Okay so Spring Break is just around the corner, and before you know it it'll be over and you'll say "isn't it February?" but NOPE it's April and you just watched Netflix all week. Here are a couple life hacks for traveling this Spring Break, of which I'll be spending in Costa Rica, and you can keep up with that adventure on my Instagram here.
1. Flying is expensive- so it's good to save as much money as you can. Sunday is the most expensive day to fly, so that saves you quite a bit to start of with, and it's better to book your flights on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, or just sometime in the middle of the week because flights are more expensive if you book them on the weekend because more people are on the computer being random and planning vacations. Also, if you can, remember to book 6-8 weeks in advance- but being spontaneous is ok, too.
2. I've said this once and I'll say it again- download the app for whatever airline(s) you're flying because sometimes you can connect to the planes wifi and watch *free* movies on the plane! This is a big money saver and will fill the empty boring space on your long flights. I know United has an app, and you can also check up on when your flight leaves, what gate it's at, and you can even scan your boarding pass!
3. Hate it when your phone dies on a plane- and there aren't any outlets? Easy. Charge up your computer all the way before you go on the plane and then use that to charge your phone via USB. This is probably one of my favorite life hacks because everyone hates it when your only source of anything and everything just dies.
4. If you're like me and have a super basic black suitcase and looks exactly like everyone else's suitcase, then we're gonna mix up our suitcases, and that's annoying when you just wanna get your luggage from baggage claim and leave. A simple- but somehow unknown- hack for this is to tie a ribbon or cute luggage tag to your bag in order to distinguish it from the others. Mine has a cute little whale luggage tag from the Maui Aquarium, and it helps me see my suitcase when it's in a cluster of them.
5. Pack lightly. If you know you're going someplace where you probably won't be doing any work and won't even have wifi, consider leaving your laptop at home- but this doesn't mean that you shouldn't go prepared. Always bring a raincoat, a pair of tennis shoes and some jeans, no matter how warm it is where you're going!
6. Always (*ALWAYS*) pack your nail polish in a plastic baggie, sealed as tightly as possible, or don't bring it at all. There's no bigger bummer than opening up your suitcase and seeing bright red nail polish all over everything. This is only if you absolutely have to bring it, or just don't bring it at all to avoid disaster.
7. This is relating to the last one, but if you're afraid of your makeup breaking, then just pack a cotton ball or some tissues/toilet paper into your makeup palettes to keep them from breaking and adding another big bummer to your trip (in addition to the nail polish).
8. Keep your nasty shoes (well, assuming you're normal and don't clean your shoes every night with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol) from touching your nice clean clothes by transporting shoes in a plastic bag. This is great on the way back from vacation because I don't know about you, but my vacations include so much dirty, muddy, wet hiking and my shoes are basically destroyed afterwards. Keep your clothes sorta clean by putting those excuses for shoes in a plastic grocery bag!
9. Sometimes, you still have clean clothes at the end of a trip- once in a blue moon, that is- but you end up washing them anyway because your whole suitcase smells like feet and a nasty cargo section of an airplane. And possible nail polish. A simple life hack is to put either tea bags or Unstoppable's In-Wash Scent Boosters into your suitcase, which will absorb the stench and keep everything smelling dandy. Just put the scent boosters into one of those little mesh baggies that earrings come in, and one of those little baggies should be good for the whole bag.
