8 Reasons Why a Foldable, Reusable Bag is an Essential Travel Item

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Are you looking for 10 Things Not to Do in New York City? Sorry, but my pin was leading to the wrong post. Check out my best local tips here. If you want to read about why I love foldable, reusable bags for travel, keep reading!

One of the most surprising yet useful travel item I carry with me is the foldable, reusable bag. There’s always a few situations during a trip when this nifty item smaller than the palm of my hand that fits in any bag, purse, or jacket pocket comes in handy!

Although I’ve found it to be useful many times, it still never fails to amaze me how useful having a foldable, reusable bag is when traveling. Perhaps I’m easily amazed… Read on for the eight reasons why you should bring a foldable, reusable bag with you on your next trip!

Prepare for the one bag carry on limit if you have valuables in your bag.

Many budget airlines only allow for one carry-on luggage but there’s often a caveat. If you have a carry on suitcase (instead of a backpack or laptop bag) and the plane is full, they might take your suitcase and check it in.

Before they take your suitcase, you’ll want to take out your valuables, and since you don’t have a backpack because of the one carry on limit, you’ll have to juggle all your stuff in your hands until you get on the plane and stuff it in the pouch at your seat.

That is, unless you have a foldable, reusable bag! You can pull that baby out, unfold it, and use it to carry your valuables.

This tip is also found in my best tips for flying with a budget airline post.

Work around the one carry on limit.

Some budget airlines are really strict about the one carry on limit so to adhere to the rules, you might wear your travel pillow around your neck and have your pockets brimming with stuff that didn’t fit into your one bag.

Once you get to your seat, you can unfold the reusable bag, and empty the water bottle, sandwich, toiletries, and other items you stuffed into your pocket to meet the one carry on limit.

You can even take out stuff you want during the flight from your carry on so you have it easily accessible. Don’t you think this is a convenient work around to having a second bag on a flight?

This tip is also found in my best tips for flying with a budget airline post.

Save money on buying plastic bags.

Some countries like the Netherlands charge you for buying plastic bags even in grocery or chain stores like Forever 21. Some establishments don’t even offer any or give you thin bags that rip easily. Keep a foldable, reusable bag in your bag, purse, or even pocket to avoid having to buy a plastic bag.

This tip is also found in my local Amsterdam travel tips post.

Be kind to your hands.

Even if a store gives out plastic bags for free, holding a reusable bag with a cloth handle is much more comfortable than holding a plastic bag that starts to thin out and strain your hand. This is especially true when what you buy is heavy like bottles of water or a ton of fruits and veggies to cook at your Airbnb. Make your hands more comfy and pull out your reusable bag!

Use it to hold your jacket when you’re warm.

Holding your jacket over your arm at a museum or walking around the city is annoying, and wrapping it around your waste is so 3rd grade! The reusable bag doesn’t completely solve the problem of not wanting to hold anything, but it is much nicer to hold a reusable bag in your hand or the crease of your elbow than a jacket over your arm.

If you want to be completely hands free, you could get the Lewis N. Clark lightweight backpack with straps.

Love the earth you explore.

Flying is bad for the environment because of its large carbon footprint, but greenhouse gasses or not, us wanderlusters simply can’t forgo flying. There are little ways to be greener such as saying no thanks to any plastic or paper bags while traveling and using your handy reusable bag that’s tucked away in your pocket for any situation.

Keep your hands free while exploring.

If you have a backpack or daypack that can’t fit anymore souvenirs or goodies you buy, then you can pull out the reusable bag, unfold it, put stuff in it, and tie it onto your bag. Then you’ll continue to be hands free while you explore, especially if you have this Lewis N. Clark lightweight backpack with straps that folds up into a bag the size of your palm!

Buy it directly on their website or on Amazon.

Can you see why a foldable, reusable bag is an essential travel item? Check out these reusable bags from Amazon. You get a few with one order so you can throw them in various bags, or give them out as gifts.

Thanks for stopping by! xo.

Feel free to reach out to me via Instagram with any questions.

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