Best Results Organizing

The year is now officially half over. Have you used many of your paid vacation days? Have you used any of your vacation days?

One of the signs of toxic productivity is the sense that there’s always more work to do, more things to accomplish, and that vacation time will always be there. But the human mind needs rest just as much as the body, and going without both rest and recreation is a recipe for disaster.

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Going without time off is called vacation deprivation, and according to Expedia’s 2023 Global Deprivation Report, Americans take 8-1/2 fewer vacation days than our global cousins, and nearly half (45%) of Americans left vacation days untaken last year. And that’s on top of the fact that we already receive fewer paid vacation days than most of the industrialized world.

Of course, even those who have vacation days and value the time off have been squeamish about traveling. (I’ll admit, I’m one of them.) COVID is still out there, and inflation means our hard-earned pennies don’t go as far.

Still, a staycation often doesn’t feel like a vacation, and getting out of Dodge for a while is a great opportunity to reset your perspective. So, let’s at least look at some options for saving time time and money and making the travel experience less stressful.

Of course, Paper Doll has covered travel-related topics before. Back in 2018, I wrote Paper Doll’s 5 Essential Lists For Planning an International Vacation.

For what it’s worth, it’s almost entirely applicable to domestic travel, too, and covers lists of:

• What to acquire for your trip
• What clothing and accessories to pack
• What other essentials to pack
• What to do before you leave
• Important phrases (admittedly, the most “international” of the lists)

For those who prefer to listen rather than read, much of the material covered was included in two interviews I did on the (much-missed) Smead podcast, embedded in Paper Doll on the Smead Podcast: Essential Lists For Organized Travel.

Today’s post is more along the lines of “travel tidbits,” a collection of nifty options for making travel situations more organized so you can focus your attention on relaxation.

GET SOME ELBOW ROOM AT THE AIRPORT

Let’s start with stuff. As you prepare to travel, you gather a lot of stuff to keep handy — to watch, to use, to eat. But it’s not always convenient to access it.

goDesk

Have you ever tried to set up an iPad so you and your traveling companion (or your tussling tiny humans) can watch a movie? 

Have you ever tried to eat a meal balanced on your lap in the boarding area because there were no tables near the restaurants, but there were also no tables at your gate?

Do you know what’s is like to struggle to find something in your bag but there’s no place to put the items as you take out and sort through them?

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a desktop space when you’re traveling? But obviously, you don’t want to schlep around an actual desk when flying, and those beanbag-bottom laptop desk surfaces designed for when you’re sitting on your couch aren’t really workable in those teeny airport chairs. But I’ve recently found what seems like a nifty solution.

The goDesk lets you transform your rolling bag into a desk/entertainment center. 

Taking advantage of the fact that almost all modern luggage pieces, particularly carry-ons, have those collapsible/telescoping handles, the goDesk can attach to your bags telescoping handle in seconds. It gives you enough desk space to securely hold a full-sized laptop, your airport meal, your child’s tablet, or the contents of your tumbled purse.

Later, when you’re ready to board, use the on/off release knob, and goDesk detaches in seconds. It’s got a slim profile, so you can just slide it in your outer luggage pocket.

The goDesk’s unique lock/latch system makes it compatible with most 4-wheel carry-on roller luggage, and it supports up to 12 pounds. The whole unit measures 11 1/2″ wide x 10″deep  x 7/8″ high (with a 10″ x 10″ desktop surface) and ways only one pound.

There’s a flip-up media stand to use with iPads and other tablets, smart phones, or small books/notebooks, and a slide-out cup holder so you don’t have to worry about your beverage wobbling and spilling on the desktop surface (or your pricey devices).

The goDesk is made in the USA with TSA-approved materials and comes with a one-year warranty. It’s available from the goDesk website for $39.95 and ships with 2-3 day delivery. 

AVOID EXCESS FEES WHILE TRAVELING

The first time I ever did any significant traveling without my family was when I was in college. I was going to be working on a special school-sponsored project in San Francisco. Although I had a debit card and a credit card, Paper Mommy took me to AAA to get American Express-backed travelers checks, where I dutifully filled out forms and signed the checks and registered them. I was told I would then countersign them when I used them to purchase anything, and if they were lost, I could easily get them replaced, just as Karl Malden promised in all those commercials.

I don’t know anyone who uses travelers checks anymore. Most of the time, you’re going to use a credit or debit card, or something like ApplePay from the wallet in your smart phone using magic technology. But sometimes, you want to have cash on hand, whether to tip a bellhop or give money to a talented busker or just pay in local currency.

The problem? When you aren’t getting cash from your own bank’s ATM, you’re likely to have to deal with an ATM surcharge fee. However, there are a few ways around that problem.

ATM Fees/Surcharges

In the US, different ATM machines (whether they are associated with banks or not) are affiliated with ATM networks. If you look on the back of your ATM card, you’ll see the network in which it participates, and there should not be a fee if you use an ATM that is also part of that network. So, if your bank uses STAR, or PULSE, or PLUS and you find an ATM in that network, there shouldn’t be a fee. However, it’s going to take some digging to get that information and locate the right ATM, and that will add frustration and take time out of your precious vacation. 

ATM Keypad Photo by Eduardo Soares on Unsplash

Luckily, there are a few options to quickly identify which ATMs do not have surcharge fees.

The Allpoint Network has more than 55,000 fee-free ATMs. Download the app or use the website. Enter your zip code, and the Allpoint search will identify which ATMs in your vicinity do not charge a fee. Scroll through the map or list to find an ATM near your current location or in the neighborhood of where you’re planning to be. (Note: the app has a geolocator function, so you don’t have to type in your zip code, which is convenient when you’re traveling in a strange city and don’t necessarily know the zip code.)   

Similarly, you can use the ATM locator on the MoneyPass website. Type in your zip code and then click on the “Search options” button. From the drop-down, make sure “All Surcharge-Free ATMs” is checked. (Other options include deposit-taking ATMs, handicapped-accessible ATMs, and 24-hour ATMs.) You’ll be able to see your options on a map and in a list.

If you’re traveling abroad and want cash, it can be especially frustrating, as surcharges may vary from non-existent to upwards of $8. (If you have to pay a flat fee rather than a percentage, consider taking out more money but less often so you won’t be drained by excess fees.)

For foreign ATM withdrawals, try ATM Fee Saver, available in 40 countries in North, South, and Central America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. ATM Fee Saver’s app is available for iOS and Android. The site also has a great blog with travel-related financial advice, like this one on the 9 best ways to save foreign ATM fees.

FIND A LITTLE EXTRA HELP IF YOU NEED IT

Traveling with a disability can up-end all kinds of travel plans. Whether you’re traveling with service animals, need alternative security measures (for example, if you have an implanted or attached medical advice), or will need a wheelchair or other accommodations at your destination, you’ll need to plan ahead.

To ensure that you’re getting all the right information you need, be sure to review the following resources:

Traveling with a Disability (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) — This covers a wide variety of tasks, like contacting your physician in advance of your travel to ensure you have destination-specific care, acquiring MedicAlert jewelry or other notification-bearing items, to specialized considerations for air and cruise travel.

Traveling with a Disability (U.S. Department of Transportation) — This includes the Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights and other helpful information.

Travel: Tips for People with Disabilities (DisabilityInfo.org)

10 Tips for Traveling With Physical Disabilities (Travel Channel)

Traveling abroad with disabilities: Here’s a post-pandemic guide (USA Today)

How to Travel with Invisible Disabilities (AARP)

6 Tour Companies Dedicated to Travelers with Disabilities (Condé Nast Traveler)

Speaking of disabilities, it’s been really gratifying to learn that great strides are being made in helping travelers living with invisible disabilities.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, invisible or hidden disabilities can refer to any type of disability that is not obvious. If you see a person in a wheelchair, using crutches, or walking with a white cane, that’s a visible disability. Invisible disabilities may relate to physical concerns that are not immediately apparent (anything from deafness to asthma, heart conditions to diabetes). But they may not be primarily physical in nature — consider Alzheimer’s, aphasia, dyslexia, autism, etc. Any of these can make traveling problematic.

Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program

Recently, I was fascinated to learn about the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program. This program provides lanyards with yellow sunflowers on green backgrounds to alert airport and airline workers that the person wearing one might need some extra time or assistance. Imagine how much easier it would be to have people trained to look for the lanyard rather than always having to jockey in line to request assistance for yourself or someone with whom you’re traveling!

The key is that you don’t need to disclose your specific disability to get a lanyard, nor does the lanyard say why you need help, because “why?” is beside the point. Instead, workers are trained to recognize that individiuals wearing the lanyards may need help, support, or additional time, and should ask, “How may I help?”

That said, individuals can personalize the card (for purchase at a small fee) for their lanyard with up to five different icons (of 25 available) to help identify the kind of assistance they may need. For example:

Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initially launched at the UK’s Gatwick Airport in 2016. The program has now grown to include about 216 airports worldwide in 30 nations, including 93 here in the United States (of which 19 will be launching the program soon). British Airways, Air France, and ten other airlines, along with many other businesses, have also signed on to participate in the program. 

In addition to prioritizing assistance, airports and shopping venues are developing Sunflower programs. At the Pittsburgh airport, to help individuals with sensory issues, they’ve developed a room with tunnels, wall displays, rocking chairs and special lighting to create a soothing environment. The Seattle airport has a similar Sensory Room and Interfaith Prayer area.

Learning about this reminded me of the large tunnel between concourses at the Detroit airport with psychedelic lighting, which I originally saw in 2016. On each side of the tunnel, there’s a button to push so that people with epilepsy or other sensory issues for which the tunnel would create difficulties can stop the effects. Push the button and the strobe and lighting effects cease for the period it takes to cross to the other side, then start again soon after.

So far, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower index includes more than 900 disabilities, and there’s a form to list any that have been missed. 

The Sunflower lanyards are free. 

Find an airport or business participating in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program here.

If you do travel in the coming months, I hope you have a safe, serene, and organized journey.