Travel hacks: 12 tips to get more in less space

Does your suitcase look like this before a trip? Stem the overflow with a few travel hacks. Chris McSpadden, owner of Travel by Air Land and Sea, suggests rolling as many pieces of clothing as possible to save space. "Take pieces you can wear different tops with and one or two pairs of pants," she advises.
Does your suitcase look like this before a trip? Stem the overflow with a few travel hacks. Chris McSpadden, owner of Travel by Air Land and Sea, suggests rolling as many pieces of clothing as possible to save space. "Take pieces you can wear different tops with and one or two pairs of pants," she advises.

You know the old joke about packing for a trip: Pack what you think you'll need, then take half out.

"Everybody always takes twice as much as they need," says Jimmy Campbell, a former travel agent and owner of Cleland Travel. "But if you travel enough, you get good at knowing what you really need."

Trying to cram the essentials into a carry-on bag no larger than 22-by-14-by-9 inches can be the difference in a smooth boarding at the airport or being grounded because carry-on baggage check decides your bag is too big. Then there's always the looming possibility of baggage fees. As Lookout Travel Agency owner Chris McSpadden points out, baggage fees "change constantly - some airlines even charge for a carry-on."

Those are undoubtedly factors in why more travelers are driving to their destinations instead of flying. Drivers can carry everything they want - or can stuff - into their vehicles. According to the U.S. Travel Association, nearly eight in 10 (79 percent ) of leisure trips in 2012 were by car compared to just under half (48 percent) of business trips.

Hamilton County school students register one month from today with classes starting Aug. 13. If you've got in mind a last summer hurrah at the beach before starting your school routine, here are some tips that might make traveling a little easier.

1. When you pack a suitcase, wrap your shoes in a disposable shower cap to keep dirty soles off clothing. You can find a box of 30 clear plastic caps at Target for $2.79.

2. Call your credit/debit card company before leaving and let them know the dates you will be traveling. You'll be authorized for vacation purchases and not suffer the embarrassment of having your card denied because it's being used in out-of-the-norm locations.

3. Corral loose cables/chargers in an old sunglasses case to keep them in one place.

4. Fill an empty Tic Tac container with bobby pins to keep from losing them.

5. Put a dryer sheet, such as Bounce, in your suitcase with your clothes to keep them smelling fresh.

6. Use a travel pillbox to store jewelry. The pill case will keep earrings from getting separated or rings from being lost.

7. When you're driving around a new city and want to remember where you've parked, drop a pin on Google maps. Or take a picture on your cellphone of the parking spot - with a business or street sign in the background.

8. To keep a dress shirt's collar from crushing, roll up your belt and place it inside the collar.

9. To prevent bottles of liquid such as shampoo from leaking in your luggage, twist off the cap, place a square piece of plastic wrap over the bottle opening, then screw the cap back on tightly.

10. Jewelry pouches are great for holding earrings and bracelets when traveling but prone to cause pendant chains to tangle. To keep necklaces from knotting, slide one side of the chain through a straw and re-fasten. Then roll the straightened necklaces up inside clothing and pack.

11. Keep soft leather shoes from crushing by stuffing socks inside.

12. Protect powder makeup products from breaking inside your suitcase by putting a cotton pad or cotton ball inside the compact or eye shadow before placing it in your makeup bag.

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