Take the stress out of travel

Anytime I can eliminate or lower my stress level when traveling, I’m a happy camper. I am always on the lookout for travel tips and tricks. I can’t wait for my next flight, so I can try Gary’s tip. Read on

rrivals for departures. I travel a lot, and sometimes if I’m in a time crunch getting to the airport, I enter on the arrivals level instead of the departures to reach my terminal. This saves a lot of time, even though I may have to take my luggage up the elevator. I figure this is a viable option if the only other choice I have is to miss my flight.

Homemade chocolate “squares.” Instead of buying expensive baker’s chocolate squares, I mix 3 tablespoons of baking cocoa with 1 tablespoon of oil to replicate one square. And since most recipes call for the squares to be melted, I’ve saved money and time.

Absorbent tub backrest. I have the best tub backrest. It’s more comfortable than the inflatable ones, and it’s cheaper than the ones designed for spas. It’s a baby bath sponge! It’s large enough for my entire back. It sticks to the tub and stays warm as long as the water does. I toss the sponge in the washer periodically to freshen. — Lauren

Crystal-clean windows. I discovered the best window cleaner. I add 1 tablespoon Cascade Automatic Dishwasher Rinse Agent (you can find it in some supermarkets or buy for $3 with Prime Pantry, which is an added benefit for Amazon Prime members) to 2 gallons of water. I apply this with a new sponge that has no soap residue. Now my windows shine with no spots. When I first started doing this, my windows were really dirty and it took two applications to get rid of the grime.

Keep a spare. One year, after living through my first hurricane season, I decided to pay closer attention to nonperishable essential items we need in our home. We make sure we always keep at least one spare of each item our home stockpile: toilet paper, feminine products, dry pet food, paper and ink for our printer, essential school supplies and an emergency cash stash.

Practical moving material. We’re a military family, and we have moved several times in the last few years. After my first move, where I purchased bubble wrap and saved stacks of newspapers, I got smart. Now I pull out the sheets, towels, tablecloths and T-shirts. I use these to wrap dishes, knickknacks and other fragile items. Everything is clean to begin with, so I just fold the linens and towels after I’ve unpacked.