We’re ready to begin packing for our Route 66 trip later this month. I’m counting down the days, planning as I go so that our trip has a better chance of fewer hiccups.
Today I’m adding pre-addressed mailing labels and a roll of postcard stamps to my list. Whenever I travel, I love sending postcards, but I often find it time-consuming to address postcards and write them while on the road. A few years ago, I began purchasing blank mailing labels and addressing them ahead of time, and throwing in a roll of postcard stamps and a couple of pens in a Ziploc bag each time I travel (I also roll my pens with several layers of Duck Tape, using the barrel as the tape core just in case we need to repair something). This stays in my backpack so that if a store sells postcards, I can purchase them right there, write a quick message, stamp and label them, and ask if they have any outgoing mail. I did this in record time in Luckenbach, Texas in February 2022 so that I could get the Luckenbach postmark from their tiny post office rather than mailing them from a different location later.
It makes sending mail from the road more efficient, and I like to send the grandchildren postcards so that they can see where we are in the world and learn a little history of the places we visit. Perhaps, too, they’ll catch a case of travel fever and we’ll be able to take them to a couple of places that spark their interest.
My love of travel hacks started years ago when I read on Pinterest that I should travel with my makeup and moisturizer in contact lens cases, and I realized that if I found ways of scaling back, I could travel with nothing but a carry-on bag. The hardest part is deciding which pair of shoes to take.
Other than pens rolled in Duck Tape, makeup in contact lens cases, and pre-addressed mailing labels, what are some of your favorite travel hacks? I can use all the handy tips you’re willing to share in the comments.
Common Threads 