My Best Travel Tips + Amazon Travel Essentials Part 2

This is part two of my travel tips + Amazon travel essentials! Let’s get back into it…

• Use packing cubes

I don’t know why I am so late to the party, but I am new to the world of packing cubes. Normally, I just like to roll my clothes and try to place them in my suitcase as neatly as possible. The issue is, when I arrive at my destination and try to see everything I brought, I can’t really find what I’m looking for. This my first trip using packing cubes, so I am very excited to get more organized! I don’t know if packing cubes actually do save space, but at the very least, I know they will keep me organized. I recently got some from Amazon, and they were super affordable. This comes with 8 different sized packing cubes, which is amazing for the price! Of course, I got mine in pink, but it also comes in grey. My plan is to keep similar clothing items in one packing cube. For example, in one cube, I’ll put all of my bottoms, and in another, I’ll put my tops. If I am bringing some thicker sweaters, I will keep these separate from thinner tops. I’ll update on the packing cubes when I get to England, but I am looking forward to using them.

• Store your makeup, skincare and haircare together

You might be thinking to yourself, “She just said she wants to be more organized”, and yes, that is correct. I recently discovered an amazing product that will keep you organized, but saves you from having to bring a million little bags for different products. Linked here is a toiletry/makeup bag that I purchased from Amazon. I absolutely love the fact that this bag has many different compartments for all of your necessities! I plan to bring all of my toiletries, makeup, and haircare products in just this bag! Of course, my liquids will be in a TSA approved Ziploc bag. This will make it easier when going through airport security (they often ask if you could take out your liquids and keep them separate from other products).

• Bring travel sized toiletries

Even though I am going to be in England for a couple months, I still plan to only bring travel sized items (for the most part). Chances are, wherever you are going is going to have a store that you can go to in order to buy larger sized toiletries. If you were to bring a full-sized shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc., it is going to add weight to your bag, plus you’ll have to check it. Save yourself the hassle, and keep what you can travel sized.

• Jewelry cases

I have two jewelry cases that I like to use for traveling. If I plan to bring a lot of jewelry, I like to use a bigger case that can easily roll or be folded. I have one that has a space for earrings, bracelets, necklaces etc. On the other hand, if you’re the kind of person who likes to keep jewelry minimal, you may want to have a smaller jewelry case. I got a personalized one on Etsy and I absolutely love it! It is small, but it fits all that I need perfectly. By having everything in an organized case with different compartments, nothing will get lost or tangled up.

• A purse in a purse

I recently saw a great idea for the girls who love to travel with different options. I love carrying different purses and bags, but they can take up some space. One trick to this is putting your bags in other bags. This works best if you are bringing different sized purses. Start by choosing which bags you want to bring. Then, empty them all. You’ll simply take the biggest bag and put the smaller ones in it! It is such a genius way to pack and you can easily store this in a suitcase or backpack because they will lay flat. You can also use the biggest bag as your personal item, but still get away with bringing more options for your outfits!

• Bring an empty water bottle

While on my last trip to England, I purchased the cutest reusable water bottle. It is such a great size, and I can take it with me wherever we go! I recommend purchasing one because you are not allowed to bring any drinks with you through security, so by bringing this, you can simply fill it up at a water fountain or on the plane. Plus, it will keep you from drinking out of single use plastic water bottles.

• Layer up

If you are traveling in the winter, or you are going somewhere where the weather will be quite unpredictable, be sure to bring layers! For this trip, I am going in late winter, but I will be there until early spring. I will be experiencing two different seasons on this trip, so it makes packing a little more complicated. My plan is to pack layers, but also keep the colors light for spring. For example, rather than packing a ton of dark colored clothing, try to keep it lighter, like wearing nude, white, or even pastel colors. I will be bringing a thermal top, thermal leggings, and fleece lined tights, just in case it is still chilly. Luckily, I feel pretty confident in knowing what the weather in England is like now, and I know for a fact that it won’t be hot! It is my goal is to not overpack… let’s see how that goes.

• Bring a change of clothes in your carry on

If your checked bag happens to get lost, at least you know that you’ll have something to change into. If it takes some time for your bag to find you again, you can always go to the store to buy a few essential clothing items or do laundry more frequently. It may be a hassle, but it is best to keep a few small clothing items on your person because you never quite know where your checked bag will end up!

• Don’t forget your passport

My final tip is to triple check that you have your passport on you. Always keep this in a safe place that is easily accessible (you may need it multiple times at the airport). Never put this in your checked bag. Even if you are flying domestically, it is good to have this for ID. Of course, if you’re going international, make sure that it is always with you. I recently got mine off of Amazon, and I love it because it has a few card slots for any cards you want to carry, as well as a little pocket where I keep my vaccination card. My passport fits securely in its space.

Whether you are new to traveling or you are a pro, I hope you found these tips helpful. I definitely recommend looking into the Amazon travel essentials that I mentioned because I really love them and find them useful. Thank you so much for reading! Safe travels, and I’ll be back with a new post shortly!

My Best Travel Tips + Amazon Travel Essentials

In just a few short hours, I will be leaving for the UK again! If you aren’t aware, I am in a long distance relationship with my Fiancé Tom. Since travel is a bit easier now that the Pandemic is (very) slowly fading, I have been able to go back and forth to England quite regularly. Tom just experienced his first trip to the US, and after three months we are heading back to his home together. Traveling has always been a big passion of mine, and I am grateful that I have been able to do it all my life.

Obviously, getting into a long distance relationship means that traveling is going to happen more frequently, so after a lot of practice, I feel much more confident when packing for trips. Today I will be sharing how I like to pack for an extended trip. Packing can already be a pretty overwhelming experience, but for the most part, I really enjoy it! I love choosing which outfits to bring, and of course, going on a trip is very exciting too! I will be sharing some tips and advice that I have learned over the years in relation to packing for a trip. This blog post will mostly relate to flying, however these tips can work for any form of travel! There will also be two parts, so be sure to click the link at the end of this post to continue reading.

• Check to see what documents you need

Before traveling to another country, you need to do all of  the research you can! Tom and I know this all too well, especially since we began our long distance relationship during a pandemic when paperwork, testing AND quarantining was required. Thankfully, now we just have to fill out a couple forms and we are good to go! If you are not vaccinated, you may be required to do more than this, so keep that in mind. You may also want to do some research on how long you can stay in the country you are traveling to. For example, I can only stay in the Uk for 6 months, and Tom can only stay in the US for 3. Plan your trip accordingly, and try to avoid staying around that limit, it may cause complications if you plan to visit again. Keep all of these important papers together. I like to bring a folder with me, so I can keep these things there, and the folder can easily fit in my backpack.

• Check with your airline for baggage allowance

If you are new to flying, or you need a light reminder, always check with your airline to see what baggage is allowed. Typically, you can have a checked bag, a carry-on, and a personal item. Your checked bag will be taken at the airport and sent to your final destination, and your carry-on is typically a slightly smaller bag that can be taken with you to your seat and stored in the overhead compartment. Your personal item can be a backpack, a purse, a duffle bag etc. and can usually fit right under the seat in front of you. of course, you don’t NEED each of these. try to pack light and avoid having to pay for a checked bag. If you really want to bring a checked bag, try to avoid bringing a carry-on. I always recommend having a personal item so you can easily access things you’ll need while in the air, and also valuables will be on your person at all times. Remember that the size and weight of your bags matters, so double check with your airline to know what to bring.

• Check the weather before packing

Be sure to check the weather before you travel so you can get a better idea of what you’ll want to wear. If you’re staying for a longer period of time and you can’t be 100% sure of the weather, do some research. I always like to google: weather in (location) in (month(s)). For example, before my upcoming trip, I would search: Weather in England in February and March.

• Pre-plan your activities and excursions

Before you pack for any trip, think about what you’ll be doing a lot of. If you’re doing a lot of sightseeing, bring comfortable sneakers. If you’re going hiking or taking part in a lot of outdoor activities, bring some sturdy hiking boots. If you’ll be relaxing by the beach 99% of the time, some nice sandals will work perfectly. For this trip, I plan to bring my hiking boots, a pair of comfortable athletic sneakers, pointed-toe ankle boots, and everyday boots. If you are trying to pack light, try to find shoes that can be worn for multiple occasions.

• Know what goes in a checked bag

While every airline and airport is different, one thing is for sure: anything sharp should not go with you on the plane. The same is true for full sized liquids. When I travel, I always like to have razors, tweezers, scissors, etc. with me. When I pack my bags, I always know that these items need to go in my checked bag. If you don’t want to check your bag, you may have to wait until you arrive at your destination to buy these things. It’s better to be safe and to make your airport/flying experience as easy and stress-free as possible.

• Use a backpack or carry on suitcase rather than a duffle or tote bag

If you plan to bring a personal item or carry on bag, don’t let it be a duffle or tote bag. I have tried traveling with these things and let’s just say it was painful. It doesn’t make sense to bring these items because they only go over one shoulder. It is very common to find yourself rushing to your gate, and some airports are HUGE. You may find yourself walking for around 15-20 minutes just to get to your gate. Trust me, you want that to be a comfortable walk (or run). I understand wanting to look stylish when traveling, but I think that you can do this while still being practical. Last fall, before my second trip to England, I bought this beautiful backpack on Amazon! I love how stylish it looks, and it has many compartments and SO much room! This comes in quite a few different colors and color combinations, but I just adore the back and gray combo. There is a space for my laptop, my toiletries, my jewelry, and my water bottle with room to spare! This backpack is also very nice quality, and I love using it for travel. I recommend bringing a backpack rather than a duffle or tote because once it is on your back, you don’t have to worry as much about it. The weight will be evenly distributed rather than bringing your one shoulder down, and it also won’t fall down as you’re making your way through the airport.

• Lay out all of the items you want to bring

My first step every time I travel. I do this a week or so before traveling because I just love planning these things out ahead of time. Plus, it will help you to feel more confident and WAY less stressed! It is much better to know and plan out what you’ll wear while away rather than throwing a bunch of random pieces into your suitcase and hoping for the best. 

• Pack neutrals

I am outspoken about wearing neutrals lately! If you haven’t heard me say it already, neutrals will never let you down. By packing neutral colored clothing, you will be able to pair every item in multiple ways, leaving you with many, many outfit options to choose from! On the other hand, if you only pack vibrant clothing with bold and crazy patterns, it will be much harder to style your outfits. Unless you are in love with wearing a lot of color, my best tip is to keep it simple. Bring classic pieces that you can style in many different ways.

Part two of this blog post is linked here! See you all there.