One of the most exhilarating and elusive feelings you can have in life is the feeling of a “Perfect Pack“. Have you ever had the Perfect Pack? Much like truly, good friends, having one or two in life is enough to satisfy a lifetime.

It’s really an immaculate experience: the trip itinerary is tight, the destination weather is predictable, and your caffeine intake that day was so precise that your brain was neither sluggish nor scattered. You’re sharp, surgically and strategically placing each intentionally curated piece as though you were a Tetris master from future who could predict and evade any faulty move.

Man, if only every pack could be the Perfect Pack.

Many people will consider themselves expert packers, and while we’ve done enough to feel more than proficient, we won’t claim to have mastered anything just yet. Still, after another Holiday season and early Spring filled with planes, trains, and automobiles, we reflected a bit on what pieces we’ve found most helpful on our adventures (especially now that we have a child in the mix), and thought we’d share our 5 favorites with you. We hope this list is helpful for you on your upcoming Spring and Summer travels!

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1. Travel Stroller
   
   We’re (in our souls) not minimalists, but (by necessity) when it comes to “stuff”, we just don’t have room for a lot of it. As a result, we were a bit gun shy on adding a travel stroller to our storage-starved home. We finally pulled the trigger on this travel stroller, and we high recommend it. It’s highly convenient for travel — and even the tight quarters of a busy subway during the holiday crush — and collapses without a lot of fuss, folding into an extremely compact size. We tend to gate-check ours for convenience, but you can technically fit it in your overhead bin, if needed.
   
2. Packing Cubes
   
   These were our first foray into the packing cube world, and they sold us fully on the idea of compartmentalizing our luggage. We just had a staycation at the Lowell Hotel and with us knowing it was only for two nights, having everything separated out so that we didn’t have to fully unpack our bags for a quick trip was really nice! This may feel like it’s only for the OCD-adjacent, but we (Anna and Nathan) could not be more different as bag-packing goes, and these still worked well for both of us.
   
3. Compact, Hanging Luggage Scale
   
   File this under OCD-adjacent travel needs along with packing cubes — and also under the “I didn’t know I needed this” section of your life. In all of our traveling together, we’ve only ever had one of those “repack your bags in front of the entire airport to make your luggage underweight” moments. And as long as we can control it, it will never happen again. This device is much more convenient and generally more accurate than the “stand on the scale with and without your bag” trick or just setting it on the scale the old fashioned way. It doesn’t take up a lot of room in your bag and saves some anxiety come check-in time!
   
4. Cosmetic Bag
   
   Anna used to be a multi-cosmetic bag queen, but as we’ve traveled more, the convenience of having one bag for everything has become a major priority. She loves this bag because it’s one of the few she’s found that is see-thru for visibility, has enough compartments to hold everything, and boasts a handle for practical purposes!
   
5. Multi-Device, Magnetic Charger
   
   Nathan’s favorite find the last few years has been this multi-device charger. It charges your phone, apple watch, and airpods all at the same time — including one magnetic charger, and one that isn’t magnetized. It’s simple, but extremely effective, and even folds up to be smaller than a deck of cards so you can throw it in a carry on without using much space.