I have a confession to make: I’m a homebody. I know that’s hard to believe when I’m jetsetting all over the world at every chance. But seriously, although I enjoy discovering new destinations and having new adventures as much as possible, I love coming home more than anything else.
So it’s important to me to be able to bring my home comforts on my travels. Just so I feel at ease, I feel more myself and I don’t get too homesick.
Of course you can’t pack your favourite pillow, your fluffy dressing gown and your Game of Thrones boxsets in your backpack. Unfortunately. I mean, it’s hard enough fitting all of my shoes and bikinis in there. But there are a few things I bring along, that don’t take up too much room and make me feel a lot more at home and relaxed on my trips.
1) Fold-up Slippers
A fluffy dressing gown may be out of the question, but there’s definitely room in your backpack for some fold-up slippers!
In hostels, you’re always walking between dorm rooms and the bathrooms, or up to the kitchen, or to the Front Desk to get the new WiFi password. And you don’t want to bother putting proper shoes on, but you also don’t want to be bare foot. Most people opt for flip flops on occasions like these, but in order to feel more at home, I’m a fan of slippers! I mean, that’s what I would wear at home after all.
Obvs big slippers with 3D dinosaurs on them aren’t going to cut it. But the fold-up variety are great for not taking up too much space in your bag. And Primark do some great budget options!
Or there’s these beauts that don’t need too much space…
2. Care Bear Slippers – ASOS £14.95
3. Pom pom slippers – New Look £7.99
2) Lyons Coffee Bags
This is a new one in my making-me-feel-cosy repertoire. You see, I like drinking coffee on the regs, but it poses a bit of a problem if you’re travelling on a budget. I mean really you only have two options, buying coffees from expensive coffee shops all day which will run down your cash supplies, or lugging around a bulky jar of coffee with you which you don’t exactly have space for.
Enter Lyons Coffee Bags. You see, they’ve now made the coffee equivalent of tea bags. So I can just chuck a few in my bag and use them on the go.
This is mainly useful in hostel situations. I’ve always found that when you’re travelling solo it’s annoying to have to buy things that you’re never going to finish alone – like tubs of butter or bottles of salt. Or in this case, jars of coffee! Now I just need a few sachets of coffee instead, with zero waste.
This was also handy on budget airlines where you need to pay for drinks (hot water is free!) as well as when I’m on long day trips on my travels if I’m budgeting. This was the case on my trip to Lake Bled in Ljubljana last week! I packed a mug on this occasion for photographic effect but it would have been easy to get a to-go cup along with the hot water from the local cafe.
3) Netflix Subscription
I said you couldn’t bring your DVD boxset collection with you, but you don’t need it if you have some kind of TV subscription on your phone!
I know, I know, who needs TV when you’re in a beautiful new country?? Well when you’ve gotten up early to explore, been walking all day, seen the sights, had some adventures and eaten your fill of the local cuisine, there’s nothing like going back to your hostel room and settling down with a chocolate bar and an episode of Orange Is The New Black. I’m a ridiculous TV addict though so nothing relaxes me quite like catching up on the latest episode of my favourite TV shows.
I’ve mentioned Netflix but I also use NowTV for my Greys Anatomy, Game Of Thrones and The Walking Dead fix. I know, I have a problem.
How do you bring your home comforts on your travels? Let me know in the comments below or tweet me @HeelsInBackpack!
Total Blogger Transparency: This post was sponsored by Lyons but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I wouldn’t play you like that, shorty.