eBags Blog

A few travel tips that will help make your family vacation go smoothly and a memorable one!

• Pack snacks whether driving or flying, it saves money, time but it’s also something familiar and who likes a hungry kiddo anyway?
• Less is more. For each family member, lay out all clothing and personal care items needed for the trip. Remove half before you pack the rest. Investigate packing cubes. Pack clothing, socks, underwear and personal items in packing cubes will cut wrinkles, protect clothing, and organize suitcases. Commercial organizers can be worth the cost for frequent travelers. Check them out!
• A visit to the Dollar Store can go a long way to amuse kiddos while traveling. For maximum impact, pack small toys, books, and games separately and dole them out one at a time.
• Download new movies and apps before you leave. Keeping everyone entertained with a special movie or new game will make time go by a lot faster for everyone!
• Don’t Be Afraid of Downtime. We like to pack in as much as we can on a trip. We all want to get our money’s worth which is totally understandable! With a family, this is not always the best move! Sometimes spending some time around the hotel pool or in the room relaxing is just what the family needs to make the rest of the vacation go smoothly.

How to Better Manage Your Belongings During Travel

by Brooke Schoenman of Her Packing List

How many times have you been traveling on a big holiday to suddenly be hit with an epiphany on the way to the airport that you left something back in the hotel?

Have you ever spent an hour, or more, rummaging through your suitcase and bags in a frenzy looking for that one little thing you can’t live without?

If you know this feeling all too well, then you might want to have a read through this post because today I show you how to better manage your belongings on the road.

Have a Basic Inventory (aka packing list)

You might think that once you leave the house your packing list becomes obsolete. Oh, how I beg to differ! Packing lists should stay with you for your entire trip, especially if your trip includes multiple destinations as there will be unpacking and repacking on numerous occasions.  Having that packing list will help you to never leave anything behind after already hitting the road.  A good rule of thumb is to add any purchases to the list as you go. Using a packing app, available for most smartphones, will help keep this process simple and easy.

Pack Only What You Can Carry

Did you hear that, overpackers? If you’re the type of person that constantly packs 40 pound suitcases or tries to move around the world with a collection of bags, then you’re at risk of losing something along the way.  The reasons are as follows:

Number 1: If you have bags that are too heavy for yourself to carry, you will probably have to rely on the help of others to get by – others who might decide to take advantage of the situation and head off with said bag. Heavy bags are often left to the side, left in storage rooms and other places where they are simply out of sight. I, personally, like to keep an eye on my bags as much as possible, and I am better at doing so because I pack light.

Number 2: If you’re carrying too much, like stringing around 3 shoulder bags while lugging a giant suitcase, you’re simply more at risk of leaving something behind. Perhaps you leave your smaller handbag in the taxi and don’t realize it in the hustle and bustle until it’s too late. On travels, a lost handbag can cause a lot of stress!

Number 3: If you have more belongings, you have a longer packing list to manage every time you repack your bag. You can see where I’m going with this, right?

Stay Organized

As mentioned in my last post for eBags, the key to keeping your sanity on the road is staying organized.  One of the main reasons for the organization is so you don’t forget any belongings when moving from place to place.  Having set spaces within your luggage for certain items will help to let you know if all bases are covered.  Using organizational packing tools, such as packing cubes and toiletry kits, also ensures there is a designated space for all your gear.

Take Basic Security Precautions

More often than not, theft will not be an issue for you during your travels. But, I’m the type of person that believes in the motto, “Better safe than sorry.”  Some additional security precautions will help to ensure that you maintain your belongings during travel, such as TSA-friendly bag locks and using the in-room safe at hotels.  Never take items you will be heartbroken over if they get lost or stolen, and always keep the most important things (passport, etc.) with you at all times.  Being smart and safe goes a long way on the road!

About the Author: Brooke Schoenman is the founder and editor of Her Packing List – a resource on packing and gear for female travelers. Brooke is a seasoned traveler, having acquired stamps in her passport from destinations such as Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Russia, Malaysia, and Guatemala to name a few. She blogs and writes for a living, and you can follow the Her Packing List related side of her life on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

This weeks eBags PIC of the Week is from Sheila who also has a really great blog callled Married2Travel - Affordable Adventures for Couples. Here is a an awesome picture of her packing with our beloved eBags Packing Cubes with everything she needs for her next adventure all perfectly rolled up!

The Key to Staying Sane While Traveling

by Brooke Schoenman of Her Packing List

Rarely, if ever, does a trip play out as the perfectly orchestrated event we imagine when clicking the book-it-now button on that airline website.

Traveling opens up a whole world of unknowns – from the moment our alarm goes off (er… or doesn’t) in the morning for an early flight. Standing at the baggage claim for an hour might still leave us empty-handed, or whoosh, the weather might just wash out an entire road in the mountains of Guatemala meaning you simply can’t make it to that fancy hotel for the night.

We can’t control every aspect of an epic trip, especially one that involves a little get-up-and-go from one place to the next.

But, you can help to keep your sanity in the midst of that potential chaos.

And, I’m going to share my secret with you right now.

It’s called being organized.

Organization is key to keeping sanity either when a road block presents itself, or just when you have a lot of movin’ and shakin’ to do in the world. I understand the stress that builds up after a couple of weeks of constant travel, and that’s almost just as bad as those one-off road blocks. If you can provide yourself with just a bit of organization – from your notes and itinerary down to your packing – you will be a much happier traveler.

Take down all phone numbers and addresses… and have those on paper.

For all the businesses that are involved in your trip’s composition:  hotels, hostels, tour companies, airlines, etc.  You never know when you might need the assistance of an English speaker, so being able to quickly call your accommodation – more likely to know a bit of English – is a godsend.  Having the hotel address available on paper to hand directly to a taxi driver upon arrival makes life easy, and the phone number for your tour guide might keep you on that route if you should find traffic is going to make you a few minutes late.

And let’s not forget the point that sometimes our electronics run out of battery. Paper for the win!

Set alarms to confirm important transport the night before.

This includes flights, shuttle buses, booked taxis, trains and so on.  There is nothing worse than arriving at the airport to discover the flight time had been changed, and you’re 3 hours early… or 15 minutes late. Use your mobile phone to set up these alarms before you set off on a trip.

Research getting from A to B in advance.

The point is especially useful when traveling in a country where you don’t speak the same language and where it might be a bit less developed for tourists.  Get in touch with travelers who have been there before.

Pack like a champ.

I believe in smart packing because I know what happens otherwise:  We forget things, we go over baggage restrictions, and we just put ourselves in vulnerable positions.  You will want to have an organized bag that is also compressed in size and easy to carry on your own.

ñ For organization, I suggest checking out some of the packing cubes and toiletry kits available on eBags. Giving every item in your luggage a special place will help you to realize better when/if something should be missing.  These items definitely help with packing, unpacking, and the overall ease of finding something in the middle of the bag if you need it.

ñ For luggage size, I suggest investing in some compression bags or getting a backpack/duffel with compression straps.  I enjoy the eBags Mother Lode TLS Weekender Convertible backpack for just this reason.

There you have it! This simple recipe for staying organized is the key to keeping your sanity while on the road. Do you have any extra tips of your own to share?

About the Author: Brooke Schoenman is the founder and editor of Her Packing List – a resource on packing and gear for female travelers. Brooke is a seasoned traveler, having acquired stamps in her passport from destinations such as Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Russia, Malaysia, and Guatemala to name a few. She blogs and writes for a living, and you can follow the Her Packing List related side of her life on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

eBags Pic of the week is from @roman_around who’s using her eBags packing cubes in Grasshopper for a BIG trip to China! How exciting and thank you for tagging eBags! #showusyourebags

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Are you a roller or a folder when you pack for a trip?

No matter what way you try or prefer – there is no right or wrong answer to the best method for packing. Roll, scrunch, fold or throw it all in and hope for the best. It comes down to personal preference and how big your suitcase is and within airline weight limit. Of course, we always recommend our eBags Packing Cubes to help make the dreadful task a whole lot easier for you!

Make sure to follow us on Instagram!

If you find yourself planning a late winter or spring trip, here are 7 carry-on travel essentials to help in the packing department. The key to traveling like a pro is to only carry what’s necessary, and to carry them in an organized way, leaving more room in your bag to carry your favorite magazines, snacks, and last minute airport shopping finds.

1) Oversized Scarves- A great oversized scarf will complete your outfit and double as a small blanket or pillow during your in-flight slumber. This double duty item beats using those questionable polyester airplane blankets any day.

Our Pick: Kinross Cashmere Oversize Featherweight Wrap

2) Noise Cancelling Headphones- Block out cabin noise with a pair of quality noise cancelling headphones. You no longer have to crank up the volume to overcome background noise and enjoy your audio experience uninterrupted.

Our Pick: Able Planet Extreme Foldable Active Noise Canceling Headphones

3) 2-in-1 Electronic Cases- Choose an iPad and tablet case with extra pockets so you can store your essential credit cards, ID, passport and travel documents all in one convenient place. You’ll save yourself the trouble of having to rummage through your bag while waiting in those long airport lines.

Our Pick: rooCASE Executive Portfolio Leather Case for iPad Generations 2, 3 & 4

4) Small Packing Cubes- Packing cubes are a great way to keep your miscellaneous items organized within your bag and easier to find. Keep your electronic cords in one cube and important toiletry items in another.

Our Pick: eBags Small Packing Cubes - 3pc Set

5) Hydrating Products- Make sure to pack yourself a travel sized bottle of your favorite moisturizer, lip balm, and eye drops. The circulating air while flying can really leave your skin and eyes feeling dry, so make sure to pack these must-haves and you’re sure to beat that jetlag look.

6) Portable Battery Chargers- Constant use of your electronic items while traveling can easily drain your battery levels fast. Conveniently sized portable battery chargers are a simple solution item to have on hand for those that are tech savvy.

Our Pick: myCharge Peak 6000

7) All-Purpose Emergency Kit- Put together a kit of essential travel sized health items for last minute convenience. An unexpected splitting headache is the last thing you would want to sit through while traveling so pack small packets of pain relievers along with allergy medicine, motion sickness medicine, tissues, band aids, moist towelettes, Airborne or Emergen-C packets, etc.

Our Pick: Minimus Dorm Medicine Chest

Congratulations to Rogene Russell Lewis, Terrie Johnson, Traci Pipkins, Pat Jannell, Anthony Sammut, Sharon Trinski Monos!Thank you everyone who left a comment and entered! We had such an overwhelming response we will for sure have another giveaway like this next month! Until then, we hope you all have a Happy Holidays!

We’re giving 6 lucky fans a chance to win a 3 Piece Set of one of our NEW eBags Packing Cubes Patterns! They come in camo, zebra, green stripes, red paisley, blue polka dot and leopard! My personal favorite is the leopard!

For a chance to win leave a comment below and tell us the most fun & creative ways you have used our eBags Packing Cubes! 6 winner’s will be chosen at random on 12/18. Good luck!

*Only U.S. Residents are eligible to enter.