With the holiday season fast approaching many of you may be going away, whether to the holiday batch, or a little further afield. Wherever you are going, and for how long, these clutter-free travel tips might be helpful.
Before I go any further kudos for this subject goes to one of my subscribers, Heather, who made this suggestion to me in an email from Italy as she travelled around and had to keep packing and repacking her suitcase. This is dedicated therefore to the “travel clutterbugs”, as Heather called them, who want help to keep the case organised and the hotel room uncluttered while moving from place to place.
Interestingly this isn’t as easy as it sounds because there are so many different scenarios that can come into play while travelling, such as the difference between travelling alone or with family, whether you’re moving from one hotel to another, the type of accommodation and whether there’s actually room to unpack, and the list goes on.
I’m going to try and give some general tips on what I’ve found helpful when travelling.
– Firstly the suitcase: invest in a set of ‘suitcase organisers’, if you don’t already have them, which slip into a suitcase to keep everything neatly sorted. I think they’re a great idea and the bags are appropriate sizes for the type of contents, i.e. clothes, shoes and toiletries. This way when you’re moving onto the next port of call you can pack your clothes back into their bags and you’re immediately sorted again. You can buy these organisers online at www.innovations.co.nz – search Suitcase Organisers.
– Another way to use one or two of these bags is to sort them by use, for example, put the swimsuits, sarongs, swim goggles etc in one bag so that becomes your go-to bag when you’re ready to hit the beach. You could also use one of the bags for laundry items to keep them separated from your clean clothes.
– Living in one room, such as a hotel room or a guest room in a family home or batch, is often challenging, however the first rule is to keep the surfaces as clear as possible. Often we scatter objects over tables, desk tops or even on the floor, because we’re in a temporary situation so it may not seem worth the trouble to put things away. It will make a difference though if you go to this little bit of effort when you arrive so everything has a place and therefore you’re not wasting time searching for keys etc under the clutter.
– Slip the suitcases under the bed if there’s space, or at the bottom of the wardrobe. Hang clothes if you’re going to be there for more than a few days, and if there are drawers then use them for those items you’re going to need every day. Toiletries are best kept in the bathroom and even if you’re using a mirror in the actual hotel room which may have better lighting, I suggest you return cosmetic items back to your toiletry kit in the bathroom.
Really this is about reducing the clutter around you so you create a lovely clear living space wherever you are. I hope these few tips are helpful if you’re going away over the holidays, and if you are, that you have a safe and wonderful break.
As always, I wish you joy and blessings as we approach Christmas, which is only 5 weeks away. I will be in touch in December, but if you are planning Christmas shopping and sorting the home for family coming to stay and want some quick tips then please contact me. I’m really happy to give you ideas by email or phone and sometimes one seemingly tiny tip can make a difference to your stress levels.
In Joy!
Angella Gilbert
P: 09 410 4166
M: 027 224 8937
E: angella.gilbert@xtra.co.nz
W: www.gioia.net.nz
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