Top 5 Travel Hacks
Hi all! I feel like it’s been awhile. It’s just incredibly wonderful to feel the spring sun and watch the beautiful flowers in bloom. Also, we’ve been out traveling twice in the last month… that along with birthdays, school plays, soccer, yard work, shooting hoops in the driveway too late past bedtime… you know how the springtime awakening goes… Since packing (and unpacking) have been fresh on my mind lately, I thought that a few travel hacks were in order.
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I try to be a no stress traveler. The whole point of going on a trip is to relax and explore. That said there are a few travel hacks that make life easier and don’t require too much planning ahead. I have also narrowed it down to my top five. While there are plenty of travel hack articles out there, most of them have lost me at “top 25.” Who has time to read 25 hacks when you are trying to get ready for a trip?
#1 Take a photo of the information plaques while out sightseeing. This hack came from my sister-in-law and is my favorite hack of them all. We all think we are going to remember our pictures in the details (or even where we took the picture), but there is so much to see that the details often get lost. Having a picture of the info from a historic monument or the name of the restaurant you loved helps when you are sharing pictures with family and friends. Or perhaps, you are just in awe of the architecture (or chasing down your energetic young ones) and don’t have time to read all of the history behind the site. Your picture allows you to read the plaque later that day in the quiet of your hotel room.
#2 Plastic Gallon Bags. Not good for the environment (so obviously try to reuse them as much as possible) but great for packing. This hack is especially useful if you are sharing a suitcase with your children. I put an outfit for each day in a plastic bag and also have one for toiletries, pajamas, and swimsuits. This helps alleviate the drama of them tearing through the suit case to choose an outfit or find a swimsuit and disrupting the order with which I so carefully (most of the time) packed it.
#3 Blue Apron. I love it. I would use it every week if I were able to. However, Blue Apron is a once-a-month kind of thing at our house. As such, I always reserve an order for the week we return. We will undoubtedly be making several trips to the grocery store, but it is nice to avoid having to plan at least one meal a day until the bags are unpacked and the laundry is done. Click here to give it a try.
#4 An Empty Stainless Steel Water Bottle. (My redemption for using plastic bags.) The water bottles are great for filling up at the airport once you have passed through security. This can save you quite a bit of money in the long run. I also like having the water bottle at our hotel. If the water tastes funny or we are not supposed to drink it, I can always take my water bottle down to the fitness center to fill it up for the day. My favorite water bottle is this one because it also works for coffee 😉 I also like the fun colors on these.
#5 Take a Photo of Your Row/Level at the Airport Parking Garage. Haha- yes, our phones are full of random signs. However, this again is extremely helpful. When in a rush to make our flight (as we undoubtedly always are), we always take a quick snap and are grateful we have when we return from our trips with our heads in the clouds and sleepy children.
There you have it- 5 quick, no-stress, no-plan travel hacks. What about you? Do you have any travel hacks that you implement regularly? Planning to stay put and enjoy all that spring and summer have to offer? Me too… but here’s the pin for next February 😉
23 Comments
Kelly
Great ideas! I think you need to come pack up my kids for our next trip, I need some organization in my life ha!
Mackinaw Road
Thanks, Kelly! I guarantee that you are more organized than I am 🙂
Frédéric
Great tips! I always bring my own metal bottle when travelling. It has started to become one of the items that turns into a “friend”.
Frédéric
Great tips! I always bring my own metal bottle when travelling. It has started to become one of the items that turns into a “friend”.
Mackinaw Road
It just makes life so much easier!
Megan Rose
Great tips. We always try so hard to remember where we park, it seems silly not to think just take a photo!
Mackinaw Road
I always think we are going to remember and then we never do 😆
Sonam
Fabulous ideas. Thanks so much for sharing. Will try these next time.
Mackinaw Road
Thanks so much, Sonam!
RJ
Fabulous tips! I agree, 25 tips is a bit much when you’re busy getting ready to leave! I’ve started taking pictures of plaques and signs. They help so much!
Mackinaw Road
I agree-it is so incredibly helpful!
Kellyn
Thanks for sharing. I’m notorious for #1. I find that it really helps to bring everything together when I return with my photos.
Mackinaw Road
It’s the best!
Nic
Thanks for sharing these awesome hacks. It’s always great finding different travel hacks as it helps a lot in different situations!
Mackinaw Road
Thanks Nic! I agree- it’s always fun hearing what others’ go-to Hacks are 🙂
Swati & Sam
Great hacks. I always do the #1. It helps me to recollect and remember what I had seen. And a photograph before the take off is a must.
Mackinaw Road
Thank goodness for smart phones! 🙂
Wanderlust Vegans
We definitely like to take pictures of information plaques. Sometimes I can’t be bothered to read them at all until later. It’s really is hard to remember when all the information when someone asks you about your trip so good back up.
Mackinaw Road
I always think I have a good memory until I get home and need to refer to my information plaque pictures 😆
Ana Ojha
I always take the picture of the parking row number as I always forgot! And water bottle is must as it helps in saving few bucks!
Suruchi
Great post! We actually feel we can remember everything about the place or restaurant but forget everything, so clicking pictures is a good option. I too agree with your water bottle and plastic bags point.
Kristof
I actually take all those pictures to remember locations and parking spots too! 😀 The other ones are very useful too!
woodyworldpacker
Great tips! Especially taking a picture of the parking row at the big airports, like Amsterdam Schiphol. They have letters and signs to remember, but I forget them all the time!