, to get autographs from celebrities at the NAMM Show and other places, and much more. It’s very handy.
I believe that reducing stress is the key to my happiness. By carrying these small but mighty tools, I’ve turned the corner on “away from home weariness” and it’s really been a game changer for me.
Whether it’s international jet setting, the daily trudge to the office, or even a workday at the beach, traveling with these 10 essentials in a backpack is how I stay well-prepared for anything.
Beverly Van Pelt
December 28, 2024
This is what I keep in my backpack. If you like this content, please share.
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