My 15 Favourite Minimalist Travel Accessories

A travel adapter is essential for minimalist travelers. It lets you charge devices in different countries and includes multiple ports.

On a van trip in New Zealand, my adapter saved us from squabbling over limited outlets, efficiently charging all our devices.

If you’re like me, your smartphone does it all when traveling: photos, navigation, tickets, and even payments. That drains the battery fast.

A power bank is a lifesaver. This slim device has saved me from countless ‘low battery’ moments when I’m on the go. It packs enough power to charge my phone multiple times, making it one of the best minimalist travel gadgets.

The coolest thing is that I found one made out of recycled bike batteries!

I love reading and the easiest way to do so while traveling is with an e-reader. It lets me carry hundreds of books without adding weight to my luggage, and I can download new ones anytime, anywhere.

Plus, the adjustable lighting makes it easy to read in any setting without straining my eyes.

If you love books and want to travel light, an e-reader is the perfect minimalist accessory.

Packing cubes have completely transformed how I organize my backpack, making my clothes neat, compact, and easy to find.

I especially love my new Thule compressible packing cubes—they’re so lightweight and perfect for minimalist travel. The compression feature saves even more space, which is a game-changer.

The absolute best way to transport shampoo bars is this amazing shampoo bar bag. It lets your shampoo bar dry inside while keeping the outside dry.

Just pop the bar in, roll it up, and voila! Everything stays dry and mess-free in my carry-on.

A reusable water bottle is a must-have on my travel list. It’s eco-friendly, reduces plastic waste, and saves money by avoiding constant water purchases.

Most bottles keep drinks hot or cold.

I use the Urban Bottle from 24Bottles. It doesn’t maintain temperature, but it’s more lightweight, which is more important for me than temperature.

I love my collapsible lunch box from Sea to Summit. It’s eco-friendly, compact, and perfect for storing leftovers from vegan restaurants without using single-use plastic.

It’s also a great gift for sustainable travelers!

I always travel with my SURI toothbrush. Its durable aluminum handle and modular design make it easy to repair and eco-friendly. The only downside is that you can’t store it standing up, read more about that in my detailed SURI review.

The SURI’s travel case ensures that the toothbrush stays clean, thanks to a built-in UV-light cleaner that kills 99.9% of harmful bacteria in just one minute.

Shoes can be some of the bulkiest items in your luggage, but I’ve found a solution: barefoot shoes. They’re incredibly lightweight, versatile, and take up minimal space.

While I stick to barefoot sneakers most of the time, I switch to barefoot boots for winter since my feet get cold easily.

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Another one of my vegan travel essentials is a wallet I picked up in Lisbon, Portugal. I discovered it at a local market where Oakwall, a small local company, was selling handmade cork wallets.

I immediately fell in love with its minimalist design, lightweight feel, and the splash of color. Not only is it eco-friendly and durable, but it also has space for cash and coins, unlike most minimalist wallets that only focus on cards.

In the past, I often found myself buying full bottles of laundry detergent while traveling, only to use them a few times because many Airbnbs didn’t provide detergent. Now, I’ve switched to laundry sheets!

These eco-friendly sheets hardly take up any space in my bag, and I can pack exactly as many as I need. Using them is super easy, just toss a sheet into the washing machine, and you’re good to go.

Before I got a dry bag, I always worried about leaving my valuables unattended at the beach.

Now, I can take everything with me, knowing it’s safe from water and theft.

The bag is waterproof, floats, and is lightweight, a perfect ultralight travel gear for anyone who goes on solo beach days.

I never would have thought to include a neck pillow on a list of must-have travel accessories for minimalists, until I discovered fillable neck pillows.

Instead of carrying a bulky pillow, you can stuff it with your clothes, saving space in your bag.

When you don’t need it, it folds up super small.

Now, it’s one of my most unique travel accessories!

A day bag is a lightweight yet spacious enough bag for essentials like a water bottle, power bank, camera, and jacket.

I’ve loved my day bag from GaryMash, a vegan, fair-trade Austrian company. It easily switches from a backpack to a handbag, perfect for versatile travel. But my second backpack from them stained my dress with the buckles, so I don’t use it that often anymore.

Now, I mainly use my Adore June string bag, which is simpler, easy to clean, and still fits my minimalist style.

A backpack may seem basic, but it’s the foundation of ultralight travel.

One of my minimalist travel tips is to start with any small bag you already own, no need to buy something new.

If you’re looking for a new bag, I’ve compiled recommendations for the best minimalist travel backpacks from frequent travelers. You might just find the perfect one for you on that list.

I’ve tested a lot of backpacks in the past few years, at the moment I travel with my Patagonia Black Hole.