I have been known to pack in less than ten minutes. Yes, less than ten minutes! It is not a miracle or an act of God—merely good pre-planning and organization. Whether your trip is two days or two months, here are some tips to help get you where you’re going with your sanity intact.
1. Have a pre-packed toiletry kit. Nothing is worse than scrambling for product in the middle of nowhere. In my toiletry kit, I keep the essentials: travel-sized toothbrush and toothpaste, dental floss, shampoo, conditioner, facial scrub, body wash, comb, razor, q-tips, deodorant, baby powder, shaving cream, facial moisturizer, band-aids, toenail clippers, tooth whitener, lint brush, and miscellaneous pills for different ailments. For longer trips (one week-plus), I also pack wrinkle-free spray, jet lag pills, spot remover stick, Vaseline, and sunscreen. Everything comes in sample size for your convenience!
2. Pre-pack your makeup bag. The grab-and-go approach will do wonders for your pre-packing stress levels! My essentials include: foundation, cover up, eye shadow, blush, lip glosses and moisturizers, powder, lip and eye liners, eyelash curler, and mascara. Tailor your bag to fit your needs!
3. Create a clothing-to-pack list. No matter where I am going, my clothes list stays pretty much the same. Mine is like this: lingerie, jeans, black pants, black skirt, knit wrinkle-free dresses, black dress, knit layering tops, sweater or sweatshirt, denim jacket, lightweight trench, pashmina, tennis shoes, flip-flops, ballet slippers, heels, workout clothes, bikini, evening bag, jewelry bag. It pays to stay with a neutral color palette, so you don’t have to worry about not matching! Make sure all clothes are “easy to wear” and “go anywhere.”
4. Put together a “you kit.” Make sure you have all the comforts you need while away. A typical “you kit” could be scented travel candles, eye masks, a great book, packets of your favorite tea and Splenda™, plus mints, candy, or gum. On the plane, indulge in your favorite healthy snack, your own bottle of water, travel blanket, and your iPod.
5. Personalize a luggage tag. I used to work in the Lost Baggage Department of a major airline and one of the hardest things to do was relocate passengers’ bags with no nametags! One of the cheapest and most important things you could do is invest in a Bag Tag. Not only will it identify your bag, but it makes it easier to spot on the carousel!
