Cleaning out the travel bin

LOL. Thanks for the laugh. Mine is a drawer...I try not to look when I throw something else into it!

PS, I neglected to include that I have an entire suitcase stuffed with travel items...out of sight, out of mind...besides already having my toilet kit and always items in my favorite suitcase. I need to stop thinking about this as I might remember more stash locations!

Yeah, I have a pretty good collection of airline sleep masks, micro-mini toothpaste tubes, and plastic earbuds for tinny sounds. I'm starting to consolidate these in plastic bags in a big desk drawer but so far I haven't found the moral fortitude to throw anything out or donate it. Maybe the answer is party favors, but then I'd have to have a party.

Karen, I should follow yr lead, mine is 2 bathroom drawers, plus the hand fulls of things I have to take out of any suitcase in order to pack it.

About a year ago there was a great thread about what to do w old luggage,
My local girl scout troop has been collecting gently used pjs, lounge wear and duffle bags for foster kids.

I pulled out yet another bag to donate, in the outer pocket was a pair of totes slippers id been missing for quite a while, and a still sealed pack of gum w a best by date of 2013, yeah it was time to share some bags.

Thank you for posting! Over the last few years, I kept thinking we had the money belts, neck things, adapters, etc. and always bought new ones as I couldn't find the old ones. Finally cleaned out some drawers and cupboards - yes, I have more than enough adapters, money belts, etc. Enough for many trips - if I can only find them again! Hopefully, I'll remember where I put them.

But I've found Canadian$, Euros, NZ and AUS$ and many currencies that husband brought back from business trips over the last 30 years. The nice thing is that everything has a memory.

I think I'll go clean out another drawer!

OMG, I have an entire corner of one room dedicated to just this. You may just have inspired my fall project...

Karen, thanks for the hearty laugh ... and the good ideas.
I have 2 large boxes full of "travel stuff" on the top shelf of my closet so that I can just add stuff in when it seems like a good idea... I, too, now have a lifetime supply of quart and gallon size zip lock bags as well as tiny tooth paste tubes and tissue packs. (And heaven knows what else.)
I actually went through the boxes a few years ago and got rid of some things but they are full again. (That stuff multiplies like bunnies! ;-) )
Hopefully I can organize and get rid of some up as I pack for my upcoming trip.

Okay this is weird. I could have written this post with very few changes. I just went through my travel bin. I found all my travel plugs but still ordered more because RS had them on sell with free shipping this Labor Day weekend. I put a pile of tissue packets by the front door. My daughter took them to school and gave them too her friends.

Thank you. I now feel very normal. My travel bin brings me joy.

Would that it were only a travel "bin" -- instead of a travel "room". If my baby girl ever decides to boomerang home and take back her bedroom, I'm in trouble.

I'll take your quart-sized bags if they're the freezer version. After we buy meat at the grocery store, we cut it down into two person portions, bag in those quart bags, and freeze it.

I'm also in the camp that says there is no such thing as too much lip balm, and tend to stock up on my favorite brand because the Lucky's that sells it is more than na hour away.

Why do I save hotel key cards? Not the fun ones from epic trips, but the ones for, like, a random Holiday Inn Express in Jacksonville?

Must resist the urge to go to the Tom Bihn web site. The people on the boards over there are horrible enablers, and I have to keep reminding myself that the more Tom Bihn travel bags , the less money there is to actually travel.

Thanks for the laugh, Karen. I, too, am a travel-stuff collector. We have so many packing cubes we need a bin for those alone. Hubby has various currencies organized in small leather pouches which he unerringly scoops up whenever he sees them in Europe. But he can always find the Euros, Swiss Francs, GBP and Kuna when it’s time to go.

@selkie, I feel your pain except that my downfall is the thrift store -- how can I resist Royal Robbins travel pants in my size at $10 ? Or an extra money belt at $5 ? After all, I will need those things some time, right ?? Not to mention a Travelpro 2-wheeler for $5 (perfect except for the last 2" of the zipper.)
And don't even ask about Costco.
But the gallon, quart, sandwich and snack Ziploc bags are household essentials, not travel items (so they count against the kitchen hoard.)

Karen, I will trade you those Eiffel Tower socks for a pile of money from Yugoslavia.

I'm in the process of cleaning out my travel bin. So far I've gifted or thrown away:
-2 voltage converters
- Quart size zip lock bags
- 2 rain ponchos
- A boat load of small hotel shampoos, lotions, conditioners and soap.
- Several single use toothbrushes ( I use the ones my dentist gives me)
- Lots of dental floss??????
I haven't finished rounding up all various items I've stashed in the bathroom. So, I expect to have even more.

So I guess we could be on a show "Traveling Hoarders"? Karen, how do you get by with only one bin-LOL. I have two large bins (labeled by seasons but my TB Tristar lives in one), 4 smaller boxes. However, I'm going into them often enough not to have too many duplicates. I never find money because my husband has a stash of all leftover currency from his trips-although we have a hard time repossessing pounds from our daughter who says she's keeping them for her next trip. I am now labeling toiletry items so I know how old they are.

I knew I'd find support from my people here.

Laura B- It occurred to me that I could take over the built in cupboard in my daughter's room. It has sewing stuff in it now but what do I do more- sew or travel?

When I'd organized it all, I made a list of things I need. A few one ounce containers, small thin washcloths, small magnifying mirror. It's not like I don't get to haunt the travel section at all!

I have reduced it to two large drawers, one for travel clothes, quick dry, and one for gadgets, plug adaptors, etc. My guest bath drawers are full of the free toothbrushes, combs, tissues.

Karen, thanks for the laugh. It's a great way to start the day.

Just a suggestion - unused personal items, like hotel size shampoos, those single use toothbrushes, etc. can be donated to a local shelter or some food pantries will take them. Foreign currency can be donated to the United Nations. The NGOs (such as UNICEF) will take the currency back to the issuing country and put it to good use.

Hilarious!
I have two huge tote bags that I used to use as carry on bags years ago.
They are stuffed with all my travel goodies, and I sort through them a couple of times a year.
I know, like me; that the rest of you always eye up things in stores with the view of..."Would this be good for travel? I'll just get it to add to the bag......"
My latest thing which I've ordered from Amazon, and haven't received yet; is a sort of sling that you rig up on the plane to keep your feet elevated.
Has anyone tried these?
They got good reviews, and it's small enough so that if it doesn't work, I can ditch it.

https://www.amazon.ca/Airplane-Travel-Footrests-Airlines-Separated/dp/B07CMLRX6K/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1536176902&sr=8-10&keywords=travel+leg+sling

Hey,
Add some duct tape and paracord to your travel bin for luggage repair.
You just never know ...

< sucking in deeep breath > Hello. My name is Pam and I have a travel bin problem.

Hahaha!! Oh gosh, laughed so hard at your post. I bought a 9-cube storage shelf from Target a few years ago and have lidded plastic containers stacked in the cubbies. Yep, each is labeled including my "Ready, Set, Go" container with my 3-1-1, other toiletries, current money belt/passport/various money. Yes, I need to go thru them and either pitch stuff out or give it away.

I tried some of the single use toothbrushes as well - it was worse than the time I had to brush with a q-tip and a packet of neti pot salt!

Love this thread--I am forced to keep my addiction in check because I hide stuff from my husband who doesn't understand why we "need" all these travel gadgets.
S. Jackson--I've never used the sling, but have used this inflatable footrest for many trips. I'm only 5' tall and my feet don't touch the floor on most planes. The inflatable foot rest has been a life saver and I don't fly without it.
https://www.amazon.com/STYDDI-Inflatable-Cushion-Footrest-Thrombosis/dp/B01N9AOPMW/ref=sr_1_18_sspa?s=bedbath&ie=UTF8&qid=1536198521&sr=1-18-spons&keywords=inflatable+foot+rest&psc=1

Karen, I too love this thread and have been laughing so hard! Like Pam, I feel I should introduce myself: "[Very, very deep breath] Hello, my name is Diane and it's been less than 24 hours since I purchased my last travel item I can't do without."

It would be great if we could have a giant swap meeting! I don't need quart size bags, but do need gallon size ones; but I'm sure there are travelers with an overabundance of gallon sized bags. I need to give my plastic zip compression bags to someone who likes them. Money belts - I could sew them all together and make a travel blanket. What to do with the huge stack of sew-in pockets that I'll never use again? (I had to buy like 50 for $10 when 1 for $10 would have been ideal). Travel packages of tissues that seem to reproduce faster than the cotton tail rabbits in the greenbelt across the street - I got a cold once while traveling and ran out of the really, really soft tissues - on my return, I insured that'll never happen again! Most have been opened and have a few left inside the packet. And I have well-meaning friends who buy me packets of tissue with pretty designs on them but they feel like sandpaper - they just sit there.... Partly used plastic bottles of toiletries -- I feel like I'm doing my part for the environment by storing them. (All unopened ones have been donated to my local shelter). And the single use toothbrushes!!! From the ones you slide on your fingertip (useless) to the ones with the gummy dollop of paste in the middle of a mini kitchen scrubber/vegetable brush - don't know why I thought any of these were good ideas!

We need a swap meet for travel hoarders anonymous!

Confession time-I have 3 more travel items coming in my Amazon order this weekend-a Travelon purse with side pockets that I hope will accommodate my rain jacket and small sweater and a lining that should make items in the purse more visible, Tide sport travel packets(the other soap I've been using doesn't get the sweat smell out) and an organizer with a loop to fit the hook above the tray table on the plane. In the interest of full disclosure, I already own Travelon purses(note the plural). Of course, in my never ending quest to make travel easier, what I should be doing is going to the Atlanta airport and getting Global Entry.

"Like Pam, I feel I should introduce myself: "[Very, very deep breath] Hello, my name is Diane and it's been less than 24 hours since I purchased my last travel item I can't do without.""

Diane!!!

And...hanging my head in shame because on Good Morning America this morning there were really cute packing cubes on the Daily Deal. They have the Eiffel Tower on them! Do I need them?? NO - I love the new ones I got in January to replace my Eagle Creek ones but these are adorable and maybe I can use them for cords....or toiletries....or to put all my extra travel stuff in?

A swap meet sounds great but I can almost guarantee that we would all come home with more than we brought!

Maybe Rick needs to incorporate a swap meet into the Alumni Reunion/Test Drive a Tour Guide meetup in January, lol! RSE Laura, are you reading this?

editing to add: Cala, let us know if the Tide sport works. I have a shirt I took off the travel team because it holds BO. Not sure how in the world it can be so stinky when I smell fresh as a daisy, hahaha! I think it is the fabric.

Today I was at GFS/Gordon Food Service. I saw the large zip bags, and thought, oh ho! What else do they have here for travel?! So I had a look around and lucky for me and my bin, there was nothing. Unless you need 100 count of vinyl gloves or some small packs of cookies.

The funny thing is that I'm not gadget hungry in the rest of my life. Well, a little bit for office supplies. But if an item's going to be in my kitchen, it had better do at least three things, or do one thing a lot. I do not have a special microwave hot dog cooker or toast tongs.

Maybe when you mix Be Prepared with Let's Go you end up with too many travel supplies.

Karen - I read this on my phone when I was too lazy to reply -- but I can't tell you how much your post made me laugh!!! I think we can all identify. Thank you!!!

Karen,
Sometimes, we just like (not need!) travel gear and want to boost the economy. Maybe, we are hooked on writing reviews? Maybe RS travelers are simply obsessive/compulsive in nature? It's all just fine. Now, about that luggage repair kit and mini-travel satellite dish ...

Sun baked, I had. A neighbor a few yrs back that was in sales and marketing for a large company..... I can remember sitting in her kitchen w wine or coffee while she unpacked target or Wal-Mart bags gleefully pulling out items and saying "consumer confidence was HIGH today"......meaning, she felt free to buy,.....alot.

S. Jackson, I want a report on how that sling thing works. I couldn't see how or where you attach it. I'm having visions of my knees up around my ears in economy, and my legs aren't that long. Did I miss something?

I didn't order the foot sling in the end, as I have had to cancel my trip to Italy that I was taking with a girlfriend next week.
My husband suffered an unexpected medical emergency a couple of days ago, and is still in hospital for now.
He's much better (and getting bored), but we thought it was best to cancel for now.
He had to cancel a trip to a conference, as well.
So all my stuff is back in the travel bags and back in the storage closet...….for now.

S Jackson: Oh, no! We'll all be hoping your husband has a speedy recovery.

Karen, i just started reading this thread and also belong in this group. A friend is going to Europe for the first time in October. She didn't know about packing light, cubes, etc. so I offered to give her a quick lesson. While pulling out adapters, convertors, cubes, portable scale, etc i realized I have too much stuff but can’t bear to get rid of stuff “in case” i need it for a future trip to the moon. What is worse, last night I just ordered new packing cubes, needed more slim sizes, and two new 20” suitcases because mine are 12 lbs and these are only 5 lbs. also my addiction is fanny packs, waist bags whatever you call them. I have a few which i love but the elusive perfecto one is still out there just waiting for me. I ordered 2 different styles last night.
S. Jackson, wishing your husband a full recovery and a great time on your next trip.

S. Jackson....another person chiming in and wishing your husband well. Hope the recovery time is quick and your next vacation wonderful!

Thank you so much for the good wishes for my husband, how kind of you, and much appreciated!
He's a bit better, but will be in hospital at least over the weekend now.
It's a good thing he became unwell before either of us were far from home, at least.

Update- We now have one less travel pillow, thanks to the dog. He chewed up a corner of the inflatable one. At least he didn't get to the micro bead one.

A few months ago I'd posted that he'd chewed up a Rick Steves Provence guide book. He also recently ate some of Barcelona. Does he not want me to leave? Do I leave too much travel stuff within reach?

Or, Karen, do you read yr travel books w butter, or cheese sauce, or meat essence on yr hands?😂

I also cleaned out my (very large) travel bin recently and all I can say is that apparently I am deeply afraid that ziploc bags will become unavailable in the future.

Spits coffee over her keyboard.... :)

I've been enjoying this thread, laughing at the posts, thinking "Well, I may be crazy and travel-obsessed, but at least I don't have an overflowing travel bin" - or closet, or room.

Then this morning I was scrounging through the linen closet looking for something or other, and kept pulling out baggie after baggie after baggie of small soaps, toothpastes, shampoos, tissues, earplugs, sleep masks, bandaids, pills, cough drops, hair ties .....

Sigh. I guess I do have an overflowing travel bin.

Maybe we ALL need to say "Hello, my name is xxxx and I am a travel shopaholic"

Great thread!!! (Is there a way to “like” a post on this forum?)

In my travel bin I have way too many zip-out totes and a “jewelry vest” - a black vest-like thing that has pockets inside to hide valuables in your closet. First of all, it’s too stiff to fool anybody into thinking it’s a vest, and secondly, I don’t bring much jewelry on a trip! What was I thinking??? Ha ha!

Karen,

What a great thread!

Unfortunately I'm also guilty of the "travel bin syndrome". I've bought all kinds of stuff over the years as "it seemed like a good idea at the time", but some of it now languishes in various drawers and bins.

I've now developed somewhat of a "system" that seems to work quite well. The items that I normally use on trips are stored in three stacking plastic drawers. I have them organized as daypack, main pack and miscellaneous. The items that I don't use on a regular basis anymore are relegated to a spare drawer in the bedroom.

This is always a "work in progress" so the system is adjusted after every trip.

I bought some zip loc snack sized bags to hold laundry soap, but am finding them surprisingly useful to organize small items like cough drops and ear plugs, and to keep my contact lens case from leaking when it has solution.

Made a Dollar Store run across town for one item: shower caps to cover the soles of shoes in the suitcase, six packages of four caps in each because what’s a traveler to do if one day the $-store doesn’t have these babies in stock. Gotta stock up.

So excited because I need to order a new medium size suitcase before the tarrifs kick in next week.

Shower caps are essential to protect my camera when it rains!!! Didn't think of getting them at the dollar store! Darn, I almost went a week without travel shopping!

I hate to encourage anyone's possible ziplock addiction but I love the small ziplocks from Michaels, usually in the bead/jewelry department. I've got the 3X4's and the smaller size ones. Good for pills, cough drops, QTips and of course hand to hold your unused Paris Metro carnet tickets, haha! Plus the 3X4 holds a bunch of the small ones, hahaha!!

They come in something like a pack of 150 but, but, but you'll use them a lot, hahaha!!!

Bets & Diane, I use those cheap clear shower caps as bowl covers in the refrigerator. Now I’ll have to go to the 99Cent store to get more to add to my travel bag. I love the shoe cover idea. So far I only have a large shopping bag holding travel stuff besides whar’s stuffed in the suitcase. No storage room for a bin; they’re full of knitting yarn (4) and horse tack (10 plus a tack cabinet for 1 horse).

This thread is too funny. I, too, am a member of the travel bin club. One dresser drawer, two drawers in the bathroom are stuffed full of treasures. Mind you, I do not use most of these treasures, but for some strange reason I cannot part with them either. I feel better now because I am not alone! You have inspired me to have a cleanup afternoon. I could supply the neighbourhood with travel goodies.

Pam—Thanks—I’ve been hoarding old mini-bags and reusing them, but of course it makes sense that Michael’s would sell them. In my town, Michael’s and the Dollar Store are in the same strip mall. Feed the addiction!

I've been taking old washcloths on trips since they're hard to find in Europe. Now it seems the old ones have all been used up and I just had the newer white ones. (I like colored ones so they don't get mixed up in the hotel towels.) So I found an excuse for the dollar store! One pack of four blue ones and one of green ones. I cut each in half, so for $2 I have 8 travel microfiber washcloths.

What amazes me is that despite knowing how many tissue packs I have in my bin, I still have the urge to buy more. Maybe I could get some virtual reality obsession therapy. I would give me a little zap when I reach for the virtual Kleenex.

Oh Geez Pam and Horsewoofie!
"Hello, my name is Diane and it's been less than 24 hours since I purchased my last travel item."

I didn't even think of mini-ziplocks! Eureka! I've used the little ones for pills, but a slightly bigger size for cough drops and q-tips!!! Or coins, or sd cards!

Karen: I've been using the small, compressed, biodegradable, disposable wash cloths/towels - about the size of two Tums stacked on top of each other before you hydrate them. Just get them wet and you're in business. Also helpful for wiping mud off shoes, etc. Very light weight and handy. Available on Amazon.

Karen I think I have a bigger problem with tissues! For years my sister in law and I only buy our small packages of tissues in Europe, mainly Germany. We buy a 24 pack and divide them among our luggage to bring home and hope they last until our next trip. So if someone asks me for a tissue I’ll be glad to share one with you but you can bet I’m doing a calculation of what remains in my travel toiletry drawer and how soon my next trip to Europe will be.

Mona, Lol! Some years ago I fell in love with a particular brand of Italian tissues, so I now stock up on tissues whenever we're in Europe. Even though I've never been able to find that same brand again. But I think I still have one packet tucked away somewhere...

Mona, you can't spare a square?

(Is there ever a situation that can't use a Seinfeld quote?)

^ ^ ^ So funny!

I don't have a square to spare.

You can't spare 3 squares?

Ha ha, I had to do a Seinfeld routine this summer at the Louvre. The line at the toilet near the escalator wasn’t moving very fast and once it was my turn I figured out what the problem was. Only one stall had TP. That didn’t stop me because I had my precious tissues. On the way out I went down the line and offered a tissue to anyone who needed one to speed up the line. Some women patted their purses and smiled to indicate they were covered. Others looked panicked, took one and offered a “merci”! I was feeling really generous because I knew I wasn’t leaving Europe without replenishing my supply.

MONA!! You get points for that one! Doesn't it feel wonderful to do a kindness like that? I hope karma comes back in the form of a tissue or square when you need it!

In other news.....

Forgive me friends for I have sinned.

It's been 23 days since my last travel-related purchase.

I was weak when I went in to TJ Maxx today and bought a new luggage strap (well my suitcase DID arrive on the baggage carousel at the end of the last trip without the strap that had been on it when I reclaimed it for it's quick trip thru customs in SLC but vanished somewhere between there and N. Idaho). I held off from buying a 2nd one that I liked across the street at Target. (So difficult when you don't have either of these stores nearby!)

Forgive me Pam, Mona, Karen, others... for I have sinned big. I bought a new Travel Pro suitcase today from ebags using the Delta Airlines Shopping portal so I could bag 6+1 miles per dollar spent. Got back two days ago but getting ready for the next trip. And the 24-pack of tissues came home with me, too. Great minds find each other.

What would we do without this support group, ahem travel forum?

I remember the house brand travel tissue packs from Carrefour being really good quality.

Oh my goodness, Pam, how do you live without access to Target? BTW I haven't forgotten about trying the Tide Sport for sink washing-I am just waiting until my husband has a sufficiently smelly shirt from exercising to use in this experiment. He's coming back from a hiking trip tonight, so maybe there will be one!

Cala, TJMaxx is 40 miles away, closest Target is 90 miles away!! At least the drive on a nice Idaho Fall day was good! I’ve never hoped for smelly hiking duds, but yes, hope they are both ripe and tickless for your soap trial.

Bets...it was imperative you make that purchase before the tariffs affect any prices!

Indeed. And we'd better make our Dollar Store runs before it becomes the $1.15 Store.

Just returned from a trip to Cambodia and trying to stay awake another hour. Thanks for the entertaining post! I also have too much travel tissue/TP. I had to use some three times during this trip and was actually glad to have an excuse to use some of it!

Thanks for the hint about the smaller ziplock tiny bags at Michaels store. I used to have some Snack Size ziplock bags but haven’t seen them in the grocery stores for a couple of years.

"Indeed. And we'd better make our Dollar Store runs before it becomes the $1.15 Store."

Hahahaha!

Jean, I can find snack sized ziplocks locally so if you happen to come over to Pullman for a football game or something, buzz over to Moscow Rosauers. Or I am happy to mail them to anyone, within reason!

I also use the small Michael's ziplocks for my back of the airline seat packing cube and stock it with 12 Airborne Chewables - 4 for the start, 4 mid-trip and 4 as we are deplaning. I'll do anything to keep from picking up a bug on the airplane!

PS I fly from SLC or SEA so we're looking at a 9-10 hour flight.

I just saw in a store a cute bon voyage note pad by rifle paper company. I "assume" to make yr packing list on before departure.
Would that strictly count as a packing purchase? 😉