Travel blogging essentials you should not leave home without
*Contains affiliate links*
Writing about family travel, holidays and days out means I’m always blogging, wherever we go. Don’t worry, I’m not about to launch into a ‘woe is me’ post complaining about all the amazing things we do and the opportunities we have. I adore it! However, it wouldn’t be possible for me to keep on top everything that goes hand-in-hand with being a digital nomad (I use the term loosely) without a few travel blogging essentials.
Here’s some of the important accessories and pieces of blogging tech I cannot leave home without. Even if it means sacrificing space for clothes…Mr Tin Box’s, not my own, obviously!
My travel blogging essentials
iPhone and Macbook Pro
These lovely pieces of Apple goodness are obvious pieces of kit, so I’ll get them out of the way first.
I’d be lost without my iPhone. I’m always jotting down post ideas and text in Notes, and popping into my social media management apps to schedule, respond and reshare. My two top social media management tools are Buffer for Twitter and Instagram, and Tailwind for Pinterest. I pay a small subscription fee for both each month as they make my ‘digital social life’ so much easier.
I only take my Macbook Pro away on longer trips, but it’s really handy to have when I want to start editing images and videos before we get home. On the odd occasion that I do post blogs to WordPress on the go, I prefer to see these on my Macbook Pro screen rather than on my iPhone. I guess I’m old fashioned like that!
Mobile wi-fi hotspot
We use a lot of TP-Link gadgetry to keep our tech connected at home and this little box of magic allows us to do it while we are travelling. We have the 4G LTE-Adavnced Mobile Wi-Fi* (M7350), connected to the internet with an EE sim card. We simply turn it on to create a wi-fi hotspot, find it in the wifi settings of whichever devices we want to connect and away we go. It’s duel band (3G and 4G), you can connect up to 10 devices at a time and it’s unlocked so you can use any network. The M7350 is obviously reliant on there being a good 4G signal available for the mobile provider who sells you the sim. However, we’ve tried it out in several locations in the South and South West of England and have had nearly as good a connection as at home.
Camera attachment
I’ve been playing about with vlogging this year. I really enjoy the editing part, even though it can double the amount of time it takes to put together a blog post. Here’s my latest effort from our first glamping trip. I haven’t invested in any expensive videoing kit – I just use my iPhone. However, something I’ve found makes a real difference to the end result is a HD camera attachment*. Mine is cheap and cheerful, but if you did want to spend a bit more money I’ve had Ollo Clips* recommended to me by a video pro.
iPhone tripod/selfie stick
I bought this handy little gadget* mainly for the selfie stick – what blogger is without one these days? I’m terrible at using it mind you! What I have had more success with is the tripod. This allows me to set up my iPhone and shoot a video without it wobbling around all over the place – particularly handy for filming Mr Tin Box putting up a tent all on his own while I ran around after two toddlers. Blogging is all glamour!
Portable power pack
Do you run down your smartphone battery before lunchtime? Yep, on intensive days out and excursions this happens to me too. The Anker PowerCore+ mini* is one of the best presents I’ve had from Mr Tin Box this year. Power it up using a mini USB and it holds enough charge to bring your phone back to life one and a half times – more than enough to keep me going until I can reach a plug socket. And it’s really tiny too. They bill is as being lipstick-sized. Think a little bigger than that, but it’s perfect for fitting in your pocket or a small bag.
What are your travel blogging essentials? I need ideas for my Christmas list!
*Disclosure: this post contains Amazon affiliate links which means I may earn some advertising fees if you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase. You will not be charged extra for this. I have been gifted some of the items for the purposes of a mention on my blog. All opinions are my own and those of my family.
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My computer and iPhone are a must for me. And of course, my camera. And extra batteries. I’ve had too many unfortunate situations where I’ve wanted to take pictures with my camera and the batteries run out. I never go on a trip without extra batteries.
Allison recently posted…A Morning of Learning at Kohl Children’s Museum
I’ve had a camera battery situation recently too. You’ve reminded me that I really must get a spare!
I love my iPhone and Macbook Pro too. I take the laptop everywhere because I like to see stuff on the big screen (getting old and the eyes are going). I love my camera too. Those are my 3 essentials.
Those are the first three things I think about packing too. The Macbook doesn’t always come but I do feel a little lost without it 🙂
I have one of the Anker chargers too in my assortment – so useful. I’m not a big Apple fan but I do wish Android had the same array of gadgets!
Cathy (Mummytravels) recently posted…The September round-up: My travel essentials
You gotta love Anker – so handy. We’re off on a trip tomorrow and I’m just about to charge up all my gizmos 🙂
This is a great list – some of which I already have and some of which I think I’m now going to be adding to a wish list. I’ve only ever used my mobile phone to create a hotspot when I need to use my ipad on the train etc. Who knew that you could gadgets especially for doing that!
Colette recently posted…Polarn O. Pyret Yellow Shell Jacket
It’s not long until Christmas…here’s hoping Santa knows about wifi hotspots 🙂
I’m the eejit with three cameras – my “nice” one, my bridge camera which does video, and my iPhone so I can instagram and as a back-up. I have been known to have all three going at once, but you can never be too careful when you neeeeeed those images later. 🙂
Joanne Brady recently posted…The Augustin, Brussels, Belgium
I’ve always got two cameras on the go. I do wonder what ‘normal people’ must think when they see my taking all these pictures and videos when we are out and about 🙂
These are great tips Claire! I have a Three MiFi that was rubbish in Italy, so am looking for an alternative – will definitely take a look at what you use – thanks 🙂
Sometimes its the network signal that’s the issue but we certainly had no problems with the TP-LINK wifi device and EE here in the UK.
top tips. The things I might add are I use an Airbook rather than Pro for travelling (on account of the law that says everything you own doubles in weight the minute you cross the threshold of an airport) and I always have a stack of back-up chargers and countless spare memory cards (it’s horrible when one gets corrupted and you’re lost without it)
Good call on the spare batteries and memory cards. I had an issue with my camera battery life while we were holidaying in a field this summer. Seriously frustrating!
I’d love a mac book we have a desktop one. We are quite to blogging but enjoying purchasing some shiny new essentials!
Confession: we have a Mac too. Big Apple fans in this house 🙂
I love the sound of the wifi mobile hotspot! That sounds fab. I swear by my portable power pack – which doubles as a phone case. I love it!
Mr Tin Box has a charger pack that’s a phone case. It’s amazing that they come in all shapes and sizes. I love my ‘lipstick’ one as the one before it was a brick!
My iphone is my top essential travel item. I need to get a portable power back though. The wifi mobile hotspot sounds fab. Looks like you have it all covered. Great tips xx
Thanks Susan. I would be lost without my phone too 🙂
I like the lens attachments. I don’t take tech to the beach and so this summer I discovered a need for a notebook, I love to lie on the sand and write. A problem as didn’t even own one!
I’m a bit of a stationary fan myself. I’ve always got a note book on m. I do still prefer to use my phone to make note though as I can go back an edit them 🙂
Great products, I have just bought the canon G7X for vlogging and using for blogging and I am loving it!
A new camera is definitely on my Christmas list. I’ve just got a new lens for my Nikon and love it 🙂
Power pack, definitely! I tend to just take my phone and upload over 4g or when I get home, but for longer trips that can be a problem. Good tips 🙂 #zbuz
Karen Hannah recently posted…The Good Life Experience: Highlights
My phone and power pack are the two things I never leave home without, even for a day trip 🙂
great tips! I couldn’t live without my portable power pack! Never tried Mobile wi-fi hotspot will have to give that a try!
Lindy recently posted…Damn I’m old!
It’s a really handy piece of kit. The problem I have is that my husband agrees and keeps pinching it for his trips away! 🙂
You failed to mention the very first absolute must, which is prominently displayed in your photo: Tall cup of coffee! 🙂 It’s amazing how good of a video clip you can do on a smartphone these days! But…that won’t stop a new camera from making it’s way onto our list for Santa this year! Fun post – thanks for sharing.
Rob+Ann @TravelLatte(.net) recently posted…Win a Trip to Denver Sweepstakes
I need to get myself an iMac when I start to travel, it would definitely be hard to blog while travelling without a laptop! Great list, definitely need to add a couple of these to my list!
Krista recently posted…Letter to Future Self
I love my Macbook Pro and wouldn’t leave home without it now 🙂
Great list! Still need to get the MB Pro, but everything else is in place 🙂