Be an Airport Security Pro 12.17.11

Don't forget to enter the holiday giveaway! You have until Sunday to get your name in to 

                                                         win fabulous (travel) prizes!

Pretty much everyone hates airport security and those that don’t hate it are like me and tolerate it, because if you don’t go through it, you don’t get to go anywhere fun. I don’t mind a few minutes of inconvenience for a week of adventure, so I don’t complain about it. It forces me to pack less and be more creative with what I bring and wear and has helped me find some nifty travel gadgets along the way. Unless you are a road-trip-only kind of person, you endure the airport security line like the rest of us. Want to be a pro and whiz through as quickly as possible? Here are some tips, and possibly you can set an example for those in line around you…or else you can make some copies of this post and hand them out to the clueless you see! (I also have plenty of STC postcards if you would like to hand some out for me…) 

Keep your ID and boarding pass handy - Nobody likes waiting in line, but having to wait for someone to dig around in their bag for things they know they need is like when you're stuck behind the person in the checkout line that waits until the checker rings up everything and tells them the price before pulling out their checkbook. You know what I'm talking about. Don't be a check-writer. Have your ID or passport and boarding pass in your hand by the time you get to the TSA agent letting you into the lines for security screening. 

Bag your liquids - The 3-1-1 bag can be a pain and sometimes hard to pack, but don't make it harder by not packing it ahead of time like some people. It has been a rule for years, so when you either don't pack your gels and liquids in one before you get to the airport and are trying to hunt and gather for them in your carry-on while in line, it just makes people angry that they are behind you. You can buy quart-size zip-top bags at the grocery store and discount stores, like Target. Pull together all your toiletries and pack your 3-1-1 before you leave home. You'll save time, make friends and make sure that everything you want to take fits inside it. It's good to also place it near the top of your carry-on, so you can easily pull it out and throw it in a bin.

Wear some shoes you can slip on or off - Every airport you go to will make you take your shoes off to go through security. Why not make it painless for you and everyone behind you by wearing shoes that don't take forever to get off or on. Leave your combat boots at home and opt for more reasonable options, like loafers or sneakers. Heck, wear your stilettos if you must be glam, as they will take seconds to remove and put back on. Other travelers will thank you when you can grab all your stuff from the other side of the conveyor and get out of the way for them.

Keep your gifts unwrapped - As much as you'll want to wrap any gifts you're bringing before you leave home, resist the urge, because TSA doesn't like them. While they can x-ray your box, wrapped gifts are still suspicious, so you will have spent all that time and energy making it look pretty and then getting it into your bag, only to have an agent rip your paper to shreds to find out what you packed. Bring small gifts that can be packed without boxes and wrapping paper. You can always bring those staples with your and wrap them at your destination.

Make your laptop easily accessible - Yes, yes, you have all that other stuff you need to have in-hand and now I'm adding another. It's one more thing that will need to go in the bin, next to your shoes, 3-1-1, jacket and contents of your pockets. If you're bringing your laptop, netbook or iPad, make sure you can quickly slide it in and out of your carry-on. The faster you can get all your belongings into a bin, the sooner you can push them towards the conveyor belt and the X-Ray machine, making room for other travelers' belongings and causing everyone around you to be happy that you're helping to move the line along as best as possible, so they can get to their designated gate with minimal hurdles. 

Do you have other tips for surviving the airport security line during the holidays? 

Make the Holidays Special This Year

This sponsored post comes to us from Amanda at Web Cottages. A great resource for all your UK vacation rental needs. They have competive rates and lovely properties.

For so many people Christmas has just become a time of stress and debt. With so much to do and so mant presents to buy it is easy to lose track of the meaning of the season and just become a scrooge. This season why not try something different so that you and your family can rediscover the spirit of the season and create happy Christmas memories to enjoy all year long.

Have a handmade holiday

Leave everyone else to deal with the hoards of shoppers on the high street and have a handmade holiday in your house. There are so many different types of gifts you can make yourself and you can guarantee that family and friends will appreciate them so much more because of your effort. Make use of your individual talents, whether they be cooking, photography, sewing, or woodwork, and deliver a gift that really means something. Don't worry if you haven't yet discovered your skill yet, there are so many tutorials on the internet today you are bound to find something that you can add your personal flair to. If you can't think of anything that your loved ones need this Christmas why not give them the gift of time or your skill? Maybe your sister could use a babysitter so that she and her husband can have a much needed night out? From hairdressing to DIY you are sure to have a unique skill that would be greatly appreciated by someone else.

Get away to a holiday cottage

Having the whole family together in one place for the holidays just is not an option for many, especially if you want everyone to stay for a meal. Renting a cottage could be the perfect solution and with so many different options around the country there is sure to be one to suit you and your family. From large modern Anglesey cottages to more traditional Lake District cottages there will be a home that seems made just for you.

If all of the cleaning and decorating is getting you down this Christmas then renting a self-catering cottage for the season could be a great option. Just bring in everything you need for the Christmas dinner and leave all of those other tasks to someone else. You could even be really cheeky and have the whole meal catered, the epitome of holiday decadence!

Appreciate what you have

If the excesses of the season are getting you down - too much food, drink, and money spending - then volunteering may be a way to help others and help you to rediscover the real spirit of the season. With the tough economic times this Christmas there will be more people than ever unable to celelbrate the season and having to depend on the support of shelters and food banks to get by. Whether it is time or money that you can offer to charities, anything that you can spare is sure to be appreciated. Volunteering has also been found to be good for your health, having a positive effect on your self-esteem and increase your overall sense of wellbeing. Stepping outside of your regular routine can really help to give you a new perspective on the world and help you to recognize the positive aspects of your life.

Be a Fabulous Host…or a Fancy Traveler 12.14.11

Don't forget to enter the holiday giveaway! You have until Sunday to get your name in to win fabulous (travel) prizes!

So, I know people have the hatred for airport security and limits on liquids and that “stupid” 3-1-1 bag they make you cram all your stuff into. You’re paying $200+ for an airline ticket and you still aren’t free to bring anything and everything you want? Lame! I know it can be a pain, but I have also come to think of TSA rules as a blessing in disguise…and a fun challenge. Remember the good old days when you could pack your whole closet and 32 pairs of shoes for a 3-day trip and not pay $700 for it to fly under the plane? Then the struggle of dragging your 92 lb. non-wheeled suitcase through the airport – after you were successful in wrestling it off the baggage carrousel – and seeing the taxi driver’s face as he attempted to pick it up and heave it into the trunk? Yeah? You miss those times?

Well, aside from still wanting to bring 32 pairs of shoes, I’ve decided that I don’t want to get a hernia from my luggage, even though it would make for some interesting pictures and stories. Do I really need a tuxedo pants or a satin ball gown and 5” stilettos in 3 colors when I’m going to Ecuador or Greece or even Seattle? I think not. So, why am I lugging that stuff with me everywhere I go? It will still be in my closet when I get home. Downsizing is a good thing. You aren’t cranky when you get to your destination (or even just on the plane), you don’t have to wait in the sheep-herding area known as baggage claim and you definitely don’t have to bulk up at the gym months prior to your trip in order to carry your bag from the car to the ticket counter.

Why oh why, would you complain about not throwing your back out, having much more time to relax and be on vacation and having everything your packed with you on your entire journey? We often talk about packing lighter by packing less, like making sure your tops and bottoms all match, you only take two pairs of shoes and using accessories to dress up a boring outfit. With so many people traveling over the holidays, it’s a must to mention toiletries. Make them smaller! You only have so much room in your 3-1-1 bag for liquids and gels, so make it count. I always pack products that do double-duty (tinted moisturizer, powder foundation, lip/cheek tint, shampoo/shower gel). There are some things that you can’t get that do something else, like conditioner, hair spray or facial scrub, but you can still make sure they fit in your bag by buying smaller containers of them. Now, where can you get these tiny miracles? There are several online merchants that I recommend, if you can’t find them at your local discount drug store or beauty salon. The best part is that if you want different brands and types of items, you don’t have to drive all over town to find them:

Here's an entire makeup routine: tinted moisturizer, powder
foundation, moisturizing lip gloss and beauty palette. Easy!

Minimus.biz – Your one stop shop for all things mini. Buy shampoo, moisturizer, hand sanitizer and then go on to buy single servings of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, ketchup packets or your preferred dressings and hot sauces. Not only are these freakin’ awesome to pack in your carry-on (assuming you have room for hot sauce and dressing with all your moisturizers), but they also make amazingly fun and simple care packages for other travelers, college students and your favorite war hero who can’t make it home for Christmas. Aside from their huge selection of items, you can get free shipping with $20 worth of product!

High-end skincare

3floz.com – For the fashion mavens among us who MUST use the same high quality beauty and hair care products everywhere we go. Whether you’re a loyal Murad skin care user or never use anything on your hair but Fekkai products, then this is where you go. You get free shipping on orders over $50 and they carry every fancy brand from 21 Drops to Yes to Carrots. You won’t find any mustard packets or travel-size antacid here though, so don’t be disappointed when you can’t find them. With all the fun-sizes available, you can easily get a few to slip into stockings!

Basket for a couple, full of useful items, like deodorant
toothbrushes, sunscreen, snacks and something to read.
This is easily customizeable for each guest.

Okay, so you have heard about how these two sites can make you a “fancy” traveler, but how can they make you a fabulous host? Well, there is always the possibility that you will have family coming to stay with you over the holidays – or any other time of year – and will need want to make them feel at home. Why not put together a little hospitality basket with products from either site? Stock it with shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, shaving cream, make-up wipes, maybe some cookies. Your guests will never want to leave! Wait, is that a bad thing? If so, make sure you encourage them to pack up early the day before they head out, so they don’t forget anything and are ready to go at the crack of dawn…for their afternoon flight! They're going to tell everyone what an amazing hostess you were, up until you kicked them out, and possibly want to pay it forward by making their own guest baskets for their next visitors.

Unexpected guest who overindulged? Here's an easy to put together "hangover" kit, including mouthwash, pain reliever, snacks and antacid so they feel fresh in the morning.

Have you ever put together this kind of basket for those staying at your house, or had someone make you one? They can make your visit seem even more inviting and you don't have to beg a ride to Target if you've forgotten your toothbrush.

Be sure to take a look at my guest post on the Alice.com blog on family vacations on a budget and also my author interview and book review with Allison from Allison Writes.