If you find pre-trip packing to be a pain (who doesn’t?), there’s no shortage of information and products out there to help you pack better.  Heard these folding tips before?: Fold clothes in tissue paper, fold them in dry cleaning bags, fold them on top of each other, don’t fold them at all, just roll, or, better yet, try a folding aid, such as a suitcase size “folding board.”  Not enough?  Just look online for suggestions on exactly what clothing to bring, packing lists to use, what to do with your shoes, toiletries, and jewelry, and what container/suitcase the best to stuff it all in.

The problem with all this “help”?  I’m a busy gal.  I don’t have time to carefully count the items of clothing I’m taking, fold them all in individual pieces of paper, or around a board, or stack them according to size or weight or whatever way requires anymore than one extra minute of thought and energy.  The only thing that helps ME pack better is to get it done as quickly and economically as possible.  To do that, I apply a lesson learned from Hollywood: good pre-production makes production go all the smoother.

PACKING PRE-PRODUCTION:
Buy duplicates of everything you use on a daily basis: makeup, vitamins, hairbrushes, saline, etc.  If your products come in large bottles, buy or create your own travel sized-container versions.  Keep the extra set of everything packed in a toiletry case.

If you have the storage space, keep more extras in a hanging multi-pocket jewelry case, so you can quickly grab more Purell, toothpaste, or film when you’re packing, instead of having to run to the store.  In a box, keep stuff for more hard-core travel, like overseas or wilderness trips: mosquito repellant, electric adapters, language translator, etc. 

In a purse-size carry-on, keep all your plane essentials: neck pillow, pen, ChapStick, boarding pass holder, earphones, extra MP3 player, ear plugs, and eye mask. 

Work on building a core wardrobe of shoes and clothing that are good for travel, so you can quickly pull things without having to think about whether they’ll match, how you’ll look, or if things will wrinkle.  My own travel wardrobe contains mostly neutral colors, classic lines, and silk, polyester, and knit fabrics; it is also “uni-temperature,” with layers that work together, whatever my destination’s climate.

Buy rolling (not vacuum-required) Space-Saver Bags.  They compress your clothing down to half their size, therefore maximizing your suitcase space.

PRODUCTION:
When packing time arrives, grab your toiletry case, carry-on bags, and whatever suitcase is best suited for the trip.  Roll the clothes in the Space-Savers, put the socks and dainties in your shoes, and grab a couple extra pairs of earrings (no more!).  Gather carry-on miscellaneous: snack food, magazines, and office stuff, like files, laptop, power cords, glasses, and camera.  Transfer any “prohibited” items into a quart-sized Ziploc, throw everything in the right pockets, zip up your bags, and voila!  It’s a wrap, and no packing board required!

About the Author: A former Hollywood producer and now 2nd-generation travel professional, Susan Michelle travels the planet as the “face” of the fashion-forward Compass travel lifestyle brand. For more articles, tips, and hot spots from Susan, and community with fellow Cosmopolitan Travelers, visit http://www.CompassTravel.info. Or write her directly at Susan-Column@CompassTravel.info.