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 Last summer my husband and I took a road trip from Colorado up through Wyoming into Utah and Nevada and California on I-80, down the coast of California to LA, out to Scottsdale, Arizona on the 10 and then back up to Colorado. A lot of miles, but a lot of fun. If you haven’t taken a road trip in a while (or ever) I highly recommend it. It’s a great way to see the country.
Since travel season is rolling around and people will soon be hitting the roads again, I thought it would be a great idea to share some things we’ve learned through many road trips that will hopefully help yours go smoothly. Aside from a good navigator and a sense of adventure, there are at least 10 road trip essentials you should have to make the trip enjoyable and to minimize any problems.
10 Road Trip Essentials
 Food, Snacks, and Water: Of course it’s important to have food and snacks. Sometimes it can be 50 miles or more between exits with services and often rest areas are no more than parking lots. Of course, you can always stop along the way at gas stations, in towns, and at restaurants for food, but taking along a few things will help save you money. You should also have extra food and especially water when taking a road trip just in case you happen to break down in the middle of nowhere or find yourself driving at night when everything is closed. One year my husband and I found ourselves driving up from Monument Valley through Utah on our way home in the middle of the night, starving, and, of course, nothing was open. We were miserable. Don’t make that mistake.
Battery Jumper: Again, no one wants to think about car trouble when setting out on a road trip, but it can happen and you need to be prepared. Many people carry jumper cables in their cars and while these are certainly useful if you find you have a dead battery, what if you are out in the middle of nowhere? What if there are no cars to flag down or you are concerned about the safety of doing that? A battery jumper can save you from hours of hassle and waiting for help.
 Good Music: One of the best things about road trips is the tunes. Music helps pass the time, keep you awake, and lower stress. Whether you sing along at the top of your lungs or choose to listen to an audiobook instead, make sure you bring along a good selection of CDs in your CD binder or hook up your iPod. Satellite radio is also a great option. Aside from the occasional tunnel, my husband and I had satellite radio the whole way on our last trip and could listen to everything from Top 40 to Soundtracks to News to Comedy.
Jack, Tire Iron, and Spare Tire: Just like the the battery jumper, a jack, tire iron, and spare tire are essential on road trips. You never know where you are going to get a flat tire and chances are it won’t be down the road from a tire shop. Even if you have roadside assistance, if you break down in the middle of nowhere, it could be a long time before help arrives (that is if you have cell phone signal). Knowing how to change a tire and having the tools to do it are two things that will help make any flat tire less of a roadblock.
 Travel Blanket and Pillow: If you’re taking turns driving and you plan to drive for hours at a time, it’s always a good idea for the passenger to get some rest. Sleeping in a car, however, is not easy for most people. A travel blanket and pillow can help make the effort a little easier. Even if you don’t think you’re going to sleep, it’s better to have these items and not need them than try to get comfortable and wish you had brought them. Even though we most often take road trips in the summertime when it’s warm, my husband loves to crank up the air conditioning so much that a blanket is a must for sleeping.
Gas Can: With the number of gas stations on the road these days, it’s hard to think of a situation where you’d run out of gas. Still, it happens. Having a gas can will help save you time because all you need to do is walk to the nearest gas station, fill up, and bring it back to the car.
 Power Inverter: Imagine this scenario. You brought along a cell phone, laptop, iPod, Kindle, or some other device for entertainment and your battery is running out. You don’t have a charger for the car with you (or it doesn’t have one) and you don’t have spare batteries. What do you do? Well, you can use the power from the car by using a power inverter (sometimes called an AC to DC adapter). Power inverters are devices you plug into your car’s outlet (often the cigarette lighter) and have standard electrical outlets on the other end for your devices. Plug in anything from your laptop to your cell phone charger and never worry about a dead battery on the road again.
 Trash bag: With food, snacks, and drinks inevitably comes trash. Nothing is worse than arriving at your destination or home or even setting out on the next leg of your road trip with a car full of trash strewn everywhere. A trash bag is a great solution for this. But when I say trash bag, I am not necessarily referring to your standard plastic, drawstring close kitchen trash bag. I mean a bag designed for your car that is self supporting, leakproof, and perhaps even comes with a lid like the High Road TrashStand. These are handy even in day to day driving in keeping your car clean and organized.
 First Aid Kit: No one anticipates injuries on a trip, but it can happen especially with kids. Run around too fast at a rest stop and fall and you might have a skinned knee. So a first aid kit is a must on any road trip. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to have a first aid kit in the car any time. The Lifeline First Aid AAA Adventurer Road Kit is a great option because it combines basic car care with over 45 First Aid supplies. Not only will you have items like an emergency car care guide, pliers, duct tape, and poncho, but you also get standard first aid items like adhesive bandages and antiseptic.
 Camera: When you take a road trip, you’re bound to see some sites you’ll want to remember. A camera is a must. From odd roadside attractions to scenic views, you’ll be glad you brought along your favorite camera in its trusty camera bag so you can capture the fun of your journey. The picture at the top of this post is one we took along Highway 1 just outside of Carmel, CA.
Depending on what other items you choose to bring (especially for entertainment like books, portable DVD players, toys, etc.) you might also want to consider one or a couple of car organizers. This will also help keep your car clean and organized and allow you to find things easier. eBags carries a wide range of car organizers including trunk organizers, backseat organizers, and glove box organizers.
Do you have additional suggestions for what to bring on road trips? Leave us a comment with your suggestions. We’d also love to hear your road trip story.
 How clean is your toothbrush? Do you use it, swish it under the water, and put it away? Maybe it’s not as clean as you think. According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Even after being rinsed visibly clean, toothbrushes can remain contaminated with potentially pathogenic organisms.” That means that when you go to use the toothbrush again, you could be introducing bacteria back into your mouth - potentially harmful bacteria.
What can you do? How do you clean your toothbrush?
You can use a toothbrush sanitizer like one from VIOlight. VIOlight toothbrush sanitizers use a germicidal UV bulb to kill germs in minutes. As the sanitizer works, the bulb glows blue-violet. When it is finished (within minutes), the bulb automatically shuts off. That  means you can place your toothbrush in the sanitizer when you are done brushing at night, let the unit do its work, and then, in the morning, find your toothbrush ready to go - fresh and clean.
VIOlight makes more than just toothbrush sanitizers for home. You can find travel toothbrush sanitizers, kids toothbrush sanitizers, oral device sanitizers, and razor sanitizers. The kids toothbrush sanitizers are especially cool. The VIOlight Za-Za ZAPI is a coloful weeble-wobble that brings fun to cleaning your child’s toothbrush. I personally love the VIOlight Hi-Ya ZAPI that looks like a ninja.
Check out all the VIOlight sanitizers. To learn more about how VIOlight works, watch the video below.
 If you’re a fan of eBags, you probably already know that we add new products all the time. A new brand here, a couple of new products there, but it’s not too often when we add 45 new items for an existing brand. So it’s truly an event worth talking about when we do. So that’s what I’m going to do today. Who’s the brand? Fossil.
 Yep, that’s right. There are 45 new Fossil handbags available right now on eBags and what’s best is that there is a little something for everyone in these new arrivals. Want something trendy? Bright colors are in for spring and there are plenty of brightly colored Fossil bags. Check out the Fossil Maddox Patchwork EW Satchel for colorful patchwork, the Fossil Hathaway Glazed Tote for a solid bright color, or the Fossil Capri Clutch for something truly “springy” (butterflies).
Of course, if you are looking for something a little more timeless, there are several lovely leather bags among the new Fossil handbags. The Fossil Sasha Satchel has a classic shape, double handles, and a lovely glazed leather material. That’s a bag that’ll take you through spring, summer, and fall.
 Check out all new Fossil handbags at eBags or shop the entire Fossil collection for even more stylish options.
A wallet is a wallet is a wallet. Well, not really. There are many types of wallets out there. Certainly men’s and women’s wallets are popular types, but do you know the difference between checkbook wallets and breast pocket wallets? Are you asking yourself, “What wallet should I get?” Can you name some brands of wallets that can be carried by themselves like clutches? Well, this post will help answer these and other wallet related questions. Here is a rundown of some of the types of wallets out there today.
 Bifold Wallets: A bifold is a wallet that folds over once - usually in half. Typically, bifold wallets have room for cash as well as a few credit cards. Some have pockets or areas for coins. Bifold wallets tend to be a little less bulky than other types of wallets.
 Trifold Wallets: A trifold is a wallet that folds over twice (so you have three folds). Trifold wallets have even more room than bifolds for money, cards, photos, and sometimes even checkbooks. Trifold wallets are usually more bulky than bifolds, but they are perfect for people who like to carry a lot of stuff.
 Coat Wallets or Breast Pocket Wallets: These are longer, often thinner wallets that are designed to fit in the inside pocket of a dress coat or overcoat. Sometimes these are called billfolds. In a coat wallet, the wallet folds the long way so that the cash in the money pocket lies flat (and doesn’t fold). These rarely have any room or pockets for coins. The Bosca Nappa Vitello Flight Attendant is a great example of a breast pocket wallet.
Credit Card Wallets or Credit Card Holders: Just like the name suggests, these are wallets that hold credit cards - lots of them. Sometimes sites will lump in card cases with credit card wallets. Card cases are designed to hold only cards and very little else. At eBags, you’ll find credit card wallets from brands like Johnston & Murphy and Bosca and card cases from brands like Ogon and Clava.
 Checkbook Wallets: Sometimes called checkbook covers, checkbook wallets hold your checkbook, cash, and cards all in one. They are obviously longer than other wallets to hold standard checkbooks. Look for stylish checkbook wallets from brands like Anuschka, Buxton, and Osgoode Marley.
 Money Clip Wallets: You’re probably familiar with money clips. Well, money clip wallets are wallets that incorporate money clips. So now you can visibly carry that wad of cash and have room for your credit cards and ID. Brands that offer money clips wallets include Tumi, Lodis, and Derek Alexander.
 Clutch Wallets: Stylish women’s wallets that can be carried by themselves, instead of inside another bag, are often called clutch wallets. That’s because they look like clutches but incorporate the features of a wallet including credit card and ID slots. Clutch wallets are perfect if you tend not to carry or don’t want to carry a purse but you still need something nice looking and functional. Look for beautiful clutch wallets on eBags from brands like Lovcat, La Diva, Cole Haan, and Anuschka.
Front Pocket Wallets: Slimmer and sleeker than your average bi-fold or tri-fold wallet, front pocket wallets are designed to fit in your front pocket (not a huge surprise). Why would you choose a front pocket wallet? Because they are harder for pickpockets and thieves to steal. Look for leather front pocket wallets from Royce Leather and British fashion front pocket wallets from Ben Sherman.
 Travel Wallets: Travel wallets can refer to anything from wallets designed to protect your money from thieves while out and about to wallets designed to hold travel documents like passports and airline tickets. However, all travel wallets do one thing - they keep you organized while traveling. For travel wallets that’ll hold your travel documents, you should shop passport wallets and document holders. For wallets to carry with you while sightseeing, look for neck wallets that keep your valuables close to your body or security wallets that have features that make them less prone to theft.
Tonight was a big night for movies. Not only because of the awards show, but also because of the fashion on the red carpet. People tonight and for a few days will be checking out who was wearing what - from dresses to tuxedos and from jewelry to hairstyles.
But what about accessories like handbags? Too many times the dress steals the show while the bag takes a backseat. That shouldn’t be. Even though an evening bag is relatively small, it can make or break the whole look. Choose something too bold and it can ruin the dress. Choose something too coordinating and you might as well carry nothing at all.
The key to great red carpet handbags is to choose something in line with the theme of your overall look (sophisticated, elegant, cute, etc.) in a coordinating color. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the same color as your dress, but it shouldn’t clash. And you don’t need to spend a ton to get a good looking award show handbag. It’s all about looking like you spent a lot.
At eBags, we carry a huge selection of evening bags that are perfect for special occasions like proms, weddings, and holiday parties and many of these are also worthy of award shows. So check out my top picks in red carpet handbags below.
How do you carry your laptop in a backpack or tote that doesn’t have a designated laptop area? You use a laptop sleeve. A laptop sleeve is a padded laptop case that fits snugly around your computer. It’s designed to protect your laptop and…well…that’s about it as far as function. Sleeves generally do not have any pockets or additional features.
Except for one. A handle. Some sleeves come with handles. Why on earth would you want a laptop sleeve with a handle? I’ll explain with a scenario.
My husband just bought a laptop for school. He carries a backpack to work, school, and home and it does not have its own built-in laptop sleeve. You might think a standard laptop sleeve would work perfectly, and it might, except that he’s afraid of being a little rough on the laptop when he pulls it out of the bag. If the laptop sleeve had a handle, it could be pulled out by that instead of the actual computer where one might put a lot of pressure on the laptop screen.
Laptop sleeves with handles are also handy when you don’t want to carry your bag with you, but you want to carry the laptop to another location. Say, for example, my husband wants to study or do homework during his lunch at work. It would be silly to pack up his backpack and take the whole thing to the lunchroom. A non-bulky laptop bag like a laptop sleeve with a handle is a much more sensible solution.
Below are just some of the laptop sleeves with handles you can find on eBags right now. I’ve tried to give you a range of designs, sizes, and prices to show you just the variety you can find on the site.
 Lately We’ve been adding new products on the site left and right and designer handbags are no exception. We’ve just added beautiful new designer handbags from brands like Kate Spade, Cole Haan, and Elaine Turner.
One of my favorite new designer handbags for 2010 is the Cole Haan Britney Belted Tote. Imagine a typical Cole Haan tote and add studding along the side and a belt that cinches the top and you’ve got the idea of this stunning, curvy handbag. This is a great bag for spring and summer and beyond.
 Another great new designer handbag that’s perfect for spring is the Elaine Turner Shelly Balinese bag. This satchel comes in a lovely floral pattern with bright colors and is made with black bamboo handles. Don’t like floral, but still want something trendy? There are several other new arrivals from Elaine Turner in bright colors and muted metallics (both spring trends).
Check out all of our new designer handbags to find your next must-have.
 Heys Names eBags Online Retailer Of The Year Several eBaggers are out at the 2010 Travel Goods Show in Las Vegas and while they’ve seen many fantastic travel products and met many fabulous travel brands, it was very exciting when Heys Luggage named eBags Online Retailer of the Year. Check out Vince, Bill, Peter, and Rob posing for this acceptance photo (click the photo for a larger view).
If you don’t know Heys USA yet, you should get to know them. Afterall, why wouldn’t you want to carry stylish and functional luggage from the creators of “The World’s Lightest Luggage”? Whether you’re looking for cute kids luggage, a rolling carry-on for business travel, a luggage set for the family, or designer luggage, Heys has what you need. Some collections and pieces you should definitely take a look at include:
Thank you Heys!
 If you’re a loyal eBags fan, you may remember our Tweets for Totes contest where you could win a free handbag. Well, if you missed that or you just want another chance to win a bag, you won’t want to miss this new giveaway.
In our newest contest, you can win a Baggallini bag. All you have to do is become a fan of eBags on Facebook and post on the eBags wall how much you love us.
The bag being given away is the Baggallini Big Zipper Bagg. It’s a cross body style bag that has tons of pockets and is made from water resistant fabric. Perfect for travel or everyday, this bag has been awarded our Best of the Best distinction meaning that it has received an overall rating of 9.0 or above and over 90% of customers would purchase it again.
The winner will be chosen on March 8, 2010 so hurry! We can’t wait to read what everyone has to say.
Become our fan on the eBags Facebook Page and post on our wall to enter to win.
 20% Off High Sierra Until 3/12 We have several sales going on right now. We already told you about the Sherpani sale which, by the way, has been extended until 3/9. There is also a Tumi sale worth checking out right now. What I’d like to highlight today is the High Sierra sale. For a limited time you can receive an additional 20% off all High Sierra bags on eBags including High Sierra backpacks, luggage, messenger bags, duffel bags, and more.
High Sierra backpacks and bags are well known for being feature-packed for the money. Not only that, several of the products have been given the coveted Best of the Best award by eBags. As you may recall, the Best of the Best award only goes to products that receive an overall rating of 9.0 or more and where 90% or more customers say they would buy them again. See all High Sierra Best of the Best bags.
So if you’re looking for a new laptop backpack, backpacking pack, duffel bag, hydration pack, or ski or snowboard bag, now is the time to get it because you can save, even on already marked down products. But hurry - this High Sierra sale ends 3/12/10.
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