When you are traveling, the more organized you are, the better.  To help you get organized, zip-lock storage bags are the way to go.

Depending on your pack, you may have smaller compartments on the sides, front and top where you can easily store smaller items.  Even when storing items in these compartments, place them in zipper bags to help keep them organized.  If you have printed backup travel documents, they should also be placed in zipper bags to protect them.

Zipper bags are not just for storing your liquid containers when passing through airport security screenings.  Bags can be used to organize small items such as electrical plugs, locks, non-liquid toiletries, currency and even your travel documents.

The great thing about zipper bags is that they are inexpensive.  You can search the web and find clear plastic bags designed specifically for travel but they will cost you - we advise against it.  There is no need to purchase bags designed specifically for travel when you can purchase as many food storage bags as you need in about any size you need, for just a few dollars.  Bags you don't use for travel can be used around the house for any number of things, so you won't be wasting any.

Small Zipper Bags

If you know you will be dealing with one or more different currencies, bring some small zipper bags along with you to keep the currencies organized and separate.  Write a note and place it in each bag listing the current exchange rate with examples compared to your local currency as shown above. (Foreign Currency / Coin Purses)

Quart Sized Zipper Bags

A quart sized bag is just about the perfect size to organize and contain most of your smaller travel items.

A Bag for Receipts

As you travel, you will more than likely accumulate receipts for items you have purchased using your charge card.  You will also receive receipts as you checkout of your accommodations.  Having a spare zipper bag provides a convenient place to organize all your receipts.

Gallon Sized Zipper Bags

Gallon sized zipper bags can be used to protect documents.  Unfortunately a standard piece of paper does not completely fit in a standard gallon bag so you must either slightly trim the long end of the paper if you want it to lay flat, or simply fold it in half before you insert it into the bag. 

In our early years of travel, we were on a trip to Italy where we had arrived by train in Milan.  From the train station we had to walk to our hotel which was a few blocks away.  I had printed a map to the hotel from the train station on our inkjet printer.  Unfortunately it was raining when we arrived and windy enough that we were unable to use our umbrellas.  At the time, I was not using zip-lock bags as I was holding my printed map in my hands as I following along to the hotel.  With the wind and rain, the paper was getting wet.  Inkjet printer ink and water do not mix.  The ink was beginning to run and it was becoming increasingly hard to read the directions to the hotel.  We were fortunate and found our hotel but the map was practically illegible by the time we arrived.  If we had enclosed our printed directions in a zip-lock bag, the wind and rain would not have been an issue.

In our packing example on our How to Pack page, you can see that we have used two small zipper bags or help organize the items in our backpack.  One bag contains toiletries while the other contains electrical plugs.  We could have also used a bag for our lock with cable, pen and notebook. Use a 1 quart clear plastic zip-lock bag when going through airport security to store your liquids.  One bag is allowed per passenger to be placed in a screening bin.