One of the best ways to ensure a smooth business trip is through your packing. No, really. Packing efficiently will save time, money, and aggravation. For example, airport security will be a breeze, and you will save time and money by not checking your bags. And that’s just a start.

Over time, all business travelers develop their own packing tricks. In case you don’t have years to develop your technique, here is a cheat sheet of Road Warriorette’s top packing tips.
 

Clothes:

• Stick to a main color scheme. Build all of your outfits around one main neutral, such as black or brown. This way everything will coordinate and you will need fewer pairs of shoes. Speaking of shoes…..
• Only bring three pairs of shoes. This includes the pair on your feet.
• Use packing cubes. It’s truly amazing how much they will compress clothes.

Toiletries:

• Keep a set of toiletries ready to go at all times.  The only thing I move back and forth between my medicine cabinet and my toiletry bag are my glasses. Everything else is duplicated.
• Use contact lens cases to store small amounts of liquids, such as face wash, moisturizer, eye makeup remover, and hair creams. I currently have three extra cases in my liquids bag right now.
• Bring extra Ziploc bags , because you never know when they will come in handy.
• I have three separate bags for toiletries: one for liquids, one for non-liquids, and my makeup bag.

General tips:

• Clean out your purse between every trip. There is no need for those old receipts, notes, and boarding passes to go with you on every trip.
• Put everything you won’t need on your flight in your suitcase, including umbrella, chargers, extra books, etc. This will allow you to have the lightest possible personal item.
• Always bring a snack with you, because you never know when you’ll get stuck on a plane and be starving. I like almonds, granola bars, and carrot sticks. But bring whatever works for you!

Over time, you will surely develop your own favorite packing tips. Just remember, taking a few extra minutes to plan and prepare will make your trip go much smoother. Happy travels!

Road Warriorette is a professional woman who travels for work, a lot, from her home base in Texas. Because of her extensive travel experience, the Road Warriorette wants to share valuable tips and tricks she has learned, in hopes to teach the world about how to be good fellow travelers. She writes a blog, RoadWarriorette.com, for her fellow women business travelers. She loves to help people pack better! Learning to pack efficiently was a huge and fun challenge for the Warriorette who has a slight obsession with clothes and shoes (paring down is not easy, ladies!). In addition to writing and travel, both professionally and recreationally, she enjoys knitting, yoga, and spending time with her husband, the Home Warrior, and their two dogs. <