DebitNM

OK, we all have our little travels things we do to make our trips easier. And we probably think the things we do are not all that unique. But chances are...you do something that others haven't thought of yet.

So, I thought maybe we could all share our helpful tips and secrets for easy and hopefully stress free travel.

Please post your tips and feel free to come back and add more!


I used to pack a suit case inside a suit case so that I would have a spare one for the trip home...especially handy for the purchases made along the way. Well with weight restrictions, this is no longer a good idea. So here are my tips:

#1 - I always pack a lightweight nylon duffle bag inside my suitcase. This serves 2 purposes -- it gives me a extra room on the trip home for either purchases or even for dirty laundry AND if my suit case weighs too much, I can shift things out of case and into duffle on the flight to destination.

#2 I use TSA approved locks on my suitcase that I check. These give me a bit of peace of mind as to the security of my things.

#3 I pack my clothes in ziplock bags....sorry, I just don't want TSA touching my lingerie etc.

#4 I take a chamois/swimmer's towel with me. These are fake chamois called THE ABSORBER that are sold in auto section of WalMart or in car parts stores. They come in nice colors and are about 2' x 3' in size. I cut them in halfand use one after shower to dry off {no need to worry about how fluufy and absorbent the hotel towels are } and the other is my beach towel. Simply rinse them out when done, squeeze out excess water and let them dry. If you have to pack before they are dry...just pop them in a ziplock bag. They cost around $8 each and they are great.

http://www.autobarn.net/miniabsorber.html

So, let's get those tips rolling in!

Debi

toedtoes

Hi Debit! I have a few similar ones, but here goes:

1. Ziplock bags - use them for clean and worn undies (separate of course ) and other clothing needs, anything that gets damp and I don't have time to dry it, toiletries (each separate) so if something leaks it doesn't get all over and I can still use it, protection for camera if it rains (you can still operate the camera through the plastic).

2. I bring along a small down throw - it rolls into nothing and provides a bit more warmth when placed over the hotel bedding.

3. I look to see if any of the places I'll be have a live webcam. If so, I give friends and family the link to its website and tell them to watch for me at a certain day and time. Then I show up and wave for a few minutes. It's a cheap way to "say hi" while you're away and they seem to enjoy it.

4. I save all the shopping bags from my trip and keep them in my carry on, just in case. A couple years ago, I went to a music festival and as I was going through airport security, I noticed one of the musicians that I had enjoyed. He had a box that was falling apart and was asking the airport staff if they had any bags. I, of course, offered him one of mine. He got something to carry his stuff in, and I got an autograph and a chance to talk to him. Great guy, by the way, Joel Kroeker.

5. I plan well ahead. If I rent a vehicle, I estimate my expected mileage and round up to the next hundred (if 1405, I round up to 1500). I also estimate the gas price about 50 cents high. That way, I'm covered if the prices go up, and if not, I have some extra cash to spend on stuff.

6. For trips to Canada, I don't worry about exchange rates during the trip. I look at prices as if they're in USD. If I'm willing to spend that amount in USD, then I know it's acceptable in CAD. And it gives me a small cushion zone for emergencies.

If I think of any more, I'll add them.

Celiaanne

I completely agree with the ziplock bag recommendation -- you can never have too many of them!

Shoes: I put mine in those cheap, thin shower caps you find in hotel rooms. I can't stand the idea of my shoes, which have been EVERYWHERE, touching the rest of my things. Works great for me.

I make a "Pack and Take" list in Excel for all my trips. I just update an older when I am planning a new one with whatever changes are necessary. This way I don't forget 100 things!

Thanks for all the tips!

Judy_in_Calgary

I am a packing geek. I am forever researching ways of packing more efficiently, travelling more lightly, etc.

One of the most useful tips I've received did not come from my extensive research, but rather from Mr. Judy_in_Calgary.

I used to find it a challenge to store my passport and boarding pass in a sensible place while I went through immigration and airport security formalities. I wanted a spot in which I could store them without carrying them separately, but a spot that still would leave them readily accessible when I needed to present them.

Before one of our trips I went to a travel store and bought some handy gizmos that would make life on the road easier. One of my purchases was one of those pouches that you wear around your neck and that keeps your passport and boarding pass readily available while you make your way through the airport. It did indeed make my trips through airports much easier, and I was pleased with my stroke of genius.

At some point -- maybe it was the third airport we were going through -- Mr. J_i_C said, "Have a look at me. Why do I find it so easy to get through airports?" I looked at him and noticed his passport and boarding pass in the chest pocket of his shirt. He said, "If only you women would fly in shirts that had chest pockets, you'd make things so much easier on yourselves."

Although I didn't admit it openly, I thought, "Doh! What an idiot I am." From that day onwards, I have always flown in a blouse with a chest pocket, and my goodness what a difference it has made.

Elizabeth_S

In addition to having photocopies of tickets, passports, etc with us - I email PDFs of important documents like that to my yahoo mail box - that way if everything is lost or stolen I can quickly access the file from any computer with an internet connection.

My husband does all our packing so I don't know his little tips/tricks (mine is having your husband do the packing) .... but one thing I know is he uses cable ties to lock the luggage - that way the officials can easily open it but at least it might slow someone down with the cable ties in place. He carries a big pile of them - enough for the whole trip.

travelsnoop

Those plastic bags that you squeeze the air out really do work as space savers in a suitcase and keep underclothes clean.

Second, anywhere we travel in a rent car or otherwise, we stop at the closest Wal-Mart type store and purchase a case of bottled water to keep in the car at all times. Comes in handy.

When we take our golf bags we stuff other items inside but not over the weight limit.

If you acquire extra items on the trip which would exceed the weight limit on a particular suitcase, we take a Sam's fold up freezer bag to use for groceries to cool and then afterwards it can be used as an extra suitcase if necessary.

Final tip, we take several large plastic garbage bags and put our dirty clothes in those until we can find a washing machine on our travels. If you forget, the hotel laundry/cleaning bags will do just fine.

irecommend

Wow great ideas. Great post!