Leave With Confidence

Getting ready to leave for a trip can feel like a long list of must-dos. Travel prep seems to never end, especially when you're the one planning everything and are stressing out. You may have remembered the important things, like packing underwear, paying your bills, and unplugging appliances/electronics that don't need to be sapping energy when not in use, but maybe you've forgotten equally important things that haven't crossed your mind. 

Well, here are a few things to do before you leave that will give you peace of mind and allow you to relax knowing you're as prepared as you can be:

1. Alert your credit card company(s) and bank - You don't want your purchases to get declined because your credit card company thinks your card has be stolen. Let them know you'll be on vacation, for how long, and where, so all your purchases go through like normal. A lot of bank apps or websites allow you to do this without actually talking to a rep, so that's easy!
2. Leave your info and itinerary with someone at home - You never know what might happen, so make sure you give someone you would contact in the case of an emergency a copy of your plans for vacation. It's nice for people to know if you need help or that you're even gone.
3. Clean out your wallet/purse - You don't need that yogurt punch card or your 900 crumpled up receipts taking up space. Take only the necessities and then use the extra room to keep receipts so you can stay within your travel budget. Often, I'll use an app called Smart Receipts, which lets me take photos of my receipts and it adds everything up for me and keeps a runny tally.
4. Call your cell phone carrier - If you'll be traveling out of the country, you'll want to make sure your mobile works, or else what's the point? Contact your carrier and make sure you don't need to get on a different plan for the duration of your trip and learn about any excess charges for international calling, roaming and text messages. In these cases, I ask everyone to skip texting me and instead use Facebook Messenger or the Voxer app, for free communication. (You might prefer WhatsApp.)
5. Go through your fridge - No one wants to come home to smelly house. Eat anything you can that's a leftover or close to an expiration date. Throw out what you need to, so when you come home, it's not full of rotting foods. If you can't eat everything in there, you can always make meals and freeze them, so then you have easy food for when you return and are trying to ease back into daily life. (While you're at it, take out the trash, too.)

Staying Healthy On Vacation

Even though Covid and all its variants are floating around and still a big problem, that doesn't mean it's the only thing you can get sick with on vacation. Flu season, regular colds, and just general germs are still exist, especially with mask mandates being non-existent most places and people being lax with social distancing. 

<just a quick reminder to get vaccinated & boosted>

I've had my share of sickness on trips. My first visit to San Francisco had me looking super miserable on our tour of Alcatraz. I ended up with THE WORST head cold in Vegas, which turned into a sinus infection. I started to feel the crud creep up on me in Hawaii, but by then I learned how to stave it off with all the Vitamin D. Need a quick cold remedy so you can get back on your feet and enjoy your trip? Here's what I know, in addition to always carrying some Halls Defense and Emergen-C in your bag:

Take a hot shower - Steam is great for breathing, and a hot shower can really open up your nasal passages if you've got a stuffy nose. 

Eat extra foods high in protein - Proteins help boost your body's infection defense, so load up on things like eggs, chickpeas, yogurt, quinoa, lentils, pumpkin seeds and tuna.

Hydrate - This is especially important as you travel anyway, because you're getting more exercise than normal (hopefully). Drink two or more cups of water more than you usually do. I always travel with a reusable water bottle, so this is the time to fill it up and drink it while out and about.

Get 7-8 hours of sleep - I'm a horrible monster if I don't get enough sleep, even on vacation. I tend to schedule myself for the whole day, but knowing how I am, I also schedule in down time, because I know I need to not be go, go, go 24 hours a day. I try my best to get as much sleep as I can, because if I don't, not only am I crabby and stressed out, I know I'm also likely to get sick.

Exercise/walk - Walking increases your ability to breathe better and it's also incredibly good for you. Fresh air and exercise are underrated, so even if you feel gross, try to get up and moving, because you may end up feeling much better, much faster than if you just lay in bed like a lump. You'll also still be able to see some stuff, which you won't see from the inside of your room.

Clean your hands - Yes, you're probably sick of hearing this, but washing your hands frequently and/or using antibacterial spray/gel can limit your exposure to germs, even if you're still masking (which I highly recommend in crowded places), and can keep you from lingering in your sickness if you're unfortunate enough to get sick while you're traveling. 

Wear a mask - If you do get sick, masking is even more important for those around you and to keep from spreading your germs to others. It's also important for you to get tested for Covid, just in case. There are a lot of testing sites up and running, or you can travel with at-home tests, which are easy to use and give you a quick response. 

In addition to these things, don't forget to eat well as much as you can on your trip, so your body has the nutrition to keep your immune system at its best. Now, go forth and have an amazing trip!

Tell me all your best healthy travel tips, or your worst case of sickness on a trip!

Always Have Your Bag Packed

Do you dread packing? Or wish you could just find a great deal, book it and leave with little time to prepare? Why not keep a bag packed with all your necessities that will just require a few additions before heading out the door? I'm headed to Vegas in just a few days and it, literally, took me 20 minutes to pack for it, and it all fit in a backpack.

There are always going to be items that you take on every trip, so start by making a basic packing list and go from there:

Toiletries
You pretty much use the same toiletries time and time again, so purchase some travel-sizes of your favorites and keep them packed. Minimus is a great place to get health and beauty products in tiny sizes that are perfect for your carry-on or ask for sample sizes when you go buy your cosmetics at Sephora, Ulta, or other makeup retailers. 

When packing makeup, instead of waiting until you have used it the day you leave, pack items that are nearly empty – but good for one to two weeks more use – and use new ones at home. You can always decant your items into smaller containers, too.

Undergarments
I’ve never gone anywhere without socks and underwear, so I doubt it’s common among the majority of travelers to leave home without them. Purchase a half dozen of each solely to pack your travel bag. This way they’re always in there and you don’t get to your destination and have to go shopping for these important items. Look for clothing made of soy or bamboo, as they will be odor-resistant, moisture-wicking and quick-drying.

Charger for electronics
Everyone travels with at least a few electronics. Be it an iPod, laptop, mobile phone or an eBook reader, you’re going to need to charge it at some point in your trip. Look for a multi-charger that can charge all your gadgets with just one cord. This eliminates the last-minute scramble to find all your adapters and the inevitable knotted mass that you find upon making it to your destination.

Convertible layers
You never know what the weather is going to be like when you travel. You could encounter a freak snowstorm, monsoon rains or even a heat wave. I always suggest bringing a fleece or similar pullover and several tanks or t-shirts that can be worn alone or underneath other clothing. When it’s warm, one layer is probably more than enough, but if it’s cold, you’ll be glad you packed that cardigan or sweater.

Packable jacket
This is another item I always pack to be prepared. Maybe it’s 80 degrees and sunny where you’re going, but that doesn’t mean it will stay that way. A lightweight packable jacket is great for repelling rain, keeps your hands free like an umbrella won’t, packs small and can double as an outer layer should it become chilly.

With the essentials in your bag already, you can easily throw in other items that you’ll need at the last minute, like a spare pair of shoes and several tops and bottoms that all go together. Here are some tips on packing light.

What are some of your must-pack travel items?