As you may or may not have seen on my social media lately, but I have been doing a pretty decent amount of traveling. Some of it has been for work, and some of it has been for pleasure. Regardless of the purpose, I have gotten quite good at traveling efficiently and thought I would share my tips and tricks with you lovely people!
I think that planning your packing is one of the most obvious tips. I have a few checklists that are pre-made that I use so that I do not have to recreate the wheel with each trip. Obviously items shift for each trip based on the length of time, temperature of destination and the purpose of the trip (work versus family vacation,) so having a few templated lists is helpful. I like to break my list into the following categories:
Clothing
Basics such as underwear, bras, shapewear and socks
Athletic wear- sports bras, leggings, tops, socks, hat, shoes
PJs/leisure wear
Outfits by day and by occasion- include shoes, outerwear and accessories (bags, jewelry, scarves, glasses, etc.) for each daily activity such as work, dinner, night out
Doing this ensures that you do not overpack. You will have your outfits planned, but you need to commit! Also, bring a Tide to Go stick so that you are safe if you have that coffee drip.
Cosmetics
Make-up- include brushes/tools
Hair Items- styling products, brushes, hair ties, styling tools, etc.
Shower Stuff- body wash, shampoo, conditioner, razor
Skin Care- face wash, lotions, serums, masks, chapstick etc.
Health- meds, vitamins, protein shakes/bars, Liquid IV
Toothbrush, paste, floss, bleach kits
Glasses, contacts, solution
Tech
Back-up Battery- with charger
Entertainment- Firestick, portable speaker w/charger
Laptop/IPad- wireless keyboard, mouse, chargers
Cellphone- cellphone car mount and charger
Watch- charger
Misc./ Trip Specific Items
Crossword puzzles/book/craft or hobby items
Vaccination Card
ID/Passport
Wallet/Cash Money!
Reusable Tote Bag
Any necessary items for activities on trip (snowboarding or golfing for example)
Now that you are organized with what you need to bring, you need to pack the items. I have invested in some really great items that make my travel so much easier such as shoe carriers (won't get your smelly sneaker smell on your clothes,) travel pouches for shower essentials, plastic jars for random cosmetics, a laundry bag for those dirty clothes, an organizer for all of your chargers/cords, and pouches/cases for vitamins, meds, cosmetics, etc. I do not use them, but many travelers also use a system to basically vacuum seal their clothes to take up less space. Of course, you need to invest in a good suitcase. I suggest one that has four wheels, hard sides and a ridiculous pattern so that you can always find your suitcase at the carousel. Don't forget to throw an Apple Air Tag into the suitcase, and then you will always know if your suitcase made it to your destination or if it ended up half way across the country.
So in looking over some of the stuff on my list, you may wonder why I bring these things, so let me explain. Always bring a water bottle. You get dehydrated when you fly, when you go into different elevations and when you are out of your normal routine. This will ensure that you have a water bottle for your workouts and that you do not have to pay for bottled water your entire trip. Friendly tip, almost all hotels have water coolers in their gyms, so that is a great place to refill your water bottle. Also, don't forget to bring some Liquid IV or powdered Propel to help with your electrolytes and give you some flavor variety.
I like to feel at home when I am traveling, so I bring a FireStick so I can watch my normal television shows, a portable speaker so I can jam out in my room and a travel candle so it doesn't smell like random people in my room. I also unpack. It is just nice to have my suitcase tucked away and be grabbing my items out of drawers instead of digging through my suitcase. I also bring a yoga mat which may seem odd, but many of the gyms do not have yoga mats available, and then you are able to work out in your room if you are doing body weight strength training, core, yoga or barre.
Do not ever, and I mean ever, use the coffee pot in your room. It is full of germs and is just disgusting. I always bring a coffee cup so that I can be more kind to our planet earth, but also because you should never use the cups in your room as well. Wipe down your remote control, phone and all surfaces. Now since COVID, this has gotten better, but I still just feel a bit better using my Clorox wipes on these kinds of items. (You can use them in your rental car and on the plane also.) Speaking of COVID, bring your vaccination card. There are certain places that require vaccination status to enter.
Something I just started doing this year was bringing my cellphone car mount. This has been life changing. When renting a car, they normally do not come with GPS. You have to pay for it. The car may have Apple Play but many don't, so you are stuck holding your phone, looking down at directions in an area that you are unfamiliar in. Not good. Now I can just throw my car mount in and get my cell ready to go with directions without worry. I am a huge fan of the vent clip versions because all cars have vents. You can find my favorite here.
Another tip is to always bring cash. I think this is an age old rule, but tipping your hotel employees will make your life so much better and you cannot tip them with your debit card. You would be surprised what a hotel employee will do for you if you show them respect and throw the occasional tip their way.
You can check out the items that I find to be completely necessary for any travel I am doing whether it be carry on only or checked baggage here. Please share your favorite items to travel with! I am always looking for new ways to make something that can be stressful, a bit more fun!