Hey guys,
It's finally SUMMER, time of traveling and having fun.
Packing and traveling is not easy, and forgetting something behind is a party pooper, so what is the solution to an easy breezy packing experience?
I'll share my packing, traveling and booking airplane tickets top tips and tricks, hacks that were very helpful to me personally when I'm travelling.
The topics I'll be discussing in today's post are as follow:
- Traveling Tips (What to do before and during your flight?).
- Airport hacks.
- What to take with you in your carry on?
- How to pack?
- What to pack?
- Packing hacks.
- Outfit journal.
- Outfit ideas.
1. Traveling Tips:
Fact: Airlines make more money by knowing our buying habits.
So when to buy airline tickets?
- The best time to buy your ticket is 6 weeks out.
- Shop early but don't buy early. Airlines start offering cheaper seats about 4 months before departure, 5 months for international.
- Prices change up to 3 times/day, sign up for email alerts for prices.
- Sunday is the most expensive day to fly- Holiday travel is an exception, buy those tickets as soon as possible.
Things to consider:
- Prices rise quickly the week of the flight. You'll pay about 40% more for ticket the day of.
- Most discounts and sales are offered early in the week.
- Consider nearby airports. Some cities have several airports, and the airfare can vary dramatically between them.
Before your flight:
- Stick to a routine: Choose a flight that fits your sleeping schedule, if not stick to your bedtime routine before the flight, to fall asleep easier on the plane.
- Dress for success: Wear sweatpants or workout cloths will keep you comfortable. Don't forget the thick socks to keep your feet warm.
- Choose your side: Book your seat according to the side you sleep on if possible.
- Tire yourself: The night before the flight, try to get a little less sleep.
- Limber up: Stretch your body or do some yoga before your flight.
During your flight:
- Flip your neck pillow: When you doze off, your head will be supported.
- Use a foot rest: Use your carry on luggage as a foot rest.
- Stay away from the light: Block out light, close the blinds, if you're setting next to a window, if not wear an eye mask.
- Listen to white noise: Drown out any distracting sounds.
- Avoid the snack trolley: Avoid drinks that are full of sugar and caffeine and alcohol, try to have carb-rich snacks like cereal one hour before dozing off.
Choose your sleeping position:
- The window-gazer: Using a pillow prop your head against the window.
- The headbanger: Pull down your seat tray and lean on top of it.
- The lovebirds: Rest your head on the shoulder of the person next to you.
- The crab: Ideal for isle seats, bring your legs to your hips and over the armrest (Watch out for the trolley).
- The traditionalist: Push your seat back and enjoy the extra space.
- The VIP: What are the odds? Just like sleeping in your bed, when you're alone in the raw, you can sprawl across the seats with a blanket and a pillow.
2. Airport Hacks:
- Check in online.
- Stay close to the business boarding, They occasionally show mercy and take people in from the queue.
- If you get thirsty, bring an empty water bottle through security,then fill it later.
- Know the rules, no sharp objects, liquids in sealed bags.
- Empty your pocket before you go through security.
- Offline survival, download your online boarding, Maps and passes, in case the unthinkable happens.
- Instead of storming the gate, wait out the rush and get some work done, the plane won't take off before 40 minutes.
- Use headphone for noise cancellation, not music, this way you won't miss any important announcements.
- Expect the unexpected, your luggage may be lost,so keep on an extra outfit and the essentials in your carry on.
- Board last for a free upgrade. If the plane is not full, you'll get to pick your seat, maybe even in first class.
What to take on your carry on?
1. Super important:
- Passport/ID.
- Copies of flight itinerary and address of where you're staying.
- Boarding pass.
- Proof of payment of any visas, hotels, flights. etc.
2. Entertainment:
- Tablet.
- Chargers.
- Headphones, Noise cancellation headphones.
- Knitting supplies. Knitting needles are allowed on the plane.
3. Snacks:
- Almonds.
- Beef jerky.
- Empty water bottle, you can fill it in the airplane.
- Granola.
- Apple pie, feel free to bring that pie yo baked last night.
4.Hygiene:
- One quart - size bag of liquids per flyer - that's it. Liquids must be 3.4 Oz or less deppending on the airlines.
3.4 Oz hand sanitizer.
3.4 Oz lotion.
Eye contact solution + Glasses
5. Just in case:
- Change of underwear.
- Pillow case.
- Anti wrinkle shirt.
- Pliers. 7 inches tools or less are allowed on the plane.
- Expensive electronics.
- Sleeping mask.
- Blanket or a big scarf.
- travel pillow.
- Anything you hate to lose like Jewelry, be careful if the ring resemble a brass rings it may get taken away.
4. How to pack?
- Know your destination, check the temperature, the climate, the culture, etc...
- Trip duration, how many days, you can make your suitcase as light or as heavy as it needs to be. If your traveling just for the weekend it's better to pack your stuff in your carry on.
- Make a check list to prevent forgetting anything. A complete checklists will be provided. Beach Packing List, Makeup and Toiletries Packing List, Vacation Packing List.
- Choose a color pallet. It's best to choose all nature colors with a few pieces of colored items like accessories or shoes.
- Weigh your luggage at home so that you don't have to go through trouble at the airport, taking out your items from the suitcase in case of an over weight.
5. What to pack for a 5 day get away:
So Packing is not an easy task, but if you followed the 5 steps of how to pack it'll be so much easier.
- Check the climate and culture.
- Gather the basics.
- Add key color pallet items.
- Rationalize shoes, A pair of nude wedges to go with everything, flip flops, sneakers and heels for romantic dinners.
- Complete with accessories, a cross body bag, a tote that can be used as a beach bag too, a clutch, belts and statement necklaces.
Pack light with the 5, 4, 3, 2 ,1 Rule:
5 Tops 4 Bottoms 3 Pairs of shoes 2 bags 1 Swimsuit
Black high neck (B.H.N) Black Mesh (B.M) White (W) Mint (M) Kemono (K)
Black Pants (B) Jeans (J) Coral jeans (C) Shorts (Sh)
White Wedges (W.W) Sneakers (S) Flipflops (F)
Black crossbody bag (Cross) Nine west bag (Nine L(long strap) / Sh (short strap))
For example: B.H.N + B + W.W + Nine Sh
W + K + J + W.W + Nine L
6. Packing Hacks:
- Put necklaces through straws.
- Put earrings through buttons holes.
- Put plastic wrap to close the bottles of toiletries (double wrap).
- Put cotton balls in compact powders to save them from breaking.
- Use cloths pins to make you toothbrush stand up right on the sink's top.
- put your money, credit cards and important papers in a maxi pad wrap, no one will ever touch it.
Cloths packing and organization tips:
- Roll clothes to fit the uneven bottom of a suitcase.
- Add pants and trousers.
- Roll clothes again.
- Put outerwear.
- Wrap pants and trousers.
- Insert accessories / shoe to corners (put socks inside shoes before hand).
Folding tips:
Jeans:
Anti-wrinkle t-shirts:
7. Outfit Journal:
Keep a journal to document every outfit idea you get, do it on Microsoft Excel, or on physical paper, whatever suits you so you don't forget.
Take photos with your phone and keep them in a separate folder for easy access.
I do it on Excel sheets, its easier for me to find it on my laptop, plus I upload it on dropbox for the convince of finding it on my phone.
Here you'll find a free printable of my outfit journal, plus a Microsoft Excel version so you can customize it to your needs.
The photo above is an example of my journal for reference.
8. Outfit ideas:
Finally I hope you liked this blog post, I've spend a massive effort on covering so many aspects of travelling, please share it with your friends and family, and leave me a comment telling me about your secret traveling hack.
