While packing in general can be challenging, packing for women seems to be especially hard. There are always uncertainties that want to be planned for but usually only a finite amount of space that’s available. And when you’re packing for a business trip, there’s often even more on the line if you aren’t able to pack something that you need. So to help ensure that you have space for all your necessities and never wind up leaving something important at home, here are three tips for successfully packing for a business trip.
Pare Down Your Shoes
One item that seems to take up a lot of space in luggage is shoes. Especially if you’re going to be somewhere for more than a day or two on your business trip, you often will need more than just one pair of shoes to match your business attire or help you meet your other needs. However, you also don’t want your entire bag just filled with shoes. To help you strike the right balance, Laura Begley Bloom, a contributor to Forbes.com, shares that if you’re only going to be somewhere for less than five days, try to only pack one or two pairs of shoes in addition to what you’re already wearing. Keep the colors neutral so you can wear them with practically any outfit that you might be considering packing, too.
Plan To Use Your Hotel’s Laundry System
If you’re ever going to be taking longer business trips, it likely won’t be possible for you to pack new clothes to wear each and every day. So rather than stressing about making the most of your outfits and rewearing certain things, Lydia Dallett, a contributor to Business Insider, suggests that you just plan on using your hotel’s laundry system. While this might mean incurring some additional costs, you can save yourself from having to check a bag at the airport or worrying about shoving possible outfit change into your carry-on.
Always Keep Certain Things Packed in Your Luggage
For business professionals who travel a lot, Dan Scalco, a contributor to Inc.com, advises that you just keep certain things packing your luggage at all times and never unpack those things once you get home. This is especially helpful for things like toiletries or small gadgets. So rather the repacking everything from your bathroom the morning you’re leaving for your business trip, just buy some travel or trial sizes of the items you use at home and keep them in a toiletry bag at all times.
To help make work travel easier and more enjoyable, consider using the tips mentioned above to make yourself a packing pro.