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After more than two years of travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, business travel may seem like a thing of the past. However, this year many tech conferences and other events are starting to go in person, which means it may be time to dust off your suitcase.
As you prepare for your next business trip, consider adding some of these travel items to your must-have list.
Plan your event calendar at Tech Republic: 2022 tech conferences and events to add to your calendar
Packing cubes
Many seasoned travelers agree that packing cubes is one of the best ways to stay organized while traveling. Not only do they make the most of your suitcase’s real estate, but they also make it easier to load your stuff into hotel drawers, making you feel like you’re living out of a suitcase.
These basic packing cubes from Target come in sizes so you can pack all your clothes, shoes, toiletries, and electronics and then fit them together like a giant puzzle in your suitcase. Plus, the lightweight design means these cubes won’t add a lot of unnecessary weight to your luggage.
Travel steam iron
When traveling for business, it’s important to look your best to make a good impression on whoever you meet. This usually involves taking the extra step of ironing or steaming your clothes. Packing a travel steam iron means you won’t be stuck with a wrinkled shirt if the iron in your hotel room is rusted, broken or missing.
This Oliso palm-sized iron offers the same steaming and pressing capabilities as a full-sized iron, but is small enough to easily fit in a carry-on bag. It also comes with a silicone trivet to protect your work area and keep the cord securely wound when the iron is not in use.
Travel door lock
Many horror stories about travelers – especially women – encountering intruders in their rooms have made travel door locks a popular tool for personal security while traveling. Many flight attendants recommend that you bring some form of reinforcement to prevent domestic workers or other strangers from entering your space during your stay.
Some portable door locks are heavy or bulky, but this lightweight lock from Adalock is an inexpensive and compact solution to help ensure your privacy and security.
Laptop bag
A durable and versatile bag is one of the best travel-related investments you can make. The right backpack should make it easy to organize and quickly access all your essentials.
This Solo Pro bag has separate compartments for all your electronics, small essentials like a flash drive and pen, and larger items like an umbrella or water bottle. It has a built-in panel that slides over the handle of your luggage to make it easy to go from a conference session to the airport gate.
Portable battery charger
Portable chargers are a must-have for frequent flyers who rely on their electronics to stay connected while traveling. Whether you’re catching up on emails or finding your way around a meeting place, it’s important that your devices have enough power to get from point A to point B.
This nimble portable battery supports up to five full smartphone charges, and can charge up to three devices simultaneously.
Additional cable set + international adapter
Many travel experts recommend buying extra charging cables just for trips. Doing so means you’ll never be stuck at an airport or event without the right cable for your devices, and you won’t have to pay a premium for an airport replacement. You can buy multiples of your existing cables, or you can make an inexpensive multi-USB bundle like this one that lets you connect multiple devices with one cable.
If you are traveling internationally, you should make sure you have the correct adapter for the country you are visiting. One such universal adapter from Insignia can accommodate plugs and sockets from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and the European Union.
Noise canceling headphones
Noise-cancelling headphones are another must-have to keep you clean while traveling for business. Airports and large events can be loud and stimulating, and active noise cancellation provides a way to listen to music or podcasts and take calls without interruption. Plus, choosing high-quality headphones over in-ear or studio headphones can save space without sacrificing quality.
Bose’s QuietComfort headphones let you control how much outside noise you let in. They come with a charger that lasts up to six hours on a single charge and can fit in your pocket.
Mobile hotspot
Airport and hotel Wi-Fi networks tend to be unreliable, so investing in a portable hotspot is a good idea if you need to have a consistent internet connection while traveling.
Most cellular providers offer hotspot services, but if you prefer to keep business and personal costs separate, you can opt for a contract-free, pay-as-you-go option. If you don’t want to get a hotspot every month, this option from Simple Mobile is also ideal.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
If you can find a reliable public Wi-Fi network, you should have the right security measures in place before connecting. Hotels, airports, convention centers, and other public places are ground zero for cyberattacks, and connecting to a public network without cybersecurity protection such as a virtual private network (VPN) is a risky practice.
Even if your organization offers stronger network security tools than a VPN, it may still be worth investing in protecting your personal devices and data.
Browse the top VPN solutions on SoftwarePundit: The best VPN software
Privacy screen
In addition to network security concerns, traveling for business means you need to know who’s around physically when you’re out in public. Leaving your phone or computer screen exposed to onlookers can put your organization at risk of a data breach. It’s a good idea to add privacy filters to all the devices you use in public to prevent prying eyes from seeing sensitive information.
For example, this 14-inch laptop’s privacy screen limits visibility to 60º in front of the screen. Anyone outside this range will only see a black screen, but you can continue working with a clear view.
Hand sanitizers
Hand sanitizer should not be considered when packing for a business trip. The pandemic has made it clear that travel is one of the fastest ways to catch a virus, so a quick and easy way to clean your hands, equipment and other surfaces is essential. Choosing a wipe over a liquid hand sanitizer means you’ll have more room on hand for other essential liquids.
Travel wipes are individually packaged, so you can throw a few in your bag before each trip without worrying about running out of room.
Other ways to prepare for business trips
Some travel essentials are not tangible:
- Services like TSA PreCheck and CLEAR help you get through airport security faster and with less stress—a worthwhile investment if you travel often.
- A Kindle Unlimited subscription gives you access to millions of e-books, digital magazines and audiobooks that you can download and access instead of buying something from the airline gift shop.
- World Traveler Bundle ft. A Rosetta Stone Lifetime subscription from TechRepublic Academy is a great way to build your language skills if you do a lot of international travel.
Whether you have millions of airline miles or are preparing to embark on your first business trip, traveling in a post-pandemic world can be stressful. Packing a few travel essentials, however, can help ease some of the stress and ensure your trip goes smoothly.
Read more business travel tips on TechRepublic: When to meet in person: 3 good reasons for business travel
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