Hydration, Nutrition, And Much More - These Are A Few Of My Favorite Commute-Proof Travel Essentials

I have been a full-time commuter for quite a few years now, and a life-time traveler. Through a LOT of trial & error, I have found what works best as a near-constant commuter to work and school! Read on to see what I recommend for essentials such as commute-proof coffee mugs, lunch containers, noise control, SNACKS, and more!

First things first - hydration:

• HydroFlask for keeping your iced coffees and smoothies perfectly cold

• Zojirushi coffee mug for keeping your hot coffee or tea perfectly hot for WAY longer than you'd think! I also have a Yeti tumbler, but honestly NOTHING beats the Zojirushi in keeping things warm and secure during a commute or even coffee dates on the couch!

• Water bottle that has been through several countries and dropped on all the surfaces for more than 6 years and has probably the most awesome decal in existence for a water bottle ;) here's an incredibly cute kid-friendly one!

"Pen Bag"/Commute Survival Kit with 3 zipper compartments, housing ALL of the following in a thick-paperback-book-sized, stylish, ultralight bag:

- Largest compartment

• My favorite pens ever that don't aggravate my carpal tunnel nearly as much and come in nice vibrant colors (I call this thing my "pen bag" because I love colorful pens a bit too much and they take up the most space in this large compartment, but I've used the same area for extra snack space when traveling)

• This awesomely nostalgia-inducing 4-in-1 makeup pen - it has an eyeliner, highlighter, lip liner, and and eyebrow pencil in one chubby pen

• Highlighters that also come in nice vibrant colors

• Post-its & colorful sticky flags (usually used as reminders & tabs in my planner notebook), plus an eraser, if I feel like bringing them

- Middle compartment

• This AMAZING portable charger that can charge 3 things at once when there's no outlet available (with a "duck-mouth" USB input PLUS both micro-USB/Android and Apple Lighning cables BUILT IN)

• Mini Hand sanitizer (I like the scented ones from Bath & Body Works and Purell, but even the store-brand ones from Walgreens, etc are good as long as they don't leak! I've never had a leak, but just so you're aware)

• Tile Bluetooth tracker (because I almost lost my mind when I misplaced my pen bag once; I also have a Tile for my keys, my cat's collar, my husband's blood sugar testing kit, and a Tile Slim in my stealthy, awesome-looking laptop case)

• Airpods and/or Bose noise-canceling earbuds

• Snacks! I like the following snack bars because they're nutritious AND delicious: Kind, Orgain, Think, Clif, Trailnuggets PRO, Larabar, RX, etc.

- Small compartment

• Lip balm

• Mini lotion

• Mints/gum

• Mascara (my minimum beauty look haha), maybe a mini liquid eyeliner, and BB/CC cream (my favorites for these are a whole 'nother post!)

• Cooling eye roller gel that doubles as eye makeup remover

• Mini bottle of Advil

• Hair ties, bobby pins, safety pins, etc. in. a tiny baggie

Backpack/Carry On:

• Kindle for reading and/or iPad for movies, etc.

• Large notebooks for taking notes and small journals (I usually get super cute and inexpensive mini notebooks/planners at TJ Maxx for under $10)

• Any adapters you may need, such as this USB -> USB-C

• Laptop (supercool case that looks like a leather book)

• Laptop charger and portable laptop charger (no outlet needed!)

• Mouse

• Wireless keyboard

• Lunch in leakproof containers

• Eye mask & silicone ear plugs are a MUST when you need to block out all stimuli because you're switching shifts, need to get a few hours of sleep before your final, or you're stuck sleeping in an airport #beentheredoneallofthat

• Phone/Wallet/Passport in a hidden pocket in one of these magical infinity scarves

• Extra set(s) of clothes and depending on your adventure of the day, extra shoes: sandals, flats, sneakers/walking or work shoes, boots/booties...

• Power converters if you're going somewhere where you'll need them

• Sheet mask(s) for self-care/hydrating during a flight

• DIY health kit - bandaids & other first-aid things, meds like Claritin/Advil/whatever else you need, mini pack of kleenex, menstrual supplies, extra underwear, Tide pen, deodorant, face wipes, etc.

• Towel, obviously

• Clear toiletry bag for liquids - shampoo, conditioner, body wash (bar shampoo and soap if you're a super-pro), cleanser, toothpaste, etc. plus a toothbrush

• Portable zip-up jewelry box

• Small makeup bag with stuff like eyeshadow, blush, sponges, brushes, etc.

• Reusable bags that fold up into a package smaller than your fist

• Packing cubes and/or a garment bag packing cube combo for organizing clothing, shoes, etc into portable "dresser drawers"

• Travel umbrella

Car Travel:

• Kick-ass snowbrush and other weather-related supplies

• Emergency kit including first aid, hand warmers, bottled water, energy bars, emergency blankets, portable car starter and/or jumper cables, overnight bag with extra clothes, etc in case you have to unexpectedly spend the night in a hotel somewhere

• Cooler ideally filled with fresh food such as sandwiches, etc for a road trip

• Camping equipment, picnic stuff, beach/park activities for impromptu outside fun

BONUS - my study space essentials besides the above, art, and candles:

• Desk lamp that is completely adjustable and portable, has dimmer settings, and a USB outlet

• Laptop stand

• Desktop organizer