The 10 Items You’re Most Likely to Forget While Packing for a Trip

Packing a suitcase seems simple … at least until you reach your destination and realize what didn’t make it inside. A new analysis of more than a thousand traveler confessions on Reddit, performed by the Ireland-based travel insurance provider Just Cover, shows that the most commonly forgotten items aren’t luxuries like books or extra shoes—they’re everyday essentials that can make or break a trip.

Medication tops the list. For some travelers, it’s routine prescriptions that suddenly become impossible to replace abroad. Others report leaving behind life-saving items like EpiPens. Forgetting a pill bottle isn’t just inconvenient; it can create a crisis if you can’t track down a replacement.

Close behind are basics like hairbrushes and underwear—items so ordinary that they’re easy to overlook. Chargers are another frequent casualty of last-minute packing; this can be a huge issue when phones are serving as everything from a boarding pass to a GPS system to an entertainment hub. Some even mentioned forgetting their passports at home.

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The list also includes less serious forgotten items like hairbrushes, socks, and pajamas. While it’s likely annoying to any traveler who left these items behind, they can at least be replaced while traveling. But losing phone power can grind a vacation to a halt, and forgetting a passport can end a trip before it begins.

Together, the confessions show that people tend to forget either the things they use every single day or the ones they only need occasionally but can’t travel without.

The 10 Items Travelers Most Often Leave Behind, According to Reddit Threads

1. Medication: 66 mentions
2. Hairbrush: 64 mentions
3. Underwear: 55 mentions
4. Charger: 49 mentions
5. Contact Lenses: 44 mentions
6. Toothbrush: 43 mentions
7. Socks: 39 mentions
8. Pajamas / Nightwear: 36 mentions
9. Passport: 30 mentions
10. Nail Clippers: 29 mentions

How To Avoid Forgetting Important Items

Want to make sure you don’t forget these essential items? Travel experts have some suggestions:

• Film yourself while unpacking a previous trip, making a note of what you used, what you didn’t, and what you wish you’d brought along. It will make packing next time much easier.
• Make a list of what you want to bring and update it with anything you forget after the fact so it’s on the list for next time.
• Consult your itinerary or do a mental walk-through of each day so you know what you need.
• Leave a small “essentials kit” inside your suitcase so the most forgotten items are always ready.

Whatever the method, the lesson is clear: a little preparation can save a lot of airport panic. And, of course, it’s also important to know what you shouldn’t pack—that knowledge can save you a lot in TSA fines.