Tag: packing cubes

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Travel

Helpful Travel Hacks and Hints

Hi everyone and happy October. I hope your next few weeks are filled with fall fun, whether it be in the form of decorating, warm foods, walks, or corn mazes.

I’ve been spending as much time as I can outdoors while the weather is still nice.

I have been in a season of travel, from longer trips to weekend getaways and have been picking up some travel hacks along the way. 

If you are in a season of travel too or preparing for one with the holidays approaching, here’s some helpful hints I have picked up.

  • Packing Cubes– These packing cubes have been a game changer for me, especially for longer travels. I used packing cubes when I went to Rome and I fit so much in my carry-on. I had more than enough space for souvenirs to bring back and for all my clothes. They are also great for keeping dirty and clean clothes separated during and after your trip.
  • Travel Size Inventory- I have talked a lot about using sample beauty products when traveling. This is a great opportunity to use products you may be hesitant to try at home. I also try to use products that I am almost out of it and can throw away when I am away to save space coming back and to come home to fresh and fully stocked products. My motto is use it lose it!
  • Make a List and Take a Photo– I always make a list of what to pack when I leave whether it’s for a week or an overnight trip. I like to keep it in my phone, so I always have it with me. It also makes it easier when checking things off to make sure you have everything when you return. If you are a more visual person, lay out everything you want to bring and snap a photo. When you are ready to come home, check the photo to make sure everything is accounted for.
  • Pick a Color Scheme– I always try to be mindful when I am packing and that comes in the form of what I am bringing. I tend to choose a color scheme and stick with it. For example, in Italy, I wore black, white and red. This helped mix and match outfits and shoes. For a recent weekend away, I chose blue and white with a few accent colors, they were all neutral which made it easy to mix and match clothing items. Choosing a color scheme also made packing easier when you are only looking for a few colors, plus it helps with jewelry and accessories.
Black and white was my go-to colors for Italy
  • Bring an Empty Water Bottle– If you are flying or driving, bring an empty water bottle. This is very helpful when flying and you get thirsty as there are always places to refill your cups. If you are driving, it doesn’t hurt to have a cup to fill up at gas stations or rest stops, plus it saves you money and helps the environment.
This travel mug came in handy for a weekend out of town
  • Be Mindful of Your Bags– Think practicality over cute. I tend to be practical with what bags and luggage I am using, but I have fallen victim to choosing cute over practical and I faced the consequences. Rolling suitcases and backpacks may be the smarter decision when flying as opposed to totes. However, a tote could be great for a road trip for easy access for snacks and toys for kids. Always be thinking about what’s the best option for organization and practicality.
Practical for flying
Not as practical for flying…lesson learned

There you have it, some helpful hints that I have picked up when traveling. I am by no means an expert, so I am always open to new ideas. Tell me: what are some of your travel tips and advice? Let me know in the comments below! Happy Travels!

Categories
Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #108

Hello all! Happy Friday! I hope you all have had a great week and are excited to do something fun as we start to say goodbye to summer! This has been such a fulfilling summer filled with checking off bucket list items, continuing summer traditions, and new adventures. I’m not ready to say goodbye to summer, but all good things must come to an end.

I’ve been capitalizing on lots of walks over the past few weeks.


As we get ready for the weekend, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for another round of Friday Favorites! Here’s a list of things I’ve been loving!


Yoga– I’ve tried yoga a few times over the past month. I am used to more high intensity workouts with strength training, lifting and cardio, so this was a change in pace for me, but I’ve enjoyed it the past few times. I did a yoga on the beach which was a slow and gentle flow yoga for beginners. Then a week later, I did a sunrise yoga which was gentle, but more intense yoga. Both lasted an hour and I felt relaxed, refreshed, and stretched out. I don’t know if I’ll be incorporating yoga into my weekly workout sessions, but it was fun to change it up for a few weeks. 

Yoga to start the day


It Ends with Us– The movie, It Ends with Us starting Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is now out. I haven’t seen it yet, but I am anxious to see it. I read the book and the sequel by Colleen Hoover and I really loved it. I’m anxious to see how the movie compares to the book. I have read some reviews, but no spoilers. I did hear that Hoover makes an appearance. I’m hoping to see it in the theaters soon! I’ll report back with a review once I see it.


New Bridgerton Scent– As we say goodbye to one season of life and say hello to another, my body lotion and sprays are changing. I got some of the new scents from the Bridgerton collection from Bath and Body Works for my birthday and I’m finally getting around to using them. I really love this scent and the design on the bottle. The scent is called Diamond of the Season and it’s a subtle, vanilla scent with some hints of floral. The perfect smell to use when at the end of summer and start of fall!


Packing Cubes-I’m officially on the packing cube train. I have read about packing cubes for years from Mix and Match Mama and before my family trip, I purchased a set for my mom and I to share and they were a huge help. I used two cubes and they fit nine days worth of clothes tight and compact. On the way home, I used one for clean and one for dirty clothes. They gave me so much more space in my carry-on. I would definitely recommend getting them if you are a big traveler. I would even consider using them if you are using a tote bag if you don’t plan on using a suitcase to keep everything organized and neat. I know I will be using them for future travels. I got mine off Amazon!


Satin Lips Scrub and Balm– I’ve mentioned this numerous times, but whenever I go on vacation or go away, I always like to try new beauty samples to see if I want to invest in them. When I went on my trip, I tried Mary Kay’s Satin Lips Scrub and Balm. I used the scrub every night after I washed my face and used them balm through the day. The scrub felt good after a day of lip balm and glass. I found myself having to reapply the balm a lot through the day, but that also could have been due to the heat and drinking lots of water. I will definitely be using the samples on my next trip, but I think I will be sticking to my Sara Happ Lip scrub and balm at home every night.

That’s a look into some of my favorite things from this past week! What are some things that have caught your eye this past week? Let me know in the comments below! Happy Friday!