New Uses For Common Travel Items

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Any time a typically packed item can double in the program while traveling, it's a win. Fewer packed essentials means a lighter bag and less fussing at the destination. And let's be honest, who wants to root through an overpacked bag in their room while a destination is waiting to be explored!

Here are a few new uses for common travel items. Let us know if you have any to add!

Baking Soda Make a paste with water and use as a facial exfoliator or as an extra whitener and gritty helper for teeth cleaning.

Vaseline If you scuff your leather shoes while traveling, dab a little vaseline on the area and smooth. Watch the scuff or nick disappear. See more uses for Vaseline here.

A Shoe Use to open a bottle of wine when you're sans corkscrew. Here's how {note, video is in French, but actions speak louder than words}.

Baby Powder Sprinkle in flats or loafers before and after use to freshen shoes and deodorize feet. If you're travelling with a lot of whites, baby power can be used as a stain guard in conjunction with your hotel room's iron. Add a dash of baby powder to the garment's underarm area and iron over it to create a protective barrier against staining. See more uses for baby powder here.

Film Canister I know 99% of us are digital now, but if you can get your hands on a film canister, use it as a mini nail polish remover kit by cutting up a sponge, soaking it in polish remover and placing in the canister. When you want to remove polish, just rub nails with the sponge and close back up for reuse.

Socks Wrap around shoes, especially those with heels to protect both shoes and clothes from being stabbed or pulled.

Shower Cap Use as a shoe bag so your garments don't come in contact with the dirt, germs and sand your soles pick up.

Zip Lock Bags Gets your liquids through security as well as protects your phone or camera pool or beachside.

Bubble Wrap This one is a little far fetched, but I thought it was an excellent compact packing idea when I read about it in Real Simple. Take a piece of bubble wrap the length and width of the unstructured necklaces and bracelets you're traveling with and lay the jewelry on top. Roll it tight to create a padded, on-the-go jewelry organizer. When you open it up, nothing will be tangled. If you don't have bubble wrap, use a sturdy scarf for the same effect. Bonus, place it in a Zip Lock bag for extra protection.

Oven Mitt If you're a last-minute gal who does your hair at the 55th moment, bring an oven mitt to place your still-warm straightener or curling iron into before packing up. Singed clothing crisis averted.

Related Content Double Duty Travel Beauty  Don't Travel Without Using Hotel Room Amenities like MacGyver Going Away? Packing and To Do List

[Images sourced from web]

Healthy On The Road :: INSANITY

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{Editor's Note: When she’s not training clients or being trained by her dog Zuzu, Leah writes Healthy on the Road, published the first Thursday of every month.}

Over the years I have tried out a variety of home workout DVDs, mainly for some quick, convenient yoga or pilates sessions, occasionally for some strengthening, but NEVER for cardio! I love being outside way too much to waste time jumping around indoors. If a workout video has caught my attention, it hasn’t lasted long, usually being cast aside the moment I can recite the instructor’s comments word for word!

So, you can imagine my own surprise at being in week 2 of a 60-day DVD workout program called INSANITY. Having just returned from our cabin---where I was able to fit in 2 awesome whole-body workouts---I figured it was a tool worth sharing with anyone who wants to get in seriously great shape, at home or on the road.

What led this video-hating, outdoor enthusiast to check out the INSANITY workout, you ask? I have this friend I see mostly in the summer at the lake where our families have neighbouring cabins. We love working out together, enjoying similar activities and workout styles. She's in pretty great shape most of the time, but this summer, I just about fell over when I saw her ripped, goddess-like bikini body strut down to the beach. Not only did she look INCREDIBLE, but she was able to weather the first wakeboard of the summer without feeling like her pecs and biceps had been chewed up and spat out. She credits the INSANITY workout program (completed twice this year with her husband) for her incredible results.

Needless to say, I was checking the program out fast, and I liked what I saw. The people at Beach Body (the makers of popular home-based fitness programs such as P90X) have produced a challenging whole-body workout program with loads of variety and no equipment required. Always looking for ways to efficiently incorporate strengthening and flexibility into my aerobic workouts, I decided to give it a try.

Only in week 2, I can already feel my improved strength in areas which will help with injury prevention for activities I love, like running. Word of warning, this is NOT for the faint of heart. These workouts, which deliver a combo of plyometrics, calisthenics, sports drills, core work, yoga stretching and cardio training, are H-A-R-D, and almost impossible to keep up with...you need to be okay with that and know how to listen to your body and take brakes as needed. All these precautions are clearly outlined in the program, so I will not bore you with a long list of them here, but physician clearance is certainly a must if you have any concerns about your readiness for some serious physical exertion.

If you like what you see after checking this out, I encourage you to purchase the program, rather than hunt down free downloads. You will be far more likely to stick to something you have paid for, and the cost of the program {$162 + taxes and shipping to Canada} is WAY less then private personal training. As a trainer, I like the way the company's packaged the product, complete with a workout calendar, baseline fitness test, and an awesome nutritional guide/menu plan. Of course there are many add-ons they encourage you to purchase. I didn't buy anything but the program. I think the jump mat is a great idea as most of us don’t have shock absorbing flooring in our homes or hotel rooms, but I created my own version with a large gym mat which works fine for home use. When I’ve done the program on the road, I go without the mat and just take care to ensure softer landings while doing any jumping exercises.

All you need is a bit of space, a DVD player or laptop, some good cross training shoes, workout clothes (not much...get ready to SWEAT!!!), and you are good to go. A program with this portability that kick-starts your body into great shape is a great option for the frequent traveler who wants to stay fit while on the road and can't always attend fitness class schedules due to travel. Plus if you're ever feeling unmotivated to get in day 10's workout while traveling, the program's online support tools {with access to instructors and peers} should help you to put down the airline peanuts you saved and get in front of the TV to sweat!

More Healthy On the Road… Hydrate! Summer Paddling Healthy Road Trip Choices Make Any Trip Style Healthy The 20-min Exercise Itinerary Active, Relax, Repeat Healthy DIY Plane Snacks Hotel Room Exercises {You can do in your underwear}

[photo: insanity workout]

Tech Tuesday :: Getting Direct

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{Editor’s Note: Enter to win one of FIVE DuWop Flight Sticks. With light, hydrating coverage, these mini skin-enhancers are packed with antioxidants and a touch of caffeine to spruce up tired skin. Up, up and away!}

Non-stop flights are the holy grail of air travel. The faster the arrival, the fewer the airports and the greater the time at your destination, the better.

Recently, Kayak has come out with a new tool aspiring jetsetters will love: direct flight listings from most major airports worldwide. Search by airport and month to determine which airline is going where, organized in a list by distance/time.

The Value Proposition

• Find out what airlines fly non-stop where before you start your vacation flight search online.
• If you're strapped for time or hate flying, decide where you want to go based on direct flight routes.
• See how many airlines compete for each direct route. For example, out of Vancouver in January, 2012: 9 airlines will fly to Toronto, 7 to San Francisco, 5 to Honolulu and 1 to Kauai.
• Say you're about to leave for a 3-month sabbatical in South East Asia, but only have your flight there and back booked. It's helpful to know what direct flights exist from each major city you're visiting to maximize your time at each destination.
• If you want to geek-out, see mileage for shortest and longest flight out of your preferred airport.
• Think of the application to the Amazing Race teams...

PS - Have you heard of Kayak Fly Now? Say it's 5 o'clock somewhere and you decide on a very last-minute trip. Search your home airport and destination, and Kayak will show the next available flights. Even if it's a pipe dream to think we can just pick up and leave on a whim, it's nice to know there'a a travel tool to make that happen. Just in case...

[image by @tripstyler]

Removing Travel Wrinkles From Garments

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{Editor's Note: It's Travel Beauty Month. This week we're giving away FIVE Oxygenetix Oxygenating Moisturizers, enter here.}

Whether you're weekending, backpacking or heading to a posh private island, nobody's clothing is immune to wrinkling while travelling---unless of course you use a LV trunk to hang garments... Since most of us like to travel a little lighter than that, creased clothes are a traveler's way of life. Getting the wrinkles out is what sets you apart from the pack!

Even with all the right packing tricks---rolling or the fold-once method with tissue and dry cleaner bags---like aging, a few creases are bound to appear even in the most savvy traveler's suitcase! Who wants to go out with a polished outfit looking like it's been tie-dyed by your luggage? That's no way to travel!

How To Remove Garment Creases In Your Hotel Room {when the dryer or steam cycle isn't an option}

1. Out - Take everything out of your suitcase or travel duffel right away; before your meeting, the pool, or the hotel bar! Hang items you want refreshed in the bathroom, ready for when you take your next shower...{Note: If you're city-hopping, I know it is annoying to pack and re-pack, so in this case, prioritize removing only your crease-prone garments.}
2. Hang - Once your clothes are hanging at the end of the shower rod {away from water splatter}, give them a steam bath or sorts. The more you shower, the more the moisture will lessen travel-induced crinkles.
3. Spritz - Lightly wet your hand or use a mini spray bottle to moisten lightly creased parts of the garment. Slap or shake it out.
4. Release - Early this year I tried Downey Wrinkle Releaser and was shocked by the results. It actually makes scrunched fabric smooth! As a result, I now keep a travel-sized spray in my clear toiletries case every time I go away. Note, always test on a small, less noticeable part of the garment before heavy use! {Trip Styler Tip :: make wrinkle release spray yourself by placing one part fabric sofener to 10 parts water in a small spray bottle with a light mist nozzle. Test the concentration until you find the perfect mixture.}
5. Hot/Cold - Use two items most resorts, hotels and motels always have on-hand: ice and a hairdryer. Start with a bucket of ice and rub a few pieces on top of the garment where creased, use the hotel hairdryer to dry and straighten up the area. Note that a straightener works well for relaxing smaller areas with significant creasing.
6. Towel - Use a damp towel---preferably a new one you just showered with or slightly wet---and place on top of the garment for 10 minutes. Fight wrinkles like you really mean it by placing the towel on the bed, the garment on top and rolling it up for 10 mins.
7. Iron - If all else fails, or maybe this is your preferred method {imagine that}, whip out the hotel iron and go for it like you're June Cleaver!

Do you have any garment de-wrinkling tips to add?

Related Using Hotel Room Amenities Like MacGyver Packing 103 Packing 102 Mastering the Art of Packing {Packing 101} Travel Essentials for Any Trip Style High Rolling :: To Roll or Lay Flat? A Summer Weekend Packing List Go-To Carry-On Toiletries Travel iPhone Apps :: PackingPro The Art of Carry-On Travel Going Away? Packing and To Do List

[image created by @tripstyler with photos sourced from the web]

A Tennis Ball A Day....

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Did you know? It's Travel Beauty Month. Yesterday, we did a travel skin care secrets interview with internationally acclaimed Dermatologist and best-selling author, Dr. Murad, and one lucky reader will win his Radiant Skin Renewal Kit.

{Editor's Note: Steve is a sport enthusiast. He is also a fan of tennis, especially while traveling. Working as an Orthopaedic Physiotherapist and Acupuncturist in Vancouver, BC, he never leaves home without a firm tennis ball; for more reasons than one. Steve and I were recently commiserating about the aches and pains---think uncomfortable plane seats, a new bed every few nights and standing in line for hours---associated with travel.

I told him about an incident I recently had on a red-eye to NYC, involving intense pain in my lower back and my DIY attempt to fix it by piercing the area with a closed Tide pen {my logical way of trying to iron out the pain at 4am}. He told me a tennis ball works much more effectively as compact, on-the-go muscle treatment when your Physio or Massage Therapist don't happen to be on vacation with you. Here are his tips for alleviating and/or preventing travel aches and pains with a tennis ball. I'll never take another trip without a tennis ball in my carry-on!}

In my practice, an indispensable piece of exercise equipment is the tennis ball. I've seen clients reduce pain and increase flexibility by targeting painful areas of their bodies with the tennis ball. The body’s natural response when we develop an injury is to trigger the surrounding muscles to shorten causing additional pain and limitation with movement. By working the ball into these painful areas called trigger points, we can release the tension of these tight bands of muscle. But the benefits are not only for people with pain, this technique is useful for freeing up muscles that become chronically tight, especially with prolonged sitting and standing during travel. Common areas of muscle tightness and pain include:

The Neck For relief, lean up against the wall with your feet staggered, one close to the wall and one farther away. Use your body weight to compress the tennis ball into the muscles between the shoulder blades. This target area extends from the base of your neck down to the bottom of the shoulder blade about 5cm from the spine. Hold the ball for 20 seconds per point, 5 points.

The Low Back Lie on your back placing the ball underneath the buttock muscle roughly 5cm below your belt. Note that this ball position adressess the buttock muscle which attaches up into the connective tissue of the low back, which becomes very tight with low back injury. Rotate your body slightly towards the side the ball is under, feeling the sore points and holding for 20 seconds per point. Find 5 different areas throughout the buttock by shifting the ball position slightly.

The Shoulder{s} Lean against the wall placing the tennis ball in the triangle-shaped area of your shoulder blade. You will need to lean against the wall with your body turned roughly 45 degrees to the side you have the ball on to ensure your shoulder blade is flush against the ball. Also, place the ball in the pectoral muscle 3cm below the collar bone and lean up against the wall. Find 3 spots along the length of the pec muscle extending from your shoulder towards your breast bone.

Please Note Note that the sensation should be strong but not painful. This technique should also never cause pain that radiates away from the location of the ball. The exercise should be done once per day only. The normal reaction is for lessening of muscle tension and pain. If symptoms increase after exercise, discontinue this technique. Note that these recommendations are not appropriate for everyone. If you have a history of severe pain, please consult your Physiotherapist before beginning this program.

{Steve Nairn BSc., MSc.PT, has built his practice in Vancouver, Canada at Sitka Physiotherapy and Wellness. He holds a Masters Degree in Physiotherapy from McMaster University plus his Advanced Manual Therapy Certification (Part B level manual therapy), and level 3 Medical Acupuncture from the Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute. His approach to wellness also incorporates exercise, education and soft tissue work. Steve [at] vancouverphyisotherapy [dot] com}

More Healthy On the Road Content Why Drink Water While Traveling Summer Paddling Healthy Road Trip Choices Make Any Trip Style Healthy The 20-min Exercise Itinerary

[Photos sourced online]