I have a tremendous amount of travel coming up this Fall. I’m hitting the road to promote my new cookbook Homemade Decadence, and I can’t wait to meet you, sign your book, and find the very best doughnut in every city I visit. I’ll post more about the tour soon. We’re still ironing out the details. In the meantime I’m gathering my travel essentials because hitting the road without my favorite scarf and granola bar is just not cool at all.
I love to get-gone. Travel feeds my brain and soul. Travel also means leaving the comforts and variety of my closet and medicine cabinet. I think packing should be extremely intentional with just a hint of indulgence. We’re going to need the basics along with a few luxuries that we can enjoy along with our super special hotel room service. We’re going for healthy, stress-free, happy travel. Here are a few things that help!
1 • I always pack away a Filtering Water Bottle in my carry-on. With a charcoal filter built into the cap, I can make drinking water out of any faucet! This comes in really handy in hotels that charge $8 for the bottle of water tempting me from the mini-bar. I’m just sure to keep the bottle empty until I’m through airport security. They love to snatch these little gems full of water and then lecture me.
2 • For as much as I talk about nail polish, you’d think my nails are immaculate. False. I’m usually rocking some sort of nail disarray. I travel with these Nail Polish Remover Pads because I don’t want to get caught with janky nails when I have an important meeting.
3 • This Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy Nail Polish is the fastest and easiest polish on the go. Two coats go on super easy and even, no base coat needed. This is the best nail polish for an in-bed self-manicure. You know?
4 • I’m not above the quick hand wash of a shirt in a hotel room sink. There was usually some sort of barbecue sauce accident that requires the use of these Travel Laundry Detergent Pouches. Also, one of these Tide To-Go in the purse is a really good idea where delicious food and silk are combined.
5 • I don’t like to pile powder on my face so these Oil Absorbing Face Papers are perfect on the go. They absorb any excess shine without adding more gunk… sometimes makeup feels like gunk.
6 • This creamy and smooth Pumpkin Face Mask is amazing! It’s all-natural pumpkin and alpha-hydroxy acids for skin rejuvenation. There’s also cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger which makes the pumpkin mask feel like pie in the best way. I just spoon a bit into a carry-on toiletry container and head out!
7 • A headache. I won’t stand for it. Usually it’s just that I need to drink an entire bottle of water to rehydrate, but these flat / no-water-needed / on-the-go Headache Medicine pouches are soooo good to go!
8 • It’s important that I get my greens even when I’m on the road eating all of the doughnuts. I just pack away a few Aloha Daily Green packs and shake them into a small bottle or orange juice. It’s great as an immunity and energy boost!
9 • I never understood the need for a luxury like Evian Face Spray until I was on a plane for 13 hours straight. That’s not a humble brag. .. it’s more of a cry for help from my dry skin! The recycled air on airplanes will quickly dry out my skin, so a quick spray feels both necessary and luxurious.
10 • I’m an angry person if I don’t have Hand Lotion when I need it. I’ve gone so far as to rub chapstick on my hands. Desperate times.
11 • Traveling well has a lot to do with maintaining proper moisture levels. Face spray, hand lotion and now the most indulgent of all: EyeDew Eye Pads. They’re a wonderful treat for under eye moisture. Definitely a treat!
12 • Plane travel requires a security blanket. This Traveling Scarf is made of woven Turkish cotton and is super cozy, comfortable, and multi-purpose. It can be a bath towel, beach towel, neck warmer, or head scarf.
13 • I like having power in my purse. This External iPhone / USB charger ensure that my phone doesn’t die and I don’t have to glue myself to a crowded airport outlet.
14 • I’m generally at my best when I’m well moisturized and not hungry. I always have a Kind Bars or some sort of chocolate in my purse. It’s all about keeping hangry at bay.
15 • The stress of finding enough overhead storage space for a carry-on is an issue I want to forever erase from my travel brain. I’ve been challenging myself to only pack what can fit in an Under Seat Carry On and the liberation of less is real!
I hope this is a help to you if you’re hitting the road this Fall or this holiday (too soon?) season! Last tip… don’t be the person that carries the giant travel pillow through the airport. Those dang things are inflatable now, thank goodness.
Becky
Do you have signing dates yet? Soooo hoping you come to Chicago!
Madison
When you finally come to Canada, Calgary in particular we will have donuts at jelly modern donut and you will fall in love and never be able to enjoy other donuts again
joythebaker
i like these words!
Natalie
Do you own any of those travel scarves? They look so soft. I was curious of the quality and thickness of them. I travel frequently and you’ve put together such a helpful list- thanks!
shelly
i have asbolutely done the chapstick on my hands thing. why does soap have to be so drying!!!
Rachel
Those bubble bottles are the best thing ever, right?
Suzanne C
I feel you about the hand lotion. We keep about 8 bottles around the house (& it’s a small house), so that there never has to be a hissy-fit thrown.
shellbelle
Joy, I really hope you weren’t joking when you said you were going to find the best donut in every city! I am heading to the USA in January and have actually been looking online for donut stores in each place we are going to! I wish I was joking. So I hope you share your favourites with us! x
kristonlion
speaking of Joy the Baker essentials… I thought of you yesterday when I bought my first BLAZER!
joythebaker
i LOVE you.
Annie
Thank you so much. I love to travel and try to make it as enjoyable as possible. These things will help and I will put them on my list. Excited about the book tour!! Hope that you are coming to the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC area!!!! Lots of good doughnuts and stuff here!!!
Lynn @ The Actor's Diet
I need a new water bottle – I love this idea! Though I’m hoping I don’t leave it unscrewed in my bag, like my last one…
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion
Great collection of supplies that we always need:)
ajmilad
I NEED that traveling scarf, just for life. Also, please pretty please with a cherry on top come to Boston. We like you here, and pretty soon it’s going to be cold cold cold and I will only be leaving the house to buy more flour and sugar (and see you, duh), so more baking inspiration will be welcome!
Jacqueline
The empty water bottle is my #1 airport trick! I also like a travel sized pack of baby wipes, because they are an all-purpose body freshener. I like those nail polish remover pads, I will have to check those out.
Andi
I am so glad I am not the only one who has used chapstick on her hands in desperation. In most things, I’m pretty low maintenance, but LOTION. I cannot live without it.
Amy Grossman
I am eagerly waiting for your book tour and your new book! I live in Brooklyn, NY. I hope you are either in Brooklyn or Manhatten. I am such an over packer, this list is great. Right after I read this post, u went to Amazon and purchased your overnight bag. I’ll be in DC next a eek! how perfect?
Alessandra // the foodie teen
i love, love, love that spray, and one of my travel essentials is the latest few episodes of the JTB podcast – i save them up for a few weeks before I go so I can listen on the go and have people stare at me laughing out loud for no reason :) hope you have an amazing time on tour, joy!
Anne
when i first started traveling with those water bottles, like 7 years ago, airport securtiy always pulled them out and inspected them becuase they had no idea what was going on! haha
Tulips Apothecary
I love your list of travel items but I must recommend something for the lips I think you would like…
https://www.etsy.com/listing/163428821/pumpkin-pout-organic-pumpkin-spice-1oz
Jamie
This list makes me want to travel more. My essentials now would include an iPad to entertain the toddler, not to mention fishy crackers, but I’m adding Aloha tabs and Evian face spray to my list!
Taylor
I’m headed to LA in a few weeks and it’s my first time on a plane as an adult, so this list definitely comes in handy! I love the water bottle idea because I really am a person that needs to stay super hydrated as well!
xoxo
Taylor
Louise
I like this! Now I just have to figure out what I’m going to wear to your King Arthur Flour Baking Class when I see you in Vermont! :)
fusilliamy
i’ve been anxiously awaiting your book tour info! I hope I get a chance to come out and see you to give you all the high fives and support.
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
That scarf, swoon! What a beauty. I always want to be that fancy lady that has the travel essentials, but I never do. I need to get on it!
joythebaker
it’s not hard! just gather a few of your favorite things and you’re on your way! i believe in you!
molly yeh
i have just become addicted to kind bars!!! i can’t leave the house without one in my bag, the BEST for curbing hangriness. and i have been wondering about that revlon gel polish! i’ve almost bought it on five separate occasions, but i think i just need to go for it.
joythebaker
the revlon gel polish is so great, molly! go for it!
Rachel Taylor
If you come to DC, you’ve gotta try the maple bacon donut at Astro Doughnuts. Insaaanely good!
joythebaker
those words are music to my ears!!
Ella
Hand lotion is so, so important to me, everyday but especially when I travel! That Traveling Scarf looks so cool, I might have to grab it before flying out to NYC in Feb. Thanks for sharing these picks!
https://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
Helen
This is so helpful – I hope I can get hold of those eye thingies and pumpkin mask. Thanks jtb. Also great suggestion on the Evian spray – it also is great for aches too, weirdly it really helped me deal with pain in labour: So recommended for lady cramps too!
joythebaker
i believe it!
bhvhankes
If you come to Boston (please do!), your doughnut stop should be Union Square Donuts – https://unionsquaredonuts.com/. Sea salted bourbon caramel. Maple bacon. Brown butter hazlenut crunch. Oh yes!
Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table
I love the Evian face spray recommendation! I usually just sprinkle some regular water on my face, but it dries out so quickly… This may be a better solution for long flights.
cateinthekitchen
I never usually enjoy posts like this but you write so well I read to the end! Best wishes for book touring, look forward to hearing about the doughnuts!x
scifimama
If you go to Charleston (SC of course) you need to find Glazed on King St…but get there early cause the best stuff sells out