Here are five not-so-expensive items for your personal packing list that could make your stay better from New York Times Wirecutter of August, 2023.
An extra-long charging cable for your phone
At home, having a charging cable for my phone or tablet that’s longer than it needs to be is a pain—you have to coil and corral my cables with zip ties to keep from tripping over them (metaphorically as well as literally). But when traveling, having an extra 3 or 4 feet can be a huge help—who knows where the closest outlet to the nightstand will be? If you’re charging an iPhone, the 10-foot version of the favorite fast-charging Lightning–to–USB-A cable should be plenty long enough. If you expect to have a USB-C port, we recommend the Lightning–to–USB-C cable. For newer iPads and Android phones, we recommend the Cable Matters 10-foot USB-C cable.
A cheap Bluetooth speaker
Without my usual a.m. soundtrack, I feel unmoored, which presents a problem when I travel. So I keep a small portable Bluetooth speaker in my suitcase like the Tribit XSound Go, which is compact, waterproof and offers quality sound. This way, I can guarantee that no matter what sound system the rental has (or doesn’t), I can find the stream for my preferred station and listen away.
A pair of flip-flops
I don’t wear flip-flops much at home, but when I’m traveling they’re a great substitute for the pair of clogs I keep by the door for quick trips outside to the corner store or back deck.
A headlamp to light your way
If you haven’t yet jumped on the headlamp bandwagon (despite all of our best efforts), now’s the time to take the leap. A headlamp is a good thing to pack in case you need to find a lockbox if you arrive after dark or fetch more logs from a woodpile when a fire needs stoking, or if the power fails for any reason. It helps you with all of that stuff while leaving your hands free—you can’t say the same about a flashlight. We like the Black Diamond Astro 300, our budget pick, because it’s lightweight, half the price but nearly as bright as our top pick, and the light lasted 10 hours in our testing before it started to dim.
In case you need sheets!
We also love L.L.Bean’s 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets.
