Travel tips: how to travel without checking a bag

I've taken a few trips in the last few weeks, and I've braved it and only taken a carry-on. I have to admit that it's been a bit of a mission, but it's totally possible.

The first thing you have to do when traveling carry-on only, is compact your liquids. Take only what you need. There is no need to take a full bottle of shampoo if you will only be gone for 4 days! Get a bunch of those little bottles from the pharmacy or the dollar store and fill them with all your products. You can also buy travel size products. Target has a great selection of all kinds of travel sizes products.  

Once you have your liquids in check, it's time to pack your clothes. I'm a chronic over packer, I'll admit nice never been too bad, but I tend to err on the side of just one more shirt "just in case." Really, take only what you need. 

Then when you go to pack your clothes, don't fold, roll! I didn't believe that this saved room, but it totally does. You can save lots if room by rolling things. 

Now it's time for luggage Tetris. See how you can best fit all of your items in your bag. 

Here is my packed bag for a 5 day trip to Puerto Rico. I took:

• 1 maxi dress

• 1 short dress

• 1 sundress

• 3 shorts

• 4 tank tops

• 2 bathing suits

• cover up

• sun hat 

• undies

• 2 flip flops

• 1 sneakers

• 1 toms

• pajamas

• workout clothes

• beach towel

This was all in my suitcase, then in my personal item bag, I had my purse with my camera, my liquids, toiletries, and my iPad. I know I could have packed lighter, but hey maybe next time.

Do you ever travel carry-on only?

Travel tips: Before you leave

It's travel tips time. And this time it's all about things you need to do before your trip. I've got only nine days before I leave, so these are some of the things that I've been doing too.

Contact your bank and credit cards. Give them a call to let them know when and where you'll be traveling, then you're less likely to have your card put on hold due to suspicious activity. You can also find out what your ATM and transaction fees will be overseas, since they will usually vary from your normal ones. And the ATMs are the best places to get your foreign currency. It's fast and easy and will get you the best rates. Also, internationally they tend to prefer MasterCard and Visa, so leave your Discover card at home.

Call your cell phone carrier. Ask if your phone will work wherever you are going and if you need to add anything to your plan to make calls. Also find out the rates to make call from where you'll be, so you won't be surprised when you get back from vacation and see your cell phone bill. If you are staying for a while, you can also look into renting a phone once you get to your destination.

Make copies of your itinerary, hotel info, passport and credit cards. Leave a copy of all of these at home with your family or emergency contact and keep another in the bottom of your suitcase. This way if anything gets lost or stolen you have all the info to get it replaced and the numbers to call. And you family will also have a way of contacting you at your hotel(s) if need be.

Is there anything I've missed? Please let me know, I want to be prepared.

Travel tips: Packing

Here is this week's installment of travel tips. The time for my trip is drawing nearer, so this time I'm gonna concentrate on packing.

You can try and pack everything and the kitchen sink, but be realistic, only pack what you really need. With the new baggage regulations and fees on most airlines, it's in your best interest to pack less. And if you can manage to get away with only a carry-on, you may even avoid all baggage fees. Luckily, since I'm flying overseas, I get one free checked bag, but check with your airline to see what their fees and regulations are.

















Clothes: Be selective with what clothes you pack and only pack what you're gonna actually use. There's no need for an evening gown (that is unless you have an event where you really need one), so leave all the extras at home. I'm going to really see Paris, so no heels for me, I just wouldn't use them. But that doesn't mean I won't be fashionable. I'm packing lots of cardis and scarves that will really change up any outfit and get me more bang for my buck with what I bring. And jeans can be the basis for more than one outfit. Don't be afraid to repeat items of clothing, your accessories can really give you a whole new look. And did you notice the two bags above? They are both holding the same amount of clothes. The one on the left has the clothes rolled and the one on the right has it all folded. Rolling is the way to go to maximize space in your suitcase and make sure you can get everything you need to fit in your bag.

picture from The Container Store

Toiletries: The TSA regulations allow each passenger to carry on liquids in containers of 3 ounces or less, in a 1 quart zip top bag, 1 per passenger. There are tons of trial size toiletries that are now TSA-sized for your convenience. You can also buy small containers and fill them with your products too. I have to take 2 regular sized things with me (saline solution for my contacts--I need a specific brand and it doesn't come in travel size) and my mousse, which I'm just picky about. But everything else will be in my zip top bag in my carry-on.

Makeup: You want to look good while you're traveling, so you want to take your makeup with you. But this isn't the time to lug every bit you own with you. Just take the essentials, the things you use everyday. This is what I'll be taking with me: mineral foundation, shadow palette, eye primer, mascara, eyeliner, blush and lipstick. I'll also be taking a few brushes (cause those travel brushes always suck), and I might add a red lipstick for the evenings. And remember any liquids have to be in that quart bag with the rest of your liquids.

Medicines/First Aid:  Unless you are really going to the middle of nowhere, you'll probably be able to find basic first aid stuff when you get there. But I think it's better to have some of the basics with you, so you can grab and use them if the need arises. I read that things like neosporin might not be over the counter in all places, so I'm taking some of that along with some band-aids and blister band-aids too. I'm also taking some basic over the counter medications, Tylenol, Excedrin Migraine (which I always have on me) and some Pepto in case of "tummy troubles." Having these handy will let you enjoy more of your vacation and not have to try to find a pharmacy to get something to help with little ailments. Plus it'll be handy for the plane trip too.

Technology: I don't think you need to bring every gadget you own on vacation unless you plan on really working while you're there. I'm gonna be bringing my iPhone, my iPod, my Kindle and my camera. The MacBook will stay at home (and I'll update the blog once I'm back). Bringing all these devices means you'll also have to bring the chargers for each, so being selective will save you from having to lug around all that extra stuff. And pack all of your chargers in your carry-on, so if your luggage is lost, you won't be without power for your devices.


And lastly, and I think most importantly, make a list. Start making a list of what you plan on taking, so when it comes time to pack you won't leave anything behind. Put even the smallest things on that list and cross them off as you pack them. And that way you'll be sure you have it all with you.

Is there anything you always pack when you go on vacation? What are your must haves? Do you have any packing tricks and tips?

Travel tips: Things you'll need for your trip

There are a few things you'll need for your trip. These aren't necessarily must haves for everyone and every trip, but these are the things I'll definitely be taking with me on my trip. Some of these are no brainers, but you never know you might not remember even the simplest things sometimes (especially if you're scatterbrained like me lately).

Luggage. Just in case you don't have any luggage, you should get some to cart your stuff over there. Mine has an expandable panel, that I will leave closed on my way over there, and open on the way back to bring back souvenirs. Also, if you plan on carrying on your bag, make sure it meets all the TSA requirements for size. And don't bother with that adorable vintage suitcase that you just got at the last retro bazaar or thrift shop. It may be cute, but a more modern suitcase with wheels will help you keep you sanity while lugging it through the airport. Plus if you are on a tour with multiple stops, having a suitcase that you can move around easily is a must.

Neck pillow, sleep mask, blanket. If you're heading off to Europe, you'll probably have a long plane trip ahead of you, so get yourself a pillow, blanket and sleep mask and catch some zzz's on the plane. My flight leaves here in the evening and arrives in Paris in the morning, so I plan on sleeping through my flight to try to stave off jetlag.

Comfy walking shoes. I want to see all I can while over in Paris, and I know I'll be walking tons. Comfy walking shoes are a must. I'm looking for a pair that goes with most things, so I can rely on them to go with most of my outfits, but overall comfort is key. I have tried on shoe after shoe, from expensive $300 shoes to a $20 pair of ballet flats (for the record my feet favor the cheaper ones). And the key is to break them in before you leave, so you won't have blisters half way through your first day.

Electrical adapter. Most electronics are now dual voltage (check the plugs or tags to make sure they say 110V to 240V), so you should just need an adapter to get your American style plugs into the European outlets. But if they aren't, you'll need a converter. Just look at your electronics before you go, you don't want to be without your blow dryer.

Camera / Extra Memory cards. This is something you shouldn't leave home without. You want to have the memories of all that you did over there. But, while you are on your trip is not the best time to figure out your new camera, so if you're gonna get a new one, get it beforehand and learn to use it. Whether your camera is new or old, make sure to get a few extra memory cards, so you will be able to get all the shots you want.

Rain gear. Mother nature doesn't care that you are on vacation. So make sure to be prepared and take some rain gear with you. You don't want to be stuck getting wet while you're trying to see the sights. Or hunting for an umbrella in a rainstorm.

Cross body bag. Your best bet for a bag to carry around day to day on your trip is a cross body type. That way you can keep your things (camera, coverup, rain gear, guidebook and map) with you while keeping it secure. Since you can keep your hand right on your bag while you're walking around, it'll keep it from the roaming hands of those pesky pickpockets.


Those are just some of the essentials I think you'll need before traveling. Did I miss anything? Is there anything I should be taking that I forgot? Let me know so I won't end up without something I need halfway across the world.

Travel Tips: Planning your vacation

Since I've been planning my trip to Paris, I've gotten so much information about travel and what to do when going to Europe, so I thought I'd share some of what I've learned (and am learning) with you.

First I want to share some tips about planning your trip. These are some of the things that I've found can help when you want to go out and get traveling.

Get your passport.  If you even have the far off idea of wanting to go somewhere apply for your passport. The earlier you do this the better, since it can take up to two months to get. Here is the official goverment website through the US State Department. Beware of all those other websites trying to guarantee your passport super quick, you can do the same thing yourself and save yourself all those extra fees they're trying to charge you.

Research, research, research. This is the biggest part of the process, but well worth it. If you are going with a tour, research all of them and get their promotional material, so you can see what they are like. Get yourself a good guidebook (and make sure it's a current one) and study up on your destination. I started out reading Europe Through the Back Door which my brother gave me for Christmas last year. This started me out in getting totally psyched for my trip and gave me tons of invaluable tips for getting ready. And obviously, don't underestimate the internet. I found great info on everything from hotels to flights to planning on Trip Advisor. And the Trip Advisor forums are full of great info from fellow travelers.

Buy your flight on a Tuesday. I've seen everywhere that Tuesday is the day to get the best prices on flights. This will probably be one of the biggest expenses for your trip, so keep a lookout for the prices so you know what to expect. The Bing Travel site will even show you how the prices fluctuate and if now is a good time to buy. I didn't buy on Bing, but used it more as reference. Check all of the major travel sites (Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline, Orbitz, Hotwire and all the others too) to see which one will give you the best deal for your flight.

Learn the language and customs (at least a bit). Be respectful of where you are going to visit and try to learn at least the bare minimum of their language: hello, goodbye, please, thank you, bathroom. It's also good to learn a bit about the local customs and culture. Did you know that in France its customary to say, "Bonjour Madame/Monsiuer," when entering a store--not just walking in and browsing like in the US, and smiling at strangers in the streets is seen as rude?

These are just a few tips that I hope will help when planning your trip. Do you have any tips that helped you when you started planning your trip?

I hope to have a few more "Travel Tips" features in the upcoming weeks, so stay tuned for more.