"" Writer's Wanderings: Clever Uses for Common Things When You Travel

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Clever Uses for Common Things When You Travel

What do buttons, dental floss, dryer sheets, oven mitts, bubble wrap and drinking straws have in common? When used cleverly, they can be a big help as you travel.

Have trouble keeping track of your pierced earrings in your jewelry bag? Try putting them through the holes in a button and fastening them. They'll be much easier to find. And while we're talking about jewelry, have you ever had to try to untangle delicate necklace chains? Passing them through a drinking straw and fastening them will keep them from tangling when you pack them.

Save a little bubble wrap the next time you get a package mailed to you. Use it to wrap around breakables in your suitcase or the fresh fruit you toss in your carry-on to eat on the plane.

Don't have time to wait for your curling iron or straightener to cool before you have to toss it into your suitcase? Try wrapping an oven mitt around it. Secure it with a rubber band if necessary.

Dryer sheets are great for more than just softening your laundered clothes in the dryer. Use them to rub on clothing that may have found some static cling along the way. They will help to keep shoes and dirty laundry from smelling quite so bad in your luggage. Use one to refresh the shine your shoes.

And now for my favorite versatile item, dental floss. People actually claim you can use dental floss as a clothes line. I'm not sure I'd want to try it but I did find the suggestion of using it to tie zippers together on your suitcase instead of a lock a possibility. TSA will probably just cut it anyway but if you have to check luggage at the gate it might not be a bad idea.

The best use for dental floss I found online--other than using it for dental hygiene--was to keep a dripping faucet from driving you crazy all night. You tie one end to the end of the faucet and drape the other end down and into the drain. The water will drip down the floss without making a sound. Cool!

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