5 Everyday Items You Can Repurpose When Travelling

Apr 3

We were never the kind of people who always need to buy everything new. We enjoy having full on control over our finances, so we frequently opt to shop second hand when possible.

The truth is, when it comes to travel gear and accessories, because we are such travel nerds ourselves, it can be really tempting to look up new gear online. What if there’s a new and amazing lamp on the market, packing cubes and so on..?

We’ve all been there, am I right?

The reality is that, in the last years, we have adopted a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Before buying anything, be it new or second hand, we look at all the things we own and ask ourselves:

“What else do I own, that I can reuse for the same purpose?”

These were some of the ideas we came up with to reduce our footprint when travelling!

#1 - Old Containers

This is the a habit we have adapted early on. We repurpose anything from old makeup and take-away containers, to pill organisers of all shapes and forms.

We use them mainly to store two different things:

Hygiene products: We have collected a few mini-shampoo and conditioner containers from hotel’s and hostels over the years. We fill them up before every trip with our current hygiene products, or any type of cream really!

Memory cards: Because we always travel with a camera, storing our memory cards is very important! For a long time we stored them inside our camera bag, but it really is a NO NO to store important files and devices together in case someone tries to steal your belongings. Nowadays we use an old flat makeup container to store some of them. It is small, practical, and does not attract any attention whatsoever.

Old containers are the easiest to repurpose. They come in so many different sizes and shapes, so you can adapt them to any storage needs you might have when you travel.

2 ) Contact Lens Cases

If you happen to use contact lens, or know someone that uses them and has a lot of cases laying around, you can repurpose them when you travel!

Because they are so small and compact, they can help you keep very small items organised in your luggage.

In most of our trips we use them in 3 different ways:

Pill case: We like storing pain killers and other medicine inside contact lens cases. Normally we keep them in two distinctive places, one case inside our first aid kit and the other in our main backpack or purse. They can be really useful if you need to take medicine with day and night doses.

Small earrings storage: I did not always enjoy bringing jewellery with me on our adventures, as every single time I would loose them in my pack. Now I always bring them in contact lens cases and it is amazing to store two small pairs in one case!

Hand cream & moisturiser: This is especially important when we travel by plane. Because the air inside is really dry, it is handy to have with you a compact case with just enough cream to help calm your skin down. Do not forget to always stay hydrated!

3 ) Eyeglass Cases / Pencil Cases

You can use these organisers for so much more than pencils or glasses.

Of course you can still store your eyeglasses in them, no worries!

But if you are anything like us and own old eyeglass cases that keep piling up in your home, then it’s time to put them to good use. You can store anything from cables, chargers or even snacks when you know they might get crumbled inside your backpack.

This is what we normally use them for:

Jewellery holder: We usually prefer to travel as light as possible, but when we decide to slow travel, I like bringing some of my jewellery with me. I prefer using a hard cover case for this, so that I am sure nothing will get damaged along the way.

First aid kit: This is a must for every trip and super practical to have with you at all times. I would keep it in a zipped case, so that you don’t risk mixing it with all the other things you might have in your luggage.

Sewing kit: This has saved us many times. We usually use a smaller pencil case for this, as we just bring with us a few needles, a sewing thread spool and a tiny pair of scissors. It is practical to store inside a pencil case as it is in a small container.

Hard cover cases are really great to bring with you when you travel. If you intend to buy souvenirs that might be fragile, this is a great storage solution. They will be solid enough to keep everything intact (you can even add a sock on the inside for extra cushioning, just in case).

4 ) Zipper Pouches

I don’t know how nor why, but I own a lot of zipper pouches. I often receive them as gifts, as I do not even recall ever purchasing them.

People who know me well are aware of the fact that I love sorting and compartmentalising things around the house. What they don’t know is that I mainly use these zipper pouches when I travel. I love them, and probably won’t ever stop using them!

Zipper pouches are practical, light and functional. Because of the flexibility of their material, they can be used as mini packing cubes. We use them ALL - THE - TIME. Be it to store snacks for the road, power adapters or any other technological devices. They are also super useful nowadays to store extra masks, disinfectant and hand wipes.

I would recommend zipper pouches to store anything that can come in handy during your journey, and that you need quick access to. I would just avoid storing in them anything that is susceptible to breaking easily.

5 ) Reusable Bags

We do not travel anywhere without at least one reusable bag. We like using cotton bags the most, just because we have a lot of them at home, but you can use any bag, really!

This is what we normally use them for:

Grocery shopping: When we travel, we like experiencing the culture, not only by eating at local restaurants, but also by going grocery shopping. We especially love discovering the local markets. This is when a tote bag or any bag will come in handy. Avoid single use plastic bags by bringing your own reusable bag. You can make a positive impact and the planet will thank you for it.

Storing dirty clothes: We always carry a plastic bag / tote bag inside our luggage to store dirty clothes while we are on the road. It helps us keep all the cleaned clothes separated from the rest. We usually bring a colourful bag for this so that we are able to differentiate.

Using tote bags as packing cubes: Do you want to avoid buying packing cubes just for a short trip? For a while, we used plastic and tote bags as packing cubes. We would use large elastic bands, like the ones you find wrapped around vegetable bundles at local markets, to seal the bag and keep everything in place. Nowadays we mostly use packing cubes, but any bag can do the job just fine!

You can get creative with the use of tote bags and plastic bags. They are a must-have for any trip, be it long or short!

I think that it is really important that we keep experimenting. Learning how to enjoy and cherish the things we already own will help us make conscious and better decisions about what we purchase.

I hope this article inspired you to repurpose your old things. I encourage you to give it a try if you are interested!

What other everyday items do you repurpose when travelling?

This is Ana and until next time, keep on travelling!