As a Travel Nurse Who's Been to Over 100 Countries, I Never Leave Home Without These 13 Essentials, From $25

Travel + Leisure

01-06-2025

When you've traveled to over 100 countries, you learn to be an expert packer. Cherene Saradar is a travel nurse anaesthetist who spends half the year traveling for contract work at hospitals around the U.S. and the other half globe-trotting for pleasure, having visited all seven continents and 116 countries to date.
Her medical background dictates her packing style, as she prioritizes items that focus on comfort and health. And, as a proud carry-on-only traveler (even for three-month-long trips), she knows how to pack wisely to not waste precious space. Saradar shared with me the travel essentials she takes on every trip while packing light. From her must-have carry-on tote to the comfortable sneakers she always wears, keep reading for the 13 non-negotiables she takes with her on every trip.
In order to pack for months without checking a cabin bag, it's not just your carry-on suitcase that matters, but also the spaciousness of your personal item. Saradar swears by the Longchamp Le Pliage Tote Bag. She takes this travel bag on every flight as she can fit everything she needs with her on a flight, including her camera and laptop, while still easily fitting it under the airplane seat. It holds her tried-and-true essentials for a comfortable flight, including: silicone earplugs, a soft eye mask, Drunk Elephant lip balm, hand cream, and a light scarf or sweater. When not in use, she can pack it down and store it in her suitcase. 'It's easy to clean, durable, comes in tons of colors, and it gives me a bit of style and luxury without breaking the bank,' she says. 'It's also a great day bag, shopping bag, camera bag, and beach bag.'
Saradar has been using the same carry-on for a decade. The Travelpro Maxlite Carry-on is one of the lightest carry-on suitcases on the market, which matters for airlines that weigh your cabin bags. It adheres to various internationally accepted carry-on dimensions, standing at 21 inches tall. 'I like the organization of the bag. The outside pocket on the front easily fits my laptop, and the inner lid pocket is very handy,' she says. 'It's a durable spinner bag that's easy to push.' $145 $116 at Zappos $145 $116 at Hoka.com
As a nurse, Saradar knows that the right shoes are so important. 'They're the base of your wardrobe and also the most important thing for your well-being,' she says. Whether working in the hospital or exploring the world, she swears by Hoka sneakers. When she's traveling, she prefers the Arahi style in white so she can pair them with everything from dresses and skirts to her workout gear. 'I've been wearing the Hoka Arahi for years. I can't believe how good my back feels in these. They're like walking on a cloud and provide pronation support," she says, which is important for maintaining an even stride. They're so good she swears they've fixed the back pain she suffered from for years, and she feels comfortable walking in them all day.
It's possible to be stylish and comfy, and Saradar requires that her travel clothes be both. You won't catch her flying in sweatpants. Instead, she always flies in Athleta loungewear that she deems to be nice enough for wearing in public, while still feeling cozy and comfortable on long-haul flights. She basically lives in the Athleta Venice High Rise Wide-leg Pant. 'They're super flattering as there's just enough stretch and the waistband doesn't feel tight, but they still appear fitted and polished,' she says. 'The pants drape beautifully like trousers but feel like soft loungewear. And a major bonus — they don't wrinkle.' Saradar recommends picking up a few pairs in neutral colors like off-white or black so you can pair them with any tops.
On flights, she's typically dressed in head-to-toe Athleta, pairing this Seasoft Quarter Zip with the Venice wide-leg pants. She loves how cozy and warm the quarter zip is and finds the fleece to be sleek, as it drapes with structure rather than looking slouchy. The cool-to-the-touch fabric is perfect for planes with varying temperatures, as it will keep you just warm enough without overheating. It's super lightweight, so you can easily stow it away in your tote bag when not needed. $100 at Amazon $100 at Zappos
Not only is it important to have a good pair of sneakers, but it's also useful to have comfy, stylish sandals on hand. 'Shoes that won't give you blisters, allow you to walk as much as you want, don't give you back pain, and still look kind of cute is a tall order,' she says. She's worn many sandals from the brand Born over the years and wears them until they fall apart. 'They're incredibly cushy and soft. They're functional yet still look nice enough for evening,' she says. 'I can walk all day in them, and have even done some light hiking.' With adjustable straps, a lightweight cork sole, and a soft leather upper, these sandals are the perfect comfortable choice for any trip.
No matter where she's headed, Saradar makes room in her carry-on for a lightweight jacket, especially if she'll be visiting warmer destinations where she could get caught in tropical rain. 'I always bring my North Face lightweight hooded waterproof jacket,' she says. 'It takes hardly any room in the luggage and is handy to throw on for windy or wet days.' With adjustable drawstrings on the hood and bottom of the jacket, this North Face hooded coat will easily keep out wind and rain. If she's off to a colder locale, she packs a Lole brand ethical down hooded puffer jacket in dark teal. 'I always get compliments on the jacket. It packs well as it's extremely light yet still very warm and cozy,' she says.
Saradar always packs a maxi skirt, which can be easily layered and mixed and matched throughout her trip to create multiple outfits. 'Lately, I've been packing this skirt because I can change up the tops and wear various outfits. You can wear tank tops, short sleeves, long sleeves, sweaters, a sweatshirt, or a blazer with it — it's super versatile,' she says. 'A longer skirt makes you look put and can provide proper coverage in conservative regions.' She owns this pleated chiffon skirt from Amazon in a light khaki color. Because it's neutral, it works for all seasons and matches everything. She's 5-foot-1, so despite the midi cut, it fits her like a maxi skirt. Another one of her favorite Amazon finds is this Zesica floral printed maxi wrap dress. 'I've worn it on so many trips. It's lightweight, easy to pack, and is casual enough for daytime but looks dressy enough for going out to dinner or a party.'
The battery of Saradar's phone drains quickly when she's on the go all day using maps and her phone's camera. 'Not having a phone to call for help or to use a map is a huge safety concern for me, so keeping it charged is vital,' she says. 'I don't like to carry a bulky, heavy charger, so the Clutch one is perfect as it's tiny and magnetizes to the back of your phone.' It also comes with a built-in cable, so you don't have to worry about forgetting your cord in the hotel room.
After traveling to over 100 countries, Saradar swears by using a hanging toiletry bag. She says it's a total game changer because you don't have to rely on shelf or counter space. She uses one from Biaggi, which operates in the same way as this Bagsmart option. 'It has space to hold everything, including my makeup, toothbrush, deodorant, jewelry, cotton swabs, and more. It has tons of pockets and keeps me organized,' she says.
But it's not just hanging toiletry bags that make organizing her belongings in a hotel room easier—she also uses hanging packing cubes. Since she packs in a carry-on, she uses Biaggi's medium-sized hanging packing cube. 'This makes packing and unpacking in the hotel so easy. All you have to do is hang it in the closet and then fold it and compress it with the strap to put it back in the suitcase,' she says. This is her secret to being able to pack for a month in Europe in a carry-on.
It's fair to say Saradar is a big fan of using packing cubes. In addition to the hanging style, she also loves this set from Eagle Creek, which comes in different sizes. 'I use the small 1-liter cube for underwear and socks, and the medium-sized pouch to hold my tech, outlet adaptors, wires, cords, and zip drives,' she explains.
As a nurse, Saradar knows how important it is to stay hydrated. She tries to drink as much water as possible throughout the day, and says her Lifestraw water bottle is essential. 'Lifestraw makes virtually any water safe to drink. I can drink water from any tap as it filters bacteria, parasites, microplastics, and dirt,' she says. This BPA-free plastic version is lighter than the heavier insulated stainless steel style, making it ideal for taking on the go.
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