5 Cheap or Free Ways to Upgrade Your Travel Arsenal Now

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Itching to be able to travel again? The time will come, and there are many ways you can prepare—but perhaps the best way is to upgrade some of your travel must-haves and test them out while you’re stuck at home.

Here are some cheap or free strategies for readying your travel arsenal with items that can also help you stay comfortable and relaxed at home.

Inflatable Back Pillows for Working from Home (and Eventually the Plane)

Working from home can be rough on your back—as so many new remote employees are finding out. You know what else can be rough on your back? Plane travel. Use this opportunity to try out some travel pillows as a solution that can eventually double as the perfect plane pillow. I personally prefer a lumbar option like Therm-a-Rest’s Lumbar Travel Pillow, which provides support that prevents you from slouching and deflates to pack away when you’re not using it.

A Portable White Noise Machine

Getting a good night’s sleep is important in stressful times, plus it’s scientifically proven to be crucial for a healthy immune system. White noise machines can help, and portable ones like the Yogasleep Rohm are both affordable and perfect for packing when you get back to travel. The relaxing lull of white noise is a must-have in your too-quiet future hotel rooms.

Repair (or Damage-Proof) Your Suitcase

Don’t come out of quarantine ready to travel but with a broken or about-to-break suitcase. Short of buying a new, pricey spinner in these tough times, it’s worth considering that you can fix or break-proof your trusty carry-on. You can read more here about how to fix a broken suitcase, but some handy improvements include:

• Replacing wheels 
• Using a zipper repair kit
• Oiling the telescoping handle
• Tightening screws on the handle and/or wheels

Use Luggage-Organizing Straps at Home

Another luggage add-on, organizing straps for packing can also be a handy at-home organizer you can look forward to using on your carry-on. The adjustable, buckled straps are perfect for organizing and hiding at-home cables that have become an eyesore, and later they’ll easily compress clothes and gear to pack smaller into a size-restricted bag.

Spring Clean with Packing Cubes

Putting away your winter clothes to make room for spring ones is a lot easier if you employ some packing cubes to organize items into groups. Use your old packing cubes for storage and upgrade to some shiny new ones you’ll be eager to road-test later.

More from SmarterTravel:

• The Best Reusable Alternatives for Disposable, Single-Use Items
• Virtual Vacations: Meditative Audio Tours Around the World
• The World’s 11 Best Hot Air Balloon Rides

SmarterTravel’s Shannon McMahon writes about all things travel. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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