I used to work in tourism which meant I traveled often. My 9 to 5 job has changed and doesn’t have travel opportunities. Fortunately, as someone who loves to travel, I’ve still had the chance to travel for fun.
If we’re being honest, road trips are my favorite way to travel. There’s a special kind of bond that happens when you’re stuck in a car with people. You also get to see so much more!
Time is a commodity that cannot be wasted. Therefore my two most recent trips have been through the air. One of my top priorities when I travel is packing efficiently. I take what I need and nothing more. I also do my best to consolidate in as few bags as possible.
These are a few of my favorite discoveries this past year. Note: these are all Amazon purchases I have made. These links are therefore affiliate links so if you purchase through my referral I may get some money.
KROSER Laptop Backpack With USB Port
I used this as my “personal item” carry-on for both my trip to Salt Lake City Utah and Austin Texas this year. I loved the “doctor’s bag” style opening which made it easy to access items. There are several pouches for organizing including a padded one for a small laptop or tablet. One of the coolest features is the USB port. This allows you to have a portable charger plugged into your bag and then connect your phone on the outside. Hooray for hands-free travel!
Sunglasses
I am notorious for losing sunglasses! That, or they get scratched and broken because I throw them in my purse where they get buried. Before my trip to Salt Lake City for Maskcara’s Dream Conference I was in desperate need for some new sunnies. I loved that these were polarized and came with a case. Now, I always make sure to put them in the case with the thought it will be harder to lose. The best part? These were only $12. Hooray for budget-friendly travel tips, right?!
Packing Cubes
I know, I know. I didn’t believe the hype either. When these popped up on an Amazon deal I had to try them out. Guys, I am sold! Honestly, they didn’t do much in terms of saving space. What they did do, however, was provide me some epic organizing.
My mom was a fantastic, organized packer when we were growing up. She had 5 kids to organize and I think only used one suitcase thanks to the Ziploc bag hack. As an adult, however, it’s far more difficult to fit an entire outfit in one bag. I was able to put my clothes in one packing cube, then used another for my dirty clothes. It was so nice to keep things separate! I also like to take a bar soap from the hotel and throw it in the dirty cube to keep things smelling fresh as possible.
Kindle Paperwhite
Reading is one of my favorite ways to pass the time while flying. My day-to-day schedule doesn’t leave much room to read for fun so I take full advantage of it on the road. I absolutely love having a Kindle! I’m able to take several books with me and it’s super light. My most recent flight was late at night. The back-lit feature of the Kindle was incredibly handy so I didn’t have to bug my seat-mates and turn on the overhead light. Seriously, if you don’t have one and enjoy reading, you need one.