Leak-free bottles

To prevent liquids from leaking when being transported, remove the lid of the bottle and wrap a small piece of plastic wrap over its opening. Close the bottle and carry it with more confidence.

Saving space in luggage

When packing your clothes, roll them up into compactly packed tubes and stack them in your suitcase.

Easy airport pick-up

When you are flying only with carry-on bags, ask the people picking you up at the airport to wait in the car by the departure area. This will make you avoid arrival section stress, baggage-claims chaos, and exit the airport much easier and faster.

Handy car storage

Wrap a few wide rubber bands around your sun visor a couple inches apart. Tuck in toll tickets, dollar bills, printed directions, sunglasses, and all of your driving essentials. They will be at your fingertips for immediate stress-free access.

When your tire blows out

Do not panic! If you have heard a loud boom from under the car, keep a firm hold on the steering wheel and avoid hard braking. Gently lift your foot off the gas, and coast until you have control, and then you may brake cautiously. Turn on your flashers to warn the cars behind you, but stay focused on steering the car as straight as you can while you slow down the vehicle, and guide yourself to the side of the road. Your ability to steer may be harder if you blow a front tire, and depends on how much of the rubber is left on the wheel. Call for help after you get to the side of the road.

Gas pedal sticks or your car will not stop accelerating

First check if you accidentally put your foot down on the accelerator by mistake (easy situation to fix). Second, be sure to stay calm! In case your gas pedal sticks, reach down to see if something, like floor mats or any object, might be wedged under there. Put the car into neutral (or press down the clutch), and do not worry about damaging the transmission. This procedure just takes the power from the engine away from the wheels, and lets you use the brakes to stop the car from rolling. In the worst-case scenario, you can even shut off the engine completely (just turn the key to OFF). Your steering and brakes will be harder to use, but they will still work! Coast to the side of the road, and use your emergency brake if you need extra help stopping. You can always practice doing this in parking lots occasionally.

Stop a car in an emergency situation

If your car is equipped with anti-lock braking system (ABS), keep your foot stomped down, and do not lift off the brake until your car comes to a complete stop. Most of today's vehicles are equipped with ABS that help drivers maintain control of the car by preventing the wheels from locking up. If you do not have ABS, you have to be able to push the brake pedal down hard, but not so hard that you lock up and skid the tires. It takes a lot of skill to do this well, so you could practice in an empty parking lot once in a while. If your brakes do not work at all, try to steer yourself away from traffic and people. Turn on your emergency blinkers. Use your gear selector to downshift into lower gears and, if you have room on either side of you, steer the car sharply from side-to-side to slow you down. If that does not work, sideswipe your car against the guardrail until you are going slow enough to use the hand or foot brake to bring you to a standstill.

Tread separates from car’s tire while driving

You may notice loud thumping and feel the vehicle pulling to the side as the tread pulls off the tire. At high speeds, this flopping tread can damage your wheel well or even drive your car completely out of control. Do your best to steer the car straight and gently lift your foot off the gas. Cautiously guide yourself to the side of the road, braking carefully, and then call a tow truck to change the tire.

Car stalls while driving

You may lose power steering and braking. Stay calm and focused, turn on your flashers, and try to restart the vehicle while the vehicle is still moving. If it will not restart, use your car's forward momentum to help you roll to the side of the road and park off the shoulder or out of the way of traffic. If you cannot make it to the side of the road, stay in your car and call 911 to get an emergency crew to help block traffic and move you off the road.

Hydroplaning or skidding out of control while driving

Carefully slow the vehicle down so you can regain control of the car and feel your tires on the ground again. Keep a firm hold on the steering wheel and stay calm. Ease your foot off the gas and carefully steer your car in the direction of the road. Avoid sudden acceleration, braking, or steering inputs, which may only cause the car to slip more. If the back wheels hydroplane, the car's rear may fishtail or bend sideways into a skid, possibly causing you to spin. Steer in the direction of the skid until the rear tires stop hydroplaning and come in contact with the ground again, and then gently steer in the opposite direction to straighten out your vehicle. To reduce the chance of hydroplaning, try to drive in the tire tracks left by the cars in front of you.

Navigate without a compass

If you hold a toothpick next to a manual wristwatch, it should cast a shadow on the watch. Turn the watch so the toothpick casts its shadow over the hour hand. Find the line halfway between the hour hand and 12 (or 1 during daylight savings time). That line should run north-south.

Travelling with wrinkle-free clothes

Lay a large plastic dry-cleaning bag on a flat surface and place one neatly folded item inside. Slide it to the top end of the plastic bag, stack a second item on top of the first item, but over the plastic, and then fold the bag over the garment. Insert a third item into the bag and continue folding and layering. This method will prevent fabric from wrinkling during transit.

Receiving and carrying your presents

When you travel for the holidays, bring an empty duffel bag in your suitcase to transport the gifts you have received home. You cannot forget that you are going to get presents as well.

Travelling during the holidays

To get cheap flights, book them at least 60 days in advance. If you cannot plan in advance, and have to buy last minute tickets, fly on the holiday instead of before. Often, the lowest fares go to travelers willing to fly on the holiday itself.

Boost your immunity before you fly

Yogurt is cultured with lactic acid, which strengthen the digestive system and the entire immune system. Stock up on a brand of yogurt that contains plenty of live cultures, and eat yogurt every day for a few days before you fly. A drinkable yogurt makes a super-healthy and convenient preflight or in-flight snack. If you really dislike yogurt or cannot eat dairy, take a probiotic supplement, but remember to refrigerate it to preserve the live cultures. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, especially dark leafy greens like kale and brightly, and colored fruits such as berries.

Prevent congestion in a plane

The lack of humidity inside an airplane sucks moisture from the tissues of the nose and mouth, compromising the body's natural defense system. Stock your carry-on with a bottle of nasal saline spray, and use it before you fly to irrigate and moisturize the delicate membranes inside your nose. If you have a cold, take an oral decongestant about 30 minutes before boarding. If you have allergies, take your allergy medication an hour before flying.

Prevent ear pain when taking a flight

Activating the muscles in your jaw helps open up the Eustachian tubes. Pack gum and hard candy so you have something to suck or chew during takeoff and landing. Yawning and swallowing also helps relieve the pressure. If you have this problem frequently, invest in filtered earplugs, which work to gradually equalize the pressure on your eardrums.

Beware the bar when you travel by plane

Alcohol is extremely dehydrating, so drinking prior to or on a flight, combined with the low cabin humidity, lowers your resistance to cold and flu germs. Order a seltzer water or soda instead of alcohol. If your reason for drinking is to relax and sleep, there are healthier alternatives, such as taking melatonin or a sleeping pill or drinking chamomile tea. Most sleep aids take about an hour to work, so take your remedy of choice about 30 to 60 minutes prior to boarding.

Pack a blanket and pillow to fly

Always carry a light, foldable blanket and a neck pillow (inflatable to save space) in your carry-on. Using your own blanket and pillow not only helps you sleep germ-free but can also save your back and neck from pain.

Prevent dry eyes when traveling by plane

When your eyes are dry, do not rub them with your hands. Touching your eyes is one of the primary means of transmitting cold and flu viruses. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly and avoid touching your eyes. If you wear contact lenses, remove them before boarding and wear your glasses on the plane.