Seven Travel Hacks You Can Do for Free

While drafting a blog post about clever travel hacks that use things you already have in your home, I stumbled upon a discussion thread started by @pure-wander. She asked thread users to share their “most unhinged travel hacks.” 

Reading through the comments, I found many of the travel hacks on my list explained brilliantly by others, as well as some new-to-me ideas I can’t wait to try.  So, I decided to turn this blog post into a crowd-sourced compilation of seven travel hacks we can all do for free.

I have included links below to the folks who shared these ideas, so please give them a follow on threads.

  1. Wear + Pack Leggings (my favorite packing hack)
    Almost every woman I know has at least one pair of black leggings, and maybe several more pairs in a rainbow of colors and patterns. I like to wear a pair and pack a pair, because they take up little space and have lots of uses. I wear them as pajamas, with a dress or tunic, as a base layer on cold/windy days, as workout pants, and when lounging. Particularly on travel days, I prefer the comfort of leggings to hard pants. Bonus if they have side leg pockets deep enough for your passport, phone, and earbuds for easy access in the airport and on the plane.

     

  2. Bring Masking Tape from @travelbugcolx (that’s me!)

    Definitely not unhinged, but quite handy: Wrap masking tape around a sharpie and bring it along to secure a floppy electrical plug to the outlet, label your food in a hostel kitchen, temporarily repair almost anything, keep the coffee bag shut tight in your backpack, mark your luggage for quick identification on the carousel.... So. Many. Uses.

  3. Take Twisty Ties from @isabelabizetti

    When I’m sightseeing with a backpack that does not have the hidden zipper, I tie the two zippers together with a twist tie. This is easier for us to open / close as opposed to having a padlock, but also desincourage pickpocketers as they’d have to get that extra step of twisting it out before trying to open the bag. Not saying that it is fully pickpocketer proof, but if their goal is to get things out as quickly as possible so they won’t get caught, an extra step helps them divert their target.

  4. Bring Ziploc Bags from @thesineadkhan and @simplyfizz

    I keep a pack of ziplock bags in my suitcase so I can try fun snacks in new places and have somewhere to save the leftovers and even take home with me. Also, using hotel sugar sachets to make my own body scrub on the go

    IKEA freezer bags are a great thing to stash, perfect for wet flannels (if you're a double cleanser), swimsuits or just keeping your shit together. Also. Karabiners are super useful for throwing in bags to carry shoes/water bottles etc.

  5. Pack a Washcloth from @jpete4843

    I take a cheap washcloth when I travel. Hotels have liquid soap and no washcloths.

  6. Or a sponge from @sammysogorgeousfr

    I cut a sponge in half, run it under water with dawn dish soap, then freeze it in a ziploc bag & grab right before heading to airport. There's been COUNTLESS times when I wished I could briefly clean something in my hotel and this has been a LIFE SAVER!

  7. Call Ahead from @meglunde and @thelittleorangetable
    This pro travel hack is my new favorite, and something that I had never considered. It costs you nothing, and it creates a Win-Win situation for everyone.

    If you’re staying in a nice-ish hotel, call the concierge a couple days in advance and ask for things or tell them if you are celebrating something. Something I realized when consulting for luxury brands is that concierge roles are goaled on how many people they help. Help them generate stories that they can tell their boss and hit their metrics. And leave them a good review. I’ve gotten comp champagne in my room, free tickets to local venues, the last two loungers at a beach club, etc this way

    This isn’t unhinged per se, but when we traveled to Italy from the US, I reached out to every hotel I booked to get assistance w/ something small. Every single hotel went way above & beyond to help. Then, they gave us local restaurants to try that we didn’t see on social media, we had wine/champagne/treats left in our rooms, we got upgraded at one hotel for free, they helped book excursions I didn’t see online & they were all SO SO kind about it. It really elevated our trip!

I want to extend a huge thank you to all the travelers who shared these brilliant (and free!) travel hacks on threads. Readers, please give everyone a follow.

Travel Tips