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Super 8 Creswell/South Eugene - Identify Theft Prevention Tips!

Check out this video for some great tips to prevent Identify Theft Prevention Tips! 

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345 E Oregon Ave Creswell, OR 97426 (541) 895-3341

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Healthy Travels: What You Need to Know Before You Leave

Vaccines

Traveling to exotic locations may require vaccinations for illnesses not present in your home country. Depending on your age you may also need to receive vaccinations again because they are no longer current. (Much to my amazement, some vaccinations don’t last forever; they need “boosters” periodically to remain effective.)

Check and see if there are any recommended vaccines for your destination. You can visit your doctor or a specialty travel clinic to find out what you will need and to have the vaccines administered. Some vaccines require several doses to be administered over a period of time, so check early to make sure you have enough time. Here are several good sites to check for recommended vaccines:

Organize Any Prescription or other Medicines

At the time of your vaccinations, the doctor can prescribe any other medication required for your trip, for example medication for malaria or altitude sickness. It is recommended to organize these at home before you go. They may be available at your destination but quality, availability, and cost may mean you are unable to organize it at your destination. If you need it, organize it before you go.

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Many travel medicine clinics sell a traveler medical kit. This will often include other prescription drugs including a general antibiotic, something for food poisoning, traveler’s diarrhea and other common ailments. Depending on the remoteness of your destination, you may want to organize this and take it with you. If you are headed to an urban area, many of these things can be purchased at a chemist (pharmacy) should you need them. Just be aware, laws governing medicine vary by country. For example antibiotics can be purchased at a pharmacy in Europe without a prescription, but in Australia you can’t buy Naprosin (or any product containing Naproxen) or antibiotics without a prescription.

In some countries vitamins can also be hard to find or language can be an issue to understand what you are buying.

In addition bringing the essentials and medicines/vitamins/supplements you take daily at home in a quantity to last your trip ensures you have what you need during your trip.

First Aid Kit

A basic first aid kit is recommended. We carry a small hiking first aid kit. It contains headache tablets, bandaids, hydration tablets, a couple of water purification tablets and a few other odds and ends. We do use things from this kit regularly when we travel. I like that everything is all in the one place. We toss it in our backpack when we hike as well.

You can create your own first aid kit or find one in a pharmacy. The CDC site has recommendations for first aid supplies by country.

Probiotics

I am a big fan of probiotics as I seem prone to digestive issues. I try to consume some everyday through my normal diet- through eating food with good bacteria (yogurts and fermented foods are excellent sources). Before a big trip I also usually take a supplement, usually for a full month prior to departure.

I also take a probiotic with me that doesn’t require refrigeration. Probiotic supplements vary a lot in quality, talk to your pharmacist or someone at a good health food store if you need advice.

Dietary Restrictions

If you have dietary restrictions, it is probably worthwhile to do a little research before you go. What is the cuisine like in your destination? If you are vegetarian and heading to a country where meat is common, or a celiac or have gluten issues and are headed to say Italy, a little advance preparation can assist, especially if the language is not your own.

Look up the words for both the foods you can eat, and the foods you can’t. Google Translate can help. You may want to both write these down and learn them in advance.

Staying in accommodation with your own kitchen can help. This will allow you to make some of your meals and provide some variety in your diet.

Do some online research to identify restaurants or shops catering to your needs.

Fitness/Weight Loss

If you are planning physical activity, including long days of walking, doing some activity at home before you go can make your trip much more enjoyable.

For strenuous activity then being in shape is definitely recommended. If you are going hiking or backpacking, test out your gear, break in your hiking boots and do a few hikes with the pack on your back with the full weight you will be carrying.

Planning a cycling vacation? Then same thing, hop on a bike. If you can do it outdoors, but if not a gym is better than nothing.

If you are prone to gaining weight when you travel (which we will talk about in a future post), then perhaps try losing a few pounds before you go.

Feeling fit and healthy before you start your trip, means you are likely to enjoy it more.

Jetlag

A little advance preparation may help prevent or lessen the severity of jetlag. Beginning about a week before you travel:

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Drink more water. Proper hydration will help lessen the impact.

Adjust your sleep pattern. Find out the time at your destination, then gradually adjust the time you go to bed or wake up to move your body clock closer to the time at your destination.

Specialty Items

Organize any gear or specialty item you may need before you go. If you need a hat, sunscreen, seasick bands or anything else, finding them before you go leaves more time to enjoy your holiday rather than run around looking for these items.

For those of you prone to travel or motion sickness, as I am, I highly recommend you find a pair of Sea Bands. I was a bit dubious (okay a lot dubious!) these would work, but I have been surprised and now I carry them all the time!

Sea Bands are pressure bands working on the same theory as acupuncture. You have places on your body where if you apply pressure it will lesson pain somewhere else, or in this case, ease motion sickness. The bands are worn on your wrists. (They make a children’s size as well.) They begin to work as soon as you begin wearing them.

I have used these on several cruises, ferry trips and curvy mountain roads. They work. We were on a ferry ride in Greece that was crazy. Most of the passengers were sick and I would normally be there amongst them. Thankfully I had my bands and I was fine! I highly recommend them. You can find them at a pharmacy or online.

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Part 3 of the Healthy Travel Series: What you need to know to stay healthy on your trip is the next in this series. You can use the form at the bottom of this post to subscribe to our newsletter and never miss a post again!

Do you have any other tips to ensure you have a healthy trip? If so please share them below.

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Never pay checked baggage fees again with these travel hacks

1. Understand your carry-on allowance. It’s more than you may realize. Most airlines will let you carry two bags into the cabin free of charge: A “carry-on bag” that will fit in an overhead locker (22 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches), and one “personal item” that will fit in the seat in front of you (18 inches by 14 inches by 8 inches). That’s one bag of 45 liters’ space and one of 33 liters’ space. The total — 78 liters, for those who flunked math — could hold 21 gallon milk jugs. You can’t fit your stuff into that?

2. Be creative. If you’re struggling for space, wear your heaviest and bulkiest clothes on the days you travel, experts advise. And if you really want to go to extremes, wear a jacket with big, roomy pockets and pack them with more stuff as well. Also, think about using packing cubes or even compression bags — which squeeze out the air — to cram all your stuff into your carry-on bags. (There are even coats that double as wearable bags designed for this purpose.)

3. Change your mindset. “You don’t need as much as you think,” argues McNeaney in her book. Most people, she says, pack far too many clothes, and far too much stuff. They take things they won’t use or wear. Think minimalism. Can you take an Amazon AMZN, -4.88%   Kindle instead of your books? Do you really need a laptop, your Apple iPad AAPL, -3.09%   and a smartphone? Do you need all those workout clothes? Do you need all that makeup, or can you function with a simpler beauty regime on the road?

4. Be ready to buy it or rent it there. Think twice before carrying heavy items, like some toiletries, that you could replace for a couple of bucks. Do you really need to take your own fins and mask to go snorkeling? Do you need all those items for backups or emergencies? “We have learned through trial and error that dragging along those “just in case we need them” items, was way more inconvenient than just purchasing something if and when we needed it,” reports Lori Grant.

5. Think “small alternatives.” That’s what McNeaney advises. Take an ultralight down jacket instead of an overcoat, and a light, packable windbreaker instead of a bulkier jacket, she says. Find ways to pack smaller, lighter versions of the stuff you have at home, but still need on the road. Transfer medications where possible into smaller containers: You don’t need to take your 90 days’ supply on a five-day trip. Pack travel-sized items whenever possible.

See also: Flight fees are on the rise — here’s how to avoid them

6. Pack for a week, even if you’re traveling for a year. “My rule of thumb is to pack enough clothing for one week: seven tops and three bottoms,” says Jimenez. “All you need is one fresh shirt per day and you can easily re-wear trousers. Just make sure that all your clothes can mix and match.” If you are going away for more than a week, “bring the same amount of clothing, but plan to do laundry once per week,” she says. With that in mind, go for clothing materials that are lightweight and that can be washed easily and dry quickly: That includes cotton, and poly-cotton blends, modal, microfiber, and merino wool, experts argue.

7. Work your wardrobe. Pack clothes that can be mixed and matched to create multiple outfits. Think neutral colors, or maybe colorful tops and neutral bottoms. Look for items that can do double or triple duty, and which can be worn in layers in cold weather. McNeaney says she travels with three pairs of trousers, three dresses, three short-sleeve tops, a cardigan and a fleece. Her boyfriend takes three pairs of trousers, three T-shirts, two shirts with collars, and a fleece.

Dresses and ballet flat shoes, she notes, are light to pack and can be “dressy or casual.” Lori Grant says a lightweight scarf is a must. “It can be used for anything from a swimsuit cover, an airplane blanket, an improvised tote bag to hold items, and even a curtain in a window to block out the sun while trying to sleep,” she says.

8. Plan ahead. Work out in advance what you’re going to do and what exactly you’ll need. Do you need to take your hiking shoes if it’s going to be pouring rain? Do you need to take your umbrella if it’s going to be sunny? Are you packing items that may be culturally inappropriate for the places you’re visiting? “A smart traveler is one that is well-informed,” says Jimenez.

9. Keep working on it. It may take time to dump the bad habits of the past. But don’t worry. Even if you can’t become a minimalist traveler in one step, experts advise, try getting there in stages. Take a little less on each trip. Once you’ve packed, look for things you can take out.

10. Be prepared to be liberated. Light travelers say the experience has taught them how little they really need. Erin McNeaney recalled getting home after a year’s travel only to be horrified by all the clutter. Why do I have three hair dryers, she asked herself? Why do I have 30 T-shirts? She and her boyfriend, she said, took bags of surplus stuff to Goodwill stores and haven’t looked back.

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Pool

Enjoy a dip in our outdoor pool

Each room provides free WiFi, microwave, and refrigerator. We offer an onsite restaurant, gas station, access to guest laundry, and dry-cleaning facilities. Begin your day with a free 8-item SuperStart breakfast. Unwind in our outdoor pool. Jacuzzi and Executive suites are available at our pet-friendly hotel.

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The Fall and Rise of Hotel Art Why the artwork at America’s lodgings has vastly improved—even at chains like Super 8

In 2016, the world’s largest budget hotel chain, Super 8, underwent an art makeover. Whatever you imagine when you imagine quintessentially kitschy hotel art—a deer by a babbling brook near a lamplit cottage, a Bob Ross paint-by-numbers special, powdery winterscapes of quaint villages, maybe even a velvet painting if you’re lucky—that’s the kind of stuff that had been hanging in Super 8 rooms since the chain was founded in 1974. But at two events, one hosted by Amy Sedaris at a gallery space in New York and another at Art Basel in Miami, Super 8 gave much of it away, a signal that the age of kitsch hotel art was, for Super 8s, officially over.

When we decided to do an episode about hotel art, we thought we would be doing an episode about, well, hotel art—exactly the sort of ugly, shoddy, cheap paintings that used to hang in Super 8s. But it turns out that’s an outdated understanding. Sure, you still regularly come across ugly work in hotels, but Super 8’s move away from kitsch is part of a decadeslong trend on the part of hotels—hotels of all price points—to reclaim hotel art. In recent years, hotel art has been transformed from something unconsidered and embarrassing into a selling point—a sign of sophistication and authenticity, an Instagram photo-op, a communication to customers about the kind of people they are and the kind of hotel they’re staying at, or, at the very least, evidence that the hotel isn’t desperately behind the times. Hotel art, if you can believe it, has become a signifier of good taste.

At the Bellagio in Las Vegas, which was opened by the art collector and hotelier Steve Wynn, a $10 million glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly blooms out of the lobby’s ceiling. The W Hotel in South Beach, Florida, has a collection that includes work by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Julian Schnabel—who himself redesigned the interiors of the Gramercy Park Hotel in 2006, just one of many hotels designed by artists. This month, a hotel is opening in Arles, France, that was entirely designed by the artist Jorge Pardo, and just last month another opened in lower Manhattan that turned its stairwell into the Museum of Street Art, inviting graffiti artists to spray-paint there. High-end hotels commission original work all the time, sometimes from blue-chip contemporary artists, and even nonluxury hotels boast about featuring site-specific pieces in their lobbies. And all of this is truly just scratching the surface.

In order to understand how we got here—to a place where hotels are jockeying to distinguish themselves with their art programs—you need to understand how the modern hotel came to be.

The hotel, as we know it, first appeared in America in the 1790s. At the time, inns and taverns were the norm. Places that often housed travelers as a way to procure a liquor license, they were bars with beds, basically. By contrast, these new, modern hotels wanted to emphasize their elegance and luxury. Their architecture was imposing and they were decorated beautifully, from the plush carpets to the chandeliers to the sumptuous wall hangings. And this approach, at the high end of the market, has more or less continued through to the present day.

But in the early 1900s, a man named E. M. Statler pioneered a different, more affordable version of the hotel—one that was always the same. “He was the most influential hotel man of the first half of the 20th century and he wanted people to have a reliable, predictable hotel experience, and that actually carried prestige,” says A. K. Sandoval-Strausz, the author of the book Hotel: An American History. In 1908, the Statler Hotel opened in Buffalo, New York, the first of a number of standardized hotel locations that promised customers to provide, in Statler’s words, “a bed and a bath for a dollar and a half.”

Hotel art, if you can believe it, has become a signifier of good taste.

These hotels were economical, but they were also, in their way, luxurious. If you were traveling to a new, strange city, just knowing that the affordable hotel you’d end up at would be of a basic level of quality, and not a bedbug-infested flophouse, was an innovation. Reliability was so desirable that nearly 70 years after the first Statler Hotel was founded, a hotel chain like Holiday Inn was still advertising itselfas, above all else, predictable—a place where “the best surprise is no surprise.”

But then the backlash to all this sameness arrived: the boutique hotel. In the late 1980s, the hotelier Ian Schrager, one of the co-founders of Studio 54, opened a few hotels in New York that immediately became sensations. One was the Royalton, which was designed by the singular Frenchman Philippe Starck, whose witty, playful lobby included velvet armchairs that leaned back at precipitous angles, wall sconces in the shape of rhinoceros horns, and three-legged chairs that had a tendency to tip over.

“These hotels in New York became the gathering spots for the beau monde,” says Mayer Rus, the West Coast editor of Architectural Digest. “Everybody wanted to have a drink, a power lunch at the Royalton, and it gave birth to this movement of hoteliers who wanted to signify cool, signify chic, and draw people into their properties by promising an experience—what would now be called a curated experience.”

These early boutique hotels had an elevated, even unexpected, style. They weren’t standardized because they wanted to set themselves—and by extension the person who stayed there—apart. These hotels could be funky, elegant, sexy, but they were intentionally designed, with a very strong sense of place, because the whole idea was that when you were there, you weren’t nowhere—you were somewhere. In the 30 years since, the idea that a hotel ought to be a designed experience has expanded beyond boutique hotels to most hotels. And if you need proof, look no further than the Super 8.

If you walk into a Super 8 today, instead of seeing, say, a kitschy, impressionistic sailboat, you’ll see two huge, chunkily framed, very polished black-and-white photographs above the bed, serving as both room art and headboard. These images are not just of anything—they’re related to the specific location of that specific Super 8. At one Fort Worth, Texas, Super 8, for example, there’s a photograph of a cowboy on a horse, in silhouette, getting ready to use his lasso. At another, a Los Angeles Super 8, there’s a photograph of Mann’s Chinese Theater, lit up at night.

“One of the things that we recognized is that this next generation of traveler, they’re interested in things like farm-to-table,” says Mike Mueller, the brand leader for Super 8s worldwide. “They want to know where things are sourced. They want to know where things are coming from, where they can go for a truly local authentic experience.”

Super 8s, which are scattered all over North America and even in China, can often be found near inauspicious interstate exits. I’ve stayed at a few in my life—driving away from college with a U-Haul full of stuff, between Chicago and New York; on a road trip, somewhere in the Texas Panhandle—and I could not possibly be more specific about their locations, because that’s what was so useful about Super 8s: They’re just right there, when right there is the middle of nowhere. The idea of a Super 8 as a place that’s anything other than a stopover, as a place that should be locally branded—it shows just how deeply ingrained this new idea of what a hotel should be has become.

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Eco Friendly

Concerned about your travel carbon footprint? Here are 5 easy tips on being an eco-friendly traveler! 

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Best Power Banks for Charging Up Your Phone on the Go

The Most Important Features to Consider When Buying a Power Bank

We’ve had a lot of power banks and portable chargers over the years. If you’re a phone is essentially a work tool, as it us for us while we travel, then choosing a portable charger based on design isn’t enough.

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Power banks can tell you their theoretical charging capability by that mAh number on them, which is a number that’s often meaningless to most of us. mAh is the battery capacity in layman’s terms. Today’s smartphones have the average battery capacity of 2800mAh. That means that a 6000mAh power bank should fully charge up your phone twice and a tablet 1.5 times.

Aside from mAh, how quickly the power bank charges up our phones, how long the power bank holds its charge and the ease of portability are the most important features for us.

Lepow Moonstone in five colors: red, green, white, yellow and black Our Lepow Moonstone is still going strong after years of use

Best Super Long Lasting Power Bank: Lepow Moonstone Portable Charger We’ve owned our very same Lepow power bank since 2014 and this little guy is still going strong. The version we have is the 6000mAh, which will charge up an iPhone 8 two full charges. Lepow does make a 10000mAh version, though we haven’t had the need to upgrade yet.

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We like that the Lepow Moonstone has two USB outputs, which means we can both charge up our iPhones at the same time from one portable charger. We’ve also used this power bank to charge up our DJI Mavic Pro remote controller. One power output is actually a fast charging power bank output, while the other is the same equivalent of plugging your phone in with a wall charger. It takes about 2 hours to fully charge an iPhone from the regular output and half of that to fully charge an iPhone from the fast output.

Lepow Moonstone is capable of holding its charge for weeks at a time. And even though ours is now four years old, it still charges up to 100%, holds its’ charge and charges our iPhones fully twice before the power bank needs recharged. It weighs 5.5 ounces and the square shape is equivalent to putting a powder compact in my purse. Tim can also comfortably put it the pockets of his cargo shorts, but it’s a little too fat to comfortably put in the pockets of jeans. It comes with a felt pouch and charging cable.

Best Power Bank for Adventure Travel: Fospower PowerActive Rugged Power Bank The Fospower PowerActive portable power bank is advertised to be waterproof, snow proof, dirt proof and drop proof. We decided to put it to the test on our trip to Oman, where we spent the majority of our time either diving or in the desert.

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It’s 10200mAh, which will fully charge up an iPhone 8 4-5 times. There’s one 2.1A output, so you can only charge up one device at a time but it charges up devices quickly for a full charge in about 1 hour. The power bank holds its charge for about a week.

It weighs 7.8 ounces and it’s compact, but best for carrying inside of a bag or backpack. It’s just slightly too big to really carry in a pocket.

As for the waterproof, it can withstand being submerged in 3-feet of water for up to 30 minutes. The cover seal to the port needs to be closed securely, and it withstood getting wet while our bag sat on the floor of the dive boat. It would have also been a great portable charger for iPhone to have during those downpours while we were trekking in Nepal because it’s just one less electronic device and piece of camera equipment we need to ensure gets stuffed into a dry sack.

It definitely held its own when it came to being dirt proof. After getting hit with a surprise sandstorm that was like Imhotep had raised up a wall of sand and dropped it down upon us à la The Mummy, the Fospower PowerActive was the only thing not pouring sand out of all of its nooks and crannies for days after. There was a layer of dust and sand that covered everything, even inside of our tent, as the wind howled and whipped the fine golden sands of the Rub Al Khali into spinning cyclones traveling across Oman’s Empty Quarter all night long. The only thing that the sand wasn’t practically glued to was the power bank, which easily wiped clean thanks to its design.

There’s also a built-in flashlight, which came in handy for walking around to our tent and just being able to see once dark fell in the desert. Again, the built-in flashlight would have spared us from packing headlamps and power banks on many trips when you’re only using a headlamp to go to an from a bathroom.

The Fospower PowerActive comes with a charging cable, a strap that has a compass on it and a carabiner that attaches to the strap.

Lovie Style interior showing credit card slots, passport slot, cash slot, cable holder, power bank pocket, an elastic bandage Lovie Style Phone Charging Passport Holders come with a slim power bank

Best Multi-Purpose Power Bank: Lovie Style Phone Charging Passport Holder Even though our go-to Lepow mobile power bank can fully charge up an iPhone twice, our work days on media trips can often stretch on for 16 hours. Between constantly recording video for Instagram Story, taking notes and other functions we use our iPhones for, we can drain our batteries quickly. We might charge up two or more times in a day. That’s why I love my Lovie Style phone charging passport holder. I almost always have it with me if we’re traveling to stash away our passports and make sure they stay in their best shape. And the Lovie Style comes with a slim 4000mAh power bank that easily slides in and out of the passport holder. We can grab it for a third iPhone power bank for a long day out.

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At 4000mAh, the slim power bank charges up an iPhone fully once. It’s just 1 centimeter thick, so it’s very easy to stash in a purse or pocket without taking up much space at all.

We Recommend Best Passport Holders for Travelers The Lovie Style phone charging passport holder comes with the power bank, which has built-in lightning & micro USB cables.

Anker PowerCore Mini in silver Anker PowerCore Mini is a mobile charger the size of a tube of chapstick

Best Compact Power Bank: Anker PowerCore Mini Sometimes you just need a really compact phone battery charger that is small enough to toss inside of an evening bag or put in a pocket. Anket PowerCore Mini delivers 3350mAh charging power in a chapstick-sized tube. It charges up an iPhone 8 fully in about 3-4 hours.

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Book now!

$5 Off Per Night

Five more reasons to take the scenic route

Enjoy $5 off per night on our Best Available Rate at participating Super 8 by Wyndham hotels. Book by October 1, 2018, and complete your stay by October 2, 2018.

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McKenzie River

Feel the exhilarating tingle of fresh air and rushing water as you journey into the Cascade Mountains along the McKenzie River. Revel in the solitude among sun-soaked old growth forests, then find camaraderie in the half dozen riverside communities.

RELAX AT THE LODGE

Another great thing about the McKenzie River are the numerous yet secluded riverfront lodges, cabins and campgrounds. Most of the lodging is snug along waterways or tucked up into woodsy acreage. Reserve a collection of cabins for a large group reunion or sneak away from the gang to a cozy B&B.

From glamping to roughing it, there are plenty of places to stay.

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What can I do to ease my back pain?

Pre-Flight

Believe it not your preparation begins before you even take off. The stronger your back and core is before the flight, the better chance you have of surviving it without pain. Participating in activities like Pilates or similar core strengthening exercises can go a long way in the battle against back pain.

Mid-Flight

There are methods to alleviate your back pain while you’re in the air as well. These include:

walking up and down the aisle every 40 minutes or so will allow your back muscles to loosen up a little.

Try to stretch using these stretching exercises if you can find the space. (An aisle seat is perfect for this).

placing a book on the floor to put your feet on will raise your legs slightly, putting them in better alignment with your hips.

using a pillow or rolled up sweatshirt as lumbar support on the back of your seat, which will act as a cushion for your lower back.

being hydrated. Dehydration can worsen back pain, especially if you have pre-existing disc problems. Make sure you drink plenty of water and try to avoid caffeinated drinks.

Post-Flight

If you are still experiencing pain after your flight, it’s important to get up and moving. Avoid sitting or lying down for long periods of time as this could just make the pain worse.

Seeing your chiropractor is a fantastic option if you are feeling the effects of flight related back pain. Sometimes a simple adjustment to your spine before and after a plane trip can save you from dealing with unnecessary back pain. Talk to your chiropractor about good posture techniques and exercises for your travels.

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The Top Five Items People Ask About: Razors, Batteries, Makeup, Shampoo & Deodorant

1. Razors - There’s a lot of confusion out there as to what types of razors are OK to pack in your carry-on baggage. So people ask us about this one all the time.

Safety Razors: Because the razor blades are so easy to remove, safety razors are not permitted in your carry-on luggage with the blade. They’re fine to pack in your carry-on without the blade. The blades must be stored in your checked luggage. The same applies for straight razors.

Disposable Razors: Disposable razors come in two types. The kind that is completely disposable (handle and all), or the kind where you replace them with cartridges. These are permissible in carry-on luggage with the blade and replacement cartridges.

Electric Razors: Electric razors are permitted in both checked and carry-on bags.   

2. Batteries - Whether they’re for business, health reasons, or leisure, we all travel with gadgets, and gadgets need batteries! Here’s a rundown of different types of batteries and whether they’re permitted or not. If you have any additional questions about batteries, please reach out to the FAA.Batteries Allowed in Carry-on Bags: Batteries Allowed in Checked Bags: Prohibited Batteries: Battery Chargers: Dry cell alkaline batteries; typical AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt, button sized cells, etc.Dry cell rechargeable batteries such as Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) and Nickel Cadmium (NiCad).Jump starters with lithium ion batteries.Lithium ion batteries (a.k.a.: rechargeable lithium, lithium polymer, LIPO, secondary lithium).Consumer-sized lithium ion batteries [no more than 8 grams of equivalent lithium content or 100 watt hours (wh) per battery]. This size covers AA, AAA, 9-volt, cell phone, PDA, camera, camcorder, Gameboy, and standard laptop computer batteries.Up to two larger lithium ion batteries (more than 8 grams, up to 25 grams of equivalent lithium content per battery) in their carry-on. This size covers larger extended-life laptop batteries. Most consumer lithium ion batteries are below this size. Lithium ion batteries that are between 101 – 160 wh are allowed in carry-on bags with airline approval.Lithium metal batteries (a.k.a.: non-rechargeable lithium, primary lithium). These batteries are often used with cameras and other small personal electronics. Consumer-sized batteries (up to 2 grams of lithium per battery) may be carried. This includes all the typical non-rechargeable batteries for personal film cameras and digital cameras (AA, AAA, 123, CR123A, CR1, CR2, CRV3, CR22, 2CR5, etc.) as well as the flat round lithium button cells.Except for lithium batteries, all the batteries allowed in carry-on baggage are also allowed in checked baggage; however, we recommend that you pack them in your carry-on bag whenever possible. In the cabin, airline flight crews can better monitor conditions, and have access to the batteries or device if a fire does occur.Car batteries, wet batteries, or spillable batteries are prohibited from both carry-on and checked baggage unless they are being used to power a scooter or wheelchair. If you need to pack a spare battery for a scooter or wheelchair, you must advise the aircraft operator so the battery can be properly packaged for air travel.Spare lithium batteries (both lithium metal and lithium ion/polymer) are prohibited in checked baggage.Lithium-Ion and Lithium-Polymer batteries are the most common rechargeable cell types found in Portable Chargers. Portable chargers are allowed in carry-on bags only.External battery chargers/Power banks/Uninstalled or spare lithium ion batteries must be packed in carry-on bags

3. MakeupFor many, traveling with makeup is just as important as traveling with batteries. You’ve just gotta have it. Makeup in a solid or powder form is allowed in carry-on and checked bags with no quantity or size limitations. However, when packed in carry-on bags, makeup in a liquid, lotion, gel, paste or creamy form, must be in containers that are 3.4 ounces or less. You can take as many travel-sized liquids as you can comfortably fit into one quart-sized, zip-top bag. One liquids bag is allowed per passenger in carry-on bags. We don't limit the size or quantity of liquids in checked bags.

4 & 5. Shampoo & DeodorantYou’ve got to smell nice and keep your hair shiny, so it’s not surprise that many people ask about shampoo and deodorant.Shampoo/Conditioner and deodorant must be in containers that are 3.4 ounces or less in carry-on bags. You're allowed to take as many travel-sized liquids as can fit into a single quart-sized, zip-top bag. One bag is allowed per passenger in carry-on. Larger containers of such items must be placed in checked bags. Solid and powder deodorant are allowed in carry-on bags and aren't limited in size.       

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Make a List

I can not emphasize the importance of this enough. I am a classic list maker and planner, so every task in my life gets a list. It doesn’t matter if I am going grocery shopping, trying to remember an errand I need to run, or packing for a trip. My brain likes to have everything written down.

When I write things down, I am able to go through each item several times and make sure I have them packed and ready to go. The list also helps with the stress that can be associated with packing.

Purchase the Packing Cubes

If someone asked me what the #1 packing item is for me, I would definitely say packing cubes. They revolutionized the way I pack. Several years ago, I kept seeing videos and blog posts about how amazing they were and I finally caved and purchased some. Now, I can’t go anywhere without them.

Originally, I thought they would add a lot of bulk to my luggage, but they don’t. They make everything fit nicely inside of my suitcase and everything is organized out perfectly. I place my pajamas in one, undergarments in one, tops in one, and bottoms in another. So, if I am looking for pajamas, I just have to take one packing cube out of my luggage. No more messy clothes inside of my suitcase.

Note from Laura: I agree packing cubes are the best! You can purchases these at most department stores now. What’s most important is finding ones that fit your particular suitcase. Check out these travel packing cubes on Amazon if you’d like (this is my affiliate link, I will make a small commission should you purchase through my link).

Pack a Laundry Bag

This is something I finally realized. Pack some sort of laundry bag when traveling, so you can separate the dirty clothes from the clean clothes. Let’s be honest. The little plastic hotel laundry bags they give you in your room won’t even hold one outfit. They are definitely not going to hold an entire family’s dirty clothes.

So, I have learned to take some sort of laundry bag. Until our last trip, it was a plastic 13 gallon garbage bag. Then, I decided to spend $2.50 for a collapsible tote from Wal-Mart that can compress down super small when not in use.

A laundry bag used to be the last thing on my list, but now it is the first.

Pack Reusable Totes

I can not tell you how many trips we take where we always need some sort of extra bag when coming home. And, we do not do a lot of shopping on trips. Most of our trips involve cheer competitions or visiting family. But, we seem to always need an extra bag when coming home for food, souvenirs, or goodies that my mom sends with us.

So, I now travel with at least one reusable bag. These bags can fold down to be super small, which means they take up no room in your luggage. But, they fold out to hold a nice amount of things.

I have been traveling with one for over a year now and it helps so much with organization.

How do you stay organized when traveling?

My name is Kristin and I am a middle school career education teacher by day and a mommy/wife/blogger by night. I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have two loving children. We recently made a life-changing move to Arkansas, so our new house is always under construction. I get excitement out of finding new creative, functional, and cute ways to organize things! I also enjoy writing and documenting life as it happens. So, I put these loves together and created The Gold Project. With the help of my husband, I am attempting to turn our house into a home. So, check out this special place of mine and take this journey with me!

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6 ITEMS I PACK FOR EVERY TRIP (AND YOU SHOULD TOO!)

1. Used (and new) Dryer Sheets

I learned this trick from a fashion designer friend of mine: a used dryer sheet removes deodorant marks from any type of fabric! This is perfect to have on hand if you are planning on wearing the same clothing over and over. New dryer sheets will keep your bag smelling fresh and are also great to tuck into smelly shoes that you've worn all day and have to throw into your bag or tuck under your bed in a hostel dorm room.

2. A Physical Map

Yes, I know that everyone has a smartphone now, but not everyone has an international phone plan.

Not wanting to spend exorbitant amounts on roaming fees, or bother to get a new SIM card if I am only going to be in the country for a week, my phone becomes nothing more than a camera as soon as I step out of wifi when travelling.

Purchasing a physical map before you arrive is the best way to make sure you have a way to navigate a new city — especially if you are arriving really late or early.

3. A Small Flashlight

Reading in bed or getting up early at your hostel, looking under the hood of your rental car when it breaks down on the side of the road, deciding to spend a night camping — you never know when you are going to need a light! (Click here for flashlight reviews).

4. Ziplock Bags

I always bring extra ziplock bags when I travel.

They are durable and the perfect way to store wet items, things that might leak, or smelly clothing.

5. Laundry Detergent

Don't bother with the mini travel packs that you can get, you are better off bringing some detergent in a small travel shampoo bottle. That way you can control how much you use when you need to wash just one or two items in the sink.

6. A Water Bottle With A Wide Opening

Having a water bottle that you can refill to carry with you is important for long travel days, but the bottle can also double as the perfect place to pack small breakable items or jewellery.

I have put perfume bottles, glass souvenirs, and delicate earrings in mine that have stayed intact in both my carry on bag and my checked luggage.

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Mckenzie River

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What are the Advantages of an Online Booking System?

One advantage of booking a hotel, flight or car rental online is the convenience. Being able to make all your travel plans on the Internet means you can do it any time of the day or night at home, or while you're on your lunch break at the office. Customers on the go can even make reservations on their smartphones or tablets. There's no need for lengthy phone calls or visits to a travel agency -- with just a few minutes and a click of the mouse, you'll have all your plans finalized.

Prices

You can shop around when making online reservations and choose the best price. Many hotel and airline websites boast of having the lowest prices and even offer Internet-only offers for travelers, which are deeply discounted. You might be caught paying an extra fee to speak with customer service representatives if you make travel arrangements over the phone, so another advantage of booking online is saving money on all those extra hidden fees.

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5 tips to help avoid identity theft during summer travel

1) Don’t tell everyone your summer travel plans

We all get excited for summer vacation but announcing your plans online is not a good idea. I’m the first to say I break this common rule frequently. Experts advise against sharing your vacation plans on social media and during casual conversations with acquaintances. By sharing that your home will be empty for a specific period of time you are at a higher risk for identity theft. If you’re going to be away from home for an extended period of time, place your mail on hold and have a neighbor be sure to pick up packages or other items left at your front door from delivery carriers. Don’t draw attention to your home being empty by allowing newspapers to pile up  on your doorstep. Temporarily stop your delivery service or have a neighbor pick up your paper.

2) Only carry essentials in your wallet while traveling

With the possibility of losing  your wallet or someone taking it purposely, be sure to leave all the extras at home. Shopping cards, library cards, extra credit cards, and other items with any personal information should be left home in a safe. While it might feel silly to put your pharmacy shopping card in a safe, think about how detrimental it could be if someone assuming your identity had all of your personal cards.

3) Protect your smartphone

Smartphones are full of personal information. While traveling it’s a good idea to set up a screen lock with a pass code required in case your phone is lost or stolen.

4) Do not provide your personal information to anyone without proper verification

Popular identity theft scams include calls to hotel rooms pretending to be the front desk asking to verify credit card information. As always, don’t ever provide your personal information to anyone without first verifying their identification and intent.

5) Protect your identity with LifeLock

This summer my family traveled multiple times and I always felt secure knowing I would receive an alert from LifeLock anytime my personal information was used. As a social media influencer, sometimes it’s challenging for me to avoid sharing my location through social media and as a victim of identity theft already, I completely know the devastating consequences. However, I gained back my sense of security with Lifelock and wasn’t worried during summer travel this year.