Listen, I know what you’re thinking. “Temu? Really? That’s the app that serves me ads for a $7 wedding dress and a inflatable dinosaur costume at 2 AM.” Yes, that Temu. But hear me out because hidden among the chaos of weird late-night ads there is some seriously useful travel gear that’s about to make packing so much easier, you’ll be genuinely pissed you didn’t know about it sooner.
These are the tiny travel heroes that’ll have you standing in front of your perfectly packed suitcase thinking, “Wait… where the hell has this been all my life?” and questioning every single trip you’ve ever taken without them. Let’s dive in! 😎
The Luggage Scale: Your New Emotional Support Item
I just discovered this little gadget on my Morocco trip, and wow… life changer. It might be the best relationship I’ve ever been in. Reliable, supportive, brutally honest… everything my ex wasn’t.
Like, how did I survive all these years just guessing and praying my suitcase wasn’t overweight? Chaos. Pure chaos.
I’ve tested a few different ones over time (because of course I did) and this one has the best price-to-quality ratio by far. It’s small, simple, cheap, and weirdly satisfying to use. You just hook it on, lift, and bam! instant truth. No more fear. No more blind optimism. No more bargaining with the universe.
Buy it here: Here
There’s also a much cheaper (but slightly bigger) version and honestly, it works just as well: LINK
I no longer spend the night before a flight spiraling about whether my suitcase is 19.9 kg or 27 kg. With this tiny superhero, stress disappears, anxiety drops by 90%, and extra fees become a distant memory.
And if it does turn out your bag is overweight? Amazing. Now you can calmly rearrange everything in the privacy of your hotel room, instead of doing the humiliating Airport Floor Shuffle where you dig through your underwear while 200 strangers pretend not to stare.😃
This scale has saved me money, dignity, and approximately three mental breakdowns. Totally worth it!
Microfiber Towels: The Ugly Friend Who’s Actually Awesome
I won’t lie… it was not love at first sight.
The first time I used one, it felt like I was trying to dry myself with a very thin yoga mat. 😃 I genuinely thought I’d been scammed.
But once I got used to the texture, I realised they actually work really well. Even better than my normal cotton ones! Since then these little towels became my ultimate travel hack. They take way less space than normal fluffy towels so no more fighting your suitcase just to fit a towel in.
Buy it here: LINK
I also have a slightly more expensive one from Decathlon, and honestly? Same performance. The cheap one from Temu works just fine. You’re not missing out.
I usually take two: the big one for the beach (because sand happens) and the medium one for showers. They dry ridiculously fast, don’t get that gross damp smell, and pack down so tiny that your backpack suddenly has extra room for souvenirs or all the things you “definitely won’t buy on this trip” 😂
If you wanna test just one before committing to a whole set, grab this one here: LINK
Packing Cubes & Vacuum Bags: The Space-Saving Power Couple
Packing cubes are my sanity savers. They keep everything organized, prevent socks from staging a prison break, and make opening your suitcase feel less like a crime scene.
Buy it here: LINK
Here’s the thing though: packing cubes keep things tidy, but they don’t actually save space. They just stop your clothes from having an orgy inside your luggage.
And that’s exactly where vacuum bags come in. If organizers make packing neat, vacuum bags make packing downright magical. They actually give you space you didn’t even know you had.
There are two types:
- Roll-up vacuum bags – no pump, no vacuum cleaner, just roll the air out like you’re in some weird, very satisfying yoga class. (LINK)
- Standard vacuum bags – Need a pump or vacuum cleaner, but holy hell, these things can compress your luggage like it’s being crushed by the weight of your life choices. Suddenly your oversized shopping spree fits neatly, and you don’t have to bribe anyone at the airport.(LINK)
My system: pack neatly in organizers for the trip there, take a few empty vacuum bags (around 2-3 of each), and let them work their space-saving magic on the way back when you’ve inevitably bought twice as much stuff as you planned.
Honestly, with organizers + vacuum bags, packing becomes less of a battle and more of a flex. Together, they’re the ultimate packing power couple. Think Beyoncé and Jay-Z, but for your suitcase.
Travel Beauty Hack: Pack Less, Smell Amazing, Stress Zero
This is honestly one of my favorite hacks, especially if you’re a woman who travels with more skincare than common sense. Sure, everyone knows about those standard 100ml bottles you can buy at the drugstore. But even empty, they take up space like tiny plastic assholes.
Travel Liquids: Make Them Small, Make Them Disappear
My solution: tiny refillable bottles, pouches, and sachets. On the way there, I fill them with shampoo, lotion, shower gel, or whatever I need. On the way back? Empty, they practically vanish. Goodbye, wasted space. Hello, extra room for souvenirs, gifts, or a couple of bottles of local alcohol you absolutely needed.
Buy it here: LINK
Tiny Containers for Your Skincare Delusions
And let’s be honest… I always overestimate how much skincare I’m going to do on holiday. In my head: 10-step routine like some glowing Korean skincare goddess. In reality: remove makeup, wash face, go to bed looking like a dehydrated raisin. (and that’s on a good day 😆)
So why drag around a full jar of cream, your giant cleanser, and under-eye serum you’ll barely touch? Tiny containers are perfect, they give you just what you’ll actually use for a couple of days. Nothing bulky, nothing heavy, nothing wasted. Travel hack = life hack.
Buy it here: LINK
You take just what you’ll (potencially) use, nothing more, nothing heavy, nothing bulky.
Travel Perfume Hacks: Because Glass Hates You
Perfumes are the worst offenders. Those fancy glass bottles are heavy, fragile, and just… extra. Instead, I decant into tiny travel bottles. They save space, save weight, and are perfect for festivals, dinners, or parties so I can respray whenever I want to smell slightly more human. 😃
Buy it here: LINK
The Pillow That’s Secretly a Suitcase (My Favorite Scam)
This might be my favorite travel hack of all time. Most airlines let you bring a pillow, and it doesn’t count as extra luggage (basically, it’s treated like the clothes you’re wearing). So why not use it?
Enter my secret weapon: a travel pillow that’s actually extra storage. I’ve been using the one I got from Amazon for ages, and ever since I started showing this trick on my Instagram, I’ve gotten so many questions about it. Honestly, it’s a game-changer. Traveling with only hand luggage becomes totally doable because my “unofficial” luggage is now comfortably sitting on my neck. 😂
Temu’s version is basically the same thing, just cheaper. Less money, same sneaky storage power.
Sure, it’s heavier than a normal pillow when full, and not exactly the plushest neck hug you’ve ever had. But who cares? This is smuggling… legally, and for free!
Buy it here: LINK
Sometimes, if I manage to pack everything perfectly (thanks to vacuum bags and organizers), I just bring it empty. You never know when souvenirs or extra purchases will need a ride home. And let’s be honest, it’s just fun having a pillow that doubles as a secret suitcase.
AirTag but Make it Cheap
If you’ve ever stood at a baggage carousel wondering whether your suitcase decided to start a new life without you, these little miracle discs are about to become your new emotional support objects. You get four of them for less than what one official Apple AirTag costs.
My luggage has never actually gone missing (touch wood, touch everything), but the fear lives rent-free in my brain.
Are they as polished as the real thing? No. Do they perform their one job: “Where the hell is my stuff?” -for a fraction of the price? Absolutely!
Perfect for: luggage, backpacks, keys, pets, boyfriends (just kidding… unless?😏) and anything else you’d rather not lose on vacation.
Whenever I toss one into my suitcase, I instantly feel 97% more in control of my life. They’ve already saved me from at least three full meltdowns and one near-panic where my bag decided to take a scenic detour behind the scenes at the airport. Totally worth it.
But it here: LINK
Disclaimer:
FYI: They only work with iPhones. If you’re Android team, there’s a similar version on Temu – haven’t tried it myself but the reviews seem good. (LINK)
7. Backpacks – The Budget Airline Survival Tool
If you travel with budget airlines, you already know the painful truth: sometimes the cost of extra luggage is literally more expensive than the actual flight. Like… why am I paying €19 to fly across Europe but €49 to bring a pair of jeans? Make it make sense.
That’s why a solid backpack is basically essential. Honestly, I’ve visited over 30 countries with just my backpack, and the money I’ve saved on luggage fees could probably fund a trip around the world (which, lucky me, I am doing now).
Here’s the thing: packing for less than 7 days, especially somewhere hot, into a single backpack? Totally doable.
My favorites are: 1.(LINK) 2. (LINK) 3. (LINK)
And this one? (LINK) It even has a compression function, which is basically sorcery that makes your stuff look smaller than it should.
Seriously, backpack + vacuum bags + sachets = the ultimate travel cheat code.
You pack smarter, lighter, cheaper and you get the immense joy of walking past everyone waiting at baggage claim while silently whispering: couldn’t be me.
Final Thoughts: It’ll Arrive Eventually, Probably
One important thing about Temu though: You need to be patient. Shipping takes 1-2 weeks depending on where you’re ordering from (sometimes longer if the shipping gods are feeling moody).
So don’t order this stuff three days before your flight while having a panic attack at 2am.
Order it now. Get it sorted. Have it ready for your next trip.
If you want to put all this new packing power to use, make sure you check out my cheap flights guide next, it’ll help you actually go somewhere with your perfectly packed bag.
Pack like a legend. Fly like a rebel. And may your carry-on always fit.
