Organizing to Traveling

I have started my traveling this year….in a big way.  So I really have been organizing to travel!  I just went to Austin, TX to be a judge for the Genesis Today Bloggers Immersion. I got to help pick one of the 5 finalist for the Genesis of a Great Idea Contest.  Debba Haupert won by the way from Girlfriendology.com

I leave on Wednesday to go to Nashville for the BlissDom conference. I am going to see my boys who live there on Wednesday and go to the conference the next day. I will be driving there. I flew to TX.

I come back from there on a Sunday and leave again on Wednesday for the Disney Social Media Moms Conference. I will be flying there also.

Here are a few tips that I have used to make getting ready to go easier.

1) Make a packing list.  Ok..I always do this. But I took it a step further and have it on my computer now. So I just have to print it out and tweek it for each trip.  It has all the items that I am always worried I will forget…like the phone, computer, camera chargers and sync cables, business cards.  I have a section on it for things to take on board the plane.

2) You can also make another list like the above for things to do before you leave.  Cooking meals for the family, make a copy of your itinerary for your husband or wife, leave insurance card and schedule for kids activities.

3) If possible use a little larger suitcase to go with, so you will have room if you get things on your trip to bring home.

4) Pack a base color of clothes and use accessories to change your look to reduce clothing. Scarves are great accessories (I am just learning how to use them myself)

5) Be sure all your electronic items are charged before you leave.

Space-Saver Bags….What do you think?

I saw these space saving bags that are meant for travel. I have used the others and like them…these do not have to be sucked out by a vacuum. You seal your clothes in and then just roll. The air comes out a valve on the other end.

I am traveling to Blog World Exp and will be there for 5 days. Trying to fit everything into one suitcase can be a challenge.  With the cost involved with just your suitcases….you want to only take one of them.  It is $20 for the first bag and $30 for a 2nd bag..that would be $100 just in luggage round trip. That is crazy!!

The finished product…..

The side view.  There are 3 blazers in here.

Here are my shirts…

Sucked up shirts.

So here is what I think.  I think these could be a big benefit.  My main concern was if the clothes were going to be wrinkled much worse than they would be from normal packing.  Looking down into the finished sucked up bags….all I could see were these wrinkled looking clothes. It was hard for me to believe that they wouldn’t come out that way. Not that I didn’t want to give a full testing for all of you….but I didn’t want to have completely wrinkled clothes. Maybe…..they don’t wrinkle…but I didn’t want to be walking around BWE in terrible looking clothes and have to say…ooops….

So I didn’t use them other than on my jeans.  Those did not roll very well either.  I did pack the empty bags in my suitcase because I think they will be awesome to put my dirty clothes in to come home.

The gold sweater already had some wrinkles after just 5 minutes in the bag.  The other issue I had was that I roll as many of my clothes as I can to fit down in the sides…with these I couldn’t roll as much.

But I do think these could be of good use in several cases.  So I am not giving these a bad review…but I think you have to just be careful with what you use them with.

Full disclosure – I purchased these myself at Meijers for $14.99 (2 small and 2 large bags).  I was not asked to review…just thought I would let you know.

Weight Watcher Wednesday

I am going to Type A Mom Conference tomorrow until Sunday.  On Sunday I am driving to my Aunt and Uncles House for a night and then to meet my husband at the airport on Monday.  Then we go onto Ocean Isle Beach to stay at Ocean Isle Inn for 3 days.

So do you think I will have a difficult time?  Heck yes I will.  There will be snacks and nice dinners…a big dinner that I know my Aunt will prepare for me..(she is a awesome cook)….So what will I do?

I will eat some of it…but I will have to just be very disciplined on my on portion control.

What are some of your tips for me?