I was away at a blogging/writing conference this past weekend and because of where I live, I had a long day of travel both going there and returning home. The conference was great, the conversations I had were amazing and the sleep I grabbed while I was there was…sparse. All I wanted to do on my flight home was sleep. Unfortunately, I scored the middle seat, which meant that rolling up my cardigan and resting my head against the window was not an option. I did sleep for an hour or so, out of sheer exhaustion, but it was in no way comfortable and I’m pretty sure I looked ridiculous. I’m buying a travel pillow before my next long flight.

$14.99 @ Amazon.com

I spent the last five days at BlogHer which included a lot of walking (and dancing) with my friends. One of those friends pulled out an external battery charger and I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t thought to get one before. When you’re gone from your room from breakfast until bedtime, keeping a charged phone is a bit difficult. I’ll be picking up one of these before my next conference.

$49.95 @ Amazon.com

I fly a few times a year, it seems, for blog conferences or work trips or vacations. Every time I fly, I bring a backpack as my carry on and pack it with the things I couldn’t live without should my suitcase be lost. Makeup, a change of clothes, my jewelry and my laptop. I just use my (totally cheap and flimsy) backpack but my husband wants me to buy a backpack that’s built for laptops because, well, Macbooks aren’t cheap. I think I’ve found the one for me on Amazon.

$69.95 @ Amazon.com

I grew up drinking Orange Pekoe tea (my Grandpa was English and instilled that tradition in my Mom) and I spent much of my life drinking a cup of tea in the morning. Somehow, some way, that morning tradition switched to coffee. Then, about six weeks ago, my stomach was “off” and I switched to green tea. I’m not saying that I’ll never drink coffee again but I’m loving the tea train. A coworker has been schooling me in loose teas and infusers and a mug such as this one is in my (very) new future.

$12.95 @ Amazon.com

I have a big, fancy camera but these days a lot of people have big, fancy cameras. Little point-and-shoots are compact and can be easily thrown into whichever purse you are carrying along. If you’ve spent money on a big, fancy camera, you are not about to toss it haphazardly into your purse. You may want to bring it along on your excursion but don’t want to carry the bulky camera bag. Thanks to Photojojo, you don’t have to. The Any Bag Camera Bag lets you turn your purse into a camera bag.

$59 @ Photojojo.com

When I travel I never bring my favorite perfume, unless I have a small tester of it, which is almost never. I don’t want to lug around the big bottle and risk spilling it so I leave it at home and miss it dearly.

No more! You can fill this perfume roller with perfume and it’s compact enough to put in your purse or bring with you when you travel.

$38.50 for one (comes in a choice of colors) @ Delight.com

I travel a fair bit for work and while you’d think I should be a pro at this, before every trip I go through the “oh-this-cream-bottle-is-more-than-3-oz-what-do-I-do?” scenario as I pack my toiletries. Determined to resolve this, I went on a hunt for a practical solution and found this TSA compliant toiletry bag, which comes with several refillable plastic containers, ear plugs and an eye mask. Sold!

$10 @ Amazon.com

This isn’t techonology, per se, but it’s for holding something technological, so it counts, in my book. The Driin cell phone charger shelf hooks over your power cord once it’s been plugged into an electrical outlet; the slim shelf holds both your phone and the excess cord, keeping your counter or desktop neat and tidy (and your phone easily accessible). Made in Italy, it comes in seven colors, from stark white to basic black to bright pink, and it’s low price makes it an excellent stocking stuffer for working moms everywhere.

$6.95 at Driinn.com.

(Image from Gadgetreview.com)

Looking for a little luxury? These socks definitely fit the bill. Woven from a soft cashmere-wool blend, the socks are colorful and cozy, warm but not itchy, and 100 percent luxurious.

$24.95 (women’s) or $29.95 (men’s) per pair via the Herrington Catalog.

These are a staple in my gift closet. Inexpensive (so I can pair them with another gift if I need to), portable (so parents can pack them up for a car ride if they need to), and perfect for plenty of imaginative play. Themed magnets and a book in which to set up scene after scene — what’s not to like? There are many different ones from which to choose; my kindergartener is partial to princesses right now, but this doll-house set is right up her alley. My 4-year-old boy, though, would probably get a kick out of this space-themed set. Sets vary, from as few as 11 to as many as 30 or more magnets.

$8.95 for a 30-piece set, at Amazon.com.