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There was a time in my life when I was absolutely obsessed with travel life hacks. Throwing your shoes in a shower cap while packing? Oh yeahhh. Keeping jewelry untangled with straws? Talk to me, baby.
On a super vain level, I think it’s because knowing the best travel hacks makes me feel like an unstoppable smartass… even if I’m the kind of person that trips over nothing and manages to create chaos out of the simplest tasks. That said, thanks to three years of frequent travel, I’ve picked up my fair share of travel life hacks, some that are a little weird but I promise do work. This isn’t your regular list of hacks – nope. Sure, some are odd, but shhh, just embrace it.
The Best Travel Hacks You Need to Know
1. Download Google Maps for use offline by typing in “OK Map”
One of my favourite new travel hacks – this is SUCH a lifesaver. If you have sufficient space on your phone, you can easily download Google Maps to browse offline on mobile, even when you don’t have Internet connection. All you need to do is go on the map to the area you want to save, then type “ok map” into the search and press Download.
2. Save money on every travel booking
Ebates is a free cashback site that allows you to earn money back from most of your online purchases (almost like a partial instant refund).
Here’s how it works: Ebates is partnered with a bunch of popular online retailers (travel ones like Expedia, Agoda, etc. included!). When you click through to these retailer sites via Ebates and buy something, Ebates earns some affiliate commission, a portion of which they share with you as a cashback (deposited straight into your Paypal). In other words, you’re getting money back for shopping, which translates into instant discounts for your travel bookings.
Sign up for free here and earn cashback on your online purchases.
Canadians: sign up for Ebates.CA here.
Warning: The folks at eBates are biiiig fans of email, so be ready for that. I like getting their emails because they advertise sales/deals, but I admit they can be a bit much. To handle it, I have my Gmail filters set up so that eBates emails go into a special folder that I browse maybe once a day. Yay to no more clutter!
3. Wear compression socks to make your flights more bearable
Compression socks = less swelling and better circulation!
4. Bring a pillowcase
Never a pillow “just a case” if you’re looking to save space. Bring a pillowcase instead, so if you’re ever in an emergency situation where you need a comfy pillow, just stuff some soft clothes in that case and go to town. Likewise, you can use the pillowcase to compress clothes like a puffy jacket in order to save space in your luggage.
5. Mark your stuff as fragile
One of the sneakiest travel life hacks I’ve come across, but you’ll get your luggage first and the airline workers will be extraaa careful with your goods. Worth it!
6. Pack a dryer sheet
Your clothes will smell nice for those long haul trips! Keep an extra handy for your “dirty laundry” bag so that your whole suitcase doesn’t start smelling like dirty clothes. Ick. Alternatively, just throw a bar of soap in (mini hotel ones work great).
Stock up on cheap dryer sheets here.
7. Pack an empty water bottle to the airport
That way you can fill up after you pass security. No more $4 bottles of water! Woo! Alternatively, some experts swear by freezing their water so it’s not technically a liquid. I guess that could work, but then you’re kind of awkwardly just waiting for your water to melt? Just bring an empty bottle, folks.
The foldable ones are awesome for this, plus they’re better for the environment too ; )
8. Reserve the aisle and window seats
If you’re travelling with a friend or partner, no need to fight to the death re: who must take the dreaded middle seat. Just reserve both the aisle and window in hopes that nobody wants the middle seat… if they do though, just ask to switch! Super simple travel hack that works well 🙂
9. Scope out your flight seat in advance
As most travellers know, not all plane seats are created equal! Some have more leg room, some are absurdly close to the washrooms, etc. Luckily, you can just enter your flight details on Seat Guru (it’s free!) and read different reviews/first hand experiences. If you have one of those flights where you can choose your own seats during online check-in, this is a massive life saver.
10. Find WiFi passwords on FourSquare
FourSquare is a website/app where people share tips, ratings and reviews on places to go near you (e.g. restaurants, cafes, bars, etc.) The handiest part of this website is the “Tips” section where people can leave helpful recommendations for others, and it’s often here that you’ll find the WiFi password for places. So, if you need WiFi in a pinch, you can easily hop on Foursquare and sleuth around for WiFi passwords.
11. Or download an app that shows you all the WiFi passwords
WiFi Map is an app that shows you the passwords to different WiFi networks (over 100 million of them, as they say). The handy part is they’re organized on a map so you can easily scope out the ones closest to you. Note: some dissatisfied users say that passwords are outdated, but it’s a handy tool to have just in case.
Find it on: Google Play | iTunes
12. Bring a clothespin to prop up your toothbrush
Whether you’re staying in an AirBNB, hostel or hotel, sometimes you want to make sure your toothbrush doesn’t touch anything. If a holding cup isn’t available, just throw a clothespin on it to prop it up. Pure germaphobe genius.
13. Download Google Translate for use offline
If you’re travelling abroad and don’t speak the language, it’s handy to have Google Translate loaded and ready. That said, it normally does require Internet connection. Here’s a way around it: download the Google Translate app, then go to Settings and choose “Offline Translation”. From there, you can download different languages.
Bonus tip: if you want to translate signs, menus, etc. quickly, tap the camera button on your Google Translate app to translate images in real time. The first time I saw this feature in action, I realized we are (indeed) living in the future.
14. Bring some baby powder for a quick freshen-up
Weird, I know, but baby powder is amazing for freshening up. Especially in the summer, if you’re wearing flats or sandals, your feet (and footwear) will inevitably start smelling. Throwing some baby powder on them is a quick way to deodorize and make you feel human again.
15. Keep a pen in every bag/pocket
Not the most unconventional, but I promise this will save your life. You never know when you need a pen, so have one handy in all your purses/daybags, backpacks, luggage cases, etc. so you’re not scrambling when everyone else is filling out their Customs sheets.
16. Make use of local grocery stores/supermarkets
No, you don’t need to cook your own meals necessarily, but all the time I see budget travellers sprinting for vending machines/little kiosks when there are supermarkets literally within eyesight selling the exact same stuff for a fraction of the price. Supermarkets are great for stocking up on snacks, water, drinks, etc. Take advantage of them!
17. Use a TV to charge your electronics
One of the the things I forget most often is the little USB adapter that comes with my phone charger. I usually then just plug my cable into my laptop to charge, BUT if you don’t usually pack a laptop, know that most TVs have a USB port around the back and you can easily use that to charge all your electronics 😉 You’re welcome!
So, it seems like you’re well on your way to becoming a travel ninja. I hope you enjoyed that article about unconventional travel life hacks. Feel free to leave a comment below if you have more to share!
Watch my most popular YouTube video this week:
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
I’m still on the edge about compression socks. My mum has tried those and I dunno, the results aren’t great? Or maybe she got the cheaper ones? Haha!
–
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
https://charmainenyw.com
Christina Guan says
weird! I have loads of friends who swear by them. I guess it depends on the person!
Alex says
18. leave your kids at home 😀
Christina Guan says
hahahah the ultimate life hack 😉 thanks for the laugh, Alex.
Meera says
Great tips! I never thought of using the tv to charge my electronics.
Christina Guan says
so genius hey?! Thanks for reading, Meera 🙂
Dorothy says
These are great tips because they are different. I especially like the pillowcase tip and marking your luggage fragile. Well done!
Christina Guan says
thanks for reading, Dorothy! <3
Harmony, Momma To Go says
My husband loves the aisle/window trick – esp when we flew as two adults with a lap infant. I hadnt thought about the TV charger one! Some hotels have like one outlet!
Christina Guan says
Yes! Another good tip (if you’re travelling as a big group or family) is to bring your own power strip so you can charge more than one thing in those pesky hotel rooms with limited outlets 🙂 Thanks for reading, Harmony!
Kate says
Really great tips! Very helpful and not weird at all!
Christina Guan says
Hahaha thank you for not thinking I’m a total weirdo <3
Jessica Flynn says
I honestly didn’t even consider half of these! Great read, thank you! I’ll be sure to get some fragile stickers next time I’m out. I always seem to have some sort of issue with baggage.
Christina Guan says
so happy you found it helpful, Jessica!! <3 Thanks for reading.
Michelle says
OK, this list is great! There are so many ideas on here that I have never heard of. I’ll be saving this for later, thank you very much!
Christina Guan says
no problem, Michelle! Thanks so much for reading <3
Sarah says
These are the BEST tips! Especially love the ones about the pillow case and the tv charging. Another good one in the vein of offline google maps is that even if you don’t download a map, if you open your map while you’re on wifi before leaving a wifi area, you’ll still be able to follow the blue dot and see all the streets on the map – even without data. It even works in places that aren’t so keen on google maps like South Korea.
Christina Guan says
YES! So true. That has totally saved my butt a million times. Thanks for the awesome comment, Sarah <3
Meaghan says
Charging using a TV is GENIUS!!! Wow never thought of that! Also love packing a dryer sheet. Definitely doing that next trip.
I also always travel with powder in my bag. My go-to is Lush Silky Underwear Powder – it doubles as a deodorant and smells lovely!!
Christina Guan says
Woah underwear powder?! That sounds amazing. Definitely going to look into it. I used to use baby powder for everything but never realized there might be powders for special purposes hahah. Thanks for sharing, Meaghan!! <3
Kristine says
At first, I wanted to do a virtual hi-five, thinking the pillowcase is for germophobes like me who wanna feel more at ease resting our faces on pillows overseas, until I realized yours is for a different purpose, lol! Great list, Christina! I need to check out the TV USB especially 😉
Christina Guan says
ahaha well, I guess the pillowcase is multi-purpose then 😉 thanks for reading, Kristine!
Kashlee Kucheran says
Such good tips!
I got into Edinburgh yesterday and the first thing I did was go to the local grocery store and stock up on ready made (healthy!) meals that were like 2 pounds instead of always having to eat out at 12-20 pounds for the same portion size!
Love it girl!
Christina Guan says
<3 Thanks for reading, Kashlee!
Cristal says
I love the “Ok Map” function. I thought I knew everything! Thanks for the tip 😀
Christina Guan says
Hahah right? I only recently discovered it and my mind was blown! Thanks for reading 🙂
Kay says
These are awesome, Christina! I’m pretty proud that I actually do a couple of them 😉 haha. The pillowcase and dryer sheet hacks are super smart! I’ll definitely be using those for my upcoming trip in November. BRB while I try and hunt down a spare pillowcase…
Christina Guan says
Hahah thanks for reading, Kay <3 I hope you get to bust some of these out on your next trip!
Jamie says
Love these tips – especially the clothes pin for my toothbrush! And duh that I’ve never checked the TV to use as a charger. Thanks!
Christina Guan says
No problem, Jamie! Hope these tips come in handy for you soon! 🙂
Anna says
Thanks for these! Really useful tips =) An offline map called Here we go saved my trip in Kuala Lumpur just a few days ago.
Christina Guan says
Ooh I haven’t heard of that one. Will look into it. Thanks for the comment! <3
Brownie on the go Blog says
Oh man. Those are some great tips! Thanks for sharing, i’m gonna use a lot of them!
Christina Guan says
woohoo! Awesome. Thanks for reading 🙂
C Kilgour says
We seem to travel with so much electronic gear. When we went to Europe we actually to a multi plug board to plug everything into and then one adaptor rather than one for each devie we needed to charge. Laptop, cellphones and cameras.
These tips are excellent.
Christina Guan says
That’s super smart! Especially for those travelling as a family/in a big group, bringing a multi-plug can be a huge lifesaver. Thanks for reading and for the bonus tip. It’s much appreciated! <3
webcheckins.in says
Being a traveler I liked all the tips and getting Wifi password is one of the best suggestion so far.
Christina Guan says
Glad you found the article helpful! 🙂
Delahaye says
These are some azaming tips, being from Europe I always have to carry an adaptor with me wherever I go. I use to be an window seat girl but now I will take an asile anyday as I can get and go to the bathroom as many times as I like
Christina Guan says
Hahaha I always avoid aisle because I literally pass out whenever I get on a plane, so people always feel awkward waking me up.
Viola says
I honestly thought I probably won’t know anything I haven’t heard before but these are great tips! Definitely learned a couple news ones! Thanks for sharing! <3
Christina Guan says
No problemo. Thanks for reading!! <3
Kayti Clayton says
I do most of these already but number 15 made me laugh out loud. That is me every time lol
Christina Guan says
hahaha okay honestly, same. even though I swear I keep a pen in every bag, somehow I’m always left scrambling. You’re not alone!
Clazz - An Orcadian Abroad says
These are awesome! I’ve never thought of the pillowcase trick before, which is ridiculous as I’m always using clothes as a makeshift pillow and then wondering how I can keep them together rather than smushing my head into them awkwardly LOL. I always try and keep some pens handy, and oh my word, supermarkets! Apart from anything else I think it’s a good way to travel “like a local” and yet so many people shy away from them because convenience. Also with the TV charging – I’ve seen people do that at airports! Haha!
Christina Guan says
Omg at the airport? That’s genius and hilarious hahaha. Thanks for reading, Clazz! Glad I could enlighten you about the pillowcase trick haha.
Gloria John says
Hi Christina,
These are some amazing giveaways. I wonder why I haven’t thought of charging my phone with TV before. Thanks for the tip girl.
Christina Guan says
no problem, Gloria. Thanks for reading!
Sweaty CHEESE says
Nice hacks Christina Guan… For the baby powder in the shoes, i only know the tea bag in shoe one not the baby powder… Did you come up with these yourself? Anyway Love You has
XXOO
vandana says
Very good suggestion is very helpful in traveling Thanks for sharing.
John says
SeatGuru is a nifty little tool most of the travellers miss out on. Also, one must not forget to ask for seat upgrades. You won’t necessarily get it, but ASKING doesn’t cost 🙂
I have been successful in getting upgrades 30% of the time (except Singapore Airlines, they just won’t!)
I have also practiced the art of carrying just 2 pair of clothes when going to a country that has cheaper clothes than the home country. Then, I buy my entire trip’s clothes from that country. Saves money and also saves weight while travelling to the destination!
obokash.com says
I always love to be with friends and family. I used to travel around time for many problems. Your post really helped me thank you so much, sir
Souren Das says
It is really a very helpful blog for all the budget travelers. Every point in this blog is valid and helpful. Thank you for such an information.
Lieze Neven says
Such amazing tips! Thank you!
Christina Guan says
Glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for reading, Lieze 🙂
kim says
Great content! learned so much specially from #16 . I didn’t even consider cooking on site. Was really afraid to be swindled .
Just wanted to share another Life hack on getting good Air tickets !
Follow this link! :
https://bit.ly/31QEOlh
Daniel says
Great list of travel hacks. The clothesline is new to me. Reserving the middle and aisle seats are also a very good idea.
Here are some travel hacks that have worked well for me:
1. Airlines usually assign seats from front to back. So if you reserve one of the last rows on a plane (especially the back middle row on wide body planes), you are significantly more likely to get a row to yourself
2. Some airline apps let you view the seat map even after you checked in. I often will view the seat map and ask gate agents to change me if I find an empty row.
3. Free upgrades almost never happen. It’s usually not worth asking. But sometimes you can get a very cheap upgrade to business class when you check in.
hawrry Bhattarai says
The last one often helps i remember when i was struggling to charge my laptop while i was traveling then later realized there was tv in the room and i looked for port where i can put the cable guess what, found one charged it …was such awesome feeling
Then i calmly texted my mom…
Christina Guan says
haha awesome. glad to hear you’ve been using these hacks! 😀
Nigel - Travel WW says
Some great tricks & hacks…makes a change to see a few different ones! I am with you 100% when it comes to pens & I have no idea what I would do without Google & all its ‘bits’!
Cheers! – Nigel
Tiana says
Thanks for your awesome guide on traveling. I am a passionate traveler and your guide inspired me to travel more.
Malika says
Great info, good thanks .
Paul Kindle says
Nice Article.These are Great Tips. Thank You
DAP says
Travel hack Ideas I use:
* Always carry a flashlight and put on nightstand in case you have a hotel fire/ emergency so you won’t be I n total darkness.
* Buy a Passport neck case from Wilson’s Leather Outlet. $15.-small but conveniently made .You can keep everything you need in it- cash, passport, cards, packet of medicine dose- I put it under my shirt. It drops down to my waist, so I can access it at the bottom of my shirt. In known thief places, I also poke the purse in the top of my shorts, so if they find a way to cut the straps it is still with me. It has gotten us through many trips to France.
* Foldable bags ( Walmart, Dollar store) for souvenirs or in case we decide to do a picnic lunch on vacation. In Europe with small rooms and no storage, I use them them as dresser drawers to find things quickly for longer stays.
* Use a foldable backpack(tennis ball size) in a bag (Lewis and Clark-not meant to be durable, basically a snack bag) we call it our “Disney bag”. We add snacks, wipes, paper maps, first aid bag with OTC meds for headache, stomach, water bottle, jacket in a bag, light shoulder wrap for church visits, my old small IPAD for grandchildren. To make it work, I put urgent needs( kids’ snacks, meds) in ziploc bags. I also add a ziploc gallon bag to cover the backpack in case of rain. If we only have snacks and maps, I carry it on my back, if it has my old IPAD or SLR, my husband carries it over 1 shoulder and up under his arm so if the strap is cut, he still has it.
* A colorful small coin purse to store my phone charger (and a long cord) so when cramped into a plane seat, I can find it quickly to use.
* Bread ties to organize all of those crazy charging cords. You will always need a long cord when u don’t have it. They now make bendable ties for that use.
* Download Dolly Parton’s “ I Will Always Love You” if you travel with small children. We have used it with my 2 year grandson for over a year. If he is tired or upset, we can play Dolly and watch him just melt and smile as he says “ My Dollwy”. When he couldn’t sleep through the night, my son set Alexa to that song (very softly) at his awake times. At 5:30 AM they started hearing him sing along with Dolly on his baby monitor .If he is really upset, I turn it very low and put it close to his ear. If using around others, you may need headphones .
* Passport- after airport security, I only carry a paper passport copy on me.
* NEVER email passports to anyone unless it is a dire situation when a family member must email it to you, then pray a lot.We make paper copies of our passport/ drivers license to carry with us and give a copy to a family member.
* * if going overseas, join STEP, so you will be notified of terror levels plus your embassy will know where you are if there is a blackout or terror attack.
* Always put liquids in a freezer ziplock bag for your checked bag. Those bags are thrown all over the place.
* Plan on 2 Quart Bags for airport Security: #1 Bag-for liquids as required by airlines
* #2 Bag- watch , wallet, necklace , phone at the last minute- anything that comes off at airport. Finish dressing after airport security.
* I pick up hotel cards to give to cab drivers in case they can’t understand my accent.
* Pack an extra pair of shoes. If it rains a lot, you will need them.
George Fox-Edwards says
The OK Maps blew my little mind. Cool trick. Also, the pillowcase is genius! I plan to repurpose mine as a dirty laundry bag too (obviously throwing it in the wash too!)
Fun article 🙂
fannia says
very good
Amy Levine says
Really great and awesome tips, these tips are really uncommon but very useful. sticking a fragile sticker is really a genius idea. So many times i have had damaged stuff because of luggage handling. Thank you very much for these and have a awesome day.