Keep a scanned copy of your passport in your email while traveling.
Do not take more clothing than you will need. We tend to favor the same items and repeat them.
Take travel sized toiletries. If you can’t travel without certain items, transfer them into smaller containers.
Don’t carry more than you can lift and walk with on your own.
Separate your suitcase into sections. Use pouches to separate your summer clothes from your winter clothes or to keep the miscellaneous items in one place. Cut open paper bags and lay them at various levels in the suitcase as separators. You can lift out whole sections at a time.
Keep your clothes from being wrinkled. Bundle them.
Minimize the number of shoes you take. They
are bulky. Black is the most versatile color. It should match
most of your outfits. Pack shoes in crevices around the suitcase.
Stuff socks in them to help them keep their shape.
Bring Ziploc bags with you of various sizes.
For longer trips, put together a list of websites, contact information, and passwords for any bills that you may need to deal with on the trip.
Be careful when buying gifts on trips. Only buy gifts when you have a specific person or event in mind that is coming up. Bringing potential gifts home from your travels often leads to piles of items in the home that go untouched for years.
