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Welcome to the June Freebie! Summer is upon us, and I thought with Covid on its way out the door and people ready to travel again, it’s only fitting to create a freebie many people could use. The Only Packing List You’ll Ever Need – your travel checklist, flying companion, and trusted travel hack. This packing list template has everything you need from carry-on essentials, checked bag must-packs, and international don’t forgets! Whatever season you’re traveling, and no matter where you’re going, this is the only packing list you’re going to need. So many of us are itching and ready to travel again, and for those that can, I wanted to create a fun and easy resource that would help make your experience just a little less stressful. So, if you’re getting ready to travel, get packing with this fabulous Packing List Template & wherever you’re off to, have fun!

Alongside the Packing List Template freebie, I’d also like to share my ten favorite travel tips and tricks to help make your travel experience as seamless and carefree as possible. When I was in college, I constantly flew between New York and Florida to visit my parents and go home for breaks. So because of my frequent flying, I got very familiar with what to do and what not to do when you’re flying. I used to be someone who completely overpacked, looking like I was going on a two-week trip when it was a long weekend. But, over the years, I learned easy tricks to pair things down, consolidate, and cut back. So whether you’re traveling for vacation, business, or simply visiting family, here are my top 10 travel tips that will help make your next trip a little lighter. HAHA! Get it?

Top 10 Travel Tips to Keep in Mind on Your Next Trip:

1. Pack Essentials in Your Carry-On: Despite my very frequent travel, I VERY THANKFULLY (knock on wood) have never lost a checked bag while traveling. I have, however, always packed my absolute essentials, personal items, and important things in my carry-on just in case. I always travel with one or two days worth of pills; if God forbid my luggage got lost, I don’t want to deal with the pharmacy. I pack my chargers and all electronics in my carry-on because those items are valuable and often too expensive to replace—lastly, jewelry. I love my jewelry, and a lot of it has sentimental value. So, to be safe, I always travel with it in my carry-on. 

2. Pack a Travel Sleep Kit: I don’t know about you, but I have trouble sleeping anywhere that’s not my own dreamy bed. So, because of that, I like to pack this handy Sleep Set from Ulta. It’s this beautiful Satin set, including a pillowcase, sleep mask, and scrunchie. Taking up just a pinch of space in your luggage, this set will make your sleeping experience so much better. I’m not a fan of hotel pillows—or all of the heads that have been on them—so it’s nice to bring your own pillowcase. I know this is a bit “much,” but honestly, I do sleep better.  

3. Invest in Nice Toiletry Bags: There is nothing, and I mean nothing, worse than opening your luggage to find your shampoo covering every square inch of what you packed. So, invest in a really nice set of toiletry bags. I love this fabulous makeup case off of amazon to keep your cosmetics organized. The films inside switch out and around to fit the size of the things you have and, if something does spill, the material is easy to clean. I also love this Beis On the Go bag for all of your liquids, and it also comes with a mirror. These bags are 100% worth it for the mess you’re avoiding in your luggage. 

4. Carry a Portable Charger: In the airport or the city you’re visiting, either way, I promise you’ll need a portable charger. Airports can often be packed, and most often, the charging stations—despite their abundance, are always full of people. So, I highly recommend investing in a nice portable charger that you can use in the airport, on the plane, and even when you’re traveling around where you’re visiting. Whether you’re heading to the beach or heading to the city, a portable charger will work poolside or in a cab. 

5. Flat Iron Your Wrinkles: You may not realize how often you’re traveling with the tools you need to fix the problems you may have. If you’ve got obvious travel wrinkles in your clothes, your flat iron will work on most fabric you’re traveling with. However, if you do have something you can’t use your flat iron on or the iron that most often comes in every hotel room, many hotels have complimentary steamers you can request to use. It never hurts to ask! 

6. Keep Moisturizer in Your Carry-On: Did you know that flying, especially for extended periods, gives you dry skin? Make sure to pack your favorite moisturizer and hand lotion in your carry-on to avoid getting dry and itchy skin. You can also travel around with these things during the vacation if you suffer from sensitive skin like me. Whenever I travel, my skin tends to go through a shock of weather change, so it helps to stay moisturized to avoid getting itchy and blotchy. 

7. Wear Cozy Clothes & Comfy Shoes: I don’t know about you, but I prefer the window seat. And do you know what that means? I’m sitting where the A/C draft is venting up, which means I’m enjoying the view, but I’m freezing. If you’re like me and prefer the view, I recommend wearing comfy shoes with thick socks and bringing an extra jacket to cuddle up with because it gets cold 30 to 40,000 feet up! 

8. Always Pack Extra Hand Sanitizer: I did this pre-Covid, but Hello? We’re on our way to a post-pandemic world, so make sure you’re bringing loads of hand sanitizer. The airport is most certainly a germ pool, and you’re most likely starting and ending your trip there. So, make sure you’re washing your hands a lot and sanitizing as much as you can. Also, don’t be afraid to sanitize your seat area before sitting down; trust me, it’s not weird! 

9. Plan Outfits in Advance: To try and best pair down what you’re bringing, lay out a few essentials and staple items that you can wear a few times. This way, you’ll be able to bring accent items like fun tops, dresses, and jackets that will take up less space. Once you’ve got the outfits, grab a few statement jewelry pieces and one or two small handbags, and all the shoes you will definitely need and wear so that you’re using the most out of the space in your luggage. Of course, you don’t need to plan out every detail of every out you’ll wear like SJP in Sex and the City; but, get an idea, so you’re not packing things you end up not wearing that ultimately take up space! 

10. Invest in GREAT Luggage: This is my absolute number ONE tip for traveling. There is nothing better than investing in good luggage that will get your valuables and all of your stuff from point A to point B safely. I absolutely love my luggage from Swiss Gear. I own the 19″ Carry-On Luggage in White and the 26″ Checked Luggage in Navy. They both are the same on the inside with two sides, plenty of storage, hardcover, and very easy to roll. A fantastic investment, and they both have a lifetime warranty; so, if one were to get damaged, a wheel to break, etc., they would be fixed or replaced for free!  

You can download the Packing List Template below on the signup form or the Freebies page of the blog! And I hope you enjoyed this fun blog! I thought in light of travel restrictions lifting, and I’m sure everyone in need of vacations, I’d share some fun tips I’ve learned along the way! Don’t forget to download this FANTASTIC freebie, The Only Packing List You’ll Ever Need, the ultimate Packing list Template for every trip you’ll ever take!