What does packing for an upcoming trip look like for you? Are you prepared with smart checklists and special pre-packed bags that make traveling a breeze? Or is it a frenzied rush the morning of your flight, throwing the deodorant you just used into your carry on, and a prayer in the Uber that you remembered all of your chargers? If you identify more with the latter, we don’t judge! But maybe check out some of these packing list tips from our GoJaneGo Group before you reach for your Starbucks napkin to write down what you need for that trade show.
Try a Spreadsheet
Creating a list with a spreadsheet application like Microsoft Excel or GoogleSheets allows for unlimited editing and accessibility through multiple channels. So if you forget your tablet, at least the travel list is on your laptop or your phone and not on the edge of the page of your day planner in the office. If you really want to take the list making to the next level, you can even use formulas to calculate the amount of each item you should pack based on how many days you’ll be traveling (we would all be thoroughly impressed by this and hope that you would share your organizational power with us). This can be used for any items you’ll be packing multiples of - earrings, underwear, vitamins, the possibilities are endless when it comes to spreadsheet formulas. You can also have different versions of the document to be labeled and referenced for different types of trips, say, one list for a family beach vacation and a different list for business trips. The idea is that if all goes well, the list will be accurate enough to recycle for future trips, no future list making! Plus, if you’re more of a physical list kind of person, printing the list out is always an option.
The Go Bag
How many times have you been doing your daily routine on a trip and realized you left a major part of it at home? Maybe it’s your moisturizer or Q-Tips. If it’s a necessity, own two! Have a go bag with a duplicate of your everyday items in it, ready to boogie at all times. Your go-to mascara? Travel toothbrush and toothpaste? All in the go bag. Basically anything you use on the daily, plus anything you think would be helpful in your travels, goes in the “just in case” items. For me, this always includes a Tide Pen and a sewing kit as I am prone to wardrobe malfunctions. I don’t always have these items on me in my day to day necessarily, but they are part of my go bag as “just in case” items. This bag of go-tos eliminates the stress of packing the obviously needed items at the last second, and the headache of replacing lost or damaged items just to use at home.
Amazon is Your Friend
Not only does Amazon offer a plethora of travel goodies, from luggage to neck pillows and headphones, but it can be your BFF on the road. Let’s say you’re traveling and during your trip, you run out of your travel shampoo and conditioner, no problem! Just order more from the app or website and by the time you need to pack for your next trip, the items you ordered will have arrived and been packed in your go bag without dipping into your home supply. This is also a good way to keep track of how much of your budget you end up spending on travel items, and ensure you’re getting the brands and products you want.
Write it Out
While there’s a million ways for you to jot down a list nowadays - on your smartphone, laptop, smartwatch, even your refrigerator, there’s something to be said for hand-written lists. There have been studies showing that students who write their notes had a better conceptual understanding and memory of factual details than students who typed their notes on a laptop. While hand-writing what is needed for your trip is great, what isn’t great is the forgotten packing list on the back of an old junk mail envelope at the bottom of your purse. So if you’re a list girl, maybe buy a travel notebook to keep with your luggage to reference your lists, and to jot down ideas to pack for the next trip. This again, saves you from future list making and any additional notes only serve to help in future travels. After a trip, my mom always gets out her packing list and asks “what would have made this better?” I don’t think she’s updated her business travel list since she bought a tablet and had to add another charger, she’s that good.
How do you pack? Did you find these tips helpful? Do you have some amazing ideas or suggestions of your own to share? Join the conversation by joining our Facebook Group! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Linked In and like our Facebook page for more advice and stories from women business travelers. ~Journey On, Janes