Well, remember that new travel guidelines prohibit you from taking any liquids or gels in containers larger than 3oz. Further, you have to stuff all of those 3oz containers into one 1-quart ziplock bag per passenger. This includes, shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste, perfume, lotion, sunblock, etc. Basically anything liquid or gel-like. Contact solution does not count since it is a medically necessary item. Considering those restrictions, you should make arrangements to pack all of those items in your checked luggage. Having said that, I would advise you to take liquid food items and pack them in bubble wrap and stuff that into a ziplock bag. For shampoos and stuff, I do a double ziplock bag. Remember to let every bit of air out of these bags so they don't get a hole and burst. I usually take a special checked bag full of messy things like this and I separate it from my clothes and other items I don't want ruined in case of spillage.

With the new security in place at the airports you have one and only option to carry liquids on the plane. You are only allowed one quart size ziploc bag per person. Within that bag you can only have 3oz of each liquid. If it's not in a quart size ziploc bag it will be tossed away right in front of you. Are you checking any luggage? If so then the oz doesn't matter and you can put each indivual item in a sandwich size ziploc and then put them in a larger ziploc. That's what we do and it works great, so what if your suntan lotion leaks, it's by itself and nothing else gets lotion on it. But if you are only carrying your bags on you are extremely limited to what you can bring. We just made the trip and we were checked thoroughly at each airport and had to take our quart size bag out and show them. One couple ahead of us each had two and they had to consolidate into one each and ended up throwing a bunch of stuff out even though it was in 3oz sizes. Hope this helps

ZIPS are a TRAVELER'S BEST FRIEND!!!

I also put lots of individual things into their own individual zip and then put several into one or several larger bags. Double if you think you may have an issue with something leaking or getting icky. They're really the perfect solution... you can throw them out without feeling bad, you can replace them easily - and they're probably more secure than most other products marketed specifically for the same use. I always carry lots of extras - stashed in suitcases, etc.

Thanks so much for the responses.

Traveling with a toddler, now, we have to check in our luggages.

I use ziplocks to pack many things and I bring a lot of extra with me. However, I feel they are still not sturdy enough. Sometimes they could be riped.

Have you packed liquid directly in ziplock before?

I've never packed liquid directly in a ziploc, I'd be afraid it would burst open. Perhaps looking for a small plastic bottle, like the ones you can get a drug stores for shampoo etc., and then putting that in the ziploc. I'd be hesitant to put liquids directly in the bag alone.

I usually use the little plastic bottles for liquids, and yes these can be obtained at drugstores. Some I recycle from other sources (little hotel shampoos, etc.) I have found a bit better selection (various sizes) at discount/department stores (like Target) and travel or camping supply places (was just at Rei camping store a couple of days ago and saw a nice little set of multiple sizes - looks like you can order online as well). I personally like this option because even though it takes a bit more space (but not too much, especially if you are checking a bag anyway), it is easier to get the stuff in and out, and the chance of leakage goes way down. I usually put the bottles inside a ziploc for extra protection. I have done the powdered type things directly in the ziploc (double-bagged sometimes), and that seems to work fine. Ziplocs are marvelous.

Another way to go is to buy some of your items in small sizes - ie. small bottles/packets of balsamic vinegar, ketchup and other condiments, as well as shampoos, etc. A good site to find these is minimus.biz. Great selection and you can buy just a few items. You can then put everything in ziplocs.

Lori

great ideas! also whenever you are in hotels even if you don't like the shampoos etc...TAKE THEM HOME and fill them with your favorite items and then on your next trip you can toss the empty ones out ....i collect them when i travel and then fill them up for short trips(take two) or long ones (take like six) and then toss the empties at the new hotel

also i have a SMALL hard case that i put into the big one locked and sealed with my zip locks and toiletries....also put old washcloths in too just in case something spills it absorbs...
so many ideas...

remember at buffets take a few of those small sealed ketchups and dijons etc etc......to use on trips!

An alternative to ziplocs is to use a vacuum sealer. We have one at home that we use primarily for storing food items, but used it on our last trip to seal up a number of items we were bringing to use in our rental villa. The advantages are that all extra air is vacuumed out, making the packet as small as possible, and the plastic material that is used for these systems is tougher than a regular ziploc container. We packed the sealed items in our checked luggage and did not have any leakage problems at all. The only downside is that it is not resealable, but if you are bringing items that you expect to use up (like sauces, etc.) it doesn't matter.

Blue, I agree with you. I think the best thing I've bought in years is the vacuum sealer. Not only are we planning to vacuum our food that we're bringing down with us, we vacuum our toiletries too.

Another thing you can do is leave alot of that stuff at home and buy down there. We've also cut down on what we bring except the essentials.

Trying to tell my daughter to NOT bring her multi-million dollar makeup collection is the hardest part of this trip.

Who needs makeup when your in the caribbean anyway?

Great question! I travel extensively with my job and rely completely on the freezer strength ziplock bags for cosmetics, hygiene items (dry and wet items seperate). I beg for sample size items from the clinique counter and refill them, use hotel shampoo bottles with larger openings and refill with higher quality products that I like, and use a dry based deoderant so I don't have to "declare" it! Just another tip, the little plastic camera film containers that we all usually throw away work GREAT for taking small amounts of spices, liquids, and even items such as TUMS because they seal very well. Start saving them now!

We will be staying for 15 nights and are planning to take quite a bit of frozen meats and seasonings. Vacuum sealing meats, packing in a polor bear cooler and using techni-ice (this keeps items frozen for at least 24 hours). This saves a great deal of money.

Enjoy your trip!

we put powders, such mixes for tea, lemonaide, coffee, granola, nuts etc, in zip locks and then use a larger to hold several smaller zips so all is double bagged. liquids remiain in original container plus zip bag and liquids i'm really scared of i put inside my "dry box" a hard side waterproof box i carry to beach to keep things inside dry; it'll work in reverse and provides hard protection for liquid containers. i have conidered using hard plastic sealable containers (like tupper ware) but have never had enough liquids to need.

also since we are now placing a lot of stuff that normally went in carryon bag, we still use same carryon but with pj's swimware and stuff that wrinkling is not an issue in carryons and that frees up suitcase space fro "hard containers to protect liquids. just a matter of rearranging.

papabou