Have you ever been traveling? Of course you have. At least, most of us have. Even if it was just as simple as jumping on a plane for a couple hour flight that took you to Universal Studios. Even if your flight was short, and direct, you probably noticed how uncomfortable the whole business was. From start to finish you are lugging around heavy equipment, you can’t dig into your carry-on for chapstick because you packed it so full that you would never be able to close it again… The scenarios are never ending.
However, traveling isn’t limited just to flying. Packing up your minivan and driving to your in-laws a couple states over is still considered traveling.
At this point in time I’d like to recommend that you consider introducing shipping supplies into your traveling experience. What on earth? You may find yourself saying this in all caps inside of your brain. Hear me out.
How many times have you pulled your Louis Vuitton suitcases off of the baggage claim conveyor belt only to discover that the luggage crew was treating them like a couple of cardboard boxes? (#notcool) Although I’ve never gone the couture route, I have probably wound up spending just as much money on multiple sets of cheap suitcases that keep getting decimated in transit.
So why not just handle the dilemma and actually use cardboard boxes? See? Cardboard boxes are shipping supplies. So are masking tape and shipping labels. Tape your stuff up in a cardboard box and you stand less chance of having your crap broken into and pilfered (#alsonotcool).
The same thing goes for driving. Instead of trying to wedge a bunch of different shaped boxes in the back of your vehicle, use boxes. Label the outsides and stack easily. Who would have thought that a couple standard shipping supplies could make your traveling experience so much better?
On a different note, there are a couple tips to keep in mind when packing for a trip. Contrary to popular belief, rolling your clothes does the opposite of saving you room. When you fold something it lies flat, essentially using up all potential space. When you roll clothes, you wind up with a lot of unused cracks and crevices. Put any fragile items in the very center of your suitcase. This is also where you should pack delicate clothes, like suits or bridesmaids dresses.
Nowadays, TSA saves you the hassle of not knowing what to do with your toiletries. You still need to pack tiny-sized personal care items and make sure they all fit into a pint-sized plastic bag. This not only saves you a ton of space by forcing you to pack light, but it also saves you the possibility of your bottles busting open in transit and ruining the rest of your stuff.