Holiday Travel: 7 Tips to Make Your Trip Stress Free

The holidays are here, which often means time to holiday travel for some of us.

When you think of the holidays, what comes to mind? Do you picture a Thanksgiving table laid out with a large turkey, stuffing and family-favorite side dishes? Or do you conjure up wrapped gifts for Christmas and Hanukkah? Or are you of the mindset to associate the holiday season with ringing in the New Year with a glass of champagne while the Times Square ball drops to close out the year?

No matter what came to mind when closing your eyes and thinking about the holidays, most of us will agree one of the best things about the holidays is spending time with loved ones.  Even if you need to travel long distances by car, train or plane to be with them, it is well worth the time and effort. Unfortunately, the enjoyable can sometimes be accompanied by the stress of holiday travel. Never fear as we have some holiday travel tips so you can take advantage of every precious moment with as little aggravation as possible.

Holiday Travel Tips

The following are seven tips to help make your holiday travel as stress free and enjoyable as possible.

Tip #1: Don’t overpack. During holiday travel, there is nothing worse than getting to the airport, having your suitcase weighed and then being told your bags are over the weight limit. Talk about embarrassing as you start removing items curbside. Instead, try packing light with neutral-colored top and bottom choices, which can be mixed and matched for a number of different style options.

Believe it or not, with just a few stylish and timeless pieces, you can create enough combinations to last for more than your allotted days for holiday travel. If you pack clothing in the white, navy, black or tan, bring along eye-catching jewelry and brightly colored scarves for variety. If you need inspiration, there are many resources on Pinterest and from travel fashion bloggers.

Tip  #2: Use packing cubes. If you still can’t quite make the leap of faith by paring down your clothing for holiday travel, try using packing cubes.

What are packing cubes? Packing cubes are small bags designed to organize clothes and other items when you travel. Some were even created with a compression option to make sure you can take advantage of every nook and cranny. For people with over-packing tendencies, a packing cube is a game changer and lifesaver. And an added bonus to using these cubes is they can also make unpacking easy — just slide them into the drawers where you are staying.

Not sure where to begin? There are many how-to videos on YouTube to get you started.

Tip #3: Bring items with multiple purposes. Whether you are traveling for the holidays or a much-needed vacation, you don’t need to bring everything in your bathroom and closet. Why not bring a 3-in-1 shampoo/conditioner/body soap? Or if you just can’t be without your favorite body lotion, funnel an ounce into a small container or use a contact lens holder to store moisturizer and eye cream.

Instead of packing different shoes for each outfit, think about how sneakers or supportive flats can serve multiple purposes. And it is always a good practice to wear your heaviest shoes if you are flying to your destination.

Tip #4: Avoid packing wrapped gifts. Despite the fact the Travel Security Administration (TSA) does allow wrapped gifts, it is not an encouraged practice. Why? Well, TSA staff might determine a gift seems suspicious, and you might be called upon to unwrap said present.

The following are some alternatives:

• Wrap gifts when you arrive at your destination
• Mail gifts ahead of time
• Purchase gift cards

Tip #5: Pack a foldable extra bag. Whether holiday travel is to your hometown or a new destination, you might very well bring back items not packed originally in your luggage. And who wants to shove souvenirs or gifts back into your suitcase and hope they don’t break? Instead, pack an extra foldable bag or even backpack, which stays flat and compact heading to your travel destination and is available just in case the need for additional space should arise.

Tip #6: Protect bottles containing liquids from spilling. If you have liquids stored in the standard TSA quart-size clear Ziploc bag or even squirreled away within your checked luggage, here is a trick to prevent spillage. Before putting the cap on your bottles, cover each with a small piece of plastic wrap. The added layer of protection seals the liquid in its container as long as you tightly close the cap. It is also a good idea to bring a little extra wrap. And always pack additional Ziploc bags as they can be used in a number of different ways:

• Storing wet clothes
• Covering dirty shoes
• Carrying snacks

Cover hair tools. Even though your holiday travel destination — whether house or hotel — might very well have a hairdryer or other styling tool, you might still decide to bring your own from home. Add to the mix using said tool right before you head out the door and the dilemma about what to do about your hot hair styling tool.  There’s a simple solution: Cover the hot tool with an oven mitt, which will prevent other items in your suitcase from getting scorched as well as keep everything clean.

 

At Chapters Health System, every day is devoted to educating our patients and keeping them in the place they call home. We are dedicated to ensuring that patients, young and old alike, and their families are able to make educated decisions about important healthcare matters. For more information, please call our helpful Chapters Health team at 1.866.204.8611 or send an email to info@chaptershealth.org. 

About Phoebe Ochman

Phoebe Ochman, Director of Corporate Communications for Chapters Health System, manages all content and communications for the not-for-profit organization.

Getting Home for the Holidays

At Chapters Health System and its affiliates — Good Shepherd Hospice, HPH Hospice  and LifePath Hospice — we help patients with life-limiting illnesses get home for the holidays, no matter where they call home. We constantly strive to make sure patients are surrounded by family, friends and even pets, which can provide much-needed comfort.

Our programs and services help make this possible and here’s how:

• Round-the-clock hospice admissions along with HospiceHelp24®, an after-hours call service staffed by our own nurses 24/7/365
• Home visits no matter what day or time
• Emergency medication kits
• Equipment and medications related to a patient’s hospice diagnosis
• Short-term, round-the-clock care at seven hospice houses inHernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties and one inpatient unit at Tampa General Hospital
• Bereavementsupport programs focused on coping with grief during the holiday season for children and adults
• Volunteerswho can help fulfill final wishes, record/transcribe life stories, provide respite to stressed caregivers, or simply add an extra touch of love and support

For more information on how Chapters Health and its affiliates can help patients enjoy meaningful moments during the holidays at home, please call us at 1.866.204.8611 or send an email to info@chaptershealth.org.