DON’T fold your pants! – Packing tip

by Gadling Staff on

Save packing space — and prevent wrinkling worries! — by laying trousers or jeans, unfolded, so one half lays inside the suitcase and the other half hangs over the outside. Repeat around all edges (skirts, blazers and dresses are also ideal).

Once you’ve surrounded the bag with these “overhanging” items, fill the inside of the suitcase with your tops and toiletries. When finished, fold over the hanging parts of the garments and neatly over the contents.

Keeping skirts and trousers UNfolded keeps them UNwrinkled, too.

Pack a dry erase board and markers – Cruise Tip

by Gadling Staff on

Packing a dry erase board and markers and attaching to your cabin door accomplishes two things:
1.) it makes your cabin door stick out among the long hallway of cookie-cutter doors, and
2.) it’s an easy way for your family to communicate their whereabouts.

Before going on your vacation, attach heavy-duty magnets to the back of the board with a glue gun. Because cabin doors on cruise ships are metal, the board stays put. Instruct your family members to write where they’ll be on the ship (“Headed to the pool!” -Nicole) when they leave the room.

Lose the luggage, get a ruck sack – Airplane tip

by Gadling Staff on

Now that most airlines charge to check your bags, more people are opting to carry their luggage onto planes. However, not much fits in your typical carry-on. To maximize your carry-on capacity and still fit your bag in the overhead compartment, take a tip from the U.S. Army. Trade your rolling luggage for an army surplus Ruck Sack.

A Ruck Sack offers plenty of pockets and lots of room for your belongings. They’re also durable and easy to sling across your shoulders. Look for a pack with an internal back frame to better support the load.

Buy quality items to decorate your home – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

Don’t be tempted by cute, cheap, useless kitsch that will clutter your house. Find out what products, colors, or fabrics make your travel destination famous, and spend your money on one or two quality items that you will keep and use for years.

Decide on an item you will actually use, such as a table cloth or beautiful platter, or think about an item that will add to your home’s decor, such as a decorative bowl or painting.

Remember to consider your home’s existing color palette and style and chose something that will fit in.

Create a travel drawer – Packing tip

by Gadling Staff on

Find yourself spending hours searching around the house for your voltage converter, mosquito net, and travel hairdryer before you leave for a trip? Consider emptying a drawer in your bureau or buying a plastic under-the-bed bin to store all these must-pack travel items.

You can also keep your drawer or bin stocked with travel-sized shampoos, first-aid kits, maps, spare earbuds, and photocopies of important documents like your driver’s license and passport.

Never again will you waste time digging through closets and suitcases looking for your adapter plug kit.