7 Must Pack Roadtrip Items

I've been living on the road for Why I Farm Roadtrip over two and a half months. When you're spending every night in a different place, you learn pretty fast. I'm done making rookie mistakes. Now that I'm well on my way to becoming a 50 stater, I've learned less is more when it comes to packing. But, there are a few things I won't travel without. Here are seven items that always make the cut.

1. Good sunglasses - For the longest time I carried around a bunch of cheap sunglasses I got for free from events I went to in college. Bad choice. They work, but they're broken or scratched when you dig for them at the bottom of your bag and they fall off when bend over. When space is at a premium, I can't afford to waste it on 7 pairs of flimsy, scratched up sunglasses. Finally, I upgraded to an decent pair at TJ Maxx. I only spent 10 bucks, and it was so worth it. They stay on my face and have held up to the abuse of my on the go lifestyle.

2. Chacos - Chacos sent me a pair of Z/2 Classics with Pixel Weave webbings a few weeks into the Why I Farm Roadtrip. Unfortunately, they came when I was already on the road. It took every ounce of patience I had to wait for July 15 when I could pick them up. Since I got them, they've been my go to shoe every single day. (And they don't even stink!) I put them to the test walking several miles around Boston and exploring fairs around the country. I can wear them all day long and my feet never hurt. Especially in the summer, my feet get tired of the boots I wear on farm visits. My Chacos let them breathe without sacrificing support like the flip flops I used to wear. For the cherry on top, I can wear them with cute capris if I'm headed to an event, but they don't look weird when I'm running errands in gym shorts and a t-shirt. Get yourself some Chacos.

3. Durable phone case - These days, your smartphone is the MVP of a road trip. It's your GPS, camera, and means of communication. Take care of it. From the start, I knew I would be in a world of hurt if something happened to my phone, so I made sure I had a good phone case. My Otterbox and glass screen protector have survived over 20,000 miles of my butterfingers and they're still going strong.

4. Smart luggage - This is one more thing I'm glad I did my research on before I packed. You can check out my packing posts for more details, but I thought through every bag or container that's been on this trip. When I'm driving my own car, my wardrobe is in drawers. All I take into a hotel or house is a backpack with toiletries and a change of clothes. When I fly, everything besides my purse fits in two roller bags. (One checked, one carry on.) Put bags in bags to stay organized. My Lowepro backpack holds every cord, battery and memory storage imaginable plus my laptop, audio recorder and camera. Grab that bag and I'm set for an interview or productive afternoon in Starbucks. Since I'm traveling alone, it's important that I'm able to carry everything by myself in one trip.

5. Plenty of pens - Even with all of today's technology, we still use pens more than you'll realize - until you don't have one. They don't take up much space so stash a few in your glove box, purse, and backpack for the next time you need to take down a phone number or address.

6. Cheap flip flops - If you're roadtripping on a budget like me, chances are you'll be catching a shower or two at a gym, truck stop or camp ground. Many of these are surprisingly clean, but they're still a public shower. No matter how clean they look, I always wear flip flops. The cheap ones from Old Navy have been my go to for years.

7. Baseball cap - Let's face it, there's not the time or place to do your hair when you're on the road. Thank goodness there's baseball caps. Pack a neutral colored one for those bad hair days. They're great for a little shade too.

You can find the specific products I've packed, or similar, on the pages I've linked. Happy packing! Thanks for reading!

Disclosure: I was provided a pair of Chacos sandals for the purposes of this review, no further compensation was received. All opinions on this blog are honest and my own.