The toughest part of a trip -- business or pleasure -- often is the packing. Here are a few tips to ensure you pack what you need and do it in a way that fits into your carry on sized bag.
Packing for a trip does not have to be stressful and difficult if you make a plan ahead of time and follow these simple steps. Even if the trip requires you to pack business wear, these tips will help you fit in everything you need without having to pack more than one bag.
To start, make a list the days you will be away from home. Then under each day, write down what you plan to do that day. If you are packing near to the date you are leaving, check out predicted high and low temperatures at your destination. If you are packing much in advance, take note of average high and low temperatures for the time of year during which you are traveling.
When selecting clothing to pack, stick with neutral colors like tan, black, or grey. You can add in color in accent pieces, like ties. If you pack mostly in neutral colors, you can mix and match different articles of clothing to create different outfits. For example, if you pack a pair of tan pants and a pair of grey pants, you can wear the same shirt and appear to have two very different outfits, especially when you wear different ties. Also, do not pack a formal suit unless you know you will need it for an occasion or meeting. The reason is that formal clothing is not as easily coordinated with the other items you take with you. Travel sites on the Internet often will offer lists of items to pack. Most agree on the following items: two pairs of pants, two button-down shirts, two t-shirts, underwear for each day (or at least two pairs that you can wash in your room in the evenings), socks for each day, a blazer or sport coat, a sweater, two ties, and two pairs of shoes (comfortable/walking shoes and dressy shoes).
As you pack your clothing there are some tips to keep in mind. Roll socks, ties, and underwear, then pack these items into shoes to save space. Place shoes in plastic bags prior to packing in order to keep dirt from the shoes from getting on your clothing. Lay belts around the edges of the suitcase. Many items - like t-shirts and most pants - can be rolled before packing. Rolling clothing not only saves space, but also makes it easy to take out one piece of clothing without unpacking the entire suitcase. When packing shirts be sure to button all the buttons prior to folding and packing. Before folding jackets or blazers, turn the items inside out and fold with the lining facing out; this will keep these items from wrinkling too much while in the suitcase. Finally, be sure to pack all heavy items, such as large shoes, on the bottom of your suitcase so that they do not press down on your clothing when your suitcase stands upright.
Toiletries are simple to pack if you follow a few rules. A few days before your trip, you should purchase travel sizes of all toiletry items you wish to pack including deodorant, toothpaste, shaving cream, shampoo, etc. Pack each of these items in plastic bags that can be sealed, such as freezer bags, then squeeze out all the air out of the bags. If your suitcase has a waterproof compartment, that is the best place to pack these items, however, taking care to put the containers in a sealed bag should help if you're your bag is crushed or the bottles are broken. When packing medication, keep it in the original bottles you received from the pharmacy in order to avoid questions should you be stopped by security and questioned about what is in your bag.
Finally, pack a trash bag or two in your bag. This may seem useless, but if you have more than one destination or a very long trip, you will want to keep your dirty clothes from touching your clean clothes. If you get into the habit of placing your dirty clothes in the garbage bag each night you not only minimize the risk of leaving items behind when you head home, but you also have all these items together and ready to be washed upon your return.
