Best Travel Hacks for a Girl-on-the-Go

I love to travel — and am way overdue to bust out of my city — but let’s face it, traveling can be stressful. I don’t go anywhere often enough to have my situation perfected however I’m trying and couldn’t resist sharing some clever travel hacks to help make your trip more stress-free.

1. Use Seat Guru to choose your seats.

   Seat Guru is an awesome website. It has color-coded maps of every airplane with the seats rated from best to worst. Personally, I hate sitting near the bathroom (does anyone like that?!) and have used this site to make sure that doesn’t happen.

2. Use binder clips on your razors.

   Have you ever reached carefully into your makeup bag hoping you don’t get nicked by your razor?  This is so obvious yet genius.

   

   via Redefined Mom

3. Charge your phone on the TV in your hotel room.

   Forget your charge plug? Most modern televisions now have USB outlets….just what you need to charge your phone!

4. Wear noise cancelling headphones in-flight.

   Crying babies.  Need I say more? Noise-cancelling headphones might be the best purchase ever.

5. Pack your still warm curling iron or flat iron in a potholder.

   Touching up your hair on your way out the door to the airport? I purchased years ago this Vera Bradley travel case but simply pack your flatiron in a potholder. Genius!

   

   via Medihoo

6. Wrap Your Shoes in a Shower Cap.

   The idea of the bottom of my shoes touching my clothes always grosses me out. While I typically strategically place them at the bottom of luggage, a few cheapy plastic shower caps will keep them together, and germs at bay. So smart.

7. Use a paperclip to lock your luggage.

   Don’t have a lock for your luggage?   A simple paperclip will ensure that your bag does not become unzipped during travel.

   

   via Medihoo

8. For better deals on flights, try clearing your cookies and search history.

   Travel sites monitor your online activity and may increase fares if you have visited the site multiple times.

9. Roll your clothes instead of folding them in your suitcase.

   Rolling gives you so much more space and helps prevent wrinkles (as does wrapping them in tissue paper)!

10. Put a photocopy of your passport in your suitcase.

    Now this is a great idea.  We have all heard horror stories about losing your passport when traveling abroad.  Make a photocopy and stick it in your suitcase…it will expedite the process if the worst happens.

11. Tie a brightly colored ribbon on the handle of your suitcase.

    Must check a bag?  The ribbon will help you spot your luggage right away on the baggage carousel.

    

    via A Happy Mommy

12. Queue left!

    Long lines at the airport?  Studies show that since most people are right handed they will naturally go right if they have a choice.   When the security lines are long, if you have a choice…merge to the left.