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We are in the midst of cold / flu / gross season around here and I wanted to share something that I love a little bit more than is probably normal – my DIY travel first aid kit / pharmacy kit combo. Does that thrill your soul like it does mine? Travel is one of our number one priorities as a family, but to make it affordable, we almost always plan our vacations in the off-season. Prices are better that way, but it also means we are traveling at the height of whatever germ-filled season is gracing us with its presence.
How do we fight back? With a DIY travel first aid kit / travel pharmacy that I have perfected over 15 years of travel both local and abroad. My heart lives somewhere between a minimalist traveler and a nut who is prepared for every eventuality. This kit will reflect those two warring personalities – packed full of preparedness while still compact.
* I am by no means a health expert, so please contact your doctor for any advice on health issues, supplements that might be right for you, and on what medications are appropriate for you to take.
Vitamins & Supplements
Vitamins and supplements are the start of our defense against whatever may be lerking out there attempting to ruin our vacation. I know Airborne has done an incredible job of marketing to the travel crowd, but our go-to brand is Encompass Nutrients. It contains about 3x the number of vitamins, a super greens blend, a probiotic, and omega-3 all in one daily dose… and at about half the price. This is part of our daily supplement routine, but we NEVER leave home without it.
Getting ready for a trip and while we are traveling, we also boost our Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc, and take Elderberry. As an added bonus, the Zinc / Vitamin C combo from Anabolic Labs taste like Sweet Tarts.
Travel for us means a whole lot of walking and activity, so I also always keep Encompass Nutrients’ Joint Health in my bag. This is something I normally take every day, but I will not travel without it.
Sleep
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to the realization that I just don’t sleep well when I’m in a new place. To combat that problem, I now always travel with some sort of sleep aid. I’m not going to even begin to recommend something to you here because I know there are a lot out there that can cause more harm than good. Whether you’re an essential oil lover, more of a herbal person, want something over the counter, or get a prescription from your doctor, choose the option that works for you. For me, there is peace of mind in having something in my DIY travel first aid kit that can help me sleep – especially if I’m half a world away from home.
DIY Travel First Aid Kit
What would a DIY travel first aid kit be without the essentials of a first aid kit? This kit can travel with me overseas and be as handy as it is two blocks away at my kid’s soccer game. Mine includes…
- Bandages – all shapes and sizes. These come in handy for the occasional scrape, cut, or burn, but more often than not, I pack enough to ward off blisters for all of that walking that we do. And go with the fabric kind. They just work better.
- Tweezers
- Safety scissors – think little kids school scissors. These are still allowed in your carry on.
- Thermometer
- Norwex Washcloth – effectively cleans and somehow helps with relieving bee stings.
- Antispetic Towelettes
- First Aid & Burn Cream
- Triple Antibiotic Ointment
- Anti-Itch Cream
- Sting Relief Swabs
- Tissues
- Gauze & Tape – this is something that I don’t normally pack because I’ve never used it, but if you are more adventurous than me, you might want to add this to your kit.
Rather than going with a pre-made first aid kit, I used items I already had paired with first aid kit refill packets of products that would be easy to travel with. I packed a few of each into my travel kit, added a couple to my purse, and have plenty leftover to refill both.
Traveling Pharmacy
My DIY travel first aid kid would not be complete without the meds that I take to fight off sickness if it does come. This is not a “pack enough relief to wipe out two weeks of symptoms with a nasty head cold”. I pack one to two doses that get me through a potentially rough day & night until I can get to a grocery store or pharmacy to stock up.
Pain & Headaches
- Ibuprofen
- Aspirin
- Non-Aspirin
- Migraine Medicine
Stomach Issues
Cold, Flu, and Allergies
- Breathe Right Strips
- Antihistamine
- Cold Medicine
- Nyquil Day & Night
- Cough Drops
- Nasal Spray – because nothing is worse to me than being stuffed up with ears popping on an airplane.
- Eye Drops
- Ear Drops
Many of these items can actually be found in this amazing travel pharmacy kit below. The medications are packaged by dose, making them a super easy addition to your DIY travel first aid kit. This is a great place to start and then add other medications as needed.
Prescriptions
Please do not forget to pack whatever prescriptions that you need! Be sure to keep them in the original container if you are flying. And don’t forget to ask you doctor about filling or refilling them in plenty of time for your travel.
As much as I love to travel, being in an airplane for 16 hours is enough to make anyone feel claustrophobic. I asked my doctor for help with that and was so happy that I did.
Essential Oils
I really do love the few essential oils that I do use on a fairly regular basis. Essential oils are not going to go in my DIY travel first aid kit because of the whole liquids on an airplane rule, but a few will make it into my liquids bag. At the top of my list are peppermint, blends for sleep & relaxation, and blends that help boost your immune system.
How to pack a DIY travel first aid kit
So now we have all of the ingredients, we just need to combine them. Years ago, I started out with a gallon size plastic bag which easily contained everything I needed, but didn’t allow me to find one single thing at any given time.
What has a ton of pockets, pouches, straps, and is completely contained? Cosmetic bags. Yep – instead of makeup, think about filling those spaces with first aid supplies that are easily at your fingertips the second you need them. This is my favorite that I’ve found thus far with plenty of compartments while still being compact. I chose the small size which has worked perfectly for me.
Be sure that you don’t keep any liquids in your bag if you are going to be traveling by air. Instead, consider one of these bags which easily holds all of my bathroom essentials while still allowing room for essential oils and other first aid liquids needed. These bags are TSA approved, make items easy to find, and hold a whole lot more than your standard quart size bag.
If I could offer one tip on daily vitamins and supplements, it would be to separate them ahead of time using little bags like this. These fit around 6 of my vitamins in them. Especially if you are staying at a hotel or going on a cruise, it makes it so easy to grab one day’s worth and head to breakfast rather than fumbling through multiple bags to find what you need and then carry a handful of pills to your meal. Gross.
For prescriptions, be sure to carry those in their original bottle – especially if you are going to fly with them. There are straps in the cosmetic bag where you could fit two standard sized prescription bottles.
Whew. That was a lot. It truly does all fit into my wonderful, compact little bag though and gives me a little extra peace of mind knowing that I have what I need with me.
What are your travel must-haves when it comes to a DIY travel first aid kit? Is there anything that I am missing? Leave us a comment below! I would hate to think I’m missing something. 🙂
