I Put a Sharpie in My Bathroom, and It’s the Best Travel Hack

Over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks and shortcuts for keeping personal belongings convenient and organized — especially when it comes time to pack for a family vacation. Between me, my husband, and our two kids, I’ve learned that simplifying the packing process helps, and although we still occasionally have our fair share of frustrations when an item we need can’t be found (like a travel toothbrush or, worse, a passport), I try to keep everything labeled and in its right place when it comes time for another summer trip. 

One essential part of that streamlining? Keeping a Sharpie in my bathroom. Yes, seriously. 

One item that might be considered out of place in a bathroom by some is the very item I keep in the bathroom for a very specific and important reason. I keep a lone black Sharpie marker in my bathroom, and it’s saved me time and kept our travel items organized. 

Before I moved the marker into my bathroom, I’d find myself wandering through my house and spending way too much time searching through drawers for a marker to label my kids’ toiletries, skincare items, hair products, and more, for our upcoming trip. I label everything from toothbrushes to medicine, so this is an essential part of my packing routine. One day, I decided to just leave the marker in my bathroom all the time, and it turned out to be an unexpected, yet ingenious travel hack. It’s now there when I need it, with no fuss or time spent looking for it. 

I use this handy writing tool all the time — especially when labeling toiletries. I’ve found that doing this helps everyone know which items belong to them, and helps me know I’ve packed what we need and labeled it accordingly. (The Fine-Tip Black Sharpies are the best for writing on small bottles and plastic bags.) Indeed, I keep one — sometimes two — in my acrylic turntable, which is perched right on top of my bathroom cabinet sink. 

But if you wanted, you could keep one in every single room of your house. In the kitchen, it’s a useful tool for labeling containers of leftovers or ingredients so that you can easily see what’s inside them and when they might expire, for example. It’s also nice to keep a Sharpie in my laundry room to label clothing tags, if needed. But my favorite place for it is the bathroom, where it makes packing for a weekend trip or even just a day out by the beach way easier.