How to Stay Organized while Traveling

The holiday travel season kicks off in less than three weeks. Since my husband and I don’t have any family in Arizona, we typically join the crazies and travel for Christmas. This year, we are being extra crazy and traveling for both Christmas and Thanksgiving. As a seasoned traveler, I’ve made plenty of packing mistakes (never pack liquids if they aren’t in a Ziploc bag) and have gathered a few tips along the way. Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite items which help me stay organized while traveling. After all, having the right products can really make life a lot easier.

I partnered up on this post with my friends over at Porte Play. Porte Play makes a cool line of electronic organizers that help keep your cords organized while on the road. Please tell me I’m not the only one who has had to take every single thing out of my suitcase just to find my phone charger at the very bottom?! If you have, you know why their products make so much sense.

#1 – Get a suitcase that folds in half. I had no idea how much suitcase configuration could make my life so much easier. This summer, I swapped out my traditional soft-sided luggage for this hard top suitcase that zips around the middle. I now reserve one side for clothes and the other side for shoes, accessories and toiletries. It is so much easier for me to find what I’m looking for since the compartments aren’t as deep and it helps keep me from overpacking. My suitcase is by Raden, but there are plenty of other brands with have similar configurations.

#2 – Keep your electronics organized. On a typical trip, I travel with my phone, phone charger, camera, camera charger, laptop, laptop charger, Apple Watch, watch charger and headphones. Just add to that list when I’m traveling with my kids. That is a lot of cords. Like I said above, the organizers from Porte Play make my life so much easier to have everything in one place. My husband likes to call these “dopp kits for my gagdets”.

My favorite product is this pull apart organizer because of the elastic slots for cords and cables. There is also a larger pocket for chargers or other small gadgets. The large organizer is also perfect for me when I travel with my kids. I can fit three iPad minis or Amazon Fire tablets on one side and then chargers and headphones on the other. Finally, the two pouch set is perfect for other small cords or gadgets, like watches or ear buds and they double for pretty amazing cosmetic bags. The shopper in me also loves that every product on Porte Play’s website is under $20. These would be amazing gifts if anyone is on top of their game and started their holiday shopping.

#3 – Pack a laundry bag. My husband is on the road for work all the time and this is his favorite travel tip. Get a small foldable laundry bag or even pack a trash bag and place dirty clothes in it after they’ve been worn. If you don’t want to lug around a small laundry bag, dedicate a section or pocket of your suitcase to dirty clothes. You then don’t have to dig past those items to find the exact item you are looking for (aka see my phone charger scenario above). It also makes it super easy to dump your dirty clothes into the hamper when you get home.

#4 – Travel with a backpack. For years, I traveled with a huge tote bag only to have it constantly slip off my shoulder. I recently converted to using a backpack and it has made my life so much easier. No more shoulder slipping or back pain because I was awkwardly hunched over to one size while walking through an airport. I’ve also found backpacks tend to have more pockets in them than traditional tote bags, making it easier to stash your stuff. My grey backpack is from Lily Jade and I love how it looks fancy, but is still totally practical. Trust me. Even if you haven’t used a backpack since middle school, give it a shot.

Do you have any other tips or tricks to stay organized when you are on the road? Let me know in the comments below!