5 S teps to a S afer H otel R oom K eep S trangers and V iruses O ut W ith T hese Q uick T ips
hotel room is the remote control.” To avoid the ick, pick up the remote while wearing gloves and drop it into a Ziploc. Then, remove your gloves and seal the bag. Now you can use the remote without touching it directly!
Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and your family from illness, but sometimes life gets in the way. Maybe you need to travel for work, to help a relative, or just to keep your kids from bouncing off the walls. If you have a hotel stay on the books, worrying about safety is understandable. But by taking these precautions, you can protect your loved ones and increase your odds of coming home healthy. 1. Bring a sanitation kit and use it! Most hotels are going above and beyond to sanitize their rooms these days, but it never hurts to take extra care. Before you check in, pick up cleaning supplies like disinfectant spray, wipes, plastic bags, and gloves. Then, use them to wipe down your room. Focus on big surfaces as well as features like faucet handles, doorknobs, lightswitches, and microwave buttons. 2. Skip the decorative linens. Many hotels don’t wash decorative bedding like comforters and fancy pillowcases. To be extra safe, strip these off the bed and wash your hands afterward. If you’re chilly, opt for the hotel’s spare blanket (it’s probably hiding in a closet) or bring one from home.
4. Invest in a rubber door wedge. Viruses aren’t the only risk in hotel rooms — break-ins are another concern. To keep your room secure, bring a rubber door wedge. They cost less than $10 on Amazon and make kicking in a door much more difficult. 5. For maximum security, bring a door alarm. Simple travel alarms hang from the handle of a door and have two prongs that slide between the door and its frame. When the door opens and the prongs separate, that triggers the alarm. These simple devices send thieves running, and Lewis N. Clark makes a model for just $14.99.
Hopefully, these tips give you some peace of mind on your next trip. Happy trails!
3. Quarantine your remote control. As USA Today puts it, “It’s common knowledge that one of the germiest items in a
F all and W inter S ports A re on the H orizon T ips for B uying N ew O utdoor G ear !
As you sort through your gear, see if any equipment is damaged and requires repair or replacement. Test flashlights and headlamps to make sure they work and inspect gear that’s been stored and forgotten, like backpacks and tents, that you might not notice the wear and tear on while out in the wild. You don’t want any equipment to malfunction when you’re in the middle of an excursion.
When was the last time you bought new ski pants or hiking boots? Now that you’re thinking about it, you might be realizing it’s been many years since you updated your most used athletic gear, which might explain why you’ve been colder than usual on the ski hill or why your feet ache after a short hike. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to consider investing in new gear. It can be very expensive, but you’re in luck — the holidays are just around the corner, which means so are the sales!
Now that you know what gear you want to replace, it is time for the fun part.
Decide what outdoor activities you want to do in the upcoming months and in the next year. Adjust your inventory to your new needs and research which brands have the best ratings and reviews. Then, find which retailers tend to have the best prices. Shopping smart takes a little bit of preparation, but it can save you hundreds of dollars and lots of stress during those busy holiday weeks. So, dig through your closet or garage, take note of your current gear, and prepare to find some awesome deals for the whole family on new gear for the coming year.
Before you drop cash on new gear, sort through your current inventory and decide what to keep, sell, and toss. This might be hard and you may be tempted to skip it, but making these decisions can help you save money. If you have equipment or athletic wear that’s still in good condition but you no longer need, find a consignment shop where you can sell or trade it. After all, your gear might be perfect for someone else and still give you some money to get a great upgrade for yourself.
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