If you follow me on Instagram then you know I travel a lot for work. I’m a Clinical Research Associate (CRA) and travel between 1-3 times a week. Before you start thinking “lucky you” let me be the first to tell you that traveling for work is not that glamorous and can be exhausting. While it may not be glamorous I can say that traveling on a regular basis has made me somewhat of a pro (if I must say so myself). Since Christmas is literally right around the corner I thought it would be helpful to share some of my top travel tips:
- Carry-on Bag: If you’re traveling for a vacation or will be away more than 3 nights this tip may not be possible, but if you will only be away between 1-3 nights a carry-on bag is the way to go. I can’t remember the last time I checked a bag that wasn’t checked at the gate for free. A carry-on bag saves time and money.
- Coordinate Outfits/Minimize Shoes- Because I travel with a carry-on bag I’ve been forced to downsize when it comes to packing outfits. Coordinating outfits and minimizing the amount of shoes I bring on a trip has been a necessity. What I mean by coordinating outfits is that I wear similar color schemes on trips so that the 2 pairs of shoes (1 pair of sneakers & a pair of work shoes) will match all of my outfits.
- Comfortable Shoes- It’s no secret that I love sneakers so I never, ever go on a trip without a pair of sneakers. It pains me to see people walking or running through the airport in uncomfortable shoes. You can catch me changing into my sneakers or “airport shoes” as I call them as soon as I am done with work for the day and getting ready to head to the airport. I make sure that I bring a pair of sneakers that coordinate with whatever outfits I bought for my trips.
- Extra Underwear- Because you can never bring too many underwear.
- Travel Size Products- It’s also no secret that I love Target. I especially love visiting their travel section so that I can stock up on travel size products. I grab travel size lotion, soap, medicine, toothbrush, hair products, etc. I have a bit of a mini stockpile of travel products in my bathroom as we speak. It’s so convenient to just grab what I need when I am packing rather than taking from my home stash and worrying about whether it meets TSA requirements.
- TSA PreCheck- Seriously the best $85 I’ve ever spent. If you travel at least 2-3 times a month, consider getting TSA PreCheck. It literally has been a life saver when I arrive late to the airport. Occasionally there are long lines but the line is never as long as the general security checkpoint lines. You also do not have to remove your computer, your shoes, or your light jacket when going through security. Plus your TSA PreCheck membership is good for 5 years!
- Dress in Layers/Jacket- Airplanes are either very hot or very cold. I’ve yet to find a comfortable one. Since the temperature on a plane can be very unpredictable I travel in layers and never leave home without a jacket (no matter the season).
- Book Bag- This may be the best decision I made in 2019. I used to travel with a cute shoulder bag that I got from Target. I would carry my laptop and any other work related items in this bag. But comfort beat out being cute and I recently made the switch to a book bag to carry my laptop and work related items. My shoulders and back are still thanking me for this one.
- Cross Body Purse- Most (if not all) airlines only allow you to bring one carry-on bag and a personal item. Your purse counts as a personal item. Since I travel with a carry-on bag and my book bag I always have to consolidate my purse into one of those bags. I never put my purse in my suitcase because I never know if I will need to gate check my carry-on bag so I find that traveling with a small cross body bag works great. It’s small size allows me to fit my purse in my book bag which always comes with me on the plane.
- Arrive 2 hours early- I’m sure you’ve heard this plenty of times but arriving at the airport 2 hours before a flight is the move. It allows me to grab food, use the restroom, and not feel so rushed before my flight. Arriving 2 hours early has also saved me a few times when the parking lot I usually park in is full and I was forced to park further away.
- Snacks- You won’t always have time to grab food in the airport between flights so I always bring snacks from home to hold me over until I get to my destination.
- Hand sanitizer/Wet Wipes- Because germs..
Whether you are traveling for work or pleasure I hope these tips have been helpful. What are some of your favorite traveling tips? Happy traveling.
Love, The G Spot
