They helped us in the fall as we redesigned our medicine cabinets to include virus season staples and an easy grab and go system for — you guessed it — travel. They’re back with a list of essentials for keeping holiday travel merry and bright.
Whether you’re a last-minute packer, an overpacker, a jetsetter or a roadtripper, how can you Edit your travel plans to keep cheer in-tact? Here’s what you need.
• Winter wear. Whether there’s potential to get caught in a snowstorm or an impromptu sledding session, don’t forget to check the weather in advance, and pack warm if needed.
• Virus season essentials. Our BinaxNOW Self Tests can help you and your loved ones test if symptoms emerge while you’re traveling, while Pedialyte helps you hydrate during recovery. Don't forget cough drops, tissues and travel-sized cold medicine. Even if you’re a last-minute packer, developing an easy-to-grab medicine cabinet system from The Home Edit can help ensure you have what you need before you toss everything into a bag. And if you identify as a jetsetter and want to go the extra mile, toss those BinaxNOW kits into a hard-top packing cube to avoid box squish-age.
• Holiday gifts for all. If you’re a last-minute packer, throw in a gift bag or a paper bag for DIY wrapping if you forgot to grab wrapping paper. If you’re a roadtripper, keeping fragile gifts in an insulated bag like a cooler bag can help keep them intact on bumpy roads.
• Packing cubes can help keep clothing organized while saving space. We’re looking at you, overpacker.
• Snacks! Whether you’re a roadtripper spending hours in the car or a jetsetter who knows how airline food can be hit or miss, pre-packaged goodies are always a good move. Protein bars, nuts and granola are great options to keep you satisfied longer.
• Toiletries. Include moisturizer to keep you hydrated outwardly against brisk winter air. But the jetsetter likely already has their tried-and-true travel size in their carryon to combat dry airplane air.
• Entertainment. Whether you’re getting on a flight or piling kids into the back of the car, keeping books (just one or two, overpacker), tablets and coloring supplies handy in a carryon is ideal.
No matter which type of traveler you are, we can all use a few reminders to keep the holidays in perspective. Clinical psychologist and mental health expert, Dr. Andrea Bonior, has tips.
• Keep your eye on the big picture. Holiday expectations can be stressful enough even without travel, and it's especially easy to lose sight of what the deeper meaning is when you're having to worry about a cancelled flight or an overbooked hotel. But when you can step back and remember the bigger picture and what the holidays mean for you, it can help you not be as thrown off by any logistical hiccups that may arise.
• Allow wiggle room, even in your expectations. Just as building in flexibility helps you manage the unexpected, building wiggle room and rest time into your itinerary allows a buffer when schedules go awry. And by relaxing your expectations — a long stretch of traffic doesn't have to throw off the whole day — you reduce your anxiety as well
• Be prepared when/how you can. Make sure you’re packing essentials that give you peace of mind. For example, if you’re worried about symptoms popping up while on-the-go, keep BinaxNOW at-home COVID tests packed in your travel bag.
So yes, the holidays, especially with travel and viruses in the mix, can be overwhelming. But a little preparation and organization can help keep things magical.
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