Do you ever feel like it’s all too much? Every Thursday, I share one action, habit, or project you may want to undertake in order to improve your health, happiness, and sense of well-being.

PROJECT OF THE WEEK

Have a Travel Toiletry Bag Prepacked for Trips

At Happy Spaces, we are always looking for ways to live smarter, not work harder.

One solution that we have found impactful is to have a Travel Toiletry Bag prepacked.

While some of us dislike packing more than others, very few people enjoy it.

Making a Packing List can help reduce the number of decisions you have to make, as well as limit the likelihood that you will forget something important.

Packing toiletries for your trip can often involve nearly as many individual items as all your non-toiletry items combined. Now that's a lot of decisions!

While most toiletry items aren't that difficult to replace when you get there, forgetting something will add an additional item to your to-do list and will cost you extra money.

Pre-packing a toiletry bag will save you a lot of time and decision-making energy.

Getting Started

How many Prepacked Toiletry Bags do you need?

I would recommend thinking about the types of trips you take and how often they involve flying.

I have found it most helpful to have a main Prepacked Toiletry Bag with your full-size toiletries. By having a full size of each toiletry item packed, you can take the same bag with you whether you are going away for a weekend or a 3-week trip.

Choose a toiletry bag that opens on the top and is fully waterproof. This way you can easily access all the items without having to take them out of the bag. A lunch box may work better for you than a traditional toiletry bag.

I would recommend having a clear storage box with travel-size toiletries. You will mainly use these when packing a carry-on, but having them available to grab will simplify your packing when they are needed.

Space-wise, it doesn't typically make sense to pack a full-size shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and face wash. In addition, if you are not that particular about brands, many places you travel will have these items available.

If you travel by plane at least once a month, you may want to consider having a Carry-On Prepacked Toiletry Bag as well. This bag will be a mix of items that are permanent to the bag, items that you refill, and travel-size items that need to be replaced more often because they are smaller.

If you don't travel by plane once a month, you can simply pack a Carry-On Size Travel Bag from your main Prepacked Toiletry Bag and your clear box of travel-size toiletries.

For carry-on-size travel bags, I recommend choosing a clear bag. This will make it easier to see what's inside. Here is a small option and here is a larger option.

Let us know if you enjoy having a Prepacked Toiletry Bag and how it has added value to your life!

Happy Spaces Tips & Tricks

Keep an inventory of everything that needs to be packed in each type of toiletry bag. This means less decision-making when the time comes.

For travel-size items, I would designate a clear box to store backup travel-size toiletries like deodorant and toothpaste.

For items that need to be refilled, such as hair gel and face wash, I would recommend doing this as part of your unpacking process.

You don’t need to have an oversupply of toiletries in your home to replenish your toiletry bag. When the toothpaste that you store in your bathroom runs out, take the toothpaste from your Prepacked Toiletry Bag and put that into the bathroom. Then replace the toothpaste in your Prepacked Toiletry Bag with brand new toothpaste.

If you travel to a family member's house often, I would recommend purchasing shower items you like and leaving them there. For example, if you visit your mom's house once a month for a weekend, you may want to have a full-size shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and face wash that you leave there.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

We understand how challenging and scary it can be to start something new. If you feel excited about implementing this strategy, but worry that it’s just too much to start on your own, the It’s All in the Planning Started Pak was designed for you!

get started

A Note from Happy Spaces

The goal is to add value to your life. If you think this project will add value:

Estimate how long you think it will take. I would recommend doubling the time you estimate.
Look at your calendar over the next week and pick a date and time to get started.
Make an appointment on your calendar for the estimated time.
If you estimate that completing this project will take longer than one hour, I recommend doing it over multiple days. This will support you in getting started!
Prior to starting this project, take a few minutes to make a step-by-step list of EVERY action you need to take to complete this project.
It's not all or nothing. You can choose to implement only the parts of this project that add value to your life.
An Accountability Partner can be a great support in following through on your goals and commitments.

We understand how challenging it can be to implement new habits and systems. For additional support please go to HappySpacesBySarah.com.

Creating a life you don't need a vacation from! ®

Sincerely,

Sarah Weingarten

Meet Sarah

Growing up as the oldest of nine siblings in Upstate New York, I learned to use organization to create sanity among the chaos. Today, I work together with individuals, families, and small businesses to create habits, systems, and spaces that support their needs, goals, and dreams. Clients often refer to our work together as "life-changing" and "better than decades of therapy". What I love most about my work is the lasting impact it has on real people's lives. Nothing makes me happier than hearing the many success stories of clients I have worked with.

Pre-Pack Your Toiletry Bag