26 expert-approved travel essentials you can get for $10 or less

If you're traveling abroad, you'll need a power adapter to charge your devices if your destination uses a different plug style. Thankfully, you can pick up this worldwide power adapter for just $10 on Amazon. It works in hundreds of countries, so chances are it will let you charge up wherever your travels take you. Just note that it is not a voltage converter, so ensure your device is compatible.

Packing cubes make it easier to stay organized and pack more things in your suitcase. These packing cubes from Hotor are a CNN Underscored favorite, largely because they perform well and cost just $10. This pack includes six sizes of packing cubes, is available in four colors and is built from a water-resistant material.

Getting sleep while you're traveling is one of the most important ways to beat jet lag and wake up feeling refreshed and ready for a new day of exploring. Thankfully, our pick for the best overall sleep mask is less than $10 on Amazon and will help you to get the rest you need. Thanks to a nose wire, it blocks out any unwanted light, and it's soft on the eyes so you'll feel comfortable — even if you're sitting upright on a long-haul flight.

This handy passport case comes in 20+ different colors and helps keep your passport safe and secure with a snap button enclosure. Thanks to several other pockets and storage compartments inside, you can also use it as a travel wallet to store cash, credit cards, receipts, a pen and more. Plus, it's lightweight at 0.18 pounds.

Travel blogger Lindsey Puls of Have Clothes, Will Travel says having a digital luggage scale with you is essential for trips, even if you only travel with a carry-on bag. Puls says that some airlines weigh certain carry-on items, especially if you're traveling internationally. Most recently, Puls says Safarilink weighed her personal item while traveling in Kenya. 

"Having this little scale tucked into my luggage always makes packing a breeze and there is zero stress about whether or not my bag is over[weight]," she says. "It's very accurate as well."

Travel blogger Allie Albanese of Parched Around the World says one of her favorite things to do when visiting new places is explore the local food and artisan markets, many of which are completely bag-free. She recommends bringing a reusable bag like this set of six from Reroucky, each of which holds up to 35 pounds and folds up small enough to fit in a pocket or purse. They're versatile too, thanks to their cute patterns and designs. Albanese even used one as a backup bag during a trip to Italy when her purse strap broke.

"The fact that it's super small and lightweight means that I don't have to give up any prime luggage space to make room for it," she says.

Keep your cords and chargers arranged and protected with this travel tech organizer from iMangoo. Underscored readers love this case because of its variety of storage space, the number of colors available and the fact that it zips shut.

AirTags are an essential travel item. By simply placing one in your checked luggage, you can travel with the peace of mind of knowing where your luggage is at all times. This four-pack of AirTag holders is an ideal travel accessory as you can clip each one inside a piece of luggage you plan to check. Not only are AirTag holders essential for travel these days, but you can also use them to help track your pets, car keys and other important belongings.

Travel and outdoor blogger Alissa Bell of Exploring Wild says electronic devices aren't all on the same page with USB standards these days. In fact, between her smartphone, portable power bank, earphones and foldable keyboard, she needs several different types of cables. That said, these adapters from Amazon take up almost no space in a bag and ensure you can charge almost anything with just about any type of USB cable.

"I don't have to worry about forgetting the right cable or losing one on the road," Bell says. This four-pack comes with one USB to USB-C adapter, one USB-C to USB adapter, one Micro USB to USB-C adapter and one USB-C to Micro USB adapter.

Don't forget to invest in luggage tags that help you identify your bags at the airport. This three-pack of luggage tags comes in bright colors and has space for you to write in your name, address and phone number. Their solid construction ensures these tags won't fall off your bags while in transport, and each comes with a clear protective film that keeps your personal information from rubbing off.

There's nothing worse than arriving at your destination to find that your shampoos and soaps have spilled all over your clothes. Enter leakproof silicone bottles to avoid that situation entirely. Bell says she just came back from a two-month trip with these silicone travel bottles and they're her new favorite. The wide mouth makes them perfect for thicker substances like lotion because it makes them easy to fill. Meanwhile, the large opening also lets you dip a finger in when the bottle is almost empty.

The 1.3-ounce size of these tubes from Mziart is smaller than many, so they're great for saving space on shorter trips, Bell says. Plus, this puts each bottle far below the TSA 3.4-ounce limit for liquids in a carry-on bag.

Albanese also says a good hat clip has become one of her travel essentials since most of her trips involve outdoor adventures.  "Wearing a hat all day long can get uncomfortable, carrying it is cumbersome and storing it in my purse or bag takes up way too much space," she says. By having a small hat clip in her bag, however, she has an easy way to store and carry her favorite travel hat while keeping her hands free.

Luxury travel planning expert Heather Christopher of HC Travel Firm says she likes taking along her favorite full-size skin care products when she travels, and that having elastic toiletry covers is the key to doing so. "The silicone covers go over all of our oils, face creams and shampoo so nothing spills in our toiletry bag," she says. You'll get eight different covers included in this set at less than $10. If you're willing to spend a bit more, you can opt for one of our favorite toiletry covers, LeakLocks.

Puls also says she loves bringing natural green tea oil-absorbing tissues on every trip, mostly because her face gets oily and sweaty during flights and long car rides. Puls says these little oil-blotting tissues can help keep your face looking and feeling fresh, especially when you don't have the chance to wash your face with soap and water. "This is a great alternative to freshen up quickly," she says.

These makeup remover wipes from Neutrogena are small and compact, and you can bring them along on any kind of trip. Each premoistened facial cleansing wipe works to dissolve traces of dirt, oil and makeup to keep your face clean at the end of each travel day. While these wipes are for one-time use, they are made with 100% plant-based cloth and are compostable.

Having a TSA-approved lock on your luggage is essential for securing your valuables while simultaneously granting access to security offers should they need to inspect your belongings. This option from Master Lock is TSA approved and also allows you to set a customized combination. Not only can you use it on your luggage when checked, but it can also be used to secure your travel backpack to prevent pickpockets while exploring a new destination.

This travel manicure kit includes tweezers, a small set of scissors, a nail file, fingernail clippers and other tools for nail care on the go. All of the items come in a handy carrying case that snaps closed when not in use. At under $10 and weighing less than 4 ounces, this travel manicure kit is inexpensive enough for almost anyone and small enough to bring on every trip. 

It never hurts to carry around a bag of sanitizing wipes in your backpack or travel purse, as you never know what kind of dirty surfaces you'll encounter during a trip. Many travelers wipe down their airplane seat and tray table or sanitize their seat on a train or bus. You can also use these wipes to clean your hands or to clean up small spills on the go.

Staying fresh while you travel can go a long way to making any experience more enjoyable. Bell regularly uses Dude On-the-Go Shower Wipes when she travels, which she says put regular baby wipes to shame. The travel blogger says she uses them to freshen up in an airplane bathroom, midway through a long day of sightseeing or even on a trail while hiking or camping. This 8-pack of shower wipes comes in at less than $10, and the fragrance-free formula makes them ideal for men or women who want to get cleaned up without an added scent.

There's nothing worse than spilling on yourself while traveling. If you're not doing laundry on your trip, the garment in question is likely staying in your suitcase until you can clean it at home. So, consider traveling with a stain remover pen that can remove stains in a pinch. This Tide To Go stain remover pen is bleach-free and can remove coffee, wine and juice stains with ease.

Quality earplugs go a long way toward ensuring a quiet sleeping environment. Whether it's blocking out the hum of aircraft engines or noisy neighbors in a hotel, Mack's Ultra-Soft Foam Earplugs help to make better sleep possible. This pack comes with 10 pairs and a travel case to take on each of your adventures.

Having a travel umbrella can come in handy when you least expect it, but you want one that's small enough to keep in your travel backpack or purse. This mini umbrella is incredibly compact and weighs less than 1 pound, so it's ideal for bringing along with you wherever you go. It also comes in 14 different colors and has its own handy carrying case.

These clear toiletry bags let you stay organized while following the TSA's 3-1-1 rules for liquids packed in a carry-on bag. You can use one of the clear quart-sized bags to store makeup, skin care products, shampoo, conditioner, lotion and other travel essentials. At less than $10 for a two-pack, these clear toiletry bags are a must-have if you travel by air.

If you're susceptible to motion sickness, prevention is often key. Don't let the "Sea-Band" name fool you, Christopher says. These anti-nausea wristbands aren't just for cruising. "As someone who frequently gets nauseous mid-flight, these are a huge lifesaver," she says, adding that she recommends these for first-timers on a red-eye flight. "They are perfect for preventing that gross, groggy feeling you get from lack of sleep."

This travel jewelry case is ideal for people who want to bring several sets of earrings, rings, bracelets and necklaces along on a trip. There's ample storage for a range of jewelry items inside, and the zipper enclosure ensures everything stays there until you need it. Not only does this case have built-in space for rings on the side, but it has several clips for hanging necklaces and open compartments for storing other small items.

If you want a travel toiletry bag that's made specifically for makeup, this small travel cosmetic bag from Relavel is the perfect solution. The bag zips up the side to create two separate areas to keep all your makeup items safe and secure, and it features several compartments inside for makeup brushes, eye shadows, lipsticks and more. Plus, we love that it's available in more than 15 shades to perfectly match your favorite travel bag.