October 3, 2022

14 Must-Have Travel Essentials if You’re Hitting the Road for Work

Essential Business Travel Items | Work travel is a business norm both employees and business owners have to accept. During different points of their careers, you may need to travel domestically or overseas for interviews, conferences, new projects, social events, etc. While business travel has its perks, packing for your work trip is another story – one often filled with stress, confusion, and frustration.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Using a smart packing list, you can identify must-have business travel essentials for your trip so you can easily juggle packed schedules, especially if you travel frequently.  This is stuff is really common sense but I thought why not write it down to give everyone a quick list to follow, including myself. 🙂

I’ll share 14 must-have travel essentials by placing them into four key categories. This way, you can pack faster and ensure you have everything you need for your work trip before you hit the road. Of course, there are other items you could add to each category according to your specific needs.

14 Essential Business Travel Items to Pack for Your Next Work Trip

Here are the four key categories and 14 corresponding must-have travel essentials for work trips:

Work Essentials

Every work trip requires essential tech gadgets to communicate, carry out work tasks, and manage business activities. Here is some must-have technological equipment for your work trip:

1. Laptop

No matter what type of work you do, you’ll need access to your files and applications. This is where laptops come in to help you work efficiently remotely. Alternatively, you could opt for a tablet for more convenience if it suffices.

2. Smartphone

Smartphones are an essential part of our lives in the digital age for work and play. Whether you have a business or personal phone, you can use it to communicate with your peers while you’re away. I think we would all fly back home if we forgot our phone these days.

3. Charging Accessories

Whether you’re taking a business or leisure trip, don’t forget to pack your charging accessories for all your electronic devices, including wall plugs and [international] adaptors if required. You’ll want to ensure your phone, laptop, and/or tablet is fully charged for personal or work use.

4. Headphones/Earbuds, and Power Bank

Next, don’t forget to pack your headphones or Earbuds. They’ll come in handy for communications during transit, video conferencing, and entertainment. Lastly, it’s always a smart idea to pack a power bank when hitting the road so you can charge your devices when you don’t have access to an outlet.

Clothing

Of course, whether you’re on a short or long trip, you’ll need to dress according to your work requirements or norms. Here is a brief guide to packing “light and right” for your trip:

5. Business Attire

Most work trips usually call for business attire, including suits (formal/business casual), dress shirts, and slacks or skirts for women. Depending on how long your trip is, you might need to pack at least two suites with a selection of shirts and ties for different days. The same goes for ladies who can add different scarves or accessories for separate occasions.

6. Shoes

When it comes to shoes, you should pack at least a pair of well-fitting dress shoes or heels along with casual shoes like sneakers or running shoes. Many people like to pack a pair of flip-flops or sandals for warmer destinations.

7. Casual Attire

If you plan to take a trip for work and have some personal time for recreation, such as local tours and dining, you’ll want to pack casual clothes. Ideally, you should pack at least two pairs of jeans, a pair of shorts, and a selection of casual shirts and T-shirts. Depending on the weather, you may also need to pack a jacket or sweater, hat, or raincoat.

8. Underwear and Socks

Along with clothes and shoes, you’ll need to pack both formal and casual socks according to your dress code and color. You’ll also need to pack the right amount of underwear and undergarments, depending on your trip duration.

Personal Hygiene

Whether you’re staying in a hotel or with family or friends, you’ll need to maintain personal hygiene at all times. Therefore, here are some fundamental items you should always pack for your work trips:

9. Basic Toiletries

For any trip, you’ll need to pack a toothbrush and toothpaste, razor/trimmer, perfume, and deodorant. If you’re staying at a hotel, you might not need to pack soap or shampoo, although it’s a smart idea to pack travel-size ones just in case.

10. Lotions and Skincare

Depending on your trip duration, you should pack personal care items like lotions, moisturizers, and even shaving creams. If you’re going to spend time outdoors, don’t forget to bring your sunscreen, especially if it’s hot outside.

Other Accessories

Here is a list of other travel essentials you should consider packing for your trip:

11. Notebook and Pen

Many professionals like to jot down things and take notes the old-fashioned way even though smartphones and tablets have note-taking platforms. For this, all you need is a pocket-size notebook and pen so you can scrawl down your ideas or to-do list.

12. Makeup and Styling Products

Personal beauty and hairstyling products are perhaps the most must-have travel essentials for working women. Using these products, they can prepare their appearance for different professional and social occasions.

13. Snacks

While most hotels and companies provide food for traveling employees, there’s often a long wait period between meals. As a result, many employees like to pack light snacks like chips, protein bars, or chocolate.

14. Watch and Jewelry

Wristwatches are among the most popular accessories for both men and women and are often an important part of business attire for formal and casual events. However, you should ideally pick out a functional and inexpensive timepiece since these accessories are prone to theft or getting lost. The same applies to jewelry, such as necklaces, cufflinks, earrings, and rings.

Wrapping Up

So there it is – 14 business travel essentials to pack for your next work trip. Hopefully, with this information, you (and I) never hit the road for your business trip without packing everything you need in terms of clothing, accessories, personal hygiene, and equipment.

Of course, there are several other items you could add to your list, depending upon your lifestyle or work needs. For instance, many professionals like to pack their workout gear, mini steamers, and even toilet paper.