We all love hacks and why shouldn’t we? They make our life easier and some are so clever, that we wonder how we didn’t think of them before. In this post, the team is sharing with you you a comprehensive list of 70 easy and practical travel hacks, divided into six sections, so be ready to make your travels much more efficient and enjoyable!
Packing Hacks
- Packing Cubes
Image source: ikea.com
Packing cubes keep all your things in order. If you like to be organized when you travel, then packing cubes are a must. A lot of companies make them, from Ikea to fancier ones, like Tortuga.
- Rolling instead of Folding
Folding your clothes will not only take up more space, but it also wrinkles your clothes. Rolling is the new trend that will make your clothes look much better and fit perfectly in your luggage.
- Fold Socks, don’t Bunch Them Up
Aside from the fact that bunching socks up will take up more space than folding them, bunching them up in a bundle also wears down the elastic to one of the socks. You’ll end up with uneven socks, and that sucks!
- Use an Old Sunglasses Case to Store Cables
This way, you won’t have them all tangled up and ready to annoy you to death. Also, this works better than a simple bag does, because it’s smaller and they have less room to wiggle into those perfect knots.
- Inflatable Neck Pillow
Some folks can’t travel without their neck pillows, but they take so much space! Why not get an inflatable neck pillow?!
- Necklaces in Straws
Image source: thevoyaging.com
Make sure your necklaces don’t become tangled, by putting them through straws.
- Hide Money in Skincare Containers
Be it chap stick containers or old sunscreen bottles, it’s nice to have some money put aside in case of emergency.
- Store Your Digital Camera in a Soap Case
It’s not just for protection, but in case of theft, nobody will think of stealing your soap bar!
- Curling Iron in Oven Mitt
Curling irons fit perfectly in an oven mitt and this way, the heat won’t ruin your clothes if you don’t have time to let it cool down.
- Create a Soap Pouch
Image source: whimsy-love.com
If you’re the water-and-soap type of person, then you should try and make yourself a travel soap pouch. Go here and learn how to do it.
- Garbage Bags
If travel cubes are just too much for you, then you can use garbage bags to store your clothes inside your luggage and also make everything waterproof.
- Shower Caps for Shoes
Use shower caps to cover the soles of your shoes when packing them.
- … or Better Yet, Get Shoe Bags
Image source: solecollector.com
If shower caps are too mundane for you, then you can go and get yourself some shoe bags. They’re meant to protect and store shoes and some look very fancy!
- Stuff Your Shoes
Now that your suitcase is protected from your shoes, it’s time you used the insides of your shoes as storage. Store socks, chargers, or whatever fits!
- Scan Your Papers
In case you lose them, you’ll have a backup, even though you’ll need to get new ones, once you arrive home. Dropbox is also a great idea, as you’ll have them readily available on all of your devices.
- Paper Napkins to Fold Delicates
You have a silk blouse you want to pack? Cover it with paper napkins and then fold it. The amount of wrinkles will vastly diminish.
- Mark Your Baggage as Fragile
… even if it’s not! This way you’ll make sure they handle it with care and nothing gets broken.
- Essential Oils on Napkins
To keep all your clothes smelling nice inside your bag, put a few drops of essential oils on a cloth napkin and store it in between your clothes.
- Look Up Capsule Wardrobe
Image source: today.com
You’ll be amazed at how capsule wardrobe can change the way you pack your clothes for traveling.
- Wear Your Heavy Clothes on the Plane
This way your hand baggage is kept lighter. Besides, planes tend to get quite cold.
Smartphone Related Hacks
Here are some apps you will need to have in order to make sure your vacation goes off without a hitch.
- Booking Apps
The internet is filled with great booking apps – from hotels, to flight to cars from every major booking website there is. Download the one you like the most and you’ll simplify the booking process and you can book on the go!
- Google Translate
Image source: news.filehippo.com
You simply cannot leave home without it. It has a cool new feature called live translation! All you need to do is point your camera at a sign or menu and Google will translate it for you!
- Offline Google Maps
Having Google Maps on your smartphone isn’t really a travel hack, but did you know you can download the maps and use them offline? Great for when there’s spotty Wi-Fi connection!
- Trip It
Trip It will plan your trip, like you’ve never seen before. Everything about your trip, in one place! Now, how cool is that?!
- ICE
Figure Image source: androidbeat.com
ICE stands for ‘In Case of Emergency’ and it’s just that. An app for Android that keeps all the details about your health, in case of emergency. The cool thing about this app is that it can be accessed even when your smartphone is locked.
Beauty Hacks
- Hair Pins in Empty Tic Tac Boxes
Hair pins are probably the most misplaced things… them and keys! Use an empty Tic Tac box to store them and you’ll never have to worry about losing them ever again!
- Straws for Lotions
If you’re going away for just a couple of days, then there’s no point in bringing along heavy lotion bottles. Use straws to store the lotions and just tape them up!
- Toothpaste Inside Eye Dropper Bottle
Image source: briangreen.net
You don’t have to buy travel sized toothpaste! Just use an empty eye dropper bottle and fill it up with toothpaste.
- Plastic Wrap on the Inside of the Caps
Whatever bottles you’re bringing with you, make sure they don’t leak, by using plastic wrap on the inside of the caps!
- Bring Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is the miracle oil that has 101 and more uses. From hair conditioner to body moisturizer to makeup remover, coconut pulls through.
- Moisturize While in the Air
The air inside planes is very dry and damaging to the skin, so make sure you moisturize both your face and hands while up in the air.
- Ask for Perfume Samples
Image source: makeup.lovetoknow.com
Don’t bring along your entire perfume bottle, instead go to where you bought it from and ask for a sample!
- Contact Lens Cases for Storage of Miscellaneous Items
Contact lens cases works wonderfully for storing creams, foundation, concealer and even fake eyelashes!
- Mixed Oils
Mix some of your favorite liquid oils at home (for example, sweet almond and carrot seed oil) and use as makeup remover, body moisturizer and even hair conditioner.
- Dry Shampoo
Image source: damaged-hair.org
Dry shampoo is a sprayable powder that you can use on your scalp and hair to remove grease. Spray liberally, comb through and your hair is as good as new. Note that this doesn’t replace washing your hair, it only delays the wash by a day or two.
Makeup Hacks
- Foundation in Sample Pots
You know those tiny Sephora sample pots? Don’t throw them away, wash them and use them to store foundation for your vacation. If you don’t have any pots, just ask, they’ll happily give you a few!
- Makeup Remover Pads on Top of Powders and Eye Shadows
Do this to avoid face powders, bronzers, highlighters, and eye shadows from breaking.
- Saturate Brushes
Image source: bitchslap-cosmetics.com
If you’re going away for just a couple of days, then you can saturate your bronzer, highlighter, blush and powder brushes with product and skip taking all those products with you. There will be enough product on the brushes to last you a couple of days or so.
- Cotton Buds and Eye Shadow
When it comes to eye shadow, you can saturate cotton buds with product and use them instead of lugging around eye shadow palettes.
- Lipstick in Old Eye Shadow Quads
As we mentioned earlier, it’s best to avoid carrying eye shadow palettes, but if you love lipsticks, then you should! Cut a tiny bit of your favorite lipsticks and push them down as best as you can in old eye shadow quads. Four lipsticks in a tiny quad!
- Cotton Buds in Empty Pill Bottles
Image source: aol.com
Cotton buds are a makeup lover’s best friend, but if you don’t store them properly, they’ll turn fuzzy and become unusable. Our solution is to store them in pill bottles. Remove any medicine label and you’re good to go!
- Eyeliner Becomes Gel Liner
Skip packing the gel liner! Heat up the tip of an eyeliner pencil, wait a couple of seconds and then smear it on the back of your hand. Apply it with a brush.
- Use Multi-Purpose Products
Image source: pinterest.com
Instead of packing a blush and a lipstick, get one product that doubles as both. Stila Convertible Color does this beautifully and it is quite compact.
- Lip Balm as Cuticle Cream
Don’t bring cuticle cream with you on your trip, just use a rich lip balm!
- Bronzer as Eye Shadow
Yes, bronzer can be used as either an eye shadow base or eye shadow.
Hotel Related Hacks
Once in your hotel room, there are plenty of hacks to do that will help improve your stay.
- Refresh Room with Dryer Sheet
If your hotel room smells funny, you can use a dryer sheet over the AC to freshen up the atmosphere. If it smells downright bad, you should call the front office.
- Foursquare for Wi-Fi Passwords
Some hotels don’t offer free Wi-Fi (we know!), so use Foursquare app to find out the password for your hotel’s Wi-Fi. You’ll find plenty of people willing to give it up!
- Bring an HDMI Cable
If you plan of relaxing in the evening by watching some movies on your laptop, then bring an HDMI cable and do it on the hotel TV.
- Free Lunch
Image source: wisegeek.org
If your hotel offers free breakfast, this means that you can stock up of food and have some for lunch. Naturally, hotels don’t encourage this type of behavior, so make sure you’re discrete about it.
- Keep Power On
Get a spare card to keep electricity going in your room, so that your electronics keep charging when you’re out and about.
- Ironing Board as a Table
An ironing board makes for an excellent table. All you need to do is sit down on your hotel bed, unfold the board and cover it with a towel. Voila!
- A Glass as a Phone Speaker
Image source: gabworthy.com
Place your phone inside an empty glass and press play. You’ll be surprised at how well an empty glass can double as a speaker.
- Ask for a Better Room
Not necessarily a hack, but did you know that you can ask for a better room and chances are you’ll get it. Make sure you offer some valid reasons, tough.
- TV Phone Charger
Most TVs in hotel rooms have an USB slot. Did you know you can use that slot to recharge your phone? Just don’t forget to bring your charger cable.
- Hair Dryer for a Steamer
Instead of paying the hotel for clothes steaming services, use the hair dryer in your room to steam your clothes. Do it in the bathroom, while the hot water is running in the shower. Just make sure you don’t get your dryer wet! It can be dangerous.
Miscellaneous Travel Hacks
- Use Hair Straighteners to Iron
Image source: heroffers.com
If you brought your hair straightener on vacation with you, then you can use it to iron your shirts, ties, hems and various other small areas on your clothes.
- Store Jewelry in Plastic Wrap
This way it will stay safe, and tangle free!
- Stuff Clothes in Hats to Keep Their Shape Intact
I mean, who travels with hat boxes anymore?!
- Use Hand Sanitizer
Not necessarily a travel hack, but hand sanitizer can really make a difference when you’re on the road! Those germs can’t wait to make your body their home!
- Use LifeStraw
Image caption: eartheasy.com
If you’re traveling to a place where potable water is a problem, make sure you pack a LifeStraw with you. It filters water, as you drink it!
- Learn the KonMari Method of Folding
If there’s one thing you do to save yourself space when packing, it’s learning the KonMary method of folding clothes. Marie Kondo is a genius when it comes to folding and packing stuff!
- Hide Money in Sanitary Napkin Pads
Nobody will ever think of stealing your sanitary napkins!
- Use Nail Polish Remover to Clean the Edge of Your White Shoes
You’re on vacation and you can’t really clean your shoes properly; use some nail polish remover to remove the stains from the edges of your white shoes.
- Place Coasters on Your Drink
When you’re at a bar and you need to leave for a few moments, place your coaster on your drink to signal the bartender that you’re coming back. Apparently, this is quite universal and will work pretty much everywhere you go.
- Quick Cooling Beverages
Image credit: thrivemarket.com
Quickly cool your beverages by wrapping them in a wet paper towel and then placing them in a fridge or freezer. Those hotel fridges need all the encouragement they can get.
- Hotel Soap Bar as Luggage Refresher
Avoid having your dirty socks stink up your luggage, by putting the hotel’s soap bar inside your dirty laundry bag.
- One Change of Clothes in Carry On
Always pack at least one change of clothes in your carry on, in case your luggage is lost.
- Tie a Piece of Fabric to Your Luggage
This way, you’ll spot it right away when it comes on the baggage carousel.
- Sunglasses as a Smartphone Holder
Image credit: pinterest.com
You want to watch a movie on the plane and you don’t have a holder, then use your sunglasses!
- Use a Spring to Protect Your Phone Charger
Almost all chargers start showing signs of wear and tear at the spot where they are plugged in the phone, so use a spring from a pen to prevent that from happening, by coiling it around the cable.
Did you enjoy our travel hacks? Do you have any more travel hacks you would like to share with us and our readers? Head over to our Facebook page and drop us a comment!
Cristina is the Community Manager of BookSinglesHolidays.com, a themed travel website offering a vast collection of singles vacations & solo holidays. She is also a passionate traveler, cat aficionado and novice writer.