Why Ikea’s $3.50 item is becoming a travel essential

An Ikea item that will only cost you a couple of dollars should be on your travel list if you plan on taking a holiday soon, according to frequent flyers.

The only thing worse than a wet bikini is a wet bikini flopping around in a suitcase like a fish out of water.

I should know.

Having all but slept in swimwear for four years while living in Bali pre-pandemic, I was often faced with this common packing predicament, Escape reported.

In a last-minute panic, I’d raid the hotel room for a bin liner or even a shower cap to stow my wet swimwear in before checking out, many times to no avail (such items have become increasingly harder to find as brands thankfully make the push away from single-use plastic).

So I wish I knew then what I know now.

Here are a handful of packing hacks I swear by for tropical holidays.

Ikea wet bag, $3.50 for small

This no-frills Ikea waterproof bag is a game-changer.

I recently returned from three weeks island-hopping in Fiji and this is the one packing item I will never travel without.

For low-key beach holidays, this very basic, plastic, see-through waterproof bag has a multitude of uses and at $3.50, it’s basically free.

The Ikea wet bag. Picture: Supplied

When I wasn’t using it to transport my wet swimwear, I kept my electronics and wallet safe inside while kayaking or snorkelling off the boat.

It also works as emergency back-up if you’ve got messy toiletries bottles and want to protect your clothes.

Ultraviolette skinscreen

If I was stuck on a deserted island and could only have one thing, it would probably be sunscreen. I never go anywhere without SPF 50+.

Ever since I discovered this homegrown brand and sun-care disrupter Ultra Violette, I’ve sworn off mainstream formulas for my face.

Their skincare-forward Supreme, Queen and Lean ‘skinscreens’ are SPF 50+, lovely to wear and come in a range of different formulas that feel nothing like regular sunscreen.

They’re also packaged in handy 75ml sizes, small enough to get through security at the airport as well as fit easily into your handbag or carry-on.

For devotees, they also do a version for the body.

July carry-on light suitcase, $245

I’ve always admired my mum who’s able to fit a month’s worth of holiday into a carry-on size suitcase.

If you’re travelling to somewhere like Fiji, Thailand or Indonesia, you’ll want to take into consideration the fact that either yourself, or others, will be lugging your bags onto boats and domestic flights, which have stricter limits on baggage (for example, Fiji Link has a limit of 15kg).

If you’re a minimalist and up for a challenge, this bag from July weighs just 1.8kg and pitches itself as the lightest double-wheel suitcase in the world.

This article originally appeared on Escape and was reproduced with permission