The ADHD Travel Essentials I Can't Live Without
Just over a year ago, I was diagnosed with ADHD; I wasn't surprised in the slightest. Whilst I believe it has uplifted me in some areas of my life (my creativity especially), it makes other things harder.
Travelling with ADHD presents unique challenges but also opportunities for enrichment and enjoyment.
I have had many travelling disasters over the years, but I have learnt from my mistakes and have put together this travel essentials guide for my ADHD friends to help you avoid the things I have done.
AirTag EVERYTHING
Using AirTags or similar tracking devices when you travel can significantly enhance your peace of mind and make your trip more enjoyable and stress-free.
Things I AirTag when travelling:
- My car at the airport (so I can find it when I return).
- My keys (one time I got a cab home as I thought I lost my car keys, then I found them in my bag when I got home).
- My passport (I once left it one a plane and for 24 hours had an anxious wait to get it back again, not knowing if it was in England, on the plane, or still in Italy).
- Hire car (I can't tell you how many times I have forgotten where i park).
- My handbag
- My purse
- My luggage
- My backpack
- My hard drives even now have AirTags taped to them
You can find passport holders with an AirTag slot in them, I have this one from Amazon.
I also recommend this AirTag keyring for your house and car keys.
Create packing lists
This one seems pretty normal and done by the average person, but I don't know how many times I have left my packing too late, shoved some stuff in a bag and forgotten important things.
Create a multiple packing lists in the notes app on your phone. Different lists could include weekend breaks, hot long-haul holidays, European city breaks, cold trips, cruises, just make one for every scenario possible.
A packing list helps ensure you remember to bring all necessary items, from clothing and toiletries to important documents and electronics. This is particularly crucial for items that might not be easily replaceable during your travels.
Having a list to check off can significantly speed up the packing process, reducing last-minute rushes and the stress that comes with it. It also makes repacking easier, ensuring you leave nothing behind when returning home.
By knowing exactly what you have packed, you can avoid buying duplicates of items you already have but forgot to pack.
Invest in a travel planner
Using a travel planner, whether it's a digital app or a physical notebook, can significantly enhance your travel experience by offering structure, efficiency, and peace of mind.
I prefer a physical planner. This can help avoid disaster if you lose phone battery, but also the ADHD satisfaction of writing everything down never gets old!
By having a physical travel planner, you can keep all your travel details in one place, such as flight times, accommodation addresses, and tour bookings. I recommend printing out ALL your flight, hotel and transfer details and sticking them into the planner.
Amazon do a range of travel planners, I use this one.
Don't forget a portable charger
If you're anything like me, you will wake up in the morning and realise you forgot to put your phone on charge or forgot to turn it on at the wall.
By travelling with a portable charger, you can keep your devices topped up so you are never caught short and will continue to be able to access maps and your credit cards via your mobile device.
I can recommend the Otterbox portable fast charger.
Travel with Eye Masks and Earplugs
I don't know about you, but I am a terrible sleeper, almost anything will distract me. Make sure you pack an eye mask and some ear plugs to help manage sleep in less than ideal conditions, like bright or noisy environments.
I recommend a silk eye mask like this one as it is soft and kinder to your skin.
If you aren't keen on ear plugs, invest in some decent noise cancelling headphones. I recommend small earbuds like these from Sony, which also have an ambient sound mode, so they are comfortable to sleep in.
Check your cloud storage
Last summer I left my phone on a train in Marseille, as usual my first thought was my photos! Somehow, I got the phone back, someone kind handed it in, but I decided to check my iCloud storage and upgrade it.
For years my iCloud was telling me it was full so hadn't backed up in something like 2 years. I opted to pay for extra storage so I can travel with the peace of mind everything is backing up. If something did go seriously wrong with my phone, my precious memories are safe.
Invest in packing cubes
I did not understand the hype of packing cubes until I bought some myself. Suddenly my circus of a suitcase finally has some grace and decorum.
Packing cubs not only help me categorise my clothing types, but also helps keep my worn clothes away from my clean.
Having a designated cube for different types of items (e.g., daywear, evening wear, underwear) can speed up both packing and unpacking. Unpacking can be as simple as transferring cubes from your suitcase to a drawer.
I use these packing cubes which also include storage for accessories and toiletries.
Choose a backpack over a handbag
This is a bit of a random one, but I now travel with a backpack rather than a handbag.
You can't be so lazy with a backpack, when you need to put something in it you have to take it offer your back, and also zip it up!
I find with a handbag it is too easy to 'stuff' things in there quickly as its hanging on my arm. I tell myself I will tidy it up but I never do. My handbags end up like a bomb has exploded, I can never find anything, and I lose things when I am frantically pulling things out my bag looking for my passport.
I can recommend this backpack, not only does it fit standard carry on dimensions, but the pockets make it easy to organise yourself, and it even contains a phone charger!.
