5 Tips For Stress Free Travel

One of the things I get asked most frequently is how Dane and I travel so much. It’s often followed with “but doesn’t all that moving around stress you out?” And the answer is – no. We love being at home and recharging, but we feel most alive when we are out exploring the world. Over the years, my travel style has definitely evolved (for the better!) and I’m more aware of things I can do ahead of time to make our travels a bit more stress free. Today I’m sharing 5 tips for stress free travel!

5 Tips For Stress Free Travel

1. Pack Light.

Trust me, I was an over packer for years, so believe me when I tell you – you do not need most of what you are packing. I always thought “But what if…” and very rarely have those “what ifs…” ever come to fruition.

Packing light means less to organize and pack (and eventually launder/unpack), but also, less to haul around if you are moving quite a bit during your travels and lesser chance of going overweight if you are checking the bag. Finding ways to re-wear key pieces in my suitcase has saved me more times than I care to admit and I’m never afraid to do a loud of laundry in a hotel sink if it means I don’t need to lug around a giant suitcase.

2. Be Prepared.

Sometimes hiccups happen while traveling and let me tell you – in the moment it can feel like the end of the world. In the big picture? Not so much. I’ve learned to be prepared in these cases for a couple different scenarios.

First and foremost, have a “survival kit” in your carry-on, if you’re not carrying on all of your luggage. Bring a fresh change of clothes, underwear, deodorant, a toothbrush, etc.

In case of other traveling hiccups, make sure you have copies of important documents (like passports, ID, hotel reservations, visa, etc.).

3. Organize

I was never a believer in packing cubes until I started using them. The level of organization I feel by using them is off the charts, plus it means not having to dig through my backpack when we travel. I just remove the 2-3 cubes and I can see everything I’ve packed.

I also try to make sure that my purse is organized with things I might need during my flight or if we are out and about. It might come as no surprise that I use pouches for in my purse, too. I have one for necessities like my wallet and business cards and another for things like essential oils, medicine and hand wipes.

4. Check-in Online

Nothing is worse than arriving to the airport and having to wait in a line that wraps around the concourse just to check in. Nearly every airline has the option of checking in the night before, as well as being able to check a bag in if you have one. That way, when you arrive it’s as simple as grabbing your tag and dropping it off. Everything else will be stored in your phone! This is a good time to advocate for not checking a bag since it’s one less thing to deal with 🙂

5. Be Able To Laugh

Here’s the thing — not everything is always going to go as planned, or how you had envisioned it in your head. As a mega type-A, this took me a long time to wrap my brain around! That said, being able to laugh when flights get delayed or plans change beyond your control is key. I cannot tell you the amount of times we’ve been stuck in airports or excursions we’ve been looking forward to have gotten cancelled due things like weather. Being mad isn’t going to change anything, so just try to make the best of it and laugh it off. After all, you’re on vacation! (To note: I know this is all easier said than done)