Expat life, especially when you split time between countries, encourages minimalism. You duly deliberate each and every item and whether or not you want to carry it.

A few items however, I’ve found absolutely necessary in Mexico and have earned their place in my suitcase.

Noise Cancelling Headphones

As I write this, the pool on the roof of my building is being repaired. Mexican buildings are largely concrete. Construction sounds travel right through them. Mexico is a very noisy place, and such an occurance can ruin your visit.

Inexpensive ear plugs an headphones don’t begin to dull the kind of noise that radiates from its more popular areas (in other words, everywhere you’re likely to be). The Sony WH-1000XM3 (They have a more expensive XM4) were first recommended to me by a friend in Mexico City, where loud noises are inescapable. Pricey? A bit. But this is an area you’ll want to invest in.

Oven and Meat Thermometers

Many rentals don’t have ovens. If you happen to luck out and get one that does, the oven likely won’t have the latest in technology. I cook a lot in Mexico. Most ovens I’ve experienced here only have low, medium and high settings. Not good enough for me. I have begun to carry both oven and meat thermometers. The AcuRite meat thermometer is fast, accurate and easy-to-read.

Travel Yoga Mat

Yoga mats aren’t just for yoga as Mexico is The Land of Tile. I use my yoga mat for all kinds of exercise, including doubling it over and using it as a padded floor to jump rope on.

Regular yoga mats are too thick for suitcases. This folding yoga mat is packable and has served me well for several years. As the surface is not ribbed, I have found yoga socks essential, but I don’t mind. Buy extra pairs of yoga socks for padding around whatever hotel, AirB&B or apartment you find yourself in, as I guarantee you will have tile floors that can get very slippery when wet!

Cell Phone Protection

Being that Land of Ceramic Floors, it shouldn’t surprise you when you see a lot of Mexicans with cracked cell phone screens. Purchasing a cell phone in Mexico not only costs much more than replacing it in the US - you also have to deal with language settings and far fewer choices of what to buy. Having to buy a new cell phone in Mexico is a major trauma and a huge hassle.

While not layered in bling or a pretty color, I stand by my OtterBox case. It also attaches to a belt when I’m picture-taking and don’t want to carry a purse. (I know it’s nerdy)

A carbon monoxide detector

I don’t have a carbon monoxide detector because I don’t drive to Mexico, but after reading Katie O’Grady’s account of her fireman husband almost dying from monoxide poisoning in a hotel, I would own one if traveling in Mexico as hotels are not required by law to have them in rooms. Since I can’t give you a recommendation on which to buy, here are some reviews to look at to find one if yours will be a road trip.

A Tote as Both Gym Bag and Laptop Case

Personally, I believe that backpacks belong only on hikes. No matter where you’re using them, you look like you’re on hike anyway, and it’s not a great look. Besides being ugly, most backpack laptop bags are enormous, designed for your survival under harsh conditions, not a coffee shop two blocks from your house or hotel. This vintage leather tote bag cost less than $80. By Vintage Crafts and can serve many other uses.

Luggage Tags

After grabbing the wrong carry-on in Dallas once and not catching it until I was standing in the customs line, I broke down and bought luggage tags. My boyfriend liked these classy $7 monogrammed tags by the Shack Store so much, he bought some for himself.

Portable Sound Speakers

Music makes wherever you are home. A portable sound speaker was my first non-negotiable item in my suitcase when I first starting coming to Mexico, right behind a laptop and ahead of actual clothing. Good sound makes any place home.

Portable speakers have really come down in price, but the least expensive ones have never lasted me over a year in Mexico. I don’t want to take the chance of mine going out on me in Mexico, where all electronics cost much more. I carry two. Of those I have tried, The Ultimate Ears Wonder Boom 2 has the biggest sound and still runs under $100.

Polarized Sunglasses

Polarized sunglasses of course are crucial to protecting your eyes (especially baby blues!) in Mexico’s nuclear sun. Good ones are pricey (especially when you favor wearing them on top of your head and in pulmonias like I do).

I finally found a brand of polarized sunglasses that have the sleek style I love at a reasonable cost in a Warby Parker retail store in Mexico. I’ve worn them for two years. Theirs is a timeless style that looks good on anyone. (I won’t receive a commission on this one, but that’s how much I care.)

Sunscreen

You’d think that a country with such intense sun would carry every kind of sunscreen in every bodega, right? Not so. I’d say the selection in most stores is similar to what you found in the US before the “Wear Sunscreen” song came out in 1999… a lot of Coppertone and Banana Boat!

Good sunscreen is literally stolen from beach towels on Mexican beaches. More skin is exposed to the sun even if you don’t go to the beach. Fewer windows are tinted. Given how much you use, your sunscreen needs to be inexpensive. My favorite is Alba Botanical 45 SPF in lavender scent. I go to Mexico with no fewer than three tubes of it in my suitcase. It feels like rich lotion and smells wonderful. The tubes are large enough to last.

A Case for Cables and Extension Cords

E-readers, laptops, tablets, phones, music speakers, camara batteries - one really can’t do without a bag for them all. My Spanish practice partner in Barcelona turned me on to this one with endless pockets for cables and batteries. Only $16 dollars from OrgaWise.

Travel Cookbook

My cookbook, Lazy Expat: Healthy Recipes That Translate in Mexico, a cookbook is for travelers and snowbirds who what to maintain a healthy diet in Mexico. To eat healthy in Mexico, you must cook. This lets you do so in the simplist of kitchens.

A Tip on Travel Robes

Finding the right bathrobe for Mexico is more time-consuming than it should be. Even during the hottest months, immediately after showering you want an absorbent, cozy bathrobe for the first few minutes out of the shower.

For travel in Mexico, your robe needs to be short, unhooded and thin enough to take minimal suitcase space. Since you likely will be sending your laundry out in Mexico, it needs to be durable for industrial and old washing machines. White is best for using by the pool and spas as well as being able to handle bleach. I’ve not yet found any online that meet all these requirements. I purchase them in Mexico at the market stalls (puestos) for $20 dollars and leave them there when I return.

(With the exception of products by Warby Parker who is not on affiliate program, I may receive a commission via the Amazon affiliate program if you purchase.)