Solve Packing Conundrums With These 9 Household Items - Budget Travel

Solve Packing Conundrums With These 9 Household Items

Chances are, you already have an arsenal of packing aids at your fingertips. Just open your junk drawer.

Toilet-paper tube
Corral phone and digital camera cords, chargers, and other cables inside the cardboard tube, securing each plug end in a notch cut at the tube's rim.

Cardboard box
Create a shelf in your suitcase with one side of a shipping or moving box, putting heavy items below it and clothing on top.

Clockwise, from top left: binder clip, rubber bands, wide-mouth plastic bottle, bicycle lock, twist tie [enlarge photo]

Binder clips
Clasp printouts, brochures, and guidebook pages in a clip, or use a few to separate different local currencies.

Bicycle lock
Prevent theft while waiting in public areas by looping a single lock through the handles of your family's suitcases.

Dry-cleaner bag
Slide one between layers of clothing within your suitcase to prevent wrinkling.

Twist tie
Repair a broken zipper or luggage tag with a spare tie.

Rubber bands
Use bands to pair up shoes, socks, or even scuba flippers.

Wide-mouth plastic bottle
Stash smaller toiletries inside for extra leak protection.

Soap case
Pack breakables like jewelry or fragile souvenirs in the plastic container.

Solve Packing Conundrums With These 9 Household Items - Budget Travel

Secrets and Not-So-Secrets of the Big Island of Hawaii

Not so long ago we spent a week on the Big Island of Hawaii. It was a trip I had won for participating in a educational travel webinar. Not bad for an hour of your time, right? It was my second visit and Ryan's first. I knew, having been to this island before, that it would be an activity packed trip. This island is very different than the commercialized island of Oahu. Hawaii feel more like small town and old customs. You are not going to focus on shopping, high end meals or glitzy night clubs here. The focus is on daytime activities like snorkeling, surfing, hiking, and sightseeing. I will post of my must-do's for when you visit this island that will help you get the most out of a visit to this island:

• Car rental - I say some sort of 4-wheel vehicle is very helpful if you want to go to some of the more remote parts of the island. Not to mention it's just easier to get around in something like a Jeep and t you don't feel as bad getting it dirty with beach sand or mud. We really appreciated our Jeep when we drove to the southern most point of the US at Southpoint. What an awesome place to visit with tons of scenery, different weather, and history.
• A condo or mini-suite hotel with fridge is very helpful to help you with meal time. Eating in Hawaii can be more expensive than you are used to and being able to fix a few of your own meals is great, but we loved the fact that we could pack picnics to take with us during the day since we never knew where we would end out, but we always had a great lunch with us. We made sure to bring a collapsable lunch tote to keep our food cold.
• For groceries, there is a Sack and Save in town as well as a Longs Drugs for liquor. These are the best places for the best prices. And don't miss the farmers market in Kailua Kona (right in the middle of town) Wednesdays through Sundays. You can get all sorts of fruits, crafts, and baked goods. We bought many exotic fruits and tried them all. Our favorite was the rambutan which is like a lychee and they look quite interesting with a spiky skin, but the fruit inside is quite tender and sweet.
• Bring your own snorkel gear. It's much easier than renting it for a week and you know exactly what type of equipment you will have. We kept it in the car all the time because you never knew when you'd be at a great spot and would want to snorkel.
• Keep a map of the island in your car. We relied on the map to navigate the island and come across interesting archaeological and historical sites. We also used it to help with some shortcuts.
• Plan an entire day or more for Kilauea volcano. We hiked the caldera and it was amazing. The hike took about 3 hours and make sure you take plenty of water and good walking shoes.
• When you see signs for coffee and/or mac nut tasting - pull over! You will get to taste wonderful coffee and mac nuts so fresh. You can tour coffee plantations and learn about the history of coffee on the island. And it's free!
• These are just a few tips for this island, but my biggest tip is EXPLORE! Go off the beaten track and you will experience wonderful sights and activities and people. A good guide book and map will help you but also listen to the locals, they also have excellent ideas of how to enhance your vacation.

Do out of the box websites look any better than custom sites?

These days one can search the internet and find hundreds of results for services that will set someone up with an out of the box, ready to run, or cookie cutter website. What ever name is attached to this service, it is becoming an increasingly problematic solution.

How many websites out there look the same as many others? Granted many of these sites don't look identical, but they do use the same templates and can decrease the brand of a company's online presence. Although the cost of a personalized website built by a professional web design company can be more costly than a cookie cutter site, there exists a guarantee to have a unique web site that will not be confused for another.

This phenomenon is now spreading to mobile devices. Due to the small amount of bandwidth offered on many mobile devices, people are less interested in the design of an online site as they are the functionality and speed of the mobile site. Unfortunately this means all mobile sites look almost the same or identical. But if user trends in the U.K. are any indication of the direction that online interaction is heading, most of the sites that will exist in the near future will be geared toward primarily mobile device viewing rather than personal computer viewing.

Custom website development is not always as costly as first assumed. While template website solutions may seem easiest and quickest, custom sites from professional website developers will ensure proper branding, aesthetics and visibility to properly represent a company. Support local web designers and ensure proper branding and proper exposure for your business needs.


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Accessing the Power of Gratitude

With the busy holiday season coming, it seem that many times we lose sight of what is really important. It's not gifts or fancy parties that are meaningful, it's those around us who make us feel that we can live life to it's full potential. Family, friends, pets, whoever is there in both your shining moment and darkest hour. These are the people who don't care about a holiday gift or fancy party, they are thankful for your friendship and glad to have you in their life. Remember this is a two way street and this is not the time of year to lose sight of that. So, in honor of this thought, some words on gratitude today...

The practice of gratitude as a tool for happiness has been in the mainstream for years. Long-term studies support gratitude’s effectiveness, suggesting that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in work, greater health, peak performance in sports and business, a higher sense of well-being, and a faster rate of recovery from surgery.

But while we may acknowledge gratitude’s many benefits, it still can be difficult to sustain. So many of us are trained to notice what is broken, undone or lacking in our lives. And for gratitude to meet its full healing potential in our lives, it needs to become more than just a Thanksgiving word. We have to learn a new way of looking at things, a new habit. And that can take some time.

That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When we practice giving thanks for all we have, instead of complaining about what we lack, we give ourselves the chance to see all of life as an opportunity and a blessing.

Remember that gratitude isn’t a blindly optimistic approach in which the bad things in life are whitewashed or ignored. It’s more a matter of where we put our focus and attention. Pain and injustice exist in this world, but when we focus on the gifts of life, we gain a feeling of well-being. Gratitude balances us and gives us hope.

There are many things to be grateful for: colorful autumn leaves, legs that work, friends who listen and really hear, chocolate, fresh eggs, warm jackets, potatoes, the ability to read, roses, our health, butterflies. What’s on your list?

Some Ways to Practice Gratitude

• Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things for which you are thankful. You can make daily, weekly or monthly lists. Greater frequency may be better for creating a new habit, but just keeping that journal where you can see it will remind you to think in a grateful way.

• Make a gratitude collage by drawing or pasting pictures.

• Practice gratitude around the dinner table or make it part of your nighttime routine.

• Make a game of finding the hidden blessing in a challenging situation.

• When you feel like complaining, make a gratitude list instead. You may be amazed by how much better you feel.

• Notice how gratitude is impacting your life. Write about it, sing about it, express thanks for gratitude.

As you practice, an inner shift begins to occur, and you may be delighted to discover how content and hopeful you are feeling. That sense of fulfillment is gratitude at work.

People will always lift you up

I don't know how many times I need to learn this lesson over but I always find it to be true. Tonight I wanted to attend the Tri-Chamber of Commerce mixer and I was so exhausted after a long day (and already long week) but I told myself that it's a wonderful opportunity for networking. Networking, for me, is an opportunity to not just meet new people (who may also be new clients) but also to enhance relationships I already have with people. And I like the socializing too. But tonight I was just exhausted. I just wanted to go home, strip off the biz clothes and shoes, and put my feet up. I did not go home and I went to the mixer. It was a crowded one and at first I wanted to turn around and go home. I didn't. I went in and after a couple sips of some wine, I started mingling and chatting and introducing. I fell right into the routine and started enjoying seeing people and hearing what had been going on with them. A few friend were there I could hang with. I realized I was enjoying myself. It never fails that to be around wonderful like-minded people always invigorates and energizes me. I just need to remember that each time I feel not quite up to attend a business function to think of the osmotic energy at the event will help me rise to the occasion.

Dealing with Job Transition

I've had many transitions this year, and I found this article to be a very concise way to deal with some of the changes one may encounter. You may have experienced going from one job to another, being laid off a job and being unemployed, starting your own business, or going from being self-employed to working for "the man" again. Any transition will make you feel uneasy and unsure. I especially find # 5, 9 & 10 to be helpful but they are all excellent tips. Don't go this alone, talk about your fears and hopes with others. And most important, look forward to this new chapter in your life!

Top 10 Ways to Cope with Job Transition

Job transitions can be stressful—whether they’re due to layoff, a new job or working extra hours because others workers were laid off. If you’re facing one, consider the following.

1. Take an honest look at yourself. What are your strengths, weaknesses, skills? How did those influence—positively or negatively—your transition?

2. Step up your self-care. Major changes are physically and emotionally taxing. You need self-care now more than ever.

3. Engage your curiosity. What went wrong, or right? What could you have done better? What worked really well?

4. Focus on what you want, and less on what you don’t want. Keep your eye on the prize.

5. Find support. Since your transition affects your family as well, it may be better to seek the outside support of friends or professionals.

6. Work on your thoughts. Calm your fears and reinforce your sense of hope and happiness.

7. Reassure (or avoid) those who are threatened by, or jealous of, the change.

8. Create your own rite of passage. Ceremony and ritual help with all transitions.

9. Let go of how things were “supposed to be” and accept “how things are.” Find appreciation for what is.

10. Keep things in perspective. Or try on a new perspective. Don’t get stuck. Remember, the only constant is change.

Smart Traveler: How to Pack for an International Flight

These are some of the best tips you will find when packing for a trip. I always follow these rules and am rarely disappointed I took the extra time and effort to follow them. I have an excellent template for packing lists so if you need help developing one of your own, email and let me know.

Smart Traveler: How to Pack for an International Flight

Whether your suitcase gets lost in transit or you simply forgot to pack something, smart packing can save you from scrambling in a foreign country to replace travel essentials. Be prepared to handle any unexpected travel snafus by follow these 5 packing tips for international trips.

Packing Tip #1: Make a packing list. Every destination has unique packing needs, so start with a list of items that you'd need for any trip. Then customize your list by adding items that depend on the weather and duration of your trip. It may be helpful to keep a smaller bag packed with basic travel essentials, such as medication and cosmetics, so you don't risk leaving items behind. Create a list on your computer and print it out, or write it out by hand. You can also download Frommer's free iPhone app, which includes a handy packing-list tool. However you do it, check off items as you go, and don't forget to include accessories, such as cell-phone chargers and camera batteries.

Packing Tip #2: Research your destination. There are an infinite number of variables when it comes to international travel. Finding a bottle of potable water might present as much of a challenge in one destination as buying your favorite shampoo or sunscreen in another. I once planned a 700-mile trek from Beijing to Shanghai after nearly running out of deodorant, for example. That near-disaster ended up providing a hilarious excuse for an incredible adventure, but I still would have preferred to make the trip on my terms, not because I needed to replenish essential supplies. Also, keep in mind that the voltage and plug style may (and likely will) differ abroad, so check ahead (I typically use search terms like "UK Plug" on Google) and buy an adapter before you go. Most electronics are dual-voltage, but check your power adapter before plugging in. Keep in mind that hair dryers and curlers are not electronics, and most of these items are not dual-voltage capable.

Packing Tip #3: Check a bag. You may be able to check up to two 50-pound bags free of charge on your international flight, so check with your airline before you fly. You'll still want to bring a carry-on just in case your baggage doesn't arrive on the same flight as you do, but checking a bag even on quick trips can allow for more flexibility when returning home. At the very least, bring a carry-on bag that can then ride below on your trip home (any liquids purchased abroad will need to be checked, and duty-free purchases may be confiscated if you have a connecting flight in the U.S.) If checking more than one bag, split items evenly between each bag, just in case one bag arrives and another does not. Use this approach when packing for family trips as well. Also, keep in mind that restrictions on domestic checked baggage have made their way to some other countries, so plan ahead if you have an intra-country flight during your trip abroad.

Packing Tip #4: Carry it on. While checked luggage may come in handy on your way home, consider the worst possible scenario when packing a carry-on bag: that your checked bag may not arrive on time. You should keep vital supplies, including medication and a couple days' worth of clean clothes, with you on the plane. I carry the same large backpack on every flight, and each essential travel item is (informally) assigned to a specific pouch or zippered compartment. That way I don't need to dig around to find a pair of earplugs, and if my passport goes missing, I'll know right away.

Packing Tip #5: Use Space Bags. The infomercials may initially have pulled me in, but space-saving bags really do work wonders. Now I won't travel without them. I use the generic version -- purchased at Target (www.target.com) a few years ago -- but these bags can really make a difference when packing for long trips. These bags allow you to pack several clothing items, zip the seal like a sandwich bag, then roll out all the air, which significantly reduces the volume of packed items. I use one bag to pack a full-size pillow in my carry-on for use on long flights, and use the rest of the bags in my checked luggage. Even if you can fit everything without them on the trip over, the bags still may come in handy when accommodating souvenirs on the way home.

This is certainly not an all-inclusive list, so use your best judgment when packing your bag. It may also be helpful to take note of items you wouldn't mind having on your next trip, and consider updating your list as you go.