I have been traveling a lot lately. With all the flying back and forth to Dallas to job interview with the hubby, then come down a few times to look at houses.
Oh, and there was a Vegas trip in there somewhere and my sisters and I took my Mom to Napa for her 60th birthday last year.
I’m very grateful for all the opportunities to travel and I look forward to many more upcoming trips. Right now, though, we’re staying put for a little while and just relaxing together as a family.
Once we get a little more settled into new routines and the hubby gets a few months of working under his belt, maybe we’ll start traveling a little more again. I would really love to start planning at least one family vacation a year as well as one kid-free vacation per year. Quality time together is essential to our marriage.
Anyway, now that I’ve settled down and been reflecting on the past year, I’ve been thinking of all my best travel tips. All the tips that I use when I travel to make it less stressful and packing easier and more efficient.
So here’s all my best travel tips.
Use Packing Cubes
I recently invested in some packing cubes and I have to say that they are a game changer. I can fit so much more into my luggage than before. And that may or may not be a good thing… haha!
They also keep things so neat and organized and clothes are less likely to get wrinkled or smashed because of the baggage handlers.
I like to lay out all my clothes and then pack by outfit in each cube. I usually only pack 1 pair of jeans for 2-3 different outfits, so I’ll pack all the tops for the 1 pair of jeans in the same packing cube.
Invest in Travel Sized
This is something that I’ve been doing slowly over the past year. I grab a couple travel sized things every time I head to Target or Ulta and then throw everything into a basket in the linen closet.
When I’m packing for a trip, I just grab the basket with all the travel sized bottles that I need. Everything is already in one spot to grab instead of scrambling all over your bathroom looking and possibly forgetting things.
Buy Travel Sized Bottles
If, for some reason, some of the products you use don’t come in a travel size get the little bottles and fill them yourself. You really don’t need a full bottle of face cream when you’re traveling so just scoop a little in a smaller jar to save space and weight.
Use an Electronics Pouch
Keeping track of cords, backup batteries, and whatever other cords you need is daunting. I bought this electronics pouch for my carry-on and it’s awesome.
I also bought duplicate phone cords, battery packs, etc. to keep in there all the time so I just have to grab the pouch and go. I always double check it before leaving but I usually don’t have to worry if I forgot my phone charger or extra battery pack at home.
External Battery Pack
I bought this external battery pack on Prime Day for a great price and I take it everywhere with me. You especially don’t want to be stuck in the airport or somewhere you don’t know with a dead phone and no way to contact anyone.
Socks Inside Shoes
Rolling your socks and stuffing them in your shoes saves space and keeps your shoes from getting smushed. Win win!
It also saves space so you have more room for shopping when you’re on vacation.
Always Have a Cardigan or Light Jacket
I always pack a cardigan or light jacket no matter where I’m going. You never know when it might rain and you need a little more cover or possibly the restaurant is freezing inside and you don’t want to be uncomfortable.
There’s all my best travel tips for you! What are some of your best travel tips or hacks? Let me know in the comments below!
