My husband and I love to travel and one of our goals is to create lifelong memories for our girls through travel.  With another holiday weekend and Spring Break around the corner, I wanted to share my Five Tips for Organized Travel with you.

As you know, I am a huge fan of the accessory brand Truffle.  I recently shared these as a guest on Truffle’s Blog and wanted to be sure to share them here, too!  I am a big believer in being an organized traveler and Truffle makes it easy. 

Alicia Wood’s Five Tips for Organized Travel

Tip# 1 Carry-on ONLY!

My whole family packs in carry-ons which is my number one travel tip no matter the time of year. You do not want to be separated from your luggage especially during the holidays!  If you have never packed in a carry-on this post includes all of my tips and tricks for how to pack for a week in a carry-on.  

In November, I “made” all of my friends use a carry-on for our Punta Mita girl’s trip.  They will never check their luggage again!  It helps you get to your destination at least 30 minutes earlier and who doesn’t want that!?

Best Carry-On Suitcases

This Tumi is my husband’s preferred carry-on for business and personal travel. It is a top seller every year on the men’s gift guide. The Paravel Carry-On Plus is the carry-on suitcase I use. It rolls through the airport like a dream!  Both his and mine have built in zipper compartments on one side that act as a packing cube allowing you to compress what you are packing and get more inside. 

Best Bag to Use as Your Personal Item

For my personal item, I either use the matching Paravel Weekender or my MZ Wallace Metro Deluxe Tote depending on how much I’m bringing or how long we will be traveling.

Tip #2 Be Organized

I use Truffle Clarity Clutches to organize all of my travel necessities. In one Large Clarity Clutch, I keep face masks, hand sanitizer, and charging cords. In the Mini Clarity Clutch,  I keep all of our travel documents including passports, Truffle card case with ID and global entry cards. I also use the small size for skincare and make up items as they are TSA approved.  My favorite travel wrap comes in it’s own pouch, as well.  Using Truffle Clarity Clutches is the key to easily finding everything in my bags.

Tip #3 Pack Efficiently

Packing efficiently with versatile pieces is essential to using a carry-on.  I create an Excel spreadsheet with what I will wear for each day: mornings, afternoons and evenings. I know it sounds like a bit of overkill and Type A but I’ll own it!  Plus, it helps with over packing even with the extra dress or two to have some flexibility.  I also almost always take one of my Cuyana Oversized Alpaca Sweaters.  I love it so much I own it in three colors!  This chic sweater is the ultimate style piece and can be worn casual with shorts and jeans or dressed up for an evening out.  My readers love this sweater and have made it a best seller on AWL year after year.

Next, I pack everything flat, one garment at a time.  For years, I folded my clothes in neat stacks and put them into my suitcase side-by-side lining the edge with belts, shoes, hairdryers, curling iron, etc.  My husband has always packed things completely flat, one item at a time. Of course, I thought he was crazy and he thought the same of me!  We have laughed so many times because on most occasions he ends up saying, “You were right!” but not this time. I had to tell him HE was right!  Packing flat is the key to getting more in your suitcase no matter the size.   My daughters pack this way as well and love it, too.

Tip #4 Be Early

Everyone’s frazzled when traveling these days so allow yourself plenty of driving time and time for lines at the airport. You might look at the MIflight app to check TSA lines and which one is the shortest in your departure terminal.

Tip #5: Always Pack Snacks!

We’ve done this for years because of our food allergies but you never know when your flight might be delayed due to holiday travel or weather. The Truffle Large Clarity Clutches are perfect for our favorite bars and snacks! Hungry travelers are not happy travelers!

BONUS TIP: Enjoy It All!

After the past year and a half, I will never again take for granted the ability to travel and create these memories.  As travel has changed since 2001 and continues to do so, we all have to roll with the flow and give grace to everyone we encounter. Count it all joy!

I hope these tips are helpful to you!  Let me know any of your questions about packing and traveling.  I’m excited to pack up soon to visit my daughter in California!

Get more inspiration in recent posts:

• Best Valentine’s Gifts for Him, 
• Valentine’s Day Inspiration, 
• Best Valentine’s Day Gifts for Her
• Best Home Organization Ideas,
• Ski Chic Style Shop

You can also shop these category pages: Personal Style, Interiors, My Home, Food, Entertaining, Tablescapes, Beauty and Travel. You can also see all the shop pages here: Style, Home, Tabletop, Beauty, and Travel.  Did you know you can also easily shop my Instagram Feed, too?

xo

Alicia

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