I read a lot of travel tips. A lot. It’s part of my job. I’m rarely surprised by the tips I read—they tend to get monotonous. Like, yeah, yeah, we get it packing cubes are a MUST on every list.
But, the travel tips I do enjoy are the ones that are so specific. They might not be groundbreaking, but the small things can add up and it’s always interesting to see what works for certain people’s travel styles.
All that being said, I figured I’d share a few of my own weird travel quirks. And, if you’re also a carry-on-only traveler, you might find a few of these helpful. These are small things that change the way I travel:
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Use this as a laundry bag
You know when you buy a pair of shoes and it comes with that dust bag you usually shove in a drawer? Well, I use those as laundry bags when I travel. For some reason, they do a great job of protecting my other clothing from the stink.
Put your socks in your shoes
Shoes take up a lot of space so don’t let all that empty area go to waste. Fill all your shoes with socks or other undergarments so that you can maximize your carry-on space.
Pack solid perfume
To say I love perfume is an understatement. But it’s spot on to say that I wouldn’t dare travel without a scent on me but I don’t like it taking up my toiletry space. So, I usually opt for solid perfume. It’s lightweight and easy to travel with and I keep it in my purse and reapply throughout the day.
Have one plane outfit you rely on
In the same way that Steve Jobs always wore a black turtle neck, I always travel in the same plane outfit, no matter where I’m going. It’s so nice to just pull it out of my closet for every trip and know I have my comfies on. For me, the outfit that makes the most sense is straight-leg sweatpants, a hoodie, sneakers that are easy to slip off, and an Eileen Fisher coat similar to this one because it’s warm enough for the plane but not too hot for a moderate summer night either.
Compartmentalize
While traveling it can be easy to misplace important items in the flurry of it all. So, when I travel, I have a carry-on bag and within that bag, I also pack a fanny pack. That fanny pack holds my passport and all my in-flight essentials (headphones, lip balm, etc.) so I can easily access them. It serves as a pocket but then I can pull it out and wear it as my purse when I land. And, I’m very proud to say that I’ve never lost anything while traveling. *Knock on wood.*
Put your personal info on all your bags
Speaking of not losing things, I’m terrified of losing all my items. I have luggage tags on all my bags but I also put my phone number and name on a piece of paper and keep it inside my bags as well. This way, if my luggage tag gets lost, it’s also inside the bag. I also like to change my phone lock screen to my name and IG handle so people can contact me if they find it. I know it’s a slim chance that someone will get it back to me but it’s better than nothing.