8 Tips to simplify your traveling
There is no doubt that traveling in recent years has become more of a headache than ever before. Unfortunately, the source of these headaches includes the very bag that you want to take on your trip with you. With rising luggage fees, you really want to make sure that you are not taking up extra room with anything unnecessary, but still, getting everything to fit inside of your suitcase can be a pain.
Thankfully, there are several organizing systems on the market as well as other travel solutions you can employ to make sure that you are bringing everything that you need with you while having the best trip possible. Here is how to make travel easier.
1. Luggage Cubes
Luggage cubes will seriously make you question why you have been packing without them your entire life. They are exactly as they’re name describes: cubes that fit into your luggage. With various sizes, you can easily divide up your wardrobe into easier to manage categories. There are plenty of varieties out there so you should be able to find a set to fit your bag.
2. Packing Order
Speaking of packing, if you are bypassing the luggage cubes, there is actually a good order to how you should pack to ensure everything that you need will fit, without completely wrinkling your clothes. Rolling your clothes together will keep your clothes from getting wrinkled while ensuring that they are occupying as little space as possible in your bag. Rolling outfits together will help keep you organized and make things easier to grab. Place the heaviest clothes on the bottom of the suitcase, like jeans and your spare shoes, but make sure your pajamas, jacket, and toiletries are on top where you can easily pull them out first.
3. Act like a local
It is cheaper and more convenient to stay somewhere other than a touristy hotel when you are traveling. Using a site like Airbnb will let you find an apartment, usually with a kitchen and maybe even a place do to laundry, giving you all of the creature comforts of home. If you can get a place with a washing machine available ahead of time, you can limit your packing more since you will be able to simply wash your clothes when they are dirty.
4. Prioritize your interests
No two people travel the same way. Some people want to take in as many museums as possible while others want to eat their way around a destination. There is no wrong way to enjoy your travel experience unless it is to do what you think you should be doing rather than what you want to do. Instead of driving yourself crazy trying to take in all of the things that you believe you should do, just aim to do what you really want to. If you want to eat a pain au chocolat in Paris more than you want to explore the Père Lachaise Cemetery, get yourself that pastry and make yourself happy. You want to look back at your memories with fondness, not with how much of a scramble it was to try to do it all.
5. Rent a bike
This will greatly depend on where you are traveling to, but if you are in a location that does have bicycling options, you should see if you can rent a bike while you are there. It is much faster than walking, you would have the freedom to bypass crowded subways, and you could get into places that a car may not have been able to. You will be surprised at how much easier it is to get around with a bike.
6. A budget for emergencies
Of course, an emergency is typically unexpected, but that does not mean that you should put yourself out because you did not see it coming. Set aside a couple of hundred dollars as an emergency fund to help you out if you are in a crisis. This money can be used if you walked somewhere and need a cab back or if you stumble over the curb and need to see a doctor. You may not need to use the money at all, but it will take some sting and stress away just knowing that you have it in case you need it.
7. Bring a backpack
We all try to pack as much as possible in our one bag, which is often a carry-on for a lot of us. Because of the airlines’ policies regarding how much baggage we can bring and how much more it costs to bring several bags, we stuff as much as possible in one bag. But if you are wandering around a city, you are not going to want to haul that one bag with you all over. Instead, bring a small and empty backpack. Once you have reached where you are staying, you can leave your larger bag behind and carry with you only your daily necessities. As a bonus, you will have plenty of room to fit any souvenirs you pick up along the way.
8. Carry food with you
If you have brought a little backpack with you, this is an excellent idea. Carrying easy snacks that will give you some quick fuel will keep you energized in between meals and is essential if you are somewhere you are not familiar with. Wandering in a foreign place can sometimes mean it is hard to get food right when you need it. Things to carry include trail mix, jerky, or even red licorice to give you a little bit of sugar.
The absolute best thing that you can do to make travel easy is to be positive about it. You can plan, but you have to understand that plans are going to be broken and you need to go with the flow in order to maintain your sanity for the duration of the trip. Traveling is fun; enjoy yourself.
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