Connie Langdon is a pack rat. Especially when she’s on vacation.
Hotels are a collecting opportunity for Langdon, a court reporter from Springfield, Mo. “I always take pens and notepads and then use them for work,” she said. “That way, when I’m in a rut and wishing I was someplace else, I can look at my pen and smile about some sweet vacation memory.”
But it doesn’t end there. Unused soaps, shampoos, lotions, all disappear into her carry-on. She lifts packets of ketchup and mustard from room service trays left in the hallway. And, of course, she brings home the hotel key cards.
“Not only do they remind me of where we’ve been,” Langdon said, “but they also make good little scrapers for the side-view mirror of my car. And emergency screwdrivers.”
Professional organizer Jamie Novak says it’s normal for travelers to pocket a “physical representation” of their vacation. But before they snatch up that porcelain figurine or sombrero, she advises that they remember the acronym CUTE, which stands for “Can’t Use This Ever.”
For example, the sombrero is useless (unless you belong to a Mariachi band) but salt-and-pepper shakers might be useful.
Can’t decide what’s worth holding on to? Here’s a list:
Things to take
Boarding passes: These don’t just make nice keepsakes. My travel-writing colleague John DiScala, who writes the blog JohnnyJet, plans to cover a wall with his collection some day. “I also keep them, of course, for mileage purposes, just in case I don’t get credited,” he said.
I’ve written about the airlines’ insistence on being shown an actual boarding pass when you try to collect award miles, particularly on a codeshare flight. Better hold on to those stubs if you need the miles.
Hotel key cards: They’re meant to be kept, they’re collectibles, and you’re probably better off pocketing them, too. Karen Finlay, a sales manager for the guidebook Lonely Planet, says she takes her cards, “just as a memento and because I forget to hand them in.”
But it’s probably better that way. I can’t seem to completely debunk the rumor that hotels encode the cards with your personal information. The best way to make sure no one gets the card is to just keep it.
Receipts: Leslie Andrea Westbrook keeps every single one. So do I. That’s because she’s a travel writer, like me. “It’s a tax write-off,” she said.
If you are a business traveler, or part of your vacation is a write-off, you definitely don’t want to throw anything away. Take it from someone who’s been audited by the IRS and was lucky enough to have all the receipts. I shudder to think what might have happened if I didn’t.
Pictures: “They don’t take up any space in your bag,” Colin Wright, a professional traveler, blogger and self-described minimalist. Several professional organizers I spoke with for this story also recommend taking photos when you’re on vacation.
Things to leave
Shopping items: Mary Carlomagno, an organization expert and author of the book “Secrets of Simplicity” says we all suffer from vacation shopping disorder at times.
“We have to buy an Asian ceremonial tea outfit just because we think we will never be in Hong Kong again.”
For her, it’s a matter of separating yourself from the emotional attachment of that “must-have” merchandise.
Something you already have: “I really don’t need any more college sweat shirts, T-shirts or coffee mugs,” said Steven Goodman, an educational consultant and frequent traveler.
Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. You can read more travel tips on his blog, www.elliott.org or e-mail him at celliott@ngs.org.
&Copy; 2010 Christopher Elliott/Tribune Media Services, Inc.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
