When it comes to holidaying one of the most daunting tasks is the organisation and the packing. One of the first things on your list of things to organise is how to get about town once you’re there. Well here you can breathe easy because Alpha Car Hire has you covered.

At Alpha Car Hire you will enjoy the use of your choice of budget friendly airport car rental. All vehicles are near new and serviced regularly to ensure the safety of all occupants. So that’s one of the easy parts done; one of the more stressful parts of travelling is deciding what to pack and take.

Of course there are the standard items that will always make it into your suitcase, but there are some things that should really be included that you may never have even thought of. Here’s a few you might like to consider.

Laundry detergent

When you are packing up little samples of shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser and the like into your travel bottles, fill an extra bottle with some laundry detergent. While most accommodation may have laundry services on hand you never know when you might want to quickly hand wash an item in your hotel bathroom as a matter of urgency.

A bandanna
Even if you don’t usually use one, a bandanna really is a versatile item not to be overlooked. While the more common use is as a headband, this easily packed space saving beauty can also act as a hand towel when you can’t find one, an eye mask if you’re trying to sleep on a plane or in a car and a lens cleaner for your glasses and sunglasses.

Some other easy uses are a sling in case of an accident or tie up a jumper to use as a make shift pillow. If you’re trekking around on a hot bushwalk, wet your bandanna down and use to keep you cool.

Travel mug
Not just for drinking coffee, taken away with you on trips this handy little item makes a great storage compartment, especially if it has a lid! If you buy delicate and small souvenirs or wish to hide valuables, this is the perfect place. Souvenirs will be protected in the cup from breakage and a coffee mug is not a place that dishonest people will look.

Baby wipes
You don’t need to have a baby to enjoy the benefits of baby wipes. Many a parent has outgrown their baby stage and continues to carry these. How often have you visited a café or eatery to find the table is grubby or grimy?

Baby wipes are perfect for this; simply wipe and relax knowing your eating area is much cleaner for it. They are not just handy for cleaning tables. Any public areas that have particularly dirty areas such as doorknobs and ATMs are easily fixed up.

Another great use is to wipe hands in the absence of soap in toilets and even water in public places. Even a quick ‘sponge bath’ after travelling all day or evening but you don’t have the use of a bath or shower. There are many other great uses too, because wipes usually contain alcohol, they are useful for getting off some marks such as ink, etc.

Duct tape
Duct tape is amazing for fixing up things such as a broken suitcase and worn out hiking shoes, but wait, there’s more. If you’re travelling with a baby or toddler duct tape is great for making a hotel room kid proof. Tape doors shut and cover power outlets to protect inquisitive minds.

If you discover your clothing has fluff or lint you can easily remove this with a bit of tape, and voila!

Tote bag
If you are a woman you are no doubt taking a bag along on your travels, but ensure it is tote bag size. This will be handy for using as a carry all for any items you buy in case there are no plastic bags or if you prefer not to use them.

A good size, tough tote bag can be used for shopping and markets so you’re not laden down with too many bags. Also use it for the beach and picnics as well as to cart your dirty laundry home.

Safety pins
The humble safety pin has saved many a day in its time. Fantastic for quick fixes of ruined hemlines, busted buttons, zippers and all kinds of wardrobe malfunctions. You can also use these by securing zippers to the bag to prevent quick thieving fingers or to prevent static in clothing. The metal property repels static when placed in the seam of the clothing.

There are so many other great items you can take along on your journey and these all come in handy whether you are travelling by plane or car. Make yourself a list and get packing!

Make your next trip even more convenient with a comfortable and reliable car hire from Alpha. Happy Travels!