Staying organized during travel is difficult. Hotel rooms are usually small and don’t have all the space that you’re used to. It’s easy for things to get disorganized and lost.
Keeping things tidy during your trip will make your experience more pleasant. It will also make you less likely to leave things behind.
Here are some tips to keep your hotel room clean and organized on your next trip.
1. Pack Efficiently
Good packing leads to good unpacking.
If your journey has multiple stops, use packing cubes to help you stay organized.
If you’re only staying in a place for one night before heading somewhere else, unpack as little as possible.
Keep the things you need on a more regular basis in a spot that’s easy to get to. Things like your passport and wallet should always be handy.
If your bag is organized, it will make it easier to organize your hotel room.
Keep your electronics together, but make sure you don’t get them confused. Put your clothes and snacks all in one spot.
The only exception is money. It’s always important to have cash, especially when traveling internationally.
Keep some extra bills in each of your bags in case one gets stolen or your wallet is pickpocketed.
Just make sure not to put too much in one place.
2. Get Good Gear
A good bag will make travel organization infinitely simpler.
Here is a list of essential travel gear from The Broke Backpacker. The type of bag you need will depend on where you’re traveling and the length of the trip.
For a longer trip, it’s good to have one big suitcase and a smaller backpack or purse for day trips.
Packing cubes are a great way to keep things organized.
Good travel bags have multiple pockets and high-quality zippers.
If you’re worried about security, invest in a lock for your bag. That way even if someone gets their hands on it, they won’t be able to open it.
3. Unpack First
The first thing you should do when you get to your hotel room is unpacked.
Don’t put this off until you’re ready to head to bed. By then you’ll be too tired to unpack.
Take a good look around the room. Find out where you want everything to go.
Place all toiletries in the bathroom so they will be ready when you need them.
Start charging your electronics. You don’t want to head to your business meeting only to find out that your laptop is out of battery.
Don’t leave anything in your bag. Place valuables in the safe and lock it. You don’t know who is going to be coming in and out of your room to clean it.
Unpacking first gets it out of the way and will help you stay organized later on.
If you don’t unpack in the beginning, you’ll have to keep fishing through your bag throughout the entire trip.
4. Separate Things
Don’t put all your stuff in one pile.
Start a dirty clothes pile or area so that your dirty things don’t mix with your clean clothes.
Packing cubes or plastic bags are great for dirty stuff.
Place toiletry bottles like shampoo in a plastic bag to keep things from getting wet.
Throughout your stay, keep your things separate. This will help you stay organized.
It will also help you pack things back in your bag at the end of your stay.
5. Use the Amenities
Hotels have closets and cupboards for a reason.
These things are there to help you stay organized. Use the hangers in the closet for your business clothes. This keeps them from getting wrinkled.
If you know there are amenities that you need, communicate this with the hotel before you arrive.
For business travel, it’s best to use a booking service like Hotel Engine. Companies that specialize in business travel know what you need. They have connections within the industry to make sure everything goes smoothly.
If anything goes wrong during your stay, talk to the agency.
Communicate any problems with the front desk.
Conclusion
A disorganized hotel room can be stressful. Stress is the last thing you need on a business trip.
Read More: What You Can Pick and What You Should Not Pick From the Hotel Room.