My number 1 travel tip, especially if you travel with any regularity and DOUBLE especially if you have ADHD:
Refill your toiletries and travel supplies as soon as you get home from a trip.
If the same night is too much (totally get it, I've had some business trips where I don't get home until midnight or later), at least stick it in the bathroom for you to refill in the next few days. As soon as they're refilled, store them by your suitcase or duffel bag or whatever traveling things you use. For me, the list of things to check/refill looks like:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body wash
Deep conditioner/detangler (I mix these in one bottle since I use about a 1:1 ratio)
Makeup remover
Lotion
Any other hair products (YMMV)
Any other skincare products (YMMV)
Any makeup like loose powder that you decant into travel containers
Cotton pads and cotton swabs
I have a set of 3 sizes of suitcases that nest inside each other, and I store all my travel supplies and packing cubes inside the smallest one (or right next to the suitcases in a cabinet) so it's right there the next time I'm packing for a trip.
Additional travel tips:
If you need to replace anything you can't immediately refill (such as shaving cream, toothpaste, or other toiletries in squeeze tubes/spray cans) or replace anything that tore/broke/got lost (such as a packing cube or a hair wrap), add that to your shopping list for the next trip so you replace it ASAP.
I recommend immediately laundering things like silk bonnets, TurbiTowels/other hair wrap towels, etc and stashing them with your travel supplies ASAP, so you know they're clean and ready to go when you're packing next time.
Things like meds/supplements/vitamins, pantiliners, period supplies, contacts, etc I will pack for the specific trip depending on trip length (e.g. 2 day work trip vs 7 day Christmas-to-New-Year's-with-family), so I don't refill those until I'm actively packing for a trip. That said, I still stash their storage container with the rest of my travel supplies so I don't have to go hunting for it when the time comes.
If you only travel 1-2 times per year (say, around the November/December holidays) and you're worried about things expiring before the next trip, that's totally valid! Don't refill it if it expires in 3 months! Instead, I recommend setting a calendar reminder/alarm on your phone for a week or two ahead of your regular holiday travel to get your refills in order. There's nothing more stressful than being in the thick of packing and realizing you only have one day's worth of shampoo for a five day trip and not enough in your home supply to refill it. Save yourself the stress!
The minute you KNOW you're going to travel on a certain day (e.g. your boss says "we need you to leave Wednesday", or a family member dies and you find out you need to leave this Friday), set an alarm/calendar reminder for a day or two before you know you have to leave to charge any travel items and/or replace any batteries. Thinking specifically of things like electric toothbrushes, waterpiks, electric razors, computer keyboards/mice, etc.
If there's something you use both at home and traveling and you always seem to forget or overlook it? Consider purchasing a second one of that item. I consider this part of my ADHD tax. I have two silk bonnets, two TurbiTowels, two charging/USB docks that plug into the wall, a smaller travel keyboard in addition to my full sized one at home, and a travel toothbrush and waterpik in addition to my home versions. I recognize this takes a certain amount of financial security and privilege, YMMV. That said, the cost of buying a second one dedicated for travel (either up front or in a sale if you can wait and stalk deals) is, to me, far less than the stress and aggravation of not having the thing while traveling, or having to wrangle a full sized thing instead of a travel sized thing.
Questions? Thoughts? Want recommendations? Drop them in the reblogs and comments! I'm always interested in other people's systems and I love to find ways to make things more efficient!















