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This year I have traveled more than I have the past 10 years combined (and I’m loving it).
Staying organized while traveling has been a huge part of keeping me on track and enjoying all of my travel adventures! I’ve taken a bunch of weekend trips and those that are much longer. I’ve learned quite a few tips for extended travel that I didn’t know before and I’m so excited to share them with you today!
5 Tips To Stay Organized When Traveling
1. Choose a hotel that makes staying organized easy. This seems so basic but it’s not. Have you ever stayed at a hotel with very little closet and drawer space and just decided to live out of your suitcase? When you stay at TownePlace Suites by Marriott® there is always plenty of room to organize everything you need for your stay because of their partnership with The Container Store® and their awesome elfa® closet! There are currently 11 TownePlace Suites® hotels featuring the elfa® closet, with more locations growing every month. Check out our latest list here
2. Unpack right away. As soon as you get into your hotel room unpack your bags and put everything where it should go. This will keep you organized and ready for all the adventures your trip will bring you. I like to hang up my dresses first thing to avoid wrinkles and the same goes for Pete’s dress shirts. The custom closets designed for TownePlace Suites® (in partnership with The Container Store®) are the best for extended stays because they are loaded with lots of storage options to help guests feel more organized while on the road. From multiple closet rods and ventilated shelves to hanging drawers, guests will find everything they need to feel more put together. There is just something about having your stuff put away that makes you feel more at home too.
3. For extended stays book a hotel with the amenities you would find at home. At TownePlace Suites®, their mission is to give their guests the tools to keep them feeling happy, put together and productive on longer stays. They believe that having the space to organize, and the tools to get things done makes for a happier traveler. Which is totally true! Even on leisure trips I still have to get work done so a standard room with just a bed won’t do for me.
Here are some of the great features at TownePlace Suites® that I have found really make extended stays better…
- Spacious studios and one or two-bedroom suites. When it’s just Pete and I a studio is perfect… but when we have all the kids we really need the extra two bedrooms.
- Fully-equipped full-size kitchen. This wasn’t a big deal to me until I actually had one and now it’s something that we look for when booking a hotel for any amount of time. Being able to cook meals instead of running out and eating at restaurants our whole trip is huge. We tend to go out for dinner and eat in the rest of the time.
- Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. This is a must. For both work and pleasure, we have to have Wi-Fi.
- On-site laundry facilities. It’s the only way for extended travel. I like to pack as light as possible so I have to be able to wash my clothes and there is never time to go looking for a laundry mat.
- Home OfficeTM Suites (ergonomic in-room workspace), To stay organized we set up our desks as we would at our office so having a dedicated place to work is awesome. This also helps with productivity while traveling because it’s all set to get your work done.
- Free breakfast. I like getting free breakfast, but I also love that it’s right there waiting for me so I can get on with my day.
- Daily housekeeping refresh. I don’t want to spend any time on trips doing housekeeping so this is a great added benefit.
- Lower rates for longer stays. This makes vacationing more affordable an gives us more money for the fun stuff!
4. Have the right organized travel tools. I cannot believe how having the right luggage makes traveling so much easier. Especially for longer trips. The Container Store® has some awesome organizing tools like this reisenthel® toilet bag. I used a gift card to purchase this on my last trip to The Container Store® and I was so excited to try it out! Having a place for everything and everything in its place makes for much happier travel. This toiletry bag is perfect for keeping travel-sized toiletries all in one place and its compact size is perfect when you travel light as I do. I tend to let all my work tools like laptops and cameras get most of the space so I need a toiletry bag that isn’t bulky.
5. Keep a travel “go” bag. When you are a frequent traveler it really helps to keep a bag ready to go with the basics that you always need so you can just add clothes and you are good to go! I make a habit of restocking my “go” bag as soon as I get back and that makes packing so much quicker, easier and stress-free. In my bag are my toiletries, plastic bags, and other things that I always pack.
What do you do to stay organized on extended-stay travel?
My issue is that I don’t unpack. Ever. We live out of the suitcase for the week.
I do the exact something when I travel alone. When my husband is with me he unpacks everything.
I travel a lot, so being organized is a must. But… I organize my luggage really well, so like Robin, I don’t have to unpack.
Sometimes the stress gets to me when I travel. A lot of my organizational ability goes out the window! I should definitely try these methods.
Whenever I travel, I always look for a hotel the feels like home. I hate to travel, so I like to pick a place that feels homey.
I try to stay organized. Get so into what I am doing that I really don’t unpack properly.
With three kids, I always make sure I book a hotel that more than just a room. You have to, really.
I have been trying to be better at unpacking and putting away my clothes and suitcases when we arrive. It’s all about organization for me.
I make a list and check it twice! LOL Seriously, I make my packing list, and I check things off AS I put them into the suitcase. If it’s not checked, it doesn’t go into the suitcase. That way I know for sure what I have with me when I get there!
Great tips! We always have a travel go-bag packed with some essentials so it’s less to pack when the time arrives.
for me staying organized is not unpacking! Can you believe it? I am so visual that I know where it all is in my bag.
Your tips are great, I am just mental 🙂
I love those compartmentalized bags. They work really well!
These are all great tips. I am really bad about just living out of my suitcase when I travel. I need to start unpacking.
Oh man, it seems like it’s super hard to stay organized when traveling. Love your tip about unpacking right away! Going to do that next time I travel!
Ugh, I wish I had some tips, ha! Traveling with kids is never easy. I will totally take your tips, though 🙂
I need a new toiletry organizer- when ever I feel disorganized on vacation I stop relaxing and start stressing.
I always try and unpack but 1/2 the time I end up just living out the suitcase for the week, with things everywhere – I should really try and be more organised on holiday.
These are great tips! Staying organized is a necessity when traveling!
We don’t travel often but we have some suit cases with mesh little compartments . not ideal but did the job!
I pack lightly and unpack right when I arrive to the hotel
This is exactly what I needed to read. I have a big trip coming next year and the staying organized part has always stressed me out beyond belief.
It has never been my habit to unpack my things upon arrival in my hotel room. You are pretty organized!
TownPlace Suites sounds amazing. No more sleeping in hotel for us. It’s time for a suite!
I really like staying at TownPlace Suites. We have always had good experiences there.
I’m the worst at unpacking when I get to a hotel room! You are way more organized than I am!
I need to far more organized when I pack, it’s a little much!
This past year I’ve started traveling a lot for work. I unpack as soon as I get to my room, so I’m more comfortable.
I do the whole list thing, but rarely am I ever really organized.
These are all great tips! I really need to invest in those travel organizers. It would sure make getting in my suitcase less stressful!
Organization helps you get places faster and prevents you from having to purchase duplicate products.
Great tips! I have to make lists to help keep me organized when traveling.
These are great tips for traveling. I am hoping to do some traveling in 2015.
I use “packing bags”, to keep “like” things together. I also have a check off travel list, so that I don’t forget really important things like my battery chargers from cameras, phones and tablets. BTW – whenever it’s possible we stay at a Marriott establishment. One of my son’s worked for them, and we’ve stayed loyal for years and years.
I agree that it’s important to be organized while traveling. I love that travel tote. It’s a great way to keep all your things neat. I like to use one too. It makes it so easy to pull one bag from my luggage out that has all of my bathroom toiletries in it.
These are great tips to stay organized when traveling indeed. It is so much easier and less stress when you plan ahead along with having things organized. Thanks for sharing.
this is definitely something my mom would love and appreciate!
These are great tips. I have enough trouble staying organized at home – never mind when I travel!
You’ve got some great tips for traveling. I always get too excite to get out to explore to unpack right away and I always end up regretting that decision.
Good tips – I traveled quite a lot for my job.Now I travel for fun. I always unpack – it makes life so much easier.
I like to roll up my tops and bottoms, along with socks and panties so I have more room in my suitcase. The rolls don’t take up as much room and it doesn’t wrinkle my clothes.
I have to unpack as soon as I get to a hotel or else I get stressed out. I need things organized for me to be able to enjoy my trip!
This looks like a great way to stay organized when traveling. I could use that on our camping travels!
I am the most unorganized travel person ever. I just throw everything into my suitcase and hope and pray it all fits.
Love that TownePlace Suites has a full kitchen in the rooms. Such a convenience when traveling with kids!
What a great organizer for all of your personal items. I hate the bag I currently have when I travel for all of my toiletries.
These are fabulous tips! I haven’t done any traveling in quite some time though.
These are all great tips for traveling. I will remember these next month when i am going away.
The last time I took a trip I lost my passport! Clearly I need to be more careful!
I always live out of my suitcase instead of taking everything out. I’m always afraid I’ll leave something behind 😛
I’m always so un-organized lol I love these tips! Especially the one about re-stocking your “to go back” as soon as you come back from a trip!
I love these tips! I don’t travel too much but will some day. These are great.