The internet and social media are filled with tips, tricks, and clever hacks to make the most of your travels. There’s so much out there that it can be hard to figure out what’s actually useful and what’s probably not worth stressing over. Since we’ve covered so many of these tips at Daily Passport, we thought we’d collect a few of your favorites from across the website. From tiny, unexpected items to toss in your carry-on before heading to the airport to secret features on your phone that can make navigating a new city a breeze, here are 10 of our most popular — and most useful — travel hacks. 

Toss a Shower Cap in Your Suitcase

Often, the best hacks are cheap and versatile — like the humble shower cap. This underrated item can do far more than protect your hair from water. From containing messes to dealing with dirty shoes or even organizing accessories, shower caps can be a luggage lifesaver. Another useful item? Silica gel packets, which can remove moisture from clothing, such as wet bathing suits or sweaty workout gear. 

Read more: How a Shower Cap Saves Your Entire Suitcase

Go Halfsies When Packing

When packing for a big trip, most people put all their clothing and some other essentials into their personal suitcase. But if you check that bag and it gets lost or delayed, you’re without 100% of your belongings. Instead, try the 50/50 rule: Pack 50% of your clothing into your bag and the remaining 50% in a friend or loved one’s bag. (The other person does the same.) 

And if you want to track down lost luggage sooner, we always recommend sliding an Apple AirTag into any luggage that you’re planning to check, so you can easily keep tabs on your bags throughout your journey.

Read more: The Simple Packing Trick That Could Save Your Trip

Snap a Few Pics Before Leaving Home

Worrying about your home while you’re away on vacation is a feeling many travelers know all too well. Instead of wondering if you turned off the oven, take pictures on your cellphone of any potentially hazardous items in your home before you leave. Do the same with the contents of your suitcase, so you can prove to the airline what was there and what they owe you in case your bag gets lost.  

Read more: The One Thing You Should Do at Home Before a Trip

Combat Cramped Seats With This Surprising Item

Tight quarters can inhibit circulation, leaving passengers uncomfortably achy at the end of a long journey. There’s one often overlooked strategy that can help: packing a tennis ball in your carry-on. Think of the ball as a personal masseuse sitting right next to you — one that’s small, circular, and lime green. You can use the ball to provide acupressure to certain areas on the body, which can help stimulate blood flow, keep the muscles loose, and prevent potential stiffness or swelling.

Read more: The Surprising Item You Should Always Pack in Your Carry-On 

Turn a Smelly Situation Upside Down

There are many kinds of bad seatmates on planes, some worse than others. Most passengers would agree that one who smells is a problem. Thankfully, flight attendants have a trick: Place a dab of Vicks VapoRub under each of your nostrils. Thanks to ingredients such as eucalyptus oil and menthol, the ointment is highly effective at blocking odors.

Read more: The Flight Attendant-Approved Hack for a Smelly Seatmate

Explore A New City Without Wi-Fi

While traveling abroad, you don’t always have access to Wi-Fi or a cell network. Without an internet connection, you might assume that the maps app is useless, but Apple Maps and Google Maps both allow you to download maps onto any Android or iPhone device so you can consult them even if you’re offline. 

Read more: This Hack Lets You Explore a City Without Wi-Fi

Use the Scarf Trick To Ward Off Pickpockets

Pickpocketing is a serious concern in certain travel destinations, but there’s a simple and stylish solution: using a scarf to create a makeshift lock on your bag. Take the scarf and feed it through the opening of the bag’s zipper pull, much like how you’d thread a needle. Then, zip the bag shut and tie the scarf around the adjacent shoulder or wrist strap to keep the zipper closed. This makes it more difficult for a pickpocket to surreptitiously unzip your bag and grab your phone or credit card without drawing attention.

(Speaking of phones, there’s one simple iPhone setting you should toggle off before a trip to increase the odds that you and your phone will be reunited if it’s stolen.)

Read more: The Travel Hack That Pickpockets Hate 

Try Your Phone’s Hidden Translator

You likely use your iPhone’s camera app to take photos and videos all the time, particularly on vacation. But did you know the camera app also comes with a built-in live translation feature? This can be used to translate text written in an unfamiliar language into English or another language that’s easier for you to understand.

Read more: How To Use Your iPhone’s Hidden Translator

Employ the Shoe Trick in the Hotel Safe

When settling into your hotel room, you might put certain valuables in the safe for added security. But there’s always a risk you could forget about them when packing up at the end of your trip. The surest way to avoid forgetting items in the hotel safe is as simple as using a pair of shoes. By placing one shoe inside the safe, you’re creating a visual reminder to find the other shoe when it’s time to pack up at the end of your stay.

Read more: The Foolproof Way To Remember Everything in Your Hotel Safe

Track Any Flight With a Simple Text

If someone’s waiting to pick you up at the airport, text that person your airline code and flight number (e.g., DL2048) before you take off so they can easily track your ETA with a simple click. (This hack is only for iPhone users — sorry, Android fans!) Doing this automatically creates a hyperlink that the person can click on to track the flight right in the messages app.

Read more: The Secret iPhone Flight Hack To Use on Your Next Trip