A FREQUENT traveller has revealed the £1 item she always takes on holiday – and it’s perfect in an emergency.
TV travel expert Samantha Brown, who hosts the American travel show Places to Love, recently posted a photo about the six non-tech items she can’t travel without.
Several obvious items made the shortlist, including the likes of a small towel, sunglasses, a pen/pencil and plasters.
However, two other more unusual items also appeared on her post, one of which was duct tape.
Brown detailed why she always packs the household item in a video on Instagram.
She said: “You can tape up those dangling cords of shades or drapes that are really dangerous. You can tape over electrical outlets.”
There are a myriad of other ways Brown uses duct tape when she travels too.
The TV host uses it to fix anything that might break and to child-proof – or pet-proof – hotels and apartments.
For example, she uses the duct tape to soften sharp edges where young children could potentially bang their heads.
Even though holidaymakers can purchase travel-sized duct tape, she recommends packing a full-size roll in a fun colour.
While it may seem like an odd item to pack, the TV host isn’t the only frequent traveller who packs duct tape in her suitcase.
Ashley Kosciolek, who writes for the Points Guy, is another globetrotter who makes sure to pack a roll of duct tape.
She told Express.co.uk: “Two years ago I was travelling home for Thanksgiving and decided to gate-check my hard-sided carry-on luggage.
“When I picked it up at the end of the flight, it was cracked in two places and had a giant hole at the top.
“Thankfully, I had a roll of duct tape inside so I patched it up for the duration of my trip.”
Kosciolek said the household item had other uses on the go, such as attaching paper luggage tags to her suitcases just so they don’t get lost.
She even said it is good for “removing lint and mending torn clothing”.
Duct tape can be purchased for as little as £1.50 at supermarket chains like Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
OTHER CHEAP TRAVEL ITEMS
Another item holidaymakers have been raving about are carabiner clips.
Although they’re typically used by hikers and climbers, the nifty items can come in handy when packing for a holiday.
AFAR magazine wrote: “A carabiner clipped to the outside of your bag can be useful; it can hold an extra pair of shoes, a water bottle, a hat, or a jacket.”
If you’re using carabiner clips on the side of your cabin bag, make sure it adheres to the airline’s hand luggage restrictions.
Anyone wishing to pack with a carabiner clip can easily buy a ten-pack on Amazon for just £7.99 – working out at less than 79p each.
Plenty of people nowadays swear by packing cubes to help make packing easier.
The cubes save space in suitcases and prevent people from overpacking, while also making it much easier for them to organise their belongings.
An eight piece collection of the cubes can be bought on Amazon from £9.99, or £1.25 per cube.
The Sun Travel team’s holiday essentials
WITH decades of experience and hundreds of countries under their belt, the Sun Travel team have shared some of the essential items they always pack on a trip.
Here are some of the game-changing items we always pack – and some will barely cost you a thing.
- Lisa Minot, Head of Travel – Global travel plug with USB (£64)
- Caroline McGuire, Travel Editor – Hotel Slippers
- Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor – Pack of 40 earplugs (£40)
- Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor – 1 litre water bottle (£8.99)
- Ryan Gray, Travel Reporter – Bluetooth eye mask (£16.50)
- Giuli Graziano, Travel Writer – AirTag luggage location tracker (£29.99).
Meanwhile, this travel pro showed how to fit a week’s worth of clothing into hand luggage.
And Sun Online Travel’s resident flight attendant explained why cabin crew aren’t necessarily bothered by Tiktok packing hacks.