Vera Marie Badertscher is a traveling freelance writer who has penned articles for multiple publications including American Style, Islands Magazine, National Geographic Traveler, and Luxury Travel. She is also the blogger behind A Traveler’s Library, which combines the worlds of travel and books. Here’s what she’s packing when she hits the road.

1. Safety Pins

My cheapest travel accessory? Two large safety pins to hold shut those drapes in motel rooms that never quite meet. A good night’s sleep? Priceless.

2. Select Wisely Translation Cards

No more stomach ache because I can’t explain my dietary needs. I found the Select Wisely translation cards that print my message in any language, plus English. The come in sets of two laminated cards. On a recent trip to France I would hand one to a waiter, and inevitably, they said, “What a good idea!” They would take the translation card to the kitchen and show it to the chef, then return it to me. Use these to explain all kinds of health needs, with a translation you can trust to be correct. (See a guest blog post I did on these for a gluten-free cooking site.)

3. Colored Duct Tape

Here comes my luggage–wait, no, that’s not my bag–maybe THAT one? I never wonder, because mine is the one with a stripe of hot pink duct tape wrapped around the handle and another decorating the side. You can buy colored duct tape in small packs and take some with you in a plastic bag for the countless ways duct tape helps a traveler.

4. Small Photo Album

Do you like to meet people when you travel? Start a conversation by showing them photographs of your home and family. I carry a flexible-cover 5 x 7 photo album with pictures of my backyard, my kids, and scenes around my desert town.

5. Expanding Fold-up Bag

Does stuff expand as you travel? My Dilana fold-up bag takes up just inches of space in the outside compartment of my roll-on suitcase, but expands to 22” X 12” X 8”. Made of rip proof nylon, it will survive the rigors of checked luggage if necessary. I put the dirty laundry in there, and bag more fragile things in the roll-on. I may have bought the last one that Dilana made, but Baggallini makes almost identical bags.

Vera Marie Badertscher is a freelance writer. When she is not packing and traveling, she is reading. She shares books and movies that inspire travel at A Traveler’s Library.