Summer Packing Tips

Do you ever see those travelers who have one bag – that’s not even bulging! – that look super put-together and get right off the plane and into a cab and you wish you could be more like them? So often I’m walking through a hotel lobby or past the check-in desks at the airport and watch families that seem to bring everything they own on vacation with them, and I wonder how much they paid in baggage fees and chiropractor visits. It was not all that long ago that I thought I couldn’t live without taking individual outfits and a dozen pairs of shoes either. Once I realized I never wore half of what I packed, I decided to downsize my packing. Then when airlines started charging for checked bags, I decided to downsize more.

When you fly to your destination, one of the easiest ways to save – time and money – is by traveling carry-on only. You don’t need much, even if you'll be traveling for a week or two, which means you can pack quickly, skip the airline counter check-in and ignore the baggage carousel upon arrival. I always have a packing list to help me keep the number of items down and also to make sure I don’t forget any of the essentials. I know when I get to my destination I can probably buy whatever I missed packing, but I’m adamantly against spending money for things I already have. Here’s how to build your packing list:

mix and match by shereentravels featuring leather shoes

Mix and match

As always, when you coordinate all your clothing, it’s super easy to pack in a carry-on. Three bottoms and five tops can make fifteen outfits. Don’t forget that what you wear in transit can also be rotated in as needed. And shoes! You should take two pair – max. Make sure they are both comfortable enough to walk in all day. I had a coworker who told me that she had 16 pairs of shoes she wanted to take with her to Mexico on a four day trip. Sixteen! I don’t even think that many shoes would fit in my carry-on and if they did, there would be no room for anything else, except maybe socks and underwear. Her trip was for a wedding, so aside from what she needed for the ceremony, she could have survived with a sun dress, a pair of shorts, her bathing suit and some flip flops. Learning to pack efficiently is important and can save you a ton.

That’s it. Think about what you truly need with you for three or four days and be realistic. Don’t play the “what if” game. What if I go out to a fancy dinner? What if it gets really cold? What if I want to go clubbin’? Did you plan for those things? Do you normally just change plans at the last minute? Sometimes it seems like it might be harder to pack for a short trip than a long one, but with some practice, it can be super simple. Just think, if you don’t bring something that you thought you could live without, by the time you miss it, you’ll probably already be back home.

Prepare to do laundry

I hear you groaning and whining, “But I’m on vacation!” I’m aware. I go on vacation, too. I also do laundry on my vacation. When you take so little, unless you want to walk around in dirty – and possibly stinky – clothes, you will want to throw them in the wash at some point. Most decent hotels and vacation rentals (my personal preference) have laundry facilities. You can pop your clothes in on your way to dinner or when you get back from sightseeing and just want to sit and rest your feet. It will take much less time than you think and then you smell fresh the next day.

If your accommodation doesn’t have on-site laundry, you will normally find a Laundromat nearby. I have hoofed it down the street for clean clothes. I take a book or game for my husband and I to play while we wait and then we take our freshly laundered duds back to the room and get on with our trip. If you are at a destination long enough to need to do laundry, you will have enough downtime to do it.

Downsize your toiletries

How long does it take you to go through a full-size bottle of shampoo? Two months? So why take that big thing with you on your vacation? TSA rules allow you to bring a one-quart plastic bag full of three-ounce bottles. If your problem is that you can’t find your same shampoo, conditioner, facial scrub, hairspray or whatever else in a travel-size container, make your own. Purchase small bottles, pumps, vials or jars and decant your favorite items into them. This gives you just the right amount you need for your trip and allows you to take them with you in your carry-on. If you’re one that needs to carry beauty tools with you, like a flat iron or curling iron, purchase a mini version specifically for your travel bag. You can normally find the same brand you use at home that works just as well, only smaller. I love my mini flat iron so much, I almost want to use it instead of my full-size one at home. It takes up half the space in my bag too. 

Streamline your beauty routine

Don’t stuff your toiletry bag full. Your objective here is to pack as little as possible. Look for make-up palettes and multipurpose products that will enable you to pack less. Here's how to perfect your 3-1-1 bag.

It’s really true what they say: Lay out all the clothes you want to pack and then put half back in your closet. I make packing even easier by creating a detailed packing list. This can help you see if you have way more than you really need, reminds you of the essentials – like underwear! – and helps you repack on the way home. When you travel with an organized carry-on, not only do you save money on baggage fees, but it helps your trips go smoother, so you only have to worry about what to do first when you get to your destination.

Where is everyone going on vacation this summer? We'll be off to Vegas and in the Fall we'll be taking a trip St. Thomas.

Review: Stash Collapsible Bottle from HydraPak

I know I’m not the only one who travels with a water bottle. We’ve been through a lot of trips in the past where we went and purchased a case of water at the start of our vacation so we would have water on hand the whole time we were there. Not only does this get old, but a bottle of water can be unwieldy and inconvenient, not to mention terrible for the environment. I can’t tell you the amount of places we’ve been that don’t have recycling bins available.

We’ve taken to bringing a reusable bottle with us and it has worked much better, though once it’s empty, you’re basically just walking around with a thing you don’t want to carry that takes up space in your bag. HydraPak has fixed this issue with their Stash bottle. It is a flexible bottle that “stashes” into itself when empty, taking up little space, but then ready to be refilled whenever you need it.

This bottle was made for outdoorsy types who have limited space, but as a traveler, I feel like I have the same issues. Nobody wants to carry around an empty bottle, and the Stash bottle has a fun twist and lock construction that allows the bulk of the bottle to nestle into the top and bottom and take up much less space. It can easily be kept in a jacket pocket or your purse.

I’ve had other “folding” and flat water bottles, but the problem with those were many: cleaning, size, ability to freeze, how to carry, awkward drinkability. Amazingly, the Stash doesn’t have any of these problems. The construction of the bottle gives it stability and doesn’t allow it to collapse while drinking and holding onto the middle of the bottle. It has a large flat bottom, meaning you can actually set it down without all your water leaking out when it flops over, because it doesn’t do that.

The mouth is wide, so you can add ice to it if you want, but you can also freeze it, to keep your water even cooler throughout the day. I added some water to it, popped it in the freezer, then filled the rest with water and voila! Cold water all morning. This is something I’d totally do when out all day, like sightseeing or at a theme park. (Remember, most theme parks will refill your bottle with cold water, and some will even give you ice.) The nice little loop on the top allows me to hang the bottle on my bag or even use a strap that I have to carry it crossbody. And when it’s empty, I can snap it together and toss it back in my bag. The wide mouth also makes it easier to refill at a water fountain if that's your only option.

The top and bottom construction give the middle a hard “case” when compact, so you can’t accidentally “break” your Stash bottle, which was also a problem with those others. Something sharp in your bag jabbing it could totally just puncture your bottle and there goes you trying to be environmentally friendly. Your Stash is in its own case, which actually doesn’t take up more room and is still incredibly lightweight.

So, how does it work? Your Stash comes already compact, so in order to use it, you unscrew the lid and then squeeze the sides of the bottom together. This eliminates a vacuum seal. The bottle then untwists from its case and you’re ready to fill it with your beverage of choice (you can even put hot water in it up to 140°F), screw the lid back on and you’re set. When the bottle is empty, take the lid off, twist slightly while pushing down and then snap the top onto the bottom and replace the lid. Easy!

I love this bottle, but I also worry all the time about washing a bottle of any kind. You can’t put this in the dishwasher, but that’s okay, because HydraPak has that covered too. They sell something called Bottle Bright. They are all-natural tablets that you toss into your bottle, fill with water and swish around. The tablets effervesce to clean your bottle (any bottle, hydration reservoirs or anything else that’s hard to clean), remove stains and odors and give it a shiny clean look. Woot! I love these things and will definitely use them on my stainless steel bottles as well, because those are terrible to clean well.

Do you have little kids or want to share your hydration without sharing germs? HydraPak has these great little cups called Speedcup. They are reusable and flexible, so they can be shoved in your bag without worry. I crushed one of mine down when I was coming back from Vegas and it easily regained its shape. It’s made of the same polyurethane as the Stash, making it highly durable. What I love about these is they nest inside each other and barely take up any room. 

My immediate thought is that when you travel with kids, they always want something, including being thirsty all the time. They can have issues using water bottles, plus they are often sick or germy. Give them their own little cup and keep their germs away from your bottle. 

If you have an active person on your wish list (maybe a dad or a grad) or you need something like this yourself, get one or two before you next trip, camping venture or hiking tour. You won't regret it.

Other Specs

Where to buy: On HydraPak website or Amazon | Bottle Bright: HydraPak or Amazon | Speedcup: HydraPak 

How much: Stash: $18 | Bottle Bright: $8 | Speedcup: $20/pack of 4

Colors: Mojave Orange (shown) | Mammoth Grey | Sequoia Green | Malibu Blue

More Details: 750 ml (also available in 1 liter), 50% lighter than a hard bottle, made of ultra-durable, abrasion resistant TPU & RF welded seams for superior durability and elasticity, 100% BPA & PVC free.

Like what HydraPak is doing? Learn more by following them online: 

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Disclosure: I was provided with the Stash bottle, Bottle Bright and Speedcups for the purposes of this review. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

Review: FaceCradle Travel Pillow

Okay, I know there are tons of travel pillows on the market. You know that I don't just bring you any old thing, because I need to believe in it. When I first saw the FaceCradle before the Travel Goods Show I was intrigued, because while I don't have issues sleeping just about anywhere, I'd love to sleep on the plane without getting an ache in my neck, shoulders or back. I can sleep on Eric's shoulder, but that's not comfortable for him, plus I can't just sleep on a stranger when traveling alone. 

I asked FaceCradle to demo their product for me and took one home to try it. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to take pics of it when I used it on the plane, because the lights were out and I didn't want to be "that person", plus I'd had a long day and didn't use it with the strap. I just wanted to chill out for an hour with my eyes closed. Luckily, the FaceCradle can be used pretty much anywhere, including the car and the train, so I wandered out to my car with it to give it a go. 

Unlike other travel pillows, FaceCradle has a unique two-part system, so you don't just shove it behind your head and hope for the best. You'll see they have two spring loaded buttons. You push these to adjust the FaceCradle the way you like it and it snaps into place when you release the buttons. 

There are two buckles that fit into the ports on either side. This allows you to keep the strap from your body, so it doesn't choke you and you don't get tangled up in it. 

This strap is easily adjustable as well, so you aren't struggling to get it fixed while you're cramped in that tiny airplane seat. Nothing's worse than flailing around and practically hitting your seatmates. Also, when you're tired, you want to fuss about as little as possible before getting to sleep. I'm no expert like the lovelies who helped show me all the great way to use this at the show, but within 5 minutes, I was able to adjust it quickly to my liking. 

In the car, I used the strap around the headrest to secure my FaceCradle. On the plane, you'll use the winged seatback instead. FaceCradle knows that people want as little confrontation as possible, so you aren't looping your strap around your seat and possibly in the way of the person sitting behind you. This would be inconvenient as well, so it's not designed that way. The majority of airplane seats have a winged headrest. If they don't, then the flight is probably super short and you won't have time to get to sleep anyway.

Above you'll see how I adjusted the strap to get my FaceCradle into position for deep sleep.   

You flip it open as much as possible, brace it against your chest and then lean forward. This lets you just rely on FaceCradle to hold your body, gives you the ability to breathe better, because the massage table-like surface opens your sinuses, and doesn't hurt your back or neck, because you aren't sitting at a weird angle. Adjust the strap to your liking, so if you want to lean more forward or less forward, it's up to you. 

Not only is this sleep position more natural, but you don't have to recline your seat...and if the person in front of you chooses to recline theirs, you aren't in the way and getting smacked in the face. Since the strap is around your headrest and not the whole chair, it also has more stability and decreases the chance of you getting jostled when someone behind you gets up and tries to gain their balance by holding onto the back of your chair.

Maybe you don't even want to sleep, but you want to relax more than you're able to in the small space you have on the plane. You can still use your FaceCradle in this mode and read a book or play a game on your phone/tablet. 

That's just one way to use it. Are you a side sleeper? I am sometimes. I was able to adjust the FaceCradle to work for me there, too. Make the strap shorter, bring the halves a bit closer together and put your ear in the hole. The bottom half fits against your shoulder and gives you more stability. Of course, you can keep it the same as you had it to begin with and just turn your head, but I find that I end up with a crick in my neck when I sleep that way. 

I often just snooze when I'm traveling. FaceCradle is great in that way as well. Detach the strap and slide the pillow around your neck, slightly open, lean your cheek on it and just relax. I used mine this way on the way home from Vegas. The flight was short, but when I arrived, my neck and back didn't hurt and I was more refreshed than normal. The cover of FaceCradle is soft and feels very nice against your skin. The inside is made of hypoallergenic memory foam, so it's not picking up all the funky airborne germs when you travel to make your allergies worse or make you sick. (Yay!) And when you're finished using it? Remove the cover and toss it in the washer and dryer so it's clean for your next trip.

FaceCradle is not super lightweight and it can be bulky, so you probably aren't taking it with you on short flights. The inventor acknowledges this. In fact, he designed it so he and his team could sleep on those many-houred flights from Australia to just about anywhere not in Australia. Ever tried to sleep on a Transatlantic flight? Well, it can suck. 

Unless you have a large carry-on with extra space, this thing isn't going to fit in it, but FaceCradle has a solution for that, too. Keep the strap on it and use it as a shoulder strap...or slip the small section over the handle of your wheeled bag and you're good to go. Once you see what a good sleep you can get using FaceCradle, you'll not feel like it's an obligation to carry it with you. The strap is a plus, because almost all neck pillows you buy at the airport (because you realized you either don't have one or you left yours at home) are unwieldy and can't really be attached to anything. Above I've fixed it like a crossbody, which is definitely how I will carry it through the airport for my next long flight. 

I have a friend who has a husband who is very tall. He uses a FaceCradle in order to stay in his seat and be able to actually sleep on the plane. Because it's so versatile, you can adjust it to suit you, that way you aren't flopping into the aisle or onto your neighbor. If you have someone in your life who's a frequent traveler or has a lot of issues sleeping when the do travel, this makes a fantastic gift. Mother's Day, Graduation and Father's Day are fast approaching.

Other Specs

Where to buy: On FaceCradle website

How much: $49.50

Colors: Black | Violet | Royal Blue | Gray (shown)

More Details: Plush velour cover, soft feel harness, 5+ ways to adjust sleeping positions, including using as a table napper.

Loving FaceCradle's innovation? Learn more and new ways to use it by following them online: 

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Disclosure: I was provided with the FaceCradle for the purposes of this review. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.