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What? You’re still doing your holiday shopping? Check your local bookstores for these maps, because they are genius. Instead of endlessly folding/refolding, you just crumple up this map and throw it in your bag or pocket. Plus, it’s 100% waterproof and includes streets, monuments, museums, art galleries and much more (as in, 10 “SoulSights” to excite you).
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Whether you’re traveling around the world or just around town, these pouches by Pamela Barsky will keep your stuff organized… with a little bit of commentary thrown in. More below.

Main image: How much I have seen Pouch, 7.75in X 6.25in, $15.00
“No matter how much I have seen there is always so much more I have not”.

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Have you ever seen a nicer wash bag? It’s almost too nice to get anywhere near water, though you could protect the leather/suede with a Scotchguard-ish spray and wax. If you’ve cycled through several wash bags in your recent past, it might be time to consider investing in something that will last, not to mention that looks so darn good. It’s worth mentioning it could also be used as a case for gadgets and cables and such.
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MUJI rarely goes wrong, and for that very reason I’m extremely curious how well these suitcases will stand up to the tests of travel. While they don’t meet FAA carry on guidelines (45 linear inches is the maximum), they do look durable and are much more affordable than some other similarly attractive hardcases. More info below.

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If your current travel bag is worse for the wear, consider the Spacepak™, as it’s currently on sale at MoMA Store. The tri-fold case has mesh pockets and compartments to organize your stuff easily and a built-in hook means you can hang it anywhere. If you don’t mind bright orange, it’s a good price for a durable travel toiletry bag.

Made of durable 100% nylon with a bright orange exterior and handle and a gray interior.
Hand-wash only.

If you travel to international destinations more than a couple of times a year, you might want to consider the Global Entry Program. It’s a trusted traveller program that allows speedy passport checks and customs declaration. Upon arrival, you’re able to go straight to the Global Entry kiosks where your passport is read, fingerprint verification is taken, and customs declaration is printed out, all of which takes about 3 minutes. You completely skip the long lines for passport checks, which are usually half an hour or longer (as you might know), and proceed directly to the baggage claim and exit.

I applied/joined last year, as I travelled back and forth from the UK to the US several times, and I fully recommend it. You do have to go through a background check and interview*, which most likely takes an hour total, and it costs about $100 for the application fee, but that quickly becomes well worth the time and money. It’s been incredibly convenient to skip right past the long line for passport checks, and I’ve noticed lately that airports are increasing the amount of kiosks as more people apply (even so, with airports that have two or three kiosks instead of a dozen, I’ve never had anyone in front of me). Interested? Global Entry: How to apply. Also, to check and see if your home city has enrollment centers and kiosks, see the kiosk & terminal maps.
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If adventure has a habit of calling, you might think about having a couple of these GearPods in your pack. Durable watertight containers keep things tidy, with several sorts of options for necessities inside. Whether you go for individual kits (first aid, survival, shelter and cooking) or multi-kit systems (backcountry, frontier, wilderness, etc.), you’ll be prepared for the unexpected. A few are shown below, but check out GearPods for the complete collection.
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For the devout National Public Radio listener and traveler, the NPR Map lists radio stations across the United States that carry programming from National Public Radio. Interstate highways and freeways are shown to locate stations easier, as well as an alphabetized listing of all stations in each state. Who knows, maybe listening to a few episodes of Car Talk may get you out of a pinch if your car breaks down along the way.
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With all the money poured into the razor market, you’d have thought an idea like this would have surfaced back when double blades were the big thing. Made from PP plastic (polypropylene), this handy hanging razor can be recycled once the head is removed. The Hooking Razor can be purchased in a 4-pack at goodjoy’s shop (or if you’re in Europe, denicheuse.com). There’s also a hooking toothbrush, if you’re interested.
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From our archives (originally published January 15, 2010), for your gift list consideration… to see more, visit our Gift Guide.

While this ‘organization system’ looks haphazard and crazy, I think it might be quite useful in organizing all the gadgets and chargers and such that we all know and love/hate. Order out of chaos…

“The Grid-It organization system is a unique weave of rubberized elastic bands made specifically to hold personal objects firmly in place. Designed to provide endless configurations of digital devices and personal effects. Slim design and conveniently sized for your current laptop bag or travel case, lets you easily find what you need. Features rear zippered pocket for additional storage.”

12in X 8.125in

Here’s a smart way to hide valuables when you’re away from home or your hotel. This zippered pocket ‘garment’ is meant to be hung in a closet under a shirt so your important documents and jewelry are safely hidden when you’re out and about.
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Back in March Travelteq’s first product made a pretty impressive debut. Their Trash Bag is a great laptop/office/overnight bag to carry everything you need.

Now they have brought out a bigger bag and it’s a beauty. It’s small enough to fit onboard yet will carry plenty of your kit for a short trip or a long weekend away. It has a ‘kangaroo pocket’ for the stuff you want to get to: laptop, magazine, phone, it has fold-out legs to turn it into a seat when you’ve had enough of traipsing round duty free and with the slightly more expensive Trip Sound you get speakers and an iPhone/Blackberry charger – incredible. It seems like they’ve thought of everything.

Buy yours now for the introductory rate of €595 or €650 for the Trip Sound before it goes back up. Later on they’ll introduce an Italian leather version. Seriously people you’ve got it all.

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Devoid of any embellishment, the Tarpaulin Dry Dopp Kit is a rugged, waterproof toiletries bag in a simple and straightforward package, guranteed to take years of travel abuse.

Material: Industrial grade tarpaulin

Dimensions: 9.75″ x 5.75″ x 4″

No more unpacking? Can it be true? This bag’s accordion strap allows for open shelf storage when hung, meaning you can do without hangers and hotel drawers. When folded, it looks like a normal-ish bag (in reflective material) that’s easy enough to carry around. It’s worth mentioning that the hook looks a little worrisome; if there’s no storage option for it, it might catch on something.

Available in Green, Blue, or Yellow.
Daniele Trebbi 2009
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Do Kiosk owners Alisa Grifo and Marco Romeny have one of the best jobs ever? They travel the world finding the most interesting and unique products and bring them back to sell in their New York store. Each trip they take results in a curated exhibition at the store, together with on-going products from previous exhibitions. Emphasis is placed on goods that are traditionally used and cultural-specific. High-priced “over-designed” products don’t make the cut. Kiosk is a must visit if you’re in New York, but you can always browse their online shop. There really is no store quite like it.

Official Kiosk website:

kioskkiosk.com

Address:

95 Spring Street, Second Floor
New York NY 10012
United States