As we continue to see our timelines fill with pictures of Spring Break 2017, it's clear that summer travel is just around the corner - which means, we are in full force travel mode. Here are a few of my top tips and products to help you prepare, pack and travel in sync!
1. Plan, Plan, Plan.
The biggest mistake my clients and friends make when starting to prepare for travel is that they just start throwing things in a bag. Take a moment to sit down and count how many days you will be there, how many and what types of events you have planned, etc. Then lay it all out on your bed, and do one big inventory check to make sure you are not overpacking a certain item style. Then you can start to pack.
Whether you buy a pre-made pack pad or create your own, jotting it down before you start is an important first step! Grab this master list pad for just $6.99 here.
Lay it all out on your bed before anything goes in your bag. Go over it with your list to make sure you did not forget anything.
2. Packing It In:
Quality luggage is always a great investment and generally comes with solid warranties. Now what you fill them with is the real key! How you fold and organize clothes in your bag is the most important factor in how much you can take with you and keeping your suitcase organized throughout your trip. Do not forget to pack some sort of smaller bag for dirty laundry (We prefer two, one for lights, one for darks). This will help keep you from digging through dirty clothes in your bag to find what you want, and will make unpacking easier (see tip 8). Here are our top two bag organizers:
Eagle Creek organizing packers are my absolute favorite, can’t beat em and they not only give you more space,but make packing easier. But the starter set here.
If you are looking for a cheaper option, this set is also amazing (not to mention SUPER cute) and they even come with laundry bags which i LOVE! You can get these online on their website: AllTheCuteThings.
3. Bathroom Goods:
This in itself could be an entire blog post! It doesn't need to be said that a great toiletry bag is important. My personal favorite bags are pocket central and hang over the door, like this L.L. Bean bag. Since a lot of the time we share bathrooms or even switch hotels a few times, this is perfect! This bag makes it easy to access your belongings, and also easy to pack it up quickly and keep it in order.
Only $29.99 and comes in a bunch of fun colors. Get it here.
Bonus: Here are a few of my personal travel hacks I have been using for years!
Place a paper clip over the head of your razor before you put it in any carrying bag to avoid those annoying and overly painful cuts!
Open all liquids you are traveling with and place a piece of saran wrap under the cap. This way if they pop open in the air, they still won't spill out all over.
This one you don't have to keep to just travel! You will find this in my purse on any given day. Empty out a tic tac case and place your bobby pins in the container.
4. Jewelry:
Packing Jewelry is something that I have really mastered as I am a jewelry junkie! Necklaces are always our biggest issue, as they always get damaged or tangled. First, get a zip bag like this awesome one from The Container Store, they have a few different sizes to choose from and zipper shut. Then individually pack your jewelry as shown below, then put in all in the bag of your choice to keep it in one place.
Lay out a piece of cling wrap sticky part up. Place all necklaces and bracelets on half of the piece of wrap and then fold it over and secure it.
A selection of different pill cases can be used to store earrings and rings. Either a standing tube style (left), or the long one (above), or both! These can be found super cheap at any drug store.
5. Land prepared to dress:
If you are going to a wedding or any event that you will need to dress for immediately after arrival, this life hack will prevent your garment from creasing. Take a few old dry cleaner bags and place your item in between them, just make sure the item doesn't touch itself and it has room to wiggle around in your suitcase inside the bags, which is how the crease prevention works.
Two most important things here are not folding it tightly in the old cleaners plastic, and making sure the piece of clothing doesn't touch itself.
6. Carrying It on:
Packing a carry on is so important. First, a travel wallet like the one below is a great way to have your tickets, itinerary, passport etc all in one place. That way you can store your actual wallet in your suitcase, especially if you have cash or travelers checks. Just put one card and a small amount of cash in the travel wallet. If you have a bigger carry on without a lot of pockets this insert will turn your purse from a bag to a compartment heaven! The best part is you can always remove it once you have arrived at your destination if you need more space in your bag!
These adorable travel wallets by TheRubyCottage start at just 19.50 and are completely customizable inside and out! These are a must have for Summer '17. Buy them here.
I am loving this organizer by MochiThings. They come in a bunch of fun colors and are just $37.99! The act of endlessly searching for what you need while in a hurry or sitting on a plane is cut in half with this hack!
7. Plug It In:
Packing cords is always one big tangled mess and the item most people forget either at home or in the hotel upon returning. Just like in your closet make a list of all the electronics you are bringing. Then lay the cords out and double check with your list. Then store them in an easy container.
This electronic organizer from Bagsmart can be snatched up for just $17.99 off amazon. I love this one because it stores everything you need, and allows you easy access for charging on the go.
This simple DIY hack is incredibly efficient - and cheap! Take your cords and wrap them with a binder clip, then place them all in a sandwich or gallon size zip lock depending on your needs.
8. Organized unpacking
What you do upon your arrival home is SO important. It sets the stage for how you transition back to your daily life, if you set yourself up for an orderly return, your transition will be seamless and you'll carry over the relaxation from your trip! Start to unpack immediately once you get home. I know this might seem like a daunting task but you will feel so much better once you do! First, take out your dirty laundry bags (remember these from tip 3)and throw them right in and start a load. I prefer to take two laundry bags with me one for lights and one for darks - so I don't even have to sort before I start a load. Then take all clothes that you didn't wear, or only wore once which can go back in your closet. Most people put everything they took on their trip in the wash because of the airplane smell. But, hang them all up on hangers and hang them in your shower, spray them over with fabric smell such as febreze, then give them a quick spray of wrinkle release and let them hang and air out for 15 minutes before you place them back in your closet. Good as new and you spared your clothes one more color dimming wash! Lastly, put all your toiletries in place right away, this will allow you to get right back to your night time routine with your products and continue your transition back to reality!
If you have travel must haves, tips or tricks you use when you travel - we wanna hear about them! Shoot us an email or tag us @syncedspaces or hashtag #getsynced.
Happy Travels!
