I don’t travel much, but when I do, I like to do it properly. And by “properly,” I mean with all my gadgets organized. Yes, you can drop your chargers into the bottom of your backpack or suitcase. Or you can stuff them into a

But they’ll get damaged, you’ll end up losing something, and if you need to take out one charger, adapter, dongle, or cable then you’ll end up dropping the rest all over the floor of the departure lounge.

You need to get organized, and here’s one great way to do it.

Get a gadget organizer

I recently switched to a Bagsmart organizer. Previously I used a Muji toiletries bag, which did the job fine for many years, but which was getting a little full. The combined USB-C/USB-A charger I use now is too big to fit into my old Muji pouch.

This slimline case slips in and out easily.
This slimline case slips in and out easily.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The Bagsmart has other advantages too. It’s flat, which man that its easy to slide in and out of my backpack whenever I need it. And the elastic straps inside mean that I can even open it up while standing in the boarding line when I realize I need the headphone dongle for my iPad. Thanks to the straps, nothing falls out.

Now, the Bagsmart is good, but there are plenty of alternative all over Amazon. Just look for the following features:

  • Elastic straps to keep items in place when you open it up.
  • A mesh pocket for smaller items — SIM card tools, earplugs, SD cards, and so on. Mesh is best, because then you can see what’s inside. Also, and security workers at the airport can see in, too, minimizing disruption.
  • Zip closure. A zipped closure keeps dust out, and loose dongles in.

And that’s about it. Also make sure it can close flat, if that’s what you need. Two big pouches on directly opposite sides are useless, as they will get in each other’s way when you try to close the case. One pouch is usually enough.

Buy from: Amazon — $17.99

Otherwise, pick based on size, and whatever you need. The Bagsmart’s straps, for instance, are great for cables, but too short for a regular Apple charger duckhead. As you can see in the photos, mine is kind of jammed in there.

But whatever you do, do yourself a favor and get a travel gadget organizer. It makes a huge difference, and they’re pretty much all nice and cheap.

Finally, here’s a list of what’s in my bag:

  • Anker USB charger (the old non USB-C one).
  • Six foot Anker USB-C cable (red).
  • Six foot Anker Lightning cable (gray).
  • USB-C headphone dongle.
  • Jim Dunlop pick.
  • USB mini cable.
  • Earplugs.
  • Euro duck head for the charger.
  • Apple Pencil.

Cult of Mac