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Weedygarden

Weedygarden

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I don't travel much, but I do lots of house sitting. I keep my suitcase out and open. I come home from a job, clean it out, and replace whatever I will need for staying at the next job, or if I will travel.

I have a question about preparing for travel.

How do you store your dirty clothes? I am always concerned about the potential smell.

Do you have any tips to help with traveling?

I like to tie a colorful ribbon on the outside of my suitcase. It helps me to identify my suitcase on the carousel at airports.
 
We put dirty cloths in a mesh laundry bag.
When I traveled a lot I would try to wash everything before I went home if not I would wash everything when I got home and repack my suitcase for the next trip.
The ribbon is a good idea but I used a colorful strap around the bags plus a bright luggage tag.
Always put your name and address inside your checked bag so it might get returned if the baggage claim label gets tore off.
If your bag is damaged make a claim before you leave the airport.
 
Y'all must sure travel a lot if you keep a bag packed and ready to go. I empty mine, wash what was dirty in it, then put the empty suitcase back in the basement to collect another layer of dust prior to my next trip.

I have toyed with the idea of putting giant bright pink and fluorescent green polka dot and flower stickers on any bags that I check. Much easier for airport security to chase down someone carrying a bag like that (that they stole from you) than one with a piece of ribbon or yarn on it. Everybody has a ribbon or yarn on their bag these days. Go gaudy instead. Nobody is going to try to stealthily pick up a super-identifiable bag like that going around the carousel. Everybody and their brother will be staring at it wanting to know what kind of person would have the balls to use such an ugly bag. There would be a million eyeballs watching your bag at any given time. Great security!
 
Weedygarden said:
I don't travel much, but I do lots of house sitting. I keep my suitcase out and open. I come home from a job, clean it out, and replace whatever I will need for staying at the next job, or if I will travel.

I have a question about preparing for travel.

How do you store your dirty clothes? I am always concerned about the potential smell.

Do you have any tips to help with traveling?

I like to tie a colorful ribbon on the outside of my suitcase. It helps me to identify my suitcase on the carousel at airports.
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We have gone on many 3 week trips and here is what we did about dirty clothes: when camping, we just throw the really dirty ones in a large garbage bag in the back of the truck ( it was either a Suburban or Yukon XL for those trips, so enough room) and go to a laundry to wash them when we ran out. Dirtiest nastiest laundry ever price goes to laundromat downtown Lake Placid NY. Most of the stuff didn't work and it was disgustingly dirty but only one in town
I remember it clearly because on all our trips we did not see that very often

trips to Europe: we always visited my relatives and I did laundry there

Scotland ( my relatives met us there ) or ski trips: we rented a house each time with laundry

India : they did laundry in the hotels , but we didn't use it so not sure how it worked
 
When I worked overseas my maid did my laundry and packed my bags. When the wife and I traveled around the world we always had the hotel staff do our laundry. If these options weren't available, we'd wash our clothes in the sink, or just stuff them in a bag and cram it in the suitcase. Now we have no desire for international travel. We've given away close to a million of our air miles to family and friends so they could travel.
 
Haertig said:
Y'all must sure travel a lot if you keep a bag packed and ready to go. I empty mine, wash what was dirty in it, then put the empty suitcase back in the basement to collect another layer of dust prior to my next trip.
Click to expand...
I don't travel so much but I am often taking my suitcase for housesitting. My suitcase hasn't been completely unpacked in a few years. I unpack what needs to be washed, and repack as soon as it is washed. I also make sure that my toiletries are not empty.

I also know that there are times that people have 10 minutes or less to evacuate. I am working on keeping certain memorabilia ready to go in this case as well.

Another tip, keep a packing list so you remember everything. I used to have one but have misplaced it. I hope to find it in my house purge.

https://gdoc.io/packing-list-templates/travel-packing-checklist-free-google-sheets-template/
I want to keep one laminated and in my suitcase.
 
I don't travel nearly as much as I used to. When working, I'd travel about 25 weeks/year. Now (by plane), it's maybe 5-10 times per year. The Mrs. travels by plane pretty much monthly.

Dirty laundry goes in a plastic bag (kitchen size). It's also easy to then compress all the air out to make it fit better when you stuff it back in the suitcase.
 
I seldom travel now, but earlier in my career I was a road warrior. I kept dirty laundry in a mesh laundry bag, and washed everything when I got home. On the rare occasions I had to do laundry while traveling, I used the hotel services, and never had any issues.

When we visit my daughter we use the washing machine at her house. That is one of the few places we travel to anymore.

Weedy, I have packing lists in all of my BOB's, and have explained them to my wife. You never know if you will be the one using the bag, so if your loved ones pick it up they will know what's in it.
 
A good tip for dirty clothes is to make sure they are dry before packing them up. That'll help keep the stench down and prevent molding too. When our clothes are dry we put them in a garbage bag and throw them in the suitcase at the last minute if we are traveling. If we are just camping, we dry towels and swimsuits on the awning and then just put them in the hamper in the camper. We don't get smelly when traveling for fun.

I keep my suitcases and travel items all in one place. I also have a travel list. My snorkel, mask, and fins are all stowed in the same area as my travel bags. Sadly, I haven't used any of it since 2020. I hope to change that next year!
 
angie_nrs said:
A good tip for dirty clothes is to make sure they are dry before packing them up. That'll help keep the stench down and prevent molding too. When our clothes are dry we put them in a garbage bag and throw them in the suitcase at the last minute if we are traveling. If we are just camping, we dry towels and swimsuits on the awning and then just put them in the hamper in the camper. We don't get smelly when traveling for fun.

I keep my suitcases and travel items all in one place. I also have a travel list. My snorkel, mask, and fins are all stowed in the same area as my travel bags. Sadly, I haven't used any of it since 2020. I hope to change that next year!
Click to expand...
I loved snorkeling in the past :). 1st cruise, I learned Lori can't snorkel :p. She got to play on the beach under an umbrella wearing SPF 100000000 sunblock. It was a fun fun Cruise :). After that, we took submarine rides.
 
A long time ago for a short time as young, single guy, construction hands, my buddy Curt and I traveled with 3 card board Millers beer bottle cases in the back of each of our cars... One for clean clothes, one for dirty clothes, and one for ...one more day... Not gointa say any more about that...
 
dademoss said:
I loved snorkeling in the past :). 1st cruise, I learned Lori can't snorkel :p. She got to play on the beach under an umbrella wearing SPF 100000000 sunblock. It was a fun fun Cruise :). After that, we took submarine rides.
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None of that is at all desirable to me: cruise, snorkeling, playing on a beach. I've spent a little time on ocean beaches, but have zero desire to do that now. Sand, wind, blah!

Give me some prairies, plains, land, dirt.
 
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