Last year Huffinton Post published an article entitled, “DIY Travel Hacks That Will Change How You Pack Forever.” As a frequent traveler, I found some of them to be good ideas but some of them I have to tell you were a little out there and just plain dumb. This post has been making the rounds again recently so I thought I would share my thoughts.
THE REALLY REALLY DUMB ONES:
Fill plastic straws with your skin care lotions.
Let me tell you, trying to do this leaves you with a really big mess of skin care lotions all over ~ more all over then in the straw. By the time you get enough in there, the outside of the plastic straw is a slimy mess too. The ends just DO NOT stay closed no matter what method you use to close them! The time it takes to do this could be better spent driving to the store and buying a travel size of your favorite lotion.
Use empty ChapStick containers for your valuables
Let me ask you – unless you are transporting loose diamonds, what exactly do you think will fit in an empty ChapStick tube? Not much. First you have to try to clean the greasy ChapStick out of the tube once it’s empty. Next try getting the bottom off in a way that lets you put it back on securely (and doesn’t keep falling off). Pills – unless you’re transporting illegal drugs that you are trying to hide – why? This might be the all time most ridiculous thing I have ever seen!
Pack your soap and wash cloth together by making this simple case
Really. Just really. Unless you are going to a third world country or backpacking through the jungle, what hotel or resort did you visit last that didn’t supply wash clothes and soap? Even Motel 6 gives you a wash cloth and soap.
Old sunglass case can be used to store chargers
OK – try closing that hard sunglass case with the plug end big block in there. I don’t know about you but I travel with more then that in charging plugs. Put your chargers in a zip lock bag!
Fill an old eye drop bottle with toothpaste
Really! If you can’t afford $1 for a travel sized tube of toothpaste, perhaps you shouldn’t be traveling. You tell me how you can get toothpaste in that bottle.
Better yet – they recommend re-filling your travel toothpaste tube – REALLY!
Use leftover contact cases to store liquid makeup like foundation
Again – Really! unless you are only going away over-night, how much make-up do you think you can fit in there?
As I said, some of the suggestions were good. One example:
Use an old shower cap to cover the bottoms of your shoes – if you happen to have one lying around or get one in your travels. If you don’t – zip lock back works and you know you have those.
Honestly, if I had to go through all the preparation that some of these “hacks” need in order to use them, I would just stay home!