Travel Must Haves: Plane and Hotel Room Essentials

travel is one of my love languages

I really love traveling. I wholeheartedly believe it's the best thing you can spend your money on. I love exploring new cultures, eating new foods, and making memories to last a lifetime.

The only trade off with travel is that it can be disruptive to your normal schedules, and I also LOVE my normal schedule!

I spent almost 3 years traveling multiple times a month for work. During this time, I quickly identified things that drove me nuts about traveling...

1. Plane air is so dry.
2. Airplane seats are dirty, but not as dirty as tray tables.
3. Dry hotel air makes my nose hurt.
4. Dry air is an issue for me everywhere.. lol

One of my missions was to bring the things I love about home (including my family) on the road with me whenever possible.

Without further adieu, here are the products I can't live without while I'm on the road!

leaving on a jet plane 

I'll say it. Planes give me an eew factor. I don't know who was sleeping/sweating/drooling in my seat before me, and I don't really want to know. When I settle down in my seat, the first thing I do is wipe all of the surfaces down with a baby wipe. Honest Co. wipes are my favorite. I feel like they're up for the task of a good plastic scrub-down. They and double as a way to 'wash' your hands somewhere other than the airplane bathroom (you know, the one with water splashed all over the counter). I kid you not, every time I wipe down a tray table, the wipe turns a new color... ew. 

Next, I slather on hand cream, and seal it in with aquaphor. I also put aquaphor on my lips and right below my nostrils (stay away, dry air!!)

To keep hydrated from the insides, I aim to drink 16 oz of water at minimum- per hour- on my flights. No need for a dehydration headache at 30,000 feet!  I love to add a greens tab to at least one of those glasses of H2O.

About halfway into the flight, I pull out a sheet mask, and treat myself to a mini-spa session. You may think, 'wow, she's crazy to do that in public,' but here's the thing. No one's looking at me. People are watching their movies, or on their computers. The only person who looks at me weird is my child... but he does that no matter where we are... #momlife 

living that hotel life

Once I'm off the plane and in my hotel room, I do 2 things:

1. Wipe down the doorknobs, nightstands, and bathroom counter with my trust wipes. again... stranger germs.
2. Unpack my travel humidifier, and essential oils, and set up shop on the night stand.

I used to get pretty chronic sinus infections when I travelled. I learned from my doctor that the most likely source was the dry hotel I was breathing during my trips. When the air is too dry, your sinuses dry out. That mucus (eew, gross word) that's normally in your nose prevents bacteria from getting into your system, and when it's not there, BAM! sickness.

Once I started traveling with a humidifier I immediately started sleeping better, and *knock on wood* haven't had a sinus infection.

Beauty BONUS side effects:

1. I don't wake up puffy (hello moisturized sinuses!)
2. My skin stays hydrated and dewy vs dry and ashy
3. No more static hotel-hair
4. I just sleep better! Humidified air is easier for me to breathe. My whole family feels a difference when I forget to pack the humidifier.
5. I pack essential oils to support whatever it is that I'm doing. If it's a work trip to open a new store, I pack eucalyptus because I find it invigorating. If I'm going on a relaxing weekend getaway, I throw lavender and bergamot in my bag to make my room feel like and extension of the spa.

This Crane humidifier is awesome because it's tiny, and if you're really pressed for space, you can leave the cup at home, and just use a glass from the hotel room.

Regardless of the trip location, length, or travel companions, these products are always in my carry on! 

Tell me, what are you're travel must-haves?

Happy travels!

xo, Terra

Things I Love: Essential Oils

Essential Oils have played a part in my daily life for the better part of the last decade. Here are 5 EO's I can't live without, a few ways I use them, and my recipe for homemade cleaning wipes! xo, Terra

My top 5 essential oils (in no particular order)

my go-to @vitruvi diffuser, and a few of my favorite oils

1. Peppermint
   Peppermint has tons of uses. I first used it the way most of us probably did- making peppermint frosted treats for Christmas. Now, this is the #1 oil I turn to when I need relief from a headache; when anyone in the house is feeling nauseous; added to tea when I want a little pick me up; it's also a natural bug repellent, so I like to add a few drops to a spray bottle, and spray it around my windows and doors to keep spiders away.

2. Eucalyptus
   My son was diagnosed with asthma at 18 months. I quickly realized that while I couldn't control the illness, I did have a hand in reducing triggers. I keep a humidifier in Peyton's room, and I diffuse eucalyptus to promote his breathing. I also add eucalyptus oil as a natural disinfectant to my homemade cleaning spray and wipes. When we're feeling under the weather, I put 5-6 drops of eucalyptus on a damp washcloth, and use it in the sauna: the infrared heat plus the essential oil does wonders for relieving  congestion. 
3. Grapefruit
   One of my favorite scents to add in the kitchen and bathroom is grapefruit. I diffuse grapefruit oil in my entryway and kitchen for most of the year, add grapefruit oil to my hand soap in the bathroom, and add a few drops to my homemade cleaning wipes when Peyton helps with chores. Grapefruit is an uplifting fragrance, and I love to mix it with Bergamot in a bath, or in my mop water when I'm cleaning the floors. 
4. Bergamot
   Bergamot is an oil I wear, diffuse, and clean with. I also add it to my tea (it's what gives earl gray tea its delicious scent). I diffuse bergamot on its own and also mix it with neroli oil (orange blossom) to naturally add fragrance to our laundry. 
5. Cinnamon
   During the holidays, I diffuse cinnamon, orange, and clove to mimic the scent of mulling spices on the stove! I love the smell of the holidays, and this combo immediately puts everyone in the Christmas spirit. The rest of the year, I alternate cinnamon and peppermint as bug repellants and also add it to my smoothies as a natural way to regulate blood sugar levels. 

**full disclosure** I am not an essential oil expert, just an enthusiast. For all things EO, check out 2 of my favorite people, and their Instagram pages! If you're looking to broaden your knowledge in this area, let these Boss Babes guide you! I'm just here to sing their praises. 

Sydney of OutbackSherriffs is my health and wellness guru when it comes to EO's -though I don't know if she knows I call her that. ☺️ She knows oils inside and out, and will help you discover the best oils for your life  

Griselda is the master of curated scents. Her page Spruce and Thyme has tons of helpful tips and tricks for incorporating essential oils into your daily life. I am also obsessed with her serious photography skills!! 

Kid Friendly Cleaning Wipes

Because of Peyton's asthma (and allergies), I started making my own cleaning wipes and switched to as many natural cleaning products as I found to be effective. Chores are a family affair at our house, and I wanted to feel good about what Peyton is inhaling, and also what touches his skin. Here's my recipe for kid-friendly cleaning wipes! The best part of this is that there's no waste- Just throw the rags though a sanitizing wash cycle, and you're good to go!

What you'll need:

• 1- 32oz Wide mouth mason jar
• 10-20 assorted sized rags (Old dishtowels and t-shirts cut into 6" or 12" squares do the trick! I use different sizes for different jobs)
• 3/4c filtered water
• 3/4C distilled white vinegar
• 10 drops grapefruit essential oil
• 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 5 drops bergamot essential oil

How you make them:

• Add all liquids to the mason jar, and give them a good swirl. Be sure to use a glass jar as plastic can react to the oils and vinegar
• Add rags one at a time, fully submerging each rag
• Put a lid on the jar, and give it a few tilts back and forth be make sure each rag is wet enough

How to use them:

• Pull rags from the jar one at a time, squeezing any excess liquid back into the jar (this is where the wide-mouth jar request is most important)
• Use to wipe counters, window sills, shutters, baseboards, sinks, etc! 
• Throw dirty rags into a sanitizing cycle in the washing machine once you're finished, and make a new batch as needed! 

You can fit 20-30 small rags in a jar, but 10 is about how many I can get my son to use before he's OVER dusting and cleaning. 

** one note, these may not be suitable for certain stone countertops. Be sure to check the care of your surfaces before using! **