Hi! One thing that you must know about me is that I love, love, love to travel, even though I don’t get to do it nearly often enough.  I love seeing new towns and learning about the history and the people of all these places I get to visit, whether it’s right here in the States or across the planet.  So, as I get ready to head on my next trip, I thought I’d take the next few weeks to share some tips and tricks I’ve picked up through the years that make my travel easier and more fun.  But I have one big rule: pack light, never more than I can handle myself, which is usually one carry-on and one suitcase. That being said, there are a few things that most people don’t think to bring that I find absolutely necessary.  Enjoy!

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Come Fly With Me ~ Part 1:
Staying Organized and Clean

This is where I sound like a germophobe and OCD freak, but really, I’m not.  However, if you’re going to live out of a tiny hotel room for days on end, I think special care needs to be taken to keep things under control.  It’ll make your trip nicer and it will help you get out the door faster so you can enjoy your vacation!

• Olay Daily Facials (the dry ones, not the wet towelettes) and Buff Puff singles: they already have cleanser in them, weigh nothing, pack flat, and there is nothing that can spill in your suitcase.  I take both with me, but just what I’ll need on the trip.  The daily facials are great for everyday use (they even remove makeup), but after sightseeing all day, sometimes I want a little more exfoliation to get rid of the grime and sweat.
• Soap sheets or small bottle of soap: It’s amazing how many bathrooms don’t have soap, and how nasty places can be.  I used to be able to find soap sheets in the Target trial size section for $1, but haven’t seen them in a while and everything else I see on the market is way more expensive, so if I know I’ll be out a lot and taking a lot of trains and stuff, I’ll take a tiny bottle of soap with me (I usually use one of those keychain-sized purell bottles and refill it with soap).  Sometimes you just want to wash off when you are out and about, not just use antibacterial gel, you know?
• Common meds: Especially when you’re traveling internationally, you don’t know what the medical equivalents are or where to find them.  Plus, if you get a bad headache or blister, the last thing you want is to have to stop your vacation and hunt for a drug store to find some advil or band-aids.  If you have a small kit with you, you can take care of yourself and go.
• Febreeze: I always have a travel-size bottle of this stuff for two reasons. First, sometimes when you stay in older towns, the buildings are old and have a bit of a funk. Some people take travel candles, but I like the odor neutralizers.  Second, as your vacation progresses, you pile up dirty clothes, or you need to freshen up clothes that you plan on wearing again.
• 2 Trash Bags: I keep dirty clothes in one and sometimes if I’m doing a lot of hotel-hopping, I’ll put clothes that I plan on rewearing in a second bag.
• Zip-top bags: I always take a couple with me, and always end up using them for many reasons.
• Take stock and simplify: Make your life easier by making sure you’re only taking what you need.  For instance, my Kindle, P&S camera and cell phone all use the same type of charger.  That means I don’t have to lug more cables with me. If you are traveling with someone, combine and conquer – figure out what you can share (toothpaste, shampoo, q-tips, chargers, etc.) so you don’t have more junk to lug around.

What about you?  How do you stay organized when traveling?