My Top Hacks for Traveling Light
I have slowed down a lot of traveling to be home with my babies as much as possible, but I really used to basically live out of my suitcase! I ALSO used to pack half a house full of luggage every time I went on a trip, but after years of trial and error, I finally figured out how to pack for a trip in one carry-on. That’s right. No checked bags! I get questions about my top travel tips and tricks constantly, so here are a few life savers for me. When you’re always on the move like I am, it’s important to find little ways to make travel less of a hassle, and more of something to enjoy! Traveling is a luxury (even if it’s for a work trip), so the last thing you need is lost luggage or extra airport stress.
Travel Hack: Foooooood!
Whether I’m traveling with Leni or flying solo, bringing protein-packed snacks that keep you full is a MUST. Airport food is expensive and unhealthy and this Mama gets hungry/hangry (hellloooooo #carbloadingforbaby!). I always put MTN OPS powders in small baggies with enough servings measured out for each day of my trip. If you haven’t checked out the new Eva Shockey Line, you need to! It has the perfect combo of Collagen, Super Greens and Protein Powder that help you live your best life!! I’ll also throw a couple protein bars into my bag, along with a bag of jerky, some single-serving almond butter packets and mixed nuts to curb alllll kinds of cravings during travel and also for once I’m at my final destination.
Travel Hack: Luggage and Packing
People leave packing until the last minute because it can feel so overwhelming, but I’m the opposite. I can pack a bag in 20 minutes like a pro, but unpacking it at the end of a trip is a totally different story. Doing laundry is the worst. A few years ago, I started ONLY packing carry-on for 90% of my trips and let me tell you, it is a GAME CHANGER. No more getting to the airport extra early and waiting in long line-ups to check your bags. No more lost luggage. No more waiting at the luggage carousel at your final destination. I check-in online and fly through the airport with just my purse and my carry-on. Tim got me an Away carry-on for my birthday two years ago, and it has a pocket in the front for my laptop and chords and I love it so much that he just ordered a whole set for both of us. It also has an ejectable battery that helps keep my devices charged, (total lifesaver!) and is basically unbreakable. I also suggest doing the following:
- Wear your heaviest footwear (for me it’s always my cowboy boots because these take-up a TON of space!)
- Buy toiletries in travel sizes, or even in refillable travel size bottles (lots of my favorites are listed below!).
- Pack basic colors that can be mixed and matched, so I usually pack black, beige and jean so I can re-wear my same jacket and purse and mix-match outer layers so I don’t need to pack multiples.
- Plan out your outfits for each day/event (plus bring one spare outfit for emergencies).
- Only bring one pair of jeans… these are heavy and take up a lot of space.
- Roll. Your. Clothes. I started doing this and not only does it save space, but it actually keeps things much less wrinkly than if you fold them.
- Pack your toiletries in large Ziploc bags so you can see everything you brought and don’t risk your liquids spilling and make sure all liquids are under 100ml each if they’re going in your carry-on.
- Pack wireless headphones! My favorites are my AirPods.
- Bring a travel pack of Lysol or sanitizing wipes to clean our tray tables.
- DOWNLOAD Audible, and listen to Taking Aim. Thank me later. Ha!
- Pre-load Netflix shows or Amazon video for in-flight entertainment ease (hello, Frozen and Moana for Leni Bow!!)
- If you’re going somewhere international, or into the wilderness, I would HIGHLY advise leaving your wedding rings at home. I always wear my Qalo rings on these kind of trips so I don’t have to worry about losing my expensive jewelry. We just launched my new ES Line, with designs that I got to create, inspired by things I love!!! Check them out here!
Travel Hack: Beauty
Depending on where I’m going, I can get away with bringing pretty basic toiletries and cosmetics and still feel ready for whatever event or trade show I’m doing. I actually have an entire drawer in my bathroom filled with travel-sized products in case I run out of something. I always bring single packs of hydrating face masks, and hydrating under-eye patches because airplanes definitely dry out your skin! When packing lotion or perfume, you can go to a department store and get samples of your favorites, and each sample lasts a couple trips at least! Another cool trick I learned, is to spray a cotton-ball with a few sprays of perfume and then store it in a small Ziploc bag in your suitcase. Just take it out and wipe it along your wrists and return it to the baggie for the perfect amount of scent for a weekend trip! Dry Shampoo is also a major YES! Spray it on your roots and skip having to wash your hair if it’s a quick trip, and it saves you from having to bring all of your hair products! I do this for a one or two night stay a lot of the time, and will usually implement my 4-Minute Mom Bun or a hat for the flight home.
Here are my all-time favorite travel-sized products and gear! Click the thumbnails below to get your paws on them:
Travel Hack: Saving Time
If you can, it’s totally worth it to sign up for TSA Precheck! It costs $85 and is good for 5 years, and it means you get to skip the line! Tim and I have Nexus (the US version is called Global entry), which gives us access to the TSA line and it’s saved me from missing tonssss of flights over the years.
I hope you find these travel hacks to be as helpful as I have throughout the years, and would love to hear yours in the comments below! You should ALWAYS get the chance to enjoy the journey, whether on a brief flight or with anything else you do in life…even though sometimes, it really is about the destination! We’re heading to on a quick trip *cue SCREAMS of joy* soon, and you better believe I am going to work SO hard to pack light… although I’m quite sure I won’t be able to stuff everything into a carry-on. Either way, I can’t WAIT to share our go-tos for all things resorts and more!
Shop my outfit and front door faves below:
See you soon for more blog post fun!
-Eva
Packing cubes are the best! They save so much time when you are trying to find something and it organizes everything! Recently started using some and there is no going back!
Love packing cubes. You can roll your stuff in there too but when you unpack in a hotel or on a cruise it makes it so easy. Your clothes don’t get all messed up inside.
Thank you for the tips! I travel a ton too and appreciate all the ideas regarding snacks & skin. I have already ordered a new Away carry on! Have you had any challenges with the size being 22.7″? Planning to get some moisturizer masks next!
Thank you again,
Bobbi Jo
When overseas, also pack in zip-locks a supply of Mult-Vitamins just in case locals foods may or may not be entirely balanced.
I don’t think packing your own food helps when it comes to packing light, but it definitely helps with saving money. Airport food prices are insane!
I’m traveling to Alberta thus upcoming February.
Do you have any tips on how you pack for long hunting trips??
Look up Adam Greentree, John Dudley, and Ramsey Russell on Instagram. These guys hunt different species world-wide with guns or bows and have posted their packing methods on Instagram. Very helpful.
Thanks for these tips! I always struggle packing light and usually seem to forget something either way! Just wanted to let you know about a non-toxic alternative to Lysol wipes that is safe for your babes to eat off those trays after!! Norwex Envirocloth! You can get them in mini/travel sizes and they pick up and remove the bacteria rather than kill them and you can rest easy snacking off the trays!
Omg! The perfume on a cotton ball is genius!! My husband and I went to Grand Turk for a week last month and perfume is something I really need all the time because aromatherapy IS REAL! It just makes me happy..I had a travel size of my coach perfume so that was fine but my new favorite is Gucci Bamboo and I didn’t have it in a travel size (and it never occurred to me to get my faves in travel sizes) and then I accidentally packed it in my carry on when we left and we went through 4 airports! They made me open my bag at the airport in Grand Turk and Providenciales but when we flew into Atlanta I had so much anxiety that I was going to have to take everything out AGAIN, but I didn’t….until we got back to New Orleans. I’ve never felt so anxious and nervous about a bottle of perfume ? but no one wants to be stopped and have all of their things taken out in front of everyone at the airport! Lesson learned! But girl, when we went to Hawaii last year…my checked back was over 50 pounds on the way there so we paid for that and then on the way home BOTH of our bags were over ? idk if I can ever pack lightly for Hawaii…I feel like it would have been cheaper and easier to mail all of the things we bought there back to Mississippi instead of packing it. Our bags were so heavy! I love all your tips!! I also learned the hard way this last trip about packing food. There’s nothing worse than being hangry while traveling!
Thanks for the travel tips. The Mtn ops Eva Shockey line needs to come in travel packs like you can buy the slumber stuff in!!
I’m looking for a big black purse that size that will fit a bunch of stuff while traveling. Where did you get yours pictured here, and any other good big purse suggestions? Thanks!
Where is that hat from? Love it!!