This Eyewear Accessory Is The Packing Tool You Didn't Know You Needed

Making sure you have everything you need for your trip — whether you're packing a carry-on for a long solo vacation or filling up a suitcase for a family weekend trip — can be stressful. Flight attendants recommend using a packing list, and that list should include a glasses case. Maybe even two or three. Here's why.

It's not that you're bringing empty glasses cases with you on your trips. Instead, you should use them to help you organize your stuff for your trip. Hard shell glasses cases are made to keep your eyewear protected, so that makes them the perfect place to store things like your charging cords, headphones, earbuds, and smaller power banks when you travel.

Those are things that you'll probably want easy access to, and you definitely don't want them to end up broken. Without having a special place to store them, they can often end up jumbled or damaged at the bottom of your bag. 

Sometimes, even with the best planning, overhead bins fill up and you can't take your carry-on with you. You'll likely have to take your power bank out of your checked luggage, and you're probably going to need your headphones during your flight — if they're all together in a glasses case, it's easy to grab them and take them with you as you board.

Hardshell glasses cases are also good for keeping your jewelry organized and safe on your travels. They're better than a soft glasses case or bag if you have more delicate pieces and are particularly good for rings. But you can also use it to travel with necklaces and bracelets; you may have to layer them in with tissue to keep them from tangling. If there's extra space in the case after all your jewelry is in there, add enough tissue to stop the items from moving around. This will also leave you extra space if you buy some new jewelry on your trip.

Another way to repurpose a glasses case as a travel accessory is to make it into a mini first aid kit — think bandaids, a thermometer, tweezers, a few cough drops, and disposable gloves. Those are things you could likely find in your destination, but why not skip having to find a pharmacy in a place you don't know? If nothing else, if you've ever gotten blisters on your feet after a long day of exploring a new city, you know how happy you'll be to have packed some bandaids. 

If you have more than one glasses case, even better! Designate your other one for items you hope you won't need but will be happy to have if you do — like a small sewing kit with needles, thread, and safety pins, and maybe even a mini lint brush. You can also use a soft glasses case to help corral easily lost items like hair ties and pens. If you're one to write letters and postcards during your travels, it's a great way to keep your pen and stamps all in one easily accessible place.

While there are plenty of organizational products on the market that could help you keep all your items in one place, why not save some money and use a tool you may already have? Whatever you can use to keep your things organized while traveling, the easier your trips will be.