How I Pack for a Trip

This might be a funny blog,  but I get asked all the time because I travel frequently and thought I would pass along my tricks. I also saw that one of my FB friends posted to her status how she hates to pack. So Chanda, this is for you too. lol

1.  I leave all my clothes on their hangers and just fold them over two and half times in my suitcase. This way I just grap the whole stack out and hang it up in the hotel closet. Besides, I can't use their hangers... I'm not 6'3" and their hangers would stretch my clothes and leave weird marks on the arms of my clothes.  I also bring a few empty hangers for what I'm wearing.  Plus, when I get home for the clothes that I didn't end up wearing I simply hang them back up.

2.  Depending on how long my trip will be I only pack one color theme. Ie; All clothes and shoes in a brown tone or black tone. This way everything will blend and I am packing less clothes, shoes, belts and jewelry.

3.  I always pack "flip flops", my yoga pants, and long and short sleeve tee shirts so I have something comfortable to wear.  Plus if I need to run and go grab ice or something I can quickly throw those on. Also my gym clothes. Hotel gyms are pretty good these days.

4.  I always have my toiletries in a to go travel bag so I just pick up the whole bag and throw it in my suitcase. I don't have to add anything to it or hunt stuff down. It unzips in the middle and has clear cases on each side which eliminates the need for me to put my stuff in baggies to go thru security. The TSA crew can plainly see all my liquids.

5  I'm an avid tea drinker so I always bring my travel mug with me plus my favorite tea bags. Or if you love coffee Starbucks Via's are fabulous. They are instant coffee if your not in the know.  Usually the rooms will have either a microwave or a coffee pot for hot water. Unless your in Vegas and you get Nothing. But, that's a whole different blog.

6.  I usually don't finish my meals and always have leftovers, and restaurants don't package up your food very well so I bring Ziploc baggies. I throw my food at the bottom of the ice bucket and then also but ice in another baggie and it's usually good until the next morning. I love dinner food for breakfast and breakfast food for dinner! Though, I'm a vegetarian and I'm not trying to keep meat fresh, so rethink that if you are a carnivore. lol

7.  I bring a collapsable tote bag to carry all the extra stuff you end up with on the way home. You know you always come home with more stuff than you left with. Shootsac at the trade shows makes a great one (for my fellow photog's). It zips up nice and small, but is very big and roomy when you unzip it.

8.   If you forget something when you leave the hotel, forget it, it's gone forever! I have even called the hotel a hour later and the standard response is, "We couldn't find it, Ma".  I think it's some sort of hotel code thing between housekeeping and the front desk. I guess I'm a little forgetful and have lost several items to the "pool" of the hotel staff.

Hope this helps next time you need to travel. I'd love to hear if you have any great tips on packing and traveling too.