If you haven’t already read my other article on Best Luggage for Cruise Travel, I suggest you do so now.
First… Packing Cubes! These things are incredibly helpful!
If you have never heard of these things, you will be amazed because packing cubes make packing and unpacking much easier. They come in different sizes and colors. The different colors are handy for us because one color is for my stuff and a second color is for hers. This makes it easy to tell whose stuff is whose.
The usage is up to you, but what I do is put similar items together in a single bag. (there are different size bags available) So I use one bag for all my T-Shirts, one for socks, one for underwear. You get the idea. There are bags designed for shoes which are great because they contain any dirt, and other bags that are waterproof for things like cosmetics which make quite a mess if something opens in the suitcase.
It also makes packing and unpacking easier. I pack one at a time days before we leave and then just toss the bags into the suitcase. When I arrive at the hotel or cruise ship, I unpack in minutes by just putting the bags in the drawers, keeping everything clean and organized.
The ones I prefer are these on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3KkxODI but there are many available and you can find them all here: https://amzn.to/3PScWEW
Second… Luggage Straps
I stumbled across these a few years ago and love them. They are simply a strap that goes around your suitcase and snaps closed. They serve 2 main purposes. First, they are an extra protection against your bag coming open on the plane and your clothes spilling down the luggage conveyor. (I’ve seen it happen). The second is they make it much easier to identify your luggage as it comes down the conveyor.
I recommend these on Amazon because they also come with luggage tags: https://amzn.to/3TfMGr6
Third… TSA Approved Locks. Sometimes, TSA decides they need to look in your checked luggage for some reason. This is the reason you want a lock that is TSA approved. It allows TSA to open your luggage without breaking the locks. You can find those locks here on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3dWsKJO
Fourth… Get a luggage Scale! You don’t want to be one of those people who are re-packing their suitcases at the airport to get one under the 50lb weight limit most airlines impose. Extra weight charges can be very expensive. So, check the weight of the bags before you leave for the airport. I suggest the digital scales such as this one on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3KjOuev
Fifth… You need a Power Bank! This is a portable battery that you can charge your phone or tablet from wherever you are! My wife carries one of these in her purse at all times. No more looking to find an outlet somewhere to recharge your phone. We love these things. It charges a phone quickly and on a full charge will charge your phone multiple times. You can get one on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3ThFue3
