I’m onto my next adventure: Mexico! I’ll be scanning Delta’s inflight movie selection and munching on mini pretzels in mere hours. That means that this past week has been dedicated to packing and travel preparation; oddly enough one of my favorite parts of trekking the globe. Picking outfits, choosing accessories, gathering toiletries, waiting hours in the airport all gives me the intense feeling of possibility. I dream of sand in my toes, exotic flavors in my mouth, roaming unfamiliar streets all made more magical with the floral dress or white jumpsuit I decided to pack. Of course, the process can be overwhelming. I tend to find myself heaving, straining, pulling at my suitcase zipper trying to fit one more pair of shoes. Or sent back through security because of a forgotten cellphone in my back pocket. Airport lines are long, overweight baggage costs are high, and if you don’t travel often, the days before getting to your destination can drain your wanderlust. That’s why over the last several years, I’ve developed some tricks to help the whole process become much more relaxing and enjoyable. The list of my “travel must-haves” below allows me to breathe a sigh of relief that I’m no longer that woman huffing and puffing to her flight gate.

1. Samantha Brown Luggage Set

The Problem: Luggage is my home base, my favorite friend when I travel because it’s always with me. The thing is that a luggage set can make or break a convenient and hassle-free travel day. Some suitcases leave me tripping over sidewalk cracks, feeling like I’m carrying 20 more pounds than I am, and digging for important documents that have fallen to the bottom. I end up looking a lot more like a juggler at circus than a frequent flyer.

My Solution: Buy a luggage set from a woman who’s traveled the world for a living. Samantha Brown is best known for her travel television series on the TravelChannel. One of my favorite bag designs she offers is the dowel. The inside is roomy enough to fit a laptop, camera, book and snacks. The outside compartment attaches to your suitcase handle, releasing you from the pressure of lugging multiple bags through the airport. The compartment is also a zipper pocket for easy access to important documents like your passport and flight ticket. The dowel bag's material is stylish and extremely durable. An ingenious design that keeps me a happy traveler.

Buy Samantha Brown's luggage here.

2. eBags: Packing Cubes

The Problem: Organization. No matter the intentions, my suitcase can become a jumbled mess of fabric without me even trying. Shirts that were once nicely folded are tossed to the side in search of that one particular dress I need for dinner. I fold everything back up until the next time I get dressed. This pattern continues until I’m pressed for time and lead to tossing everything inside my suitcase and zipping it up to hide the mess.

My Solution: Every person who has seen me use eBag's packing cubes has gone out to buy their own. They ingeniously organize my suitcase into a set of dresser drawers. One cube for shirts, one for pants, one for pajamas, and one for accessories. They come in all shapes and sizes that fit in large suitcases, handbags, and even backpacks. The best part is that they weigh almost nothing! No more searching, no extra weight, and no more frustration.

Buy eBag's packing cubes online here.

3. Snack Tray

The Problem: Plane food can be limited and not always appetizing. The options have gotten better, but the small snack bags rarely curb my hunger. I’m left searching the corners of the miniature bag in hopes that there’s a crushed peanut hiding. Additionally, buying airport priced snacks isn’t always in my travel budget.

My Solution: Fill up a snack tray to bring along with you. I found an old bead container I used to make jewelry with (you can go to Michael’s or Walmart to buy one), cleaned it out, and filled each space with a different snack food. I usually do a good mix of salty, sweet and healthy. The key is to pick snacks that are smaller in size (M&M’s, dried fruits, soy beans, peanuts, etc.). My Samantha Brown Dowel Bag is the perfect fit for my tray, and I never break the bank or go hungry on travel days.

4. Wraps: Wristband Headphones

The Problem: I spend most of my travel day plugged into Spotify. Music helps make the hours go faster and blocks out the noise of other passengers. I’d rather listen to Jon Bellion than the toddler crying next to me. One of my pet peeves is digging for my headphones, though. They get lost in my bag while waiting in lines, going through security, and boarding the plane. Not to mention that they’re usually a tangled mess when I finally find them.

The Solution: Headphones that disguise themselves as a stylish bracelet, aka Wraps: Wristband Headphones. They wrap and secure around my wrist for convenient, no tangle access. The wraps come in multiple colors and materials to match almost anything one chooses to wear. I personally don’t think you can ever go wrong with classic black and ending the hassle of missing headphones.

Buy Wraps: Wristband Headphones here.

5. Multi-Purpose Scarf

The Problem: I’m cold in 90-degree weather, so airports and airplanes are Antarctica to me. My ideal is having room to pack a blanket to snuggle up with, but that’s always been unrealistic. Plus, carrying a jacket through the airport is a nuisance; tying it around my waist, trying to stuff it in a bag, and even leaving it behind when I board the plane.

The Solution: I bought a scarf. There’s nothing special about it other than it's big; both in length and width. I buy them usually in solid colors that match most of my wardrobe so that it's functional throughout my travels. I spread the scarf out to maximum length to use as a shawl or blanket when I’m cold. When I’m not using it, I wear it around my neck and I can forget about it. My movement isn’t restricted and I don’t have another object to keep tabs on. They can also be used as pillows and sitting cushions.

The last scarf I purchased was from Macy's Department Store. Check out their online selection here.