Travel tips for packing light
Wowewow here we go! After years of wanting to *try* and go to Katsucon I finally decided to jump the gun and go! I'm so stoked to be there and will be jetsetting off in less than 2 weeks! Super stoked! So here I am with another one of my 'what to pack' or 'how to prep' for con edition post - in this one I guess I'll be talking about basically what I plan on bringing with me / what you should always bring with you to cons that you probably don't think about to bring! :o
To see my other 'convention' related packing posts you can view the other here:
I'm going to go ahead and skip most of the usual that you should bring with you; toiletries, clothes, costume and wigs (duh) so I will go ahead and just talk about my essential travel items and tips that I've learned from having jet-set around local cons and on out of state cons. I'm not as versely traveled as some of you are but I like to think I'm an efficient packer and one of those people who rather pack more than less :x coz better to be prepared and not be prepared!
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| 3 Port Outlet Adaptor | $5 amazon.com |
I cannot stress enough how important this is! As a photographer and tech addict chargers and finding ports at the hotel room is always a never ending quest ): so I always try to make it a point to bring this with me, along with a 3-port USB charger port as well for my tablet and cellphone so I dont need to lug 3-4 different chargers with me and take up precious outlet space. Though most updated hotels nowadays have the USB plug built into their outlets - which is convenient, but I like to be safe than sorry.
I prefer the T shaped 3-port outlets versus your regular strip surge protector since this allows me to plug in my battery charger for my camera and cellphone without the bulky charger taking up 2-3 more precious charging spots.
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| Etude House Collagen Eye Mask | $10 for 10 |
For someone who never sleeps this is very essential to me, this and my Holy Grail Bobby Brown eye concealer (in peach! if you have dark circles like me that tends to be blueish in color - use peach or orange toned concealer to conceal/cancel them out!) I will have this thing handy on my carry on as I plan on doing an all-nighter considering my flight out is at 6am ): so I'll be wearing this on the plane and every morning as I get ready QVQ hehehe....
It helps depuff your eyebags and reduce dark circles. Its got a super cooling sensation and has plenty of serum left after each use that you can always reapply the serum on or slap the rest on cotton pads and share the wealth!
Medical face mask! (and airbourne) is a must for me, along with basic medicine like advil and allerclear (incase of allergies, you never know!) I am always prone to getting the con flu or getting sick in plane rides. So I've learned to channel in my super asian tourist mode and wear face mask or guards anytime I'm on the plane. I also wipe down the table and etc with alcohol wipes to make sure no germs ): I personally use the printed ones so they look less intimidating to people lul...and I've never gotten anyone question why I wear it. So don't worry LOL. People should just mind their own business anyways.
Insulated water bottle. Though you're not allowed to carry on liquids on the plane, its always good to have a reusable water bottle with you anywhere you go. Especially in cold climates you can keep your drink cold/warm for a long period of time after you land :x
Or be like me - buy coffee after you pass security and transfer it into your thermos for those long flights. Best to keep yourself hydrated!
Canvas tote bag & Mesh bags. Canvas tote bags are great since they can be folded away to nothingness and can always come in handy incase you need a bag when your running around!
Net/mesh bags are also great to separate your costumes and dirty clothes from clean clothes. I like to keep my costumes in them or in giant ziplock bags so its one full package. A ziplock bag is better since it allows you to compress them down like an air bag and reduce their size.
I always carry extra ziplock bags with me for toiletries, liquids and just extra to have for wig storage and other stuff. Plus they take absolutely little to no room in your suitcase.
Toiletries in sample or packet sizes! If you are really pinching on size or space of your luggage, I suggest hoarding as much free samples as you can get from anywhere. A lot of Asian cosmetic stores will be very generous on giving out sample packets of their stuff - this ranges from skincare to hair stuff. When I travel I tend to just bring packets like these with me. I use cleansing conditioner (which acts as both a conditioner and shampoo - it strips your hair of dirt but not all of the oils you need)
you can get these at sallys for less than $1.
Don't be shy about asking for samples from sephora or Lush or anywhere you get your skin care stuff from since they will be generous about giving you small travel friendly sample sizes which should lats you through your con event :3
Power packs! I feel like this goes without saying that everyone should have one by now, especially if your a frequent traveler or a student! Their price ranges well on Amazon from as little as under $25-$35. I recommend getting a good sized juice pack if you have a tablet as well.
Weeb trash snap back hat (or any hat in general) this will save you from atrocious after-wig hair syndrome lol especially if you don't feel like wearing another wig after taking off your previous wig! Highly recommend shopping from Arsenic x Cyanide. They offer custom snapbacks and delicious weeb trash snapbags like these Haikyuu!! ones. They will also be vending at Katsucon the following weekend~ (I'll be also dropping by their booth frequently :D so yessh go go go!)
Utensils. Yes. I kid you not. Utensils. You laugh at me now but when your trying to eat your sodium packed cup ramen at 12am after shooting/cosing all day you will be damn thankful you have a pair of chopsticks or something with you! Not every con will provide you with one so save yourself the headache. Seriously bruh.
Last but not least travel size Febreeze. You and your roomates will thank you for it. Spray it on your bed, on your costumes, on yourself. In the bathroom. Everywhere!
I also highly recommend leaving fresh sheets of fabric softener in your shoes or your suitcase so it keeps it from bringing home that con-funk with you :x whoops.
These are basically my essentials in terms of what I must have when I travel out of state or to cons in general!
But of course dont forget your essentials like: First aid kit, fem products (coz you just never know)
chargers and etc!
Room space saver tips:
On the last section of this post I wanna talk about space-saver tips on trying to save as much space in your room as possible! Especially when your rooming with cosplayers, space and comfort is essential. It may seem like a lot of work but trust me, after a long day cosing you will be thankful for the space and a semi-clean room!
Unpack your items into the drawers provided by the hotel! Hang your costumes!
Stack your suitcases inside one another if they fit! And shove it in the closet. If you have a friend who has a car parked in the hotel that your staying in and wont be needing the suitcases - ask if you can shove the empty suitcases in their trunk for the 3-4 days you guys are in the room and simply retrieve them when everyone is ready to pack up to go home! Its amazing how much floor space your saving yourself!
Hope this helped everyone with some tips that you may or may not have known! :D
Safe travels everyone and I hope to see a lot of you guys at Katsucon >w<!
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