5 Travel Habits You NEED To Master Before Your Next Big Trip
Whether it’s making sure you don’t forget anything when packing for a ten day trip or sprinting through the airport to catch your next flight when you only have a fifteen minute layover, traveling can be extremely stressful. But luckily, I have compiled a list of five habits that you must master before embarking on your next adventure to ensure smooth travels.
1. Pack ahead of time
If you’re anything like me, you’ll wait until hours before leaving for your big trip to start packing, resulting in high stress levels and forgotten items. To help eliminate this problem, make a packing list ahead of time and give yourself enough time to pack. Keeping an on-going packing list can be super helpful long-term because you can mark the things you packed but didn’t use or add things you wish you had during the trip. Also, pack as light as you possibly can, bringing only the essential wardrobe pieces. By mastering these packing habits, you are less likely to forget something while also avoiding over-packing!
2. Get everywhere very early
A really beneficial travel habit to start practicing is always playing it safe and arriving to the airport very early. You never know if there will be traffic on the way or if the line at security will be abnormally long, so keep your stress levels low by giving yourself extra time. Relaxing at the gate is a much better feeling than having to race through the airport to catch your flight. This habit will also come in handy if you’re traveling to different countries on your trip and need to catch a train to go to another city.
3. Never put valuables in your checked bag
Another packing tip that you should master is ensuring that your valuables are protected. It is really important that you pack items such as electronics, medications and jewelry in your carry-on so that these valuable items will be with you at all times. If you want to be extra careful, you can hide your valuables throughout your suitcase by disguising them in other packed items. One way to do this is to stuff your money in your socks. Also,putting your passport in a different place every time you take it out is going to result in stress and panic, so I recommend getting a travel wallet to keep all your important identifications items in one place.
4. Charge all devices
It’s important to have a charged phone while traveling in case things don’t go as planned. So you need to get into the habit of charging all electronic devices the night before leaving for your trip. By doing this, you can avoid the overly crowded charging stations at the airport. Also I recommend bringing a portable charger in case you run out juice mid flight! The portable chargers will also be a great addition to your adventures during your trip in case you are somewhere like a cafe or a museum that does not have outlets.
5. Moisturize and Hydrate
Many people don’t realize how dehydrating flying can be and being dehydrated can make jet lag much worse. A travel habit that will leave you feeling more energized throughout your travels is making sure to moisturize and hydrate before leaving. Also, I recommend packing a refillable water bottle to avoid spending all your money on water bottles at the airport. Additionally, throw some chapstick or lotion into your carry-on to apply while flying in order to avoid dry skin.