How to Travel Efficiently and Without Stress!

Want to make travel easier, more organized, and far less stressful?

In this episode of The Efficiency Advantage, productivity expert Juli Shulem shares her proven system for traveling efficiently, staying organized, and eliminating last-minute chaos. From creating the perfect packing list and organizing travel essentials to simplifying airport experiences and avoiding common travel mistakes, Juli reveals practical strategies that save time, reduce stress, and help you enjoy your trip from start to finish.

Whether you're traveling for business, vacation, conferences, or family adventures, you'll learn simple habits that make packing easier, improve organization, and help you stay focused on what matters most: enjoying the journey.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed before a trip, forgotten important items, or struggled with packing, this episode will give you the tools to travel smarter, lighter, and with confidence.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Are you ready to finally break free from overwhelm, procrastination, and burnout? If you're ready to focus on what truly matters and create momentum to reach and exceed your goals in business and in life, then this podcast is for you. Welcome to the Efficiency Advantage, the podcast where clarity meets action and purpose that fuels your progress. So here's world-class productivity expert and your host, Coach Julie.

SPEAKER_01 0:44

Welcome to the Efficiency Advantage Podcast. I'm Julie Shulam, your host, and today's episode is all about how to travel efficiently and without stress. Since this is the beginning of summer and many of you are probably going to be traveling over the next few months, I thought I would share some tips and ideas on packing and traveling efficiently and without stress. So I have traveled all over the world for many, many years, and I've taken all kinds of trips from cruises to exotic locations to tropical islands, and I just basically travel rather frequently. Consequently, I have a really great system for preparing for a trip and packing, which reduces stress. So I thought I'd share my process here because a lot of people have been asking about this. So let's talk about getting ready for a trip. For this example, I'm going to assume you are traveling via airplane because obviously packing for a road trip is quite different because you don't have to worry about restrictions and requirements from airlines. Here's my simple process. Whether you travel for business and need to be ready quickly or are going on a vacation, these tips will make your travels far more efficient and enjoyable. So the first thing I do when I book a trip, as soon as I have my airfare booked, I open up my task list in my phone, which for me is reminders on my iPhone. You can use whatever it is that you ordinarily keep track of your tasks on, and I create a brand new list. I call it packing list for, and then I put the name of the place I'm going to, so that I have a place to start listing things I will need to bring. I have a general packing list already established in my phone. So sometimes I can just copy that list and modify it for the new upcoming trip. Now, sometimes there are specific items for certain locations. For example, this week I'm going to Louisiana. So I'm going to make sure that I have things that are going to be appropriate for that location and the weather this time of year. Now, for the time before the trip, and as I think of something that I want to make sure I do pack for my trip, I will simply type it into the app. And that just makes things so much easier. Now I've been adding things to this list for a few weeks now. Next, I have things prepared, prepared early so that my packing goes much simpler, much easier. I have a pre-packed toiletry bag. It is always ready for a trip of up to two weeks. I have this designated bag that is everything that I might need for this time period. That includes small little versions of toothpaste and travel size containers of shampoo and anything else that's going to fill that, you know, I'm basically going to need for the time I'm gone. Now, you can either buy small little containers of things that they sell in the stores where you can have the mini versions, or you can get travel containers that you can fill with various products over and over again yourself. That way, if you decide not to check your bag, everything in your toiletry bag will be going through security easily without a problem because it meets the requirements. Sometimes I might be going to a conference and I'll need to make sure I've got extra hair products and tools and things that I use for my hair. So I have everything in this toiletry bag, but those extra things I will have separately. I also have a makeup bag with duplicates of everything that I use on a regular basis. And that way I keep a small version of my makeup setup from home in this small makeup bag. You don't need to have additional duplicates of everything in there. Just have, you know, one of everything that you need while away. I'm also always rotating those things out. So for example, mascara, which you know could dry up and go bad uh relatively soon. I'm not gonna keep that in there for years on end. I will cycle it out when it becomes toward the end of the product, uh, you know, what I have available product, and then I'll put a brand new one in my toiletry bag that I'm traveling with. So I'm cycling things through a lot so I don't open up my bag while I'm away and find everything's all dried up and and not usable because sometimes getting them when you're on vacation is not so easy, I've learned. I also have um my designated travel hairbrush, travel uh blow or dry, you know, blow dryer brush, a travel flat iron, and because of my hair, I need those things on a regular basis. So I make sure I have small versions of everything so it's just easy to travel with. Okay, so I have all of these things written on my packing list. Back to the toiletry bag. What I do with that is kind of standard operating procedure for me. As soon as I get back from a trip and before I put it back in the closet, I restock it. So anything that I ran out of on my prior trip, I restock it right away so that my next trip it's ready to grab and go. This is non-negotiable. You don't want to have to sit and go through all that stuff again right before you're getting ready to go on a trip. You have enough to do. Let's not make the travel or the toiletry bag one of those new big projects because that requires a lot of decisions. You want to reduce the amount of decisions you have to make before a trip. Clothing and all the other things that you have to deal with when you're packing and getting ready is enough. Have the toiletry bag pre-packed. Don't think about it. Medications, vitamin supplements, and those things. Now, when I organize my vitamins and supplements for the month, which is something I do without fail, I set up all the things that I'm going to be taking in those little containers that are marked by the day. And because I do that in advance, I also think in advance, okay, what trip do I have coming up? I do tend to travel often right now. So I will make extra, I will have extra containers for traveling. Now, I don't like to travel with those plastic containers that you can get that keep track of your supplements and such in them because I've had those open up and I don't want that. They also take up room. And when I'm done with them, I don't want to have to carry that back and again take up room with something I'm not using for anything. So what I do is I will set up more of these little, I will use little containers basically in my kitchen and put out all of the things that I'm going to be taking on a daily basis. I also have pre-purchased and have the these in stock and have them for years, these tiny little plastic sealable baggies. They're two by two inches and they hold everything that I will need and take in one day. So I have one per day and I have them set up so that I will each of these baggies has a number on them. I already have a set with numbers one through 31, and I take out the baggies for the days that I'm going to be gone, the dates, literal dates. So for example, this trip I'm going on, I will be gone from the 7th to the 13th. I don't need anything on the 7th because I will take my vitamins before I leave on my trip. So I need baggies and containers, if you will, the little baggies, from the 8th to the 13th. So I take those out only, fill them with the vitamins, minerals, or not minerals, vitamins, and supplements I have for each day. And I then put all of those in a small little either reusable Ziploc baggie or just a regular Ziploc baggie. And now I have all of those in a very small space. They don't take up much room. I keep them in in my carry-on or in my purse. They are not something that will ever go into my checked bag. Now, even if you think there is no way you would forget something like this, don't count on it and don't put yourself under that pressure of having to remember everything. Put it on your list. And as a task in advance, if you need to actually put your vitamins together, your uh supplements and everything that you're going to be taking, do that a couple, three weeks out just in case you need to order something. If you're going to run out before the trip is over, make sure that you have enough for your trip and also when you get back. So you don't end up not having things that you need when you get when you return. So I will then keep this either in my vitamin cupboard uh that I have in my kitchen with any of the medications as well. And then this way I have everything ready to go when it's time to pack. Be mindful about bringing entire bottles of things. I've seen people who have done this where they have just a whole bunch of bottles of everything that they're taking on their trip, but you don't need everything in the bottles. And if it's a supplement or vitamin, you don't need to carry that with you. Just put them in the baggies and you know that everything in that one baggie is what you take on a regular basis for the day. If you have medicines though, then that is a different story. If you do have prescriptions, it's really and it's important that you have the bottle with you. That's understandable and make sure you allow for that. So next on the preparation schedule is to look at the weather for where you're going. You can check the weather often on most of your apps, about 10 days out. I look and see what the weather is going to be like, and then I plan my entire wardrobe accordingly. This goes for accessories, shoes, and other items I might need to travel with, such as an umbrella or my water container. I also plan the shoes that I'm going to need, of course. Now, when I plan my attire and what I'm going to take in terms of clothing, I lay everything out on my bed and I keep things themed by one or two colors. If you have too many different themes or colors and so much variety in terms of outfits, you're going to need to bring a lot of shoes and accessories and things to go with all that. And that's great. If you've got a special, you know, party or event that you're going to be attending, you're speaking at an event, then that's fine for those singular activities. But for the most part, you want to kind of keep your attire themed out a little better so that you can combine things together and make multiple outfits with fewer items. You can wear things more than once. So this way you make sure that things overlap and that you've got maybe two or three tops that can go with many, many bottoms, you know, pants and skirts. I've also found sometimes bringing a dress is going to take up less space than perhaps a top and a pair of pants. The other thing is make sure that you're picking things that you don't have to take every pair of shoes you own. I tend to pick things where one pair of shoes will work for all my casual outfits and then one pair of shoes for maybe the dressier items. This way I don't have to bring so many shoes because you know there's not a lot of room in your suitcase for those things typically. Other things to consider when packing. I like to pack my travel yoga mat and some mini bands that I can work with to do my workouts. Sometimes the gym isn't going to be available or it's not something I want to work out in. And I want to make sure I get my workout done every day. So I can do this with a minimal amount of equipment. And these things that I bring, they fold up into small little bits and they fit in little pockets and little you know spaces between things in my package, in my in my luggage, I should say. Now, when you get down to doing the actual packing of clothes, I do love using packing cubes. I found a great set online and it was very inexpensive. And despite my skeptical thought that it might not hold up, I can say I've used them many times over and I've even gotten them for other people. Now, one thing I do is either have my outfits organized by day. So maybe I'll have a pair of pants and the top and undergarments and anything that is going to be working together with that outfit for that day that I'm going to wear together. And I will pack them as outfits for each day. So that's one way you can do it. The other way is you can pack items that are similar. So I will pack all my tops in one cube, the bottoms in another cube, undergarments are in another one altogether. And then it's very easy to access everything. And I pull from column A, column B, you know, from the different cubes, and put my outfits together. Now I know some people struggle with what they're going to wear each day on a regular basis, and that doesn't go away when they travel. So if you want to make sure you remember what it was you were going to wear for specific events and on specific days, take a picture of the outfits you've designed when you've laid them out on your bed. And you can even make a little note to yourself, a little schedule of what you're going to wear each day if that makes your life easier. I also make sure that my jewelry works with the outfit that I've packed. And I tend to not like to bring a lot of jewelry with me. It's just not my thing. I will bring one or two special pieces that will go with certain outfits, and then I have some standard stuff that I just kind of wear on an everyday basis. Also, I pack my jewelry very carefully and make sure it is always with me in my carry-on and/or in my purse at all times. This is not something that ever goes in a checked bag. So now everything from head to toe is figured out in advance. And once you have all this done, I personally don't like to put everything in my suitcase too far in advance so it doesn't wrinkle. But what you can do is just hang up the things that you have selected from your closet and either on those pop-out rods, if you have the closet you know organizing system and you've got a way to keep things separate from the rest of your clothing, or just hang them in a certain area in your closet of the things that you're you're gonna bring on your trip. And I do this so that I don't wear them right before I'm going. So I don't have to sit and do laundry in order to have the things ready that I want to pack with me. So I'll take them out of my normal closet area and put them somewhere so that they're ready to pack when it's time. Now, when it does get time to, you know, packing, I print out that list of things that I made earlier. I select my suitcase and then I start gathering the items that I'm gonna be taking. As I put each item in the suitcase, I check it off from the list. And then I know that everything on that list that has been checked is in the bag. Now, there are some items, obviously, that I wear on travel day. I actually circle those items on the list and I will take the item and set it aside. I have a chair in my bedroom that I will put things that I'm going to wear on travel day, you know, with the socks, the shoes, the jacket, everything that's going to be coming with me, but not packed. That being said, invariably there will also be things that I want to bring last minute that I want to remember to grab before leaving that I can't pack. For example, a frozen water bottle. I actually bring a frozen water bottle as my ice pack. This way I have something that I don't have to take back with me if I don't want to, because uh maybe I'll even consume the water as it defrosts or I will toss it, whatever. But this way I have a really easy ice pack with me. Sometimes I do like to carry some of my own food, and sometimes it is perishable. So I want to make sure that it is on ice. FYI, you can go through TSA with a frozen water bottle. I have done this for many, many years. It's thick enough that it doesn't defrost fast, and it has never been an issue. Once in a while they'll flag my bag and they'll take a look at it, and then they notice, oh, it's just a frozen water bottle, and then they send me on my way. It's a wonderful little trick that I learned that a lot of people don't know. And I was really glad that someone shared it with me many years ago. And a last little bit of organizing for a trip. So we all have reservations and tickets and all that is documents for our travels. And I know many of us like to keep everything on our phones, but I'm going to make a suggestion to you. Print it out anyway. I know that when I have a hard copy of things, I don't worry about my phone not behaving or the battery going out. It's simply not worth the stress. Also, if you can't locate a document really quickly on your phone, that can become a stressor. Recently, a friend of mine was traveling for a good length of time out of the country, and she had in her email the name of the place where her car was parked. And when she returned, she couldn't access the information very quickly, and she couldn't remember where her car was parked. So they couldn't get on the right shuttle right away. So after quite a few minutes of being stressed out, she finally got to the email, but it was just an unnecessary level of stress at the end of a very long trip with no sleep. So now that whole issue could have been resolved by simply having a printout of the information and having it accessible. Put it in your wallet or somewhere that you know you can access it easily. So I travel with a document sleeve. It's a wonderful tool that I use in my office for everything, actually. Share that in another podcast. And I use this for putting all of my documents, my printouts of everything in my immediate bag. So it's really accessible. I definitely have my ticket on my in my Apple wallet, and I, you know, also have a printout just in case. I also keep a printout of my itinerary, pretty much any document I need. In addition, when I park my car in the lot, I take a picture of the parking ticket, you know, document that I have and a photo of my car showing where it is parked should the ticket disappear, because I've had that happen just once. This way you always have access so that you don't have to worry about finding your car and getting to it easily. So these are little safeguards that you can do that will really make your future self happier and will thank you for keeping the stress to a very, very low level and enjoy your trip a little bit more, hopefully. Now, if this is really easy for you in general and you love to travel or you just don't get stressed out by it, that's great. But just imagine how little stress you would be able to experience and how much maybe more comfortable and easy your travels would be if you kind of did some of this prep work before you even got to the airport and began your journey. It's a thought. I'll tell you one last little secret that I've been doing for decades when I know there's something that I have to take last minute, such as something out of the freezer or I want to bring my water bottle. What I do is I write these items that I want to make sure I grab on a large piece of paper and then I tape it to the inside of my exit door. Now, for me, that's my garage door. So the list of things that I want to make sure I don't walk out of the house without are in my face. If it's something that can hang on the doorknob, I'll hang it, such as my jacket or my purse. And then when I go to open the door, obviously, duh, it's in my hand without any thought. And then I walk out the door with it. Okay, that is all I have for you today. I wish you successful travels this summer. Be safe. Have a great time. And hopefully, this process of organizing for a trip will make your life and your journeys that much more enjoyable. Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. This is Julie Shulam, and you've been listening to the Efficiency Advantage podcast. If you like what you're hearing, please go ahead and subscribe, share a comment, and share this with friends. We just got ranked in the top 10% of podcasts globally in just a few months. We have been live. So I thank you for listening and please continue to do so. There's a lot more where this came from. Have a productive day.

SPEAKER_00 22:59

So that's it for today's episode of The Efficiency Advantage. Head on over to Apple Podcasts iTunes or wherever you listen and subscribe to the show. One lucky listener every single week that posts a review on Apple Podcasts or iTunes will win a chance in the grand prize drawing to win a private VIP day with Coach Julie herself. Be sure to head on over to the EfficiencyAdvantage.com and pick up a free copy of Coach Julie's gift. And join us on the next episode.