The Koehler Family is back in the travel game and my heart couldn’t be happier. It has felt like an eternity since we have been on the go, but this summer we traveled abroad to Europe and I have caught the travel bug again! We hadn’t left the country in so long that I almost forgot what to back, but luckily I still had a note in my phone titled, “Must-Have International Travel Essentials.”

And I am so glad I packed everything on the list because I honestly don’t know what I would have done without these six items.

If you’re planning a trip out of the country, you’re also going to want to have them on hand!

MUST-HAVE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

1. International Plugs

If you have never traveled out of the country before it might be news to you that electric outlets are not universal. I know the first time I traveled abroad I was completely clueless about this. If I hadn’t stumbled upon a blog all about international travel must-haves, I wouldn’t have purchased plug adapters and all of my electronics would have been useless. Think, curling irons, blow dryers, chargers, anything requiring power wouldn’t work.

So save yourself the hassle and frustration and be sure to purchase a pack of international adapter plugs to stay powered up during your trip.

You can find my favorites here!

2. Small diffuser

The Koehler family simply cannot function without our diffusers. No matter where we go, I am always sure to travel with essential oils and a small diffuser. We diffuse as soon as we get into our room to rid the air of any stale smells or nasty perfumes. We also use the diffuser each night to help us all get a full night of sleep. And if someone would happen to come down with a cold, you know we also have oils to diffuse for support. Bottom line, pack a diffuser. You won’t be short on reasons to use it.

Pro tip: Pack a Desert Mist Diffuser without the cover to save space in your suitcase. 

My favorite diffuser for travel is included here!

3. Thieves spray

Dirty hands? Thieves Spray. Filthy restaurant table? Thieves Spray. Airplane tray? Thieves Spray. Messy kids? Thieves Spray. Public Transportation? Thieves Spray.

Should I go on? There are nearly a million reasons to need Thieves Spray with traveling abroad. I honestly cannot even tell you how many times I used mine during our two weeks in Europe. It’s so small and compact, making it easy to pack in any bag, but it makes such a huge impact on cleanliness while you’re on the go!

Get a bottle (or 10) now!

4. Thieves Laundry Soap

If you are anything like me, you are going to want to do laundry while traveling. And if you’re really like me, you want to clean your clothes with your own laundry soap. For me, I use nothing but Thieves Laundry Soap and make no exception, even when traveling internationally.

I know that doing laundry on vacation is the last thing anyone wants to do, but taking some time to wash clothes really helps cut down on how many things you have to pack. And it also ensures you can clean clothes that get dirty before stains set in. Mark and I took an afternoon to wash clothes in our bathtub while in Europe and it was actually something that will become a core memory for me. You can make anything magical when you’re in a foreign country. Even laundry.

And you don’t have to bring the entire bottle, just transfer a few cap fulls into a small travel container and wash your clothes whenever you have the opportunity.

Get your Thieves Laundry Soap here!

5. Packing cubes

Whatever genius invented packing cubes deserves an award. They have truly changed the game for packing, especially when you’re sharing a suitcase with four other people. Each of us got our own set of cubes and used them to help keep our luggage compact and organized.

Now, I won’t lie to you and tell you our suitcases came back in order, but I can promise they left neatly organized.

Pro tip: When packing, include a packing cube of everyone’s things in each suitcase. That way if some of your luggage goes missing on the flight, each person still has access to some of their things!

Check out my favorite packing cubes here!

6. Small luggage scale

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the surprise of my luggage being too heavy to bring home. Especially when they charge a huge fee for heavy bags. That’s why we always travel with a small luggage scale. It’s a super compact, handheld scale that helps you ensure all of your souvenirs aren’t too heavy to get home.

Having a luggage scale has saved me more times than I can count. They are totally worth having and including on any trip that requires air travel.

Find my favorite one here!

When it comes to packing, I could bring everything but the kitchen sink. But over the years I have learned how to scale back and only bring what’s necessary. So when I tell you these are my must-have international travel essentials, I mean it. They are the non-negotiable items that I simply can’t travel without and you shouldn’t either.

Whether you are headed to Barcelona or the beach, you need all 6 of these items to make your life easier and your trip more enjoyable! Be sure to check out my favorites and include them on your next trip abroad!