travel smart(er) | tips, tricks, and hacks for better traveling
ready, set, go! it’s travel month here on the blog. today, i’m sharing a few tried and true tips, tricks, and hacks for better traveling. because the last thing we want to do is travel unprepared. so from the time you book your airline ticket or plan a cross-country trek in the car, we need to be thinking about our wardrobe.
clothes
first things first as i have a simple formula that i use when traveling. if my trip is seven days long, i will need seven outfits. same goes for a three-day weekend getaway. three days = 3 outfits. then i break the formula down to two or three tops to one bottom (jeans, skirts, pants, or shorts). so a week-long trip typically has six to nine tops and three bottoms. and i love to travel with at least one dress. after my outfits are planned, i think about shoes. typically i travel with three pairs of shoes (one pair of sneakers that i wear to the airport). if it’s winter, i’ll exchange one pair of shoes for one pair of boots or booties.
cubes
what’s in my carry on? well, a variety of things like packing cubes, toiletry bag, makeup bag, leather charger roll up for starters. packing cubes have been a game-changer for me. there are so many brands to choose from, but i purchased a 4 piece travel set from eBags. it has a soft mesh top that won’t damage delicate fabrics. and the mesh allows for easy identification, which allows me to see exactly what is in the cube. packing cubes facilitate unpacking as much as they save space. and they keep everything contained in your suitcase. many times, i’ll leave my lingerie in the cube then place the cube inside of the hotel drawer. and i love to tuck my leather jewelry roll up inside a cube too.
don’t forget to use your space when it comes to packing. yes, utilize every single empty space. shoes? place socks inside. hat? place swimwear or lingerie. also, roll not fold your clothes. you will save space inside your cubes or your suitcase whichever way you like to pack.
travel bottles
there are TSA approved liquid bags that are clear and leak-proof with a travel bottle set. this kit will give you peace of mind if you stress about passing through airport security.
another alternative to packing your liquids and creams are Go Tubb travel containers. there are a variety of sizes to choose from – small, medium, or large. and i love, love, love the silicone bottles with a locking cap that is the perfect size for shampoo and conditioner.
tech gear
when we travel with our tech gear, we need to bring along cords and chargers to keep us plugged-in. a leather charger roll-up keeps all of my cords tamed and in one place. headphones are a must-have to cancel all the airplane noise. but if you want to watch a movie on the plane, you will need a headphone with a round plug.
a portable charger is a must-have for your phone. if you need to use Google Maps while traveling, this Anker portable charger holds up to 4 charges. there’s nothing worse than seeing your phone battery die when you’re lost. this charger is also perfect if you have multiple devices to charge. so i suggest having a larger charger on hand. but for everyday use, a small portable charger is the way to go. if you’re traveling overseas, you will need a multi-use universal adaptor.
stay healthy
with the world’s attention fixated on the Coronavirus here are a few tips to help you not get sick when you travel on an airplane.
- wash your hands with soap.
- touch eyes, nose, and mouth as little as possible
- cover coughs with your elbow, not your hand.
- tuck a travel-size Lysol inside your liquids bag.
- bring along Clorox wipes stored inside a baggie to wipe down tray tables or doorknobs.
- travel with a hand sanitizer.
night flights
when booking your flight, think about a late-night flight. fewer people tend to travel at night so the lines can be shorter, and there’s a better chance there will be an empty seat next to you.
all right, ladies. that’s it for tips tricks and hacks for better traveling. it’s Wednesday, so time to put a smile on someone’s face, including yours.
Some of my tips…when you wash your hands, sing happy birthday to yourself twice! Learned that when I worked in a hospital. Also, I packed two pairs of black pants and two pairs of grey pants, all knits for comfort and to weigh less in suitcase. Mixed and matched with three short sleeved white tee shirts and three long sleeved tee shirt–one each on red, purple and white. Packed a Ralph Lauren quilted black vest. Included two light weight sweaters and one tailored sweatshirt that matched both black and grey pants. Since the trip was in October in Europe, I even included a pair of gloves! Even had room for souvenirs!
thanks for sharing, maura! always love to hear how other people travel.
While I am sure these tips are good for those new to your website, most of these seem to be ones you have used before. I love your blog but looking for new ideas and style tips.
hopefully, you’ve gleaned some new information on this post. of course, certain topics like packing with cubes can sound
redundant but we added a few other tips too.
Hi Beth, I love the packing cubes we use them all the time. I did try the silicone travel bottle, mine were a different make but I wasn’t too impressed as mine leaked so I use travel bottles instead. Some great tips thank you xoxo
it’s so disappointing when a product doesn’t work. or worse, when it leaks! i’ve had good luck with Go Tubb.
but travel bottles work too!
Good travel tips. I do a lot of these things whenever I’m on the road as well. I have been happy to be in one place for once since I’m retired. I’ll travel again for sure, but I was a major road warrior for so many years that I’ve actually been thoroughly enjoying the quiet for now. But I will definitely head out again because I love travel for me! 😉
i bet you are more than happy to stay home for a bit. when you’re a road warrior for so long it’s nice to stay put.
mr. style and i did just that for several years after we returned back to the States.
Quick question Beth – in your cubes, do you group by item (ie, all pants in one cube, all tops in another) or group by outfit options (ie pants with a couple of tops to go with it)?
I don’t use cubes but tend to put all my ‘bottoms’ at the wheels end of my suitcase and my tops at the other end so I know where things are.
For my 7 year old though, when I pack for her, I fold the top and bottom together (her clothes are so small I never need the additional space savings gained from rolling!), so that she can have the independence of pulling out her own pre-prepared complete outfit and we’re not left at the end of a trip with a hideously clashing outfit! I’m starting to realize what a time-saving hack it could be for me too – more time on the front end but less on the trip end, which is the right way around! So just curious which way you do it.
i pack tops in one cube, bottoms in one cube, lingerie in one cube, etc… as i mix and match my outfits all during vacation.
but that’s a great solution for your 7-year old! all she has to do is open her cube, and voila, instant outfit. genius.
Hi Beth
I always travel with a small torch (flashlight). I use my torch on long haul flights when the plane lights get turned off to find things I in my bag rather than switch on my personal light and disturb other passengers.
I also keep it on the hotel bedside table in case of a power failure or an emergency situation in the middle of the night. And, if you are sharing the room with a partner or travel companion, you don’t disturb them by turning on the light if you need to go to the bathroom.
A torch is also useful if walking down a badly lit street and, worse case scenario, could be used to try and defend yourself (fingers crossed this will never happen).