Where Did I Put That Boarding Pass?

This post is intended for my fellow Luddites who print their travel documents. My phone is never fully charged so relying on it for boarding passes, maps, and itineraries is reckless. I am more secure knowing I have a piece of paper in my possession with my name printed alongside a flight or hotel or car reservation.

But dealing with those papers can be a hassle. For years now I’ve folded them up and shoved them inside a pencil case that I clip inside my backpack. Recently though, with the increasing number of scannable graphics appearing on tickets and passes, my discomfort has resurfaced. I’m now afraid I won’t scan cleanly, leading to missed flights or denied admittance.

While browsing through my local Paper Source store. I came across a couple of items I thought I could use to create a solution. Reminder – I am not a crafter so every project I devise is generally idiot-proof. This one is no exception. I picked out a 5-pack of large presentation envelopes (9″ x 11 1/2″), labels in a complementary color and a roll of washi tape. Apparently washi tape is the latest rage, enflaming the feverish imaginations of Pinterest crafters. I had no clue what it was but it was pretty and I thought I could do something with it. If not, I’d simply add it to the bin in my closet labeled “Purchased in Haste. Regretted in Leisure.”

The washi tape is very easy to work with; it cuts easily and is completely repositionable. I added borders to the top and bottom of the envelope, added an underline to the label and printed out the name of my destination with my beloved Brother P-Touch. The result is a pretty envelope, big enough to hold my trip’s worth of papers without folding. Not bad for 5 minutes’ worth of effort!