My five travel hacks to ensure smooth travels

Hi Hi! How is everyone doing?!

I have been meaning to do a post on sharing some of my travel tips and tricks for a while… I have gotten many questions about about sharing my travel tips since I do travel about once or twice a month. I have learned many time saving and money saving tricks along the way and of course wanted to share. :)

Tip 1: Invest in a clear zippered pouch: Put all your travel size liquids in a clear zippered pouch. I noticed only some airports care about having liquids in a clear bag but just to be safe I always carry travel sized liquids in a zippered pouch, it keeps things safe and in tact. Plus it just looks so much better than ziplock bags. I like this one and this one.

Tip 2: Never check a bag (unless you really have to) I hardly ever check a bag unless I’m flying international or I absolutely have to. It saves you $$ and soo much time! I can’t stand waiting at the baggage claim carousel wondering if my bag made it through haha!

Tip 3: Roll all your clothing to optimize space! Since I travel with only a carry on suitcase I roll every single clothing item possible. It creates the most space and you can actually end up fitting quite a bit. I always wear a jacket or cardigan when I travel which also helps save space as well.

Tip 4: Bring a water bottle. Bottled waters are usually pretty pricey at any airport so I always throw an empty Voss or Smart Water bottle in my bag and fill it up at a water fountain. (May depend on the quality of the water where you are) I love that they are super light yet sturdy and if I’m through with them I just throw it in recycling. (Yes we are all about recycling in Washington state) I have brought tumblers with me on past trips and I ended up being annoyed with them because they take up space and you’re stuck carrying it around with you all day.

Tip 5: Use the app TripIt to organize all your confirmation numbers, flight gates and hotel addresses. Whenever you receive an email confirmation after booking a flight, hotel, car rental, Stub Hub, Open Table and Fandango, Tripit will automatically import your plans from your inbox and create an itinerary with all the details like confirmation numbers, flight gates and hotel addresses. How convenient is that?

Tip 6: I know I said I had five but since this pertains to Seattlelites… when I head to the airport I always take the Link Lightrail, since I live in downtown it is super easy for me to get to but honestly it’s quick, easy and you don’t have to deal with the traffic! Plus its only $3 one way! I typically Uber to the station and catch the train there. Also if you work in downtown and have parking, totally worth leaving your car in your work parking garage and taking the light rail. Another note, it is a bit of a walk from where you get off to the gates but its not too bad and you will definitely get your steps in for the day!

Oh and I wanted to mention this (although many of you probably know this) having a hard shell suitcase with spinner wheels is a total lifesaver! I would invest in a high quality durable suitcase. I like this and this.

What are some of your travel tips? Share below in the comments!