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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Home Planet

Travel: Five Cheap Tricks for Packing Like a Pro



   It’s easy to spend a fortune on suitcase accessories, but you’d be surprised how many items you already have around the house can make traveling easier and cheaper. Here are five of my favorite 'recycle and reuse' packing tips:

Read and Recycle: I usually pack two or three pair of shoes or boots for each trip, and not just for my wardrobe. Changing shoes can prevent blisters or foot-fatigue while traveling. To keep the contents of my suitcase clean, I save the narrow plastic bags wrapped around my newspaper especially for this purpose and slip each pair in a separate bag. They’re just the right size, easy to see through so I know what’s what, and can be recycled on the road.

Bag Your Gear: I have expensive packing cubes to help me organize my luggage, but I also use a cheap alternative. Often, linens like bedding and curtains are packaged in heavy-duty clear plastic bags. These bags usually have a zipper on the top. I save these sturdy bags because they’re perfect for separating and organizing clothing and accessories in my suitcase. I can see what's in each bag so I don't have to dig around searching for what I need and they hold up well. If a bag tears, I simply recycle (if possible) and replace it when I get home.

Reuse the Freebies: You can buy travel-sized toilitries but hotel amenity containers are also TSA-sized and perfect for reuse. I refill the empties with my favorite shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc. Tip: Save screw-on tops only. Other containers have a tendency to pop open in flight.

Tiny Bubbles: I usually pack a padded wine bag because there’s a lot of wonderful wine in the world and I almost always discover a bottle I want to bring home with me. But, I also pack a piece of bubble wrap as well. It comes in handy for any extra wine bottles as well as protecting fragile souvenirs.

Stay Wrinkle Free: The easiest way to arrive with wrinkle-free clothing is to hang shirts and wrap each garment in a plastic dry cleaning bag before layering in your suitcase. This tip really works. I save the bags and wire dry cleaner’s hangers from my husband’s shirts and reuse them. I leave the bags and wire hangers behind and dirty shirts go into my laundry bag for the trip home.

Cheryl-Anne Millsap is a travel writer whose audio essays can be heard on Spokane Public Radio and on public radio stations across the country. She is the author of ‘Home Planet: A Life in Four Seasons’ and can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com

 



Cheryl-Anne Millsap's Home Planet column appears each week in the Wednesday "Pinch" supplement. Cheryl-Anne is a regular contributor to Spokane Public Radio and her essays can be heard on Public Radio stations across the country.