Basic Travel Hacks:

Place a dryer sheet with your clothes for freshness and preventing static.

Book hotels and flights on incognito mode because agencies raise their prices higher when someone visits their site more than once.

Roll clothes when packing to prevent wrinkles and make room for more space.

On the last day of a trip in a foreign country, gather all loose change and give it to the homeless.

Keep extra copies of essentials — such as a passport and travel documents — with you, both hard copies and electronic.

Mark bags as fragile for good handling — this will also ensure your bags will be the first to come out.

Dealing with Annoying People When Traveling:

We’ve all been there. Whether it’s our obnoxious siblings or even parents during road trips to that bratty child who won’t stop kicking the back of your seat on the plane, events like this make you want to pull you hair out.

To prevent unnecessary bald spots or possible murders that may occur on these supposedly fun trips, here are some things you can do to cope with these awful co-travelers.

Earplugs and noise-canceling headphones are your best friends when traveling. When your family or fellow air passenger gets too rowdy, pop these in and block excessive noise. It’s not rude to purposely not listen to others, right?

Pretend to be asleep. It’s perfect for air travel when that pestering air host continuously asks if you want something from the cart — no means no.

On the other hand, if you have a polite family (unlike mine), they will likely tone it down if they see you are sleeping or trying to sleep. It’s a perfect escape and helps you catch up on some sleep as an added bonus.

Maintain seat boundaries. This is crucial, if not the most essential, thing a traveler can do. When on a plane, politely ask others to maintain a boundary for everyone’s comfort, especially when the person in front of you completely reclines their seat while you’re trying to use the little desk.

On a road trip, it’s much easier to make your own boundaries and adjust accordingly. Climb into the car and claim your territory first so you don’t have to negotiate. Comfort is key, right?

Talk. This seems like the simplest of all, but the best way to deal with rude passengers is to talk to them. Either joke around or directly tell them why they are bothering you.

There’s always that one person on a plane who decides it’s a good idea to take off their shoes, so ask politely if they would put their shoes back on again. Keep your cool as most people will respond to positivity and humor, not anger and frustration.