6 Hacks to Make Traveling a Breeze

I can see the long line at security now. Nothing is worse than having to haul your laptop out of your bag, while scrambling to take your shoes off. In the meantime, you are making sure all of your stuff goes correctly through the metal detector, and fighting off the rest of the crowd. Only then, you pray that you have remembered to have take off your belt… opps. To be honest, the process of traveling really is draining. As of lately though, I’ve been traveling my butt off. Ever since I studied abroad in college, I’ve been accumulating some tips and tricks to help make the actual traveling process a lot less painful. After some trial and error, I’ve come up with my top six hacks (maybe even a bonus hack) to make your traveling experience easy, breezy, and maybe even a little bit beautiful.

Flatten Your Packing 

Lately, everyone I see on the internet is all about the packing cubes. Sure if you are sharing a suitcase with a significant other or friend, but honestly it’s not necessary. It’s main purpose is to keep your suitcase more organized. In the end, it’s taking up weight and you are most likely going to be unpacking when you get to your destination. This makes the “in flight” organization irrelevant. With my fair share of traveling, I’ve found that flattening out your clothes as much as possible is the way to go. Do it the old school way, and sit on your clothes! No need to make it more intense. Plus, you won’t have to worry about spending money on those packing cubes.

Savor Your Liquids

Liquids are heavy. Next to shoes, they are going to be the heaviest pieces in your luggage. Therefore, take full advantage of travel sizes. In addition, only take the liquids that you ABSOLUTELY need. I’m not saying your skincare routine has to suffer, but really try to edit your liquids down as much as possible. Do you really need that jumbo sized hairspray?

Choose Your Shoes Wisely

As I said earlier, shoes are one of the heaviest pieces that you will travel with. Really consider the weight of your shoes. If you don’t need to bring your western booties with five buckles on each shoe, then don’t! Bring a similar and lighter pair. Also, really consider the activities you will be doing, and plan accordingly. For example, I’m not going to be doing much walking except for dinner and some exploring here in Punta Cana. Most of the shoes I packed were flat sandals and cute dinner shoes. I also, kept things super neutral so that I could better mix and match with my outfits.

Keep in mind the shoes you are wearing on the plane, also! This is such a huge game changer. I highly suggest any kind of flat SLIDE. Whether that be vans or some sandals, slides are the easiest and fastest option. That way you can get through security as fast as possible, and you don’t even need your hands to put them on.

Mix & Match

Many people will suggest you plan your outfits out in advance. Unless you are going to multiple events, I don’t feel this is necessary. Instead, I suggest to really focus on packing those super versatile pieces. That way, you can have more fun with your styling. Plus, it will allow you to have more options on what you want to wear throughout the week. I’m one of those people that loves options, because I never know how I’m going to feel like that day. This mix and match method is much easier in my opinion, plus it saves time packing.

Download Your Airline App

I just started utilizing this hack this year, but I don’t know what I was doing with my life before it. Things are bound to change and get delayed one time or another while traveling. Instead of constantly checking those monitors in the terminal, set up your airline app! Not only will you get updates sent to you via text, but it tracks your bags as well. Before you even get off the plane, you can know what gate you are arriving at and the carousel number your baggage is at. It’s like magic! Plus, you can even use it to hold your boarding passes! Now you don’t have to worry about scrambling through your bag to find your ticket, because we always have our phone on us. It’s the sad and pitiful truth.

Invest in Your Luggage

This one isn’t necessary, but it is a game changer! If you are one of those people who always overpacks and has overweight bags, join the club. Until I invested in my new luggage, I was the head of this club. It’s amazing how much weight you lose, by investing in amazing luggage. Ever since I got my new luggage, I have been nowhere near that 50 LB zone. The holiday seasons are slowly on the horizon, so maybe think about asking for some nice and sturdy luggage this year. I currently have TUMI, but I know you all are going to die when you see the price tag. 100% stalk their website until they go on sale! I will also keep you posted if I see them on Haute Look. Who cares if it’s last season’s colors, their luggage is seriously top of the line. I know this is a pricey hack, but it has changed my traveling game immensely! Use at your own discretion.

BONUS HACK: Consider Getting TSA Pre-Check

I have not yet ventured into this tip, but it’s the next thing I’m investing in for my travels. As I said before, my biggest pet peeve while traveling is having to take out my laptop through security. It’s the biggest pain in the butt! I never knew how much I hated it till the day I randomly got TSA Pre-Check. From that day forward, that is what I strive for in my traveling life. Not only do you not have to take your laptop out of your bag, but you get to keep your shoes, jackets, belts, and jewelry on! It’s the little things in life. Although, to get TSA Pre-Check all the time you have to go through a bit of a process. If you are willing to take some time to do a background check and invest in an $85 application fee, I believe it is 100% worth it for all of you frequent flyers.

I hope at least one of these will help you in your future travels. Every time I travel I utilize these exact hacks, and no wonder I love to travel so much. It’s such a breeze! What are some of your favorite traveling hacks? Also, if you would like to come along for the rest of the Punta Cana shenanigans, be sure to catch me on my Instagram! Today’s agenda is an ATV tour!

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