apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

write a list of everything u take, always mark ur luggage and have addresses of where ur stayin, home addresses, TRANSLATIONS of ur hotel address (gettin into a cab in Tokyo and handin over the address to a person who cant read the english translated japanese address, live and learn) emergency contact numbers, back up items in ur hand luggage (extra pair of panties incase ur luggage is lost for a bit) all that good stuff. extra panties and socks for the week, no1 likes washin underwear on holiday. nothin valueable in ur suitcase, copy of ur insurance policy in ur hand luggage, etc.

Scan your passport, save as a file, and email to yourself as an attachment, as well as a photocopy with your luggage.

I travel with a carry-on and purse only, but my purse is one that unfolds into a carry-on size bag. If I need to, I can check one bag on my way back, but so far haven't had to do that.

I've pared my travel wardrobe down to the essentials and would *much* rather do laundry on vacation than have to check a bag, or worse, not get my checked bag.

It doesn't matter how nicely I pack; the suitcase always gets messed up in security anyway. I understand it's necessary, but it drives me CRAZY!!!

the more i travel the less i take with me. my wife on the other hand... :-P

this person is still taking way too much clothes. cut it in half and s/he's got it right.

I travel a lot so quick, efficient packing is key... if I devoted more than 30 minutes for each trip I would likely lose days of my life I could never get back. My little mental exercise is to think of each of my body parts and then pack the associative item: ie, feet = socks, shoes; legs = skirts/pants; teeth = toothbrush/paste. Silly but it works.

The real trick is not so much packing, but keeping luggage contents under control when travelling. Haven't really perfected a solution but the basics are to never leave with a full bag 'cause contents always expand, and include empty extra stuff-sack for laundry helps avoid the sniff test.

At the end of the day, as long as I have my wallet and passport everything else can generally be found on the road. The best advice I've ever heard? Plan it all out, then take half as much stuff and twice as much money.

yea why bother organizing the stuff if security messes it up A LOT. One time my toiletries were all spread on the conveyor belt... had to buy new ones...
No matter how much I always try to pack light, I always end up not using some of the clothes.

I don't see a pair of jeans in that person's stuff, jeans are excellent for preventing mosquito bites... unless he's wearing them to the airport. Also a jacket.

I would love to be able to lay out my packing on my bed. Alas, it upsets my dog so I have to shove things in as I pack. So I use a list and plan it all out in advance. After losing a piece of luggage although it had my name and cell phone attached - I now put a piece of paper with my name and cell phone inside my luggage. Hopefully, if it made it to the "sell this stuff" place someone would take pity on me.

I try to pack lightly, reusing garments in various configurations. My answer to security search and my tendency to mix contents once I arrive. I use zipper lingerie bags for various categories of clothing: underthings, tops... this has worked for me so far.

I learned a great packing trick a few years back. I've refined my approach over time, and it's never failed me since. After I discovered Apartment Therapy, I realized the same exact approach applies. Most of the "extra" accessories tips apply to women, but the gist works for men.

1. Pack in a single palette so that *all* pieces work together (mix/match), using the 80% neutral rule, and include a few colorful pieces/accessories for that 20% color punch. For example, you might pick black, taupe, coral, and white, along with a brightly patterned scarf, one pair of black shoes and one pair of coral shoes. Or brown, teal, beige and white. Or Oatmeal, white, orange, and grey. Kahki, navy, white, red. Olive, black, white, yellow. Carry a printed scarf or two or ties, or a hawaiian shirt, etc. You get the idea.

Tip: only pack colors /fabrics you look /feel great in, or you'll feel like you have nothing to wear, regardless of how much you pack.

2. There's a carbon footprint involved.... but I love the idea of the disposable underwear and socks offered at travelsmith.com. I recently went on a backpacking trip and brought along my most worn out, unloved undergarments. When it came time for building our nightly fire with wet wood, I had a dry, flamable item at, um, at hand? http://www.travelsmith.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&itemID=1776&fromNewSearch=true&mercadoResultId=0

3. Travel sizes. A travel tube of toothpast *should* get you through 2 weeks, believe it or not. A pea-size dab of toothpaste will do just as well as an inch long toothpaste log. Most hotels carry sample sizes of soap, shampoo, etc -- there's no real reason to carry these generic items unless you're going to be in a developing part of Africa or the American southwest desert, or somewhere in between.

tip: Nalgene! almost all travel containers leak, except Nalgene brand. Leak proof is their value proposition, and it's no joke.

4. Never underestimate the power of the weather forecast for getting you down to the lean/mean packing essentials. www.acuweather.com gets you up to 15 days forecast. While only the first 5 to 7 days will be very accurate, you can extrapolate the trends for the area.

5. Plan your attire in layers the color approach suggested above, and you'll be ready for 90F to 40F without stress.

6. Shoes. Be practical. And comfortable. But be fashionable, too, if it matters. There was a time when I could only afford Payless shoes and keds. They are uncomfortable and fall apart in a single season. Now I realize that for all the $20 pairs of shoes I bought, I should have gotten one pair of $100 Danskos (or similar quality shoe) and worn them with everything. When you're travelling, the same thing applies. Bring one, at most two quality pairs of comfortable shoes in a classic style that works with everything. For women, a mary jane, with or without heel, usually dresses up and down. Consider low-wedge heels. *especially for weddings* For men, a basic oxford styles.

7. Formal occasions. Sometimes your plans will include a formal outfit that you cannot double duty at the beach or brunch. I'm going to a wedding in two weeks in the wine country and have to make an exception for a cocktail dress and fancy wrap. But!! I can make that wrap work with jeans for a night out to dinner.

8. Last but not least. Most places that most people travel to will have whatever small items you may need. $1 flip flops at Target or $5 flipflops at the tourist shop. Toothpaste. T-shirt. Beach towel. Umbrella. Stash $50 of your travel budget for unexpected purchases that you a) don't have to pack ahead b) can leave behind with a stranger or host and not sweat bringing them home.

Best tip I've ever recieved and it's simple but extremely effective. Go classic. And funk it up with accessories -- shoes or a necklace or earrings or a scarf or a belt or a tie or socks, of whathave you. You don't have to be a Talbots / LL Bean model, BUT you will get more mileage out of your travel clothing if you pack classic pieces and express your individuality in accessories rather than foundation pieces.

happy packing!

My friends all make fun of me when I pack, but I am a professional, so I'm the one laughing when it's time to unpack! I use all the Eagle Creek packing organization stuff. It's really great at the airports if your bag gets opened up because everything is divided up and neatly stashed. I use all the standard tricks like stuffing socks inside shoes and rolling up underwear and t-shirts, for example.

If I am needing to go really light, I rely on technology.... I use Ex Officio's wonderful underwear, for example. One PAIR (two separate pieces) can last you forever. Wear one and wash the other one in the sink and let it dry. Do this everyday. Same goes for other things that use travel-friendly fabrics. I went to Morocco for 10 days like this.

I use clear plastic bags to organize my clothes. Pants in one bag and shirts in another. This way saves space plus the bags protect your clothes. Then I always use a fabric pouch to put my undergarments. This would come in handy when you are just traveling with carry-ons. When you are searching for stuff or the TSA guys are searching your stuff, using fabric bags would prevent these undergarments from "accidentally" falling out. One time I forgot to use the fabric pouch and it just so happens that my bag got searched. Yup, the undergarments fell out and it was so embarrassing.

My tip for long international flights...In addition to your check-in, take a small carry-on luggage that can fit underneath the seat in front of you or in that compartment next to the window if you fly business class. It's so much easier than trying to get something in the overhead storage mid flight, especially if it's packed in tight.

Wow, this picture reminds me of Elizabeth Hurley in Austin Powers. I LOATHE packing. One thing I have learned it to plan all my outfits around one color of shoe. Then I can have a pair of flats, heels, boots that go with all the clothes I brought. I have the hardest time bringing only a few pairs of shoes!

As long as I don't forget something that's a PITA to replace like prescription meds, cell phone charger cord (though w/ an iPhone it's now easier to find one to borrow), or my glasses/contacts, I am A-OK. Once I learned the valuable lesson of "don't drink wine and then pack" - I forgot to pack any pants or skirts. I wound up wearing the same pair of pants and washing them every day for 5 days.

i went to nicaragua for about 3 weeks with 3 tshirts, 2 shorts (swim/casual), 2 pair undies, 3 pair socks, button up, jeans, sneakers, flip flops & that is about it.. all fit in a very tiny backpack (more of a school bag)... and i seemed to have it all! hahah

have so much fun!!

I have packing lists that I've made up and refer to for each trip, eg LA in summer winter is pretty much the same, but I did sometimes attend black tie in LA when coming from NYC. I have a Park City in winter which is different from PC in summer (more like LA), NYC in winter and a different one for summer. I also think through zones like take a shower: what do I need, get dressed: what do I need, do hair: what do I need, go to sleep: what do I need, etc. I've used a similar approach to kimg924's method, because my thinking since I was 18 and Europe for 3 weeks, Australia and Asia, etc. is IF I CAN'T CARRY IT, IT DOESN'T COME WITH ME! Never had lost luggage and I did bring all sorts of things back. Have spent 3 weeks in China with the same philosophy, although they have porters there (some of my group's luggage had been broken into, too).

I only bring black and white clothes. It's amazing how long you can go on that combination. Also, I don't care how long I'm going to be gone, if I can't carry it, I don't want it. It's pretty rare you go somewhere they don't have affordable shops, and worse case scenerio, go out an buy what you need and ship it home or donate it to a Goodwill.....

As an obsessive Gap-trained folder, this notion boggles me.

I pack just as I do any placement of clothing..with right-angled precision!

*tries not to look bug-eyed with the crazy*

My packing mantra is: "resist the urge." I want to put all sorts of just-in-case items in, but I feel defeated anytime I put something into my suitcase and then don't use it. Sometimes I succeed and my suitcase looks like the photo above. But when I am rushed, I end with a heavy suitcase.

huh? no soap or shampoo in the southwest desert?? you need to treat yourself to our resorts!

My favorite thing to do when on a big trip, especially abroad where I know I'm going to do some shopping damage, is to pack a medium/small suitcase with the stuff I need. That suitcase then gets slipped into either a large/medium suitcase (respectively) so that when you come back there is magically an entire extra suitcase to bring goodies in!

But if I'm doing a weekend trip within the states I like to pack fairly light. Being in a long distance relationship helps you learn to pack well. When you haven't seen the one you love in a while you want to look as cute/chic as possible without taking too much. I think packing good accessories is key. That little extra something that can spice up your outfits can eliminate the need to pack that extra dress or sweater.

We usually pack an extra duffel bag at the bottom of our webRimowa Salsa carryon.

I think the zip lock bags etc. is more hassle than it is worth and actually take up more room in the suit case. Those packing cubes (though is a great organizer) take up more space and adds weight(!!) to your luggage. Outside the U.S., many foreign airlines will weigh your carry on!