Best Gifts for Travellers who Always Overpack

Updated: September 25, 2026

Got a friend that’s always bringing a suitcase bigger than them on holiday? Or maybe that’s you – we’re here to bring you some accessories that will help you to pack a bit less. And trust us, you don’t really need twenty pairs of pants!

Chelsea at Bongkok airport luggage carousel with a suitcase

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Don’t want to go to the laundrette or bring 279219 pairs of pants? Enter the Scrubba – I tested it in a hotel bathroom sink and it worked a treat!

It was really easy to use however it does come with a hefty price tag. It may be better suited to camping or road trips as a last resort rather than on a normal holiday.

This power bank has been my go to for the last few months. The size is its draw, and it’s only about the size of two Airpods or a small digital camera! It has 45W and 1,000mAh battery.

It has two USB C ports and one USB port, and the handle itself actually is a cable that can be used in the USB C port to charge your devices as well as charge the power bank itself.

This comes with me on pretty much every trip. A full charge will last the Kindle for weeks, but it’s also a USB-C charger. I love how small this one is – it fits in my Uniqlo bag!

Read safely by the pool as it’s waterproof!  It’s also easy on the eyes with an adjustable warm backlight, and readable even in the glare of the sun.

Collapsible and foldable water bottle that holds 750ml and weighs around 35g without liquid. The bottle is BPA free and I like that there’s a clear panel so you can see inside the bottle.

It also comes with a carabiner so you could clip it onto luggage – and the carabiner works to hold the bottle in place when it’s rolled up.

Chelsea with Hydramate water bottle

When people tell me they pack an extension cord to go away with them, all I can think is that they obviously don’t have one of these!

There’s loads of options but this one is the best I’ve ever used and it has both USB-C and USB 2.0 plugs which is really handy. It also allows me to charge several devices all at once, without the speed of charging going down because it supports PD3.0 & QC3.0 fast charging. One of the USB-C PD ports can even reach an incredible high speed of 70W.

This is a set of six from Eono  who make a bunch of different cool travel items from packing cubes to microfibre towels. I’ve had this set for years too and taken them on many trips.

I like that the mesh panel on the front allows your clothes to breathe and you can easily identify what’s inside. These cubes are all slightly different sizes allowing you to pack all sorts inside. We’ve also got an article ranking all the compression packing cubes we’ve tried.

This is a dupe of the more expensive Flat Lay Co makeup bags – they come with a drawstring and lay all your makeup out flat in front of you, and when it’s time to go, you just swoop it all up again! These come in a variety of colours but I think the leopard print is quite funky.

I have a Flat Lay Co one and really like it, but if you’re on a budget these ones work great too.

Best Luxury Travel Gifts for People Who Have Everything
Looking for a gift for someone who loves travel, but also has expensive taste? Or the person who seems to have everything? Look no further!

These bags come with a small wireless electric pump and the air was sucked out of this in seconds!! It’s super powerful and the pump itself is pretty light and compact. It’s wireless so you just need to charge it up first, then you can use it – which would be a real drawback if you realised you needed to pack quickly!

The vac bag was pretty damn compact at the end and I was really impressed with this.

James has just bought out this compression wardrobe to try out – it’s definitely got a more premium pricetag but might help keep things organised! It comes with a hook to hang anywhere and three separate compartments and the third one has a divider which means it’s great for socks and underwear.

Mous also says that it’s water resistant and made from durable, rough nylon.

Chelsea with kindle
Chelsea with kindle

Want to feel prepared for any weather but have limited packing space? Check out this teeny tiny lightweight umbrella that is so small you can fit it in your pocket.

Now there’s no excuse to not be prepared, and avoid ducking into an overpriced tourist shop to buy a massive umbrella that you can’t even take home with you.

I have had this coat for years and taken it on so many trips! It keeps me super warm and packs down really small with its convenient pouch that’s great for travel. It comes in various colours and is water resistent.

The PUFFTECH technology is lightweight, warm, and resistant to moisture and humidity which means you’ll stay warm and dry without feeling sticky!

The Best Compression Packing Cubes for Travel
We bought and tested popular compression packing cubes to find the best options for saving space, staying organised, and making travel packing easier.

These are a cheaper alternative for the Cadence capsules that I was gifted – and I actually think these are decent for being so much cheaper!

Now they won’t be exactly the same as Cadence does have a patented design, but if you can’t stomach paying £40+ for three little pots, these might be up your street.

Hopefully you (or your friend 👀) will find it easier to pack less with these accessories and gadgets. They’d also make a lovely gift – I’ve used all of these myself too as someone that almost always travels with hand luggage only!

About Chelsea Dickenson

Chelsea Dickenson is the founder of Holiday Expert and a UK travel expert known for helping people travel smarter without overspending. Trusted by over 1 million followers across her social platforms, Chelsea’s known for not only sharing helpful travel advice, but testing out travel hacks and those deals that seem too good to be true.

As well as her social content online, you can find Chelsea on the sofa on This Morning as one of their regular travel experts, and writing for the Metro in her monthly column – as well as popping up as a guest expert across other media publications.

She also keeps followers updated with topical articles on Holiday Expert, the best deals on her weekly newsletter and the most interesting travel stories on her podcast, The Holiday Expert Show.

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