Most of what I suggest will be more geared toward the guys, but ladies please post any ideas or suggestions also. You may have some great tips to share with the other women or the guys too.
I do travel for my job sometimes and always try to pack as light as possible. I have to wear a suit & tie. The first time I tried to pack a suit, it came out wrinkled. I have discovered that there are several videos and websites instructing the proper way to fold a suit to place in your suitcase. If done properly it will not come out wrinkled. There are several videos on Youtube that help with this. Also, Esquire Magazine has featured illustrated instructions in past issues. You can also use the same sources for the proper folding of your dress shirts. Ties and socks are easy.
I only carry 2 bags when I travel by plane. One suitcase (not large) and one carry on bag (big enough to also hold my laptop.) I usually check with the hotel to find out if they have an iron and ironing board in the room and offer dry cleaning. You never know when you will need those. If they don't have an iron in the room, I usually will pack a small travel iron. It is very important to look impeccable when trying to impress a client. You are trying to earn their money.
I also carry a small men's manicure set and one of those battery powered ear & nose trimmers. If you don't trust the toothpaste, shampoo & mouthwash they provide at the hotel, you can buy those little travel size bottles & tubes at most grocery stores, pharmacies, or Target.
When I travel to Europe I always take a plug-in conversion kit for my electric razor.
A while back I made up a checklist of things to pack, because these out-of-town trips often come up very suddenly and you don't have much time to get ready or plan. I also had someone more experienced than me, suggest that when taking any large or bulky presentation material, to Fed Ex them to your hotel destination rather than take a chance with baggage handlers at the airport.
So what are some things you do or any advice any of you have?
Good advice from Buz. I travel a lot...a few things I do;
keep a toiletries bag packed at all times and have a complete outfit; suit, shirt, tie straight from the dry cleaners ready to go at all times. Pack the bare minimum!
Do some internet searching so you know the lay of the land of where you are going...where to buy a shirt, drug store, bars, restaurants etc
Business or pleasure, it never changes for me ... similarly, length of stay/journey is irrelevant. Every time, I vow that THIS time will be different .. I will travel light ... and every time, as perennial as the leaves on the trees (think I have that right .. not sure !!, I pack for England. Suits for business, in darkish colours mainly, white shirts/blouses .. if weather permits and it's warm, I will buy some light coloured stuff when I get there, to save packing it. Shoes for this, shoes for that .... shoes for tennis, in case I fancy a game (seldom happens when I'm away, but I obstinately live in hope) ... shoes for walking .. shoes in case I get lots of beach walks .. posh shoes in case I meet a hunk who invites me to dinner (ehhhh ... does happen, but not as often as I fantasise it would haha).
I've run out of ways to explain the kitchen sink in my suitcase to airport staff ... so that stays at home now lol ...
Those tri-fold garment bags are good for making sure that you won't have to iron (steam) everything when you arrive at your destination. If bought in the right size, you can also carry those little guys on the plane with you.
A suggestion is to make sure you fold your suit jackets in the dry cleaning bags to prevent wrinkles. In order to make sure that they are "tip top", I make sure to take them out of my suitcase as soon as I arrive at my hotel. Another trick is to also run a very hot shower and get a good steam bath going. Hang your suit on the back of the door or on a hook and close the door for 3-5 min to further reduce any imperfections.
One tip that I would have is to try to carry-on your luggage as much as you can. This helps not only to get off as fast as you can when you land. But in-case of a code red (thunderstorm in the area) you don't have to wait for the all-clear to be given for the grounds crew to come out and off-load your bags (which could be hours later, depending on the storm). The biggest thing for me, and why I always carry-on is to be able to switch flights easily. Depending on my day I could be at the airport a few hours earlier than my original flight. With a carry-on, you can walk up to the gate of an earlier flight and 9 times out of ten get on and home much earlier!
As for business materials (presentations etc) I usually ship them a few days ahead of time and make sure to follow-up with the hotel to make sure they have arrived. Generally speaking I get the name of the banquet / event manager at the hotel and ship it to their attention. Make sure I set the alert with FedEx or UPS to notify me of when it was delivered and who signed for it.
Personally, I think that making sure all your electronics are dual voltage compatible is a big one. Because not all countries run on 110V, for example Germany, Italy, Korea, and Japan all run on 240V power grids. If you electronics are dual voltage, you will still need the plug adapter but you will not need the current transformer. I learned this lesson in Germany with a Gen I XBOX, ended up being a $200.00 education. Happy travels.
Great tips, I travel frequently in the spring and summer months. Over time, I've learned how to pack light. Ladies, always always carry a large carry on that can hold your purse and several other things. Grab a small travel kit with your toiletries in the TSA or other agency approved sizes. And leave the perfume at home and opt for a body spray of your favorite fragrance and pour it into an approved bottle. I once forgot to remove my perfume from my purse and it was confiscated.
when I go to mexico for the winter,,just the clothes I,m wearing..buy what you need when you get there
I hate to pack...but I find myself doing it too often. Sigh, I guess we choose our lives. Think hard about you really need. Always with your carry on have a some necessary items that if you lost your bag, you could use in an emergency or need in an emergency. I lost my bag going to London once and I had my carry on and THANK GOD! I got my bags back but there were things missing. It is a pain to try to buy toiletries in a foreign country. So my advice, a carry on with the things you can not live without.
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