Handy Hostel Hero Hacks

You might not know this, but there’s a bunch of unwritten universal rules to staying in hostels.  I’ve compiled my favourite travel hacks that will not only keep your bunkmates happy, but will keep you sane whilst you’re travelling!  These have all been personally tried and tested by me.  Here’s my top tips for being a hostel hero!

Bring a small roll of thin duct or electrical tape.  This is probably my favourite travel hack for a number of reasons.  I use the tape on all my toiletries because it cuts down on all the liquid explosions you have when you fly.  Also, I’ve used it in hostels where you annoyingly gotta keep pressing the button for a whopping 10 seconds of shower.  I’ve personally travel hacked the shit out of hostels showers by using my trusty electrical tape to tape that button on!  If you’ve got a massive mane like me and want to get all the suds out uninterrupted without pushing that button like a boss, this is what you should do. For a few bucks, you’ll keep your shampoo in your container and have a nice relaxing shower!

Don’t use plastic bags when you travel.  Just don’t.  They’re totally shit and bad for the environment not to mention, that they’re incredibly noisy and disrupt everyone that’s trying to sleep. Instead, fill your clothes with those reusable supermarket bags or even those promotional bags you get at trade shows.  They are thick enough to not get holes like those nasty plastic bags and are soft enough to open quietly.  Also, a lot of those promotional bags have draw strings which also makes them great for toiletries. Plus, it’s easier to section off your clothes in these bags if you don’t actually have any travel cells and you can totally colour code so you know what you’ve packed in what container.

Leaving the hostel in the morning?  Do yourself and everyone in your room a MASSIVE favour and get your gear packed ready during the day light hours. What I mean is, throw everything in your suitcase or backpack and have it ready to go so if you need to leave at some kinda shitty time during the morning, you don’t disturb anyone for those poor travel plans.  Have all your clothes that you’re going to wear the next day packed in the top of your pack, so all you need to do is grab your stuff, and head down the hall to the shower!  Or if you’re in a suite with the shower in the room, shower the night before because you probably feel like rubbish from drinking all night and just want to get on the plane.  Your bunkmates will thank you because there wont be any noise or turning on of the lights in the morning, and personally… you’ll be able to see everything because I can pretty much guarantee that the bathroom has all the lights already on and you don’t need to disrupt your flatmates in the room. Oh… and don’t hit the snooze button – EVER. It’s annoying and inconsiderate.  If your alarm goes off.  Get up. This is NOT NEGOTIABLE.

Don’t want to eat dinner out?  No worries, but make sure you eat your stinky old garlic prawns and nasty arse blue cheese salad with a side of disgusting in the common area.  Nobody wants to smell your cheap AF fried dinner all bloody night.  Especially those who hate garlic or seafood or whatever you decided to on munch on for a meal… So, do the right thing here and be a real hostel hero winner and eat that bad boy somewhere not near the bunk beds.  Oh… and don’t you even DARE chuck your stinky dinner container in the hostel room bin.  Take your super smelly fried whatever and put that puppy in the kitchen bin.  Throwing out something that stinks in a bin near where people sleep is a massive no-no, because, honey.. that shit smells… 

What are your favourite hero tips?  Share below!