The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.
Traffic jams happen, trains get delayed, and the weather can be unpredictable some days. A few handy commuter essentials, an umbrella for sudden rain showers or headphones to drown out distracting conversations, will make all the difference when you’re en route to the office though.
As it stands, your workbag’s got your laptop, wallet, and smartphone neatly tucked in there, and below are 13 additional things that will prepare you for just about anything. Because, it's always better to have what you need when you need it.
If you still need to buy a briefcase or messenger bag to hold your stuff, we've got you covered on that front, too.
ONAYou can certainly spring for a luxe pair of Master & Dynamics, but a cheap pair of in-ears will drown out most noise on the subway, bus, or train just fine. For a step up from the ones that came with your smartphone, we recommend Sony's MDR-XB50s.
Sony MDRXB50AP Extra Bass Earbud Headset (Black), $33.99.
ONAYou'll be glad to have that an extra charging cable stowed in your laptop bag when your phone's battery life is less than 10% (see #7 for more on that) or you need to quickly connect it to a PC.
Native Union BELT Lightning to USB Cable, $24.99.
Native Union BELT Micro-USB to USB Cable, $19.99.
ONABe prepared for the season's unpredictable weather — rain, snow, sleet, and then some — with an umbrella that's compact and strong enough to handle sudden gusts of wind. Stick with neutral colors like black and gray; they're the most professional-looking.
Samsonite Windguard Auto Open Umbrella, $15.36.
ONASince nobody's perfect it's best to assume you'll probably spill something on your dress shirt from time to time. Keep a stain-removing pen in your bag so you can erase signs of your lunch quickly and effectively.
Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover Liquid (3 Pack), $8.82.
ONAYou should know by now that reusable water bottles are a cheaper and greener alternative to disposable plastic ones. They're also an easy way to cut superfluous costs.
S'Well Silver Medium Stainless Steel Bottle, $42.
ONACold weather and chapped lips tend to go hand in hand. Keep a tube of lip balm within reach for instant moisture relief. (If you have a particularly dry spot on your face — maybe around your nose when you have a cold, say — you can apply it there, too, if you don't have moisturizer readily accessible.)
Burt's Bees Honey Lip Balm, $5.33.
ONARavPower's 5,200mAh pack has enough juice to get you through emergency situations, charges quickly, and is as short as a credit card. For $13, it's an affordable way to ensure your phone stays alive while you're on the go. You can check out more options here.
RAVPower 5,200mAh Portable Charger, $15.99.
ONAJot down some quick bullet points during business lunches or your thoughts on the subway ride home from work in something with more substance to it than the "Notes" app on your phone.
Moleskine Cahier Journal (Set of 3), $9.50.
ONATissues are just plain convenient to have on you, never more so than when you feel a sneeze coming on. While you're at it, it can't hurt to have a package or two of Emergen-C at the ready during flu season. A miniature bottle of Advil is another thing you may want to consider packing.
Kleenex 3-Ply Pocket Facial Tissues (8-Pack), $5.06.
ONAIf you like to pass the time reading on your commute, an e-reader is the most portable way to do that.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (Wi-Fi, Includes Special Offers), $119.99.
ONAYour morning cup of Joe can leave your breath feeling not-so-fresh anymore. Mints are the easiest fix when your toothbrush isn't available to you.
Altoids Peppermint Mints (9-Pack), $9,49.
ONAThis'll help you stave off hunger on days when you have to work through your regular lunch hour.
KIND Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt Bars (12-Pack), $13.51.
ONAThis'll allow you to back up important documents when you're traveling or giving a presentation out of the office on the cheap. SanDisk's USB stick is capable of holding anywhere from 4 to 64GB of files, and it's tiny, even by flash drive standards.
SanDisk Cruzer Fit 16GB USB Flash Drive, $7.49.
