Packing Archives - Page 3 of 8 - Roni The Travel Guru

Could You Pack For A Month In A Carryon Bag? I Did!

May 13, 2016 by Roni Filed Under: Packing, Uncategorized

I’m crazy for packing cubes! Find out how I used packing cubes in my carry-on bag for my month long stay in Cape Town! I filmed this on the rooftop of my Airbnb and as you can see it was windy. But you can still see how I was able to pack everything I needed for my trip. You can get your packing cubes here, they are the only way I’m able to stay organized (and cute!) when I travel.

Do you like the dress I’m wearing in the video? You can get yours here. The medical printout is also available for download. If you’re traveling out of the country you really need to have one.

What do you think? Could you only take a carry-on for a month?

Eagle Creek Has The PERFECT Carry-on!

December 7, 2015 by Roni Filed Under: Packing, Planning, Uncategorized

I was not paid for this post but I did receive my Eagle Creek carry on bag free of charge. If you follow my blog you know I always give my honest opinions and I don’t write about any product I am not happy with.

When I traveled to Vietnam my Eagle Creek Lync System 20 was with me and I’m so glad it was! I’ve been using Eagle Creek products for years which is why I am happy to tell you about them. I always try to pack lighter and lighter for each trip and by using my packing cubes along with the Lync System 20 made it very easy. It was hot in Vietnam which makes it easier to pack lighter. However, with packing cubes I could have still packed lightly had I been going to a cold climate (have you purchased packing cubes yet? You can get some here).

You have to assemble the bag when you take it out of the box but trust me when I say, if I can put it together (I followed the video on their website…seriously, it was so easy) then anyone can. You have the option to use it as a backpack or a carry-on and they even have a place for the backpack straps on the carry-on bag (I used it as a roller bag and not as a backpack). I didn’t bring the straps with me because I knew I would never carry it as a backpack but it’s a great option for those that may need it.

Did you happen to catch any of the Periscopes I did where I talked about this carry-on? The pic above and below were taken while I was in the capsule hotel in Narita, Japan. Everyone else had to pull out their big suitcases and sift through their clothing to find what they needed when they were getting dressed. Even those that had carry-ons still had a mess inside of their bags. Not me! My packing cubes fit nicely inside of my Lync carry-on and helped me stay organized. Staying organized while traveling is so important and helps out with being less stressed. Isn’t it a pretty color? I love the fact it’s bright-but not so bright that it’s obnoxious.

Have you ever had a noisy carry-on? You know when you roll it you can hear the wheels? I was amazed at how silent this carry-on is. I used it several times while I was in Vietnam because I went on two trips while I was there and each time all I heard while rolling my bag was silence. I also took it on my trip to Austin (I’ll be telling you about that soon) and my carry-on was still fab.

Oh, another perk…this fit in the overhead of every plane I was on which meant I never had to check my bag! It’s the perfect size, truly. If you like traveling with a carry-on bag then this is worth the investment. Right now Eagle Creek is having a sale so this bag is discounted so why not pick up one for yourself of for the traveler in your life?

Packing For A Trip? Try Eagle Creek Packing Systems

June 30, 2015 by Roni Filed Under: Packing, Roni's Reasons, Travel

Eagle Creek sent me their Pack It Starter Set and their Pack-it Specter Compression Cube Set to try out while I took my trips to Cuba, Spain, and Morocco. I can easily say that my love for packing cubes has increased even more which I didn’t think possible as I’ve been using packing cubes for 10 years. I apologize because my photo skills couldn’t quite get the packing cubes the way I wanted them to look but hopefully you get the idea.

I am all about only taking a carry-on bag and using these cubes made packing a cinch. Each trip I went on was 2 weeks long and for each trip I only took a carry on and a purse. I never ran out of clothes and having these cubes made packing so incredibly easy because I knew what was in each cube I didn’t have to search through tons of clothes trying to find what I needed.

Another perk of packing cubes is that I don’t have to take any of my clothes out, I simply took the cube from my carry-on bag and put it in the drawers in my hotel or my apartment rental. No organizing, no hassle! So simple!

2 weeks worth of clothes in Cuba.

While each system is equally useful they are a bit different. The Compression Cubes (the white ones) are made of a very pliable material that makes it super easy to squish (that’s the technical term for it, squish). Does that make sense? For instance, it’s so malleable I could stuff a cube in a corner of my carry-on bag (on the way back home I had stuffed my bags like crazy because I bought a few things).

The blue ones are made of different material so you don’t have the ability to squish them in the same way as they keep their shape. The picture below I am holding the biggest Compression Cube in my hand so you can see how malleable it actually is.

If you’ve never tried packing cubes, what’s stopping you? They are the best way I have found to keep my bags neat and organized and I don’t have to overthink packing. However, for those of you that like to check bags and take tons of clothes, you can also use these. When I was working as a Tour Manager and I had to take a big checked bag, I used several Eagle Creek packing folders and cubes in my suitcases so please don’t think these are only for a carry-on bag.

These are for anyone who wants packing to be easy. I think you will like them! You can order the packing starter set here and if you want your own set of compression cubes click here to order them!

Eagle Creek sent me these cubes to review but of course this post is filled with my own opinions. The links for the packing folders are affiliate links which means I will get a small portion of whatever you decide to buy. So buy a ton, ok? 🙂

Why You Shouldn't Have A Black Checked Bag

April 2, 2015 by Roni Filed Under: Flying, Packing, Planning, Travel

Is your checked or carry-on bag black? I am going to try and convince you to change that. Read on to find out why.

Working for an airline has taught me so many things that I am pleased to be able to share them with you. Something happened recently that I hope will push you to buy a different colored bag. Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against black. I mean, I love black. I AM black! But for a bag it’s the wrong choice.

A few days ago we had cancelled flights and the next flight wasn’t until the following day. Many passengers wanted their checked bags since they would be spending an unexpected night in Charlotte. I was working in the area where one of the jobs we do is look for passenger bags when they need them. The canceled bags were in a cart, there were probably 60 but many times there can be several carts filled with hundreds of bags. When we get baggage requests it says something like this:

name: Clark, Roni

bag description: large black roller bag

name: Smith, Calvin

bag description: Large green/white striped roller bag

Which bag would you look for first? When your bag stands out it makes it easier to spot. This is good for you and the baggage handler looking for your bag. When there are hundreds of bags to look through (as there are at times) if your bag is colorful or has something on it that makes it stand out it is easier to describe and easier to be found.

I found the green bag within a few seconds because I could easily look through the bags and see a green one. Every baggage request I had to find that had a colored bag was easy to spot. But the black bags? Those took much longer and there are some times when because there are so many bags in a cart it is virtually impossible to try and look for a random black bag. Keep in mind that many bags aren’t kept in lit areas so if the carts are filled it will take much more time for your black bag to be found.

I am also surprised when I am giving people back their carry-on bags because people can’t seem to recognize their own bag when it is next to another black carry-on. And people often let their black checked bag pass them by on the conveyor belt because they don’t know which one is theirs. So if you can’t recognize your bag, how can a baggage handler?

5 Things To Pack In Your Carry-On Bag

March 23, 2015 by Roni Filed Under: Packing, Planning, Travel

What happens if your checked bags do not make it to your destination? besides fighting the urge to punch someone in the face, what do you do?

As a ramp agent for a major airline, I know for a fact that many bags will not be on the carrousel when passengers get to their final destination and I always feels sad for them because most people do not take the necessary precautions. Aside from putting your clothes in packing cubes, Here are 5 things you need to pack in your carry-on bag or purse if you are checking a bag:

1. Medication

So many people pack necessary meds in their checked bag. Please do not do this, keep your medication with you at all times as well as any prescriptions.

2. Change of Clothes

pack something light that can fit in your bag easily. A shirt, a pair of shorts, a skirt or a dress work very well and socks can double as slippers.

3. Passport/Important Documents

Your passport should ALWAYS be in your possession and NEVER in your checked bag as well as any documents you need.

4. Toiletries

Think about the things you may need in order to be comfortable when you get to your hotel room/apartment rental. TSA lets you have 3.4 ounces of the products you need. Deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, facial cleanser, face towel, lotion etc. are all things that you should pack.

5. All Electronics and Chargers

All electronics should be with you at all times. You should never check your computers, iPads, iPods, cellphones, etc. and their chargers need to be in your carry-on.

If you get to baggage claim and your checked bag isn’t there, by having these items in your checked bag you will be less stressed (and less punchy) and be able to still enjoy the first day of your trip. Of course you want your checked bag but at least you won’t have to stress over not having the essential things that you need, right?

Would you add anything to this list? What do you make sure to keep in your carry-on?

How Would You Feel If Your Bag Showed Up In Baggage Claim Like This?

February 2, 2015 by Roni Filed Under: Packing, Public Transportation, Travel

As I was delivering my bags today I noticed this golf bag because as the snap is broken. The other day I wrote about why you shouldn’t travel with a broken zipper but that advice is the same for anything that is used to keep your bag closed. I have seen people pack their bags and something on the suitcase isn’t working properly and they pack their bags in that suitcase anyway. PLEASE don’t do that.

Your bags are tossed around, they fall on the ground, they go up and down conveyer belts…they need to start their journey off in proper working order. What you can’t see in the picture is the top snap has broken apart which is why this bag is broken.

I have no idea if the bag started that way but my guess is the owner of this thought it would be okay to use it just one more time. I’m sure these cases are expensive and maybe he or she didn’t want to spend the money to buy a new one, or they didn’t notice until it was too late that the bag wasn’t working properly.

Why do I say that? Because I see people all the time showing up to the airport with bags that aren’t working properly. I didn’t want to get all up in this persons bag but I did quickly notice that there was more in here than just golf clubs and maybe the extra weight had something to do with the bag breaking.

All I know is that if you are checking a bag, please make sure that it is working properly. And do not wait until the day before you are supposed to leave to check on this. Take out your luggage a couple of weeks in advance so you can see if there is anything that you may need to address. That’s just my suggestion because I would hate for you to get to baggage claim and find your bag opened like this.