Solid and Zero-Waste Travel Toiletries Checklist

We are preparing for full time travel around-the-world as a family of four. When choosing travel toiletries, we kept these criteria in mind:

  1. Good for long-term travel
  2. Mostly solid toiletries
  3. Preferably zero-waste, low-waste, or reusable containers
  4. Natural or non-toxic ingredients

Hopefully each item we packed falls into at least two of these categories. It would be quite a challenge to pack a toiletries bag full of personal care products that each have all of these characteristics!

Our travel toiletries are organized into three bags: a wet dry clutch containing solid toiletries; a wet/dry clutch containing our laundry kit; and a quart sized clear bag containing liquids, gels, and pastes. You can watch our video to see the contents of each bag, and find links on the checklists below.

Solid Travel Toiletries Checklist

Solid Travel Toiletries

We packed our solid toiletries in a Logan and Lenora Waterproof Clutch (an older version than the one currently available). That way anything that is wet when we check out of a hotel room can go in the waterproof pocket.

We tried bamboo toothbrushes in the past, which are a popular zero waste option, but I didn’t like the texture in my mouth. This time we are trying biodegradable plant-based plastic toothbrushes for the gown ups and recycled plastic toothbrushes for the kids.

Travel Laundry Kit Checklist

Travel Laundry Kit

We will mostly rent apartments through Airbnb that have a washing machine, so I will be able to wash our clothes. I am also brining supplies for washing and lanolizing my daughter’s wool diaper covers. I’m actually excited about doing laundry while traveling! It will be nice to have a washing machine in our unit, rather than the coin-operated laundry room down the hall that we currently use.

Our travel laundry kit is packed in a Blueberry Waterproof Clutch. That way, any wet bars of wool wash or stain remover can be placed in the waterproof pocket.

Zero-Waste Liquid Travel Toiletries Checklist

Zero-Waste Liquid Travel Toiletries

We are packing toiletries that are liquids, gels, and pastes in a reusable clear quart-sized bag from Planet Wise. Some of these items may not fall under the 3-1-1 liquids rule, but I packed them together just in case! The 3-1-1 Rule for flying with liquids in a carry-on bag allows you to bring:

3.4 ounces (100ml) containers, packed in 1 quart-sized clear bag, and 1 bag per person

Toiletries for all members of our family are packed together, so we are just taking one quart-sized bag of liquids for the whole family.

Not all of these items are zero-waste, low-waste, or packed in plastic-free containers, but I did my best.

What travel toiletries do you like to pack?