apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm leaving for San francisco on sunday, and although i want to pack light, i doubt i will. I haven't been there before and don't know the weather well, i've heard dressing in layers is key because of the changing temperature. This time i'll probably do a small carry on and a checked garment bag.

When i goto boston for business for the short 3-4 days, it's just a carryon for me. I still pack heavier then i need to but it all crams in.

I've been thinking about getting one of these (http://www.skyroll.com/) It seems like a really good idea and a store around me carries the small non wheeled one. The main problem is though since most flights now are saying 1 carryon, not the carryon and additional laptop bag or backpack, i would be stuck.

On my last business trip, I decided to be lazy and checked my small bag because I didn't feel like lifting it into an overhead (yeah yeah, I know, I'm lazy). But it came back and bit me in the butt. I got to the airport like 3 hours before my flight and when I tried to get on an earlier flight they were all booked, so I checked my bag and when to the gate and sat... and then they mentioned that they had openings on a flight leaving in 30 minutes and I was about to jump up and take it when I realized that if I did, I probably wouldn't see my checked bag :/
So yeah... lesson learned... if you DON'T have t checked luggage, THEN DON'T!

The makeup bag is a great tip. I've been travelling internationally lately and refuse to check my bag. I've gotten very good at multitasking my clothes and limiting my products. It really is all about your clothing choices.

Strong recommend on the skyroll. It's the perfect size for a one or two day business trip. The central compartment has a couple of pouches for toiletries, etc., and a bigger spot for shoes. Very handy, and the shoulder strap is comfy.

I'm on the road 3-4 days per week on average (and some weeks more). Here are my tips. I generally have one set of luggage dedicated to business travel that's usually about 60% pre-packed at all times. It generally takes me 20 minutes to pack for a 5-day business trip.

1. Ship work-related product (samples, files, presentation docs) to your hotel or first appointment location ahead of time.

2. Have essentials pre-packed in your one-piece of carry-on luggage at all times: dopp kit (with non-liquid, non-gel toiletries, toothbrush, razor, etc); gym bag; thin lightweight nylon messenger bag (to use as your briefcase on the road); gym shoes and board shorts that can serve double-duty for gym or pool (if you work out on the road); 1 mesh "packing cube" for clothing; hotel laundry bags and quart-size bags stored in a pocket; travel-size umbrella; small make-up bag with misc. chargers; 2nd small make-up bag for computer cords and peripherals. The initial investment of having a second set of cords and chargers pays off in the long run because nothing is ever forgotten.

3. Pre-packe Your smaller personal item bag with your quart-sized bag of liquid/gel toiletries and laptop.

4. Wear your one coat or jacket and pair of work shoes on the plane. Coordinate your clothing and accessory choices to that jacket and thoes shoes.

5. If you end up with more stuff on your return trip home, ship non-essentials back. Usually costs $12-20 depending on amount being shipped and level of delivery service chosen. (Great tip especially if, like me, you like to do a little shopping in between meetings.)

6. Check in for all flights the day before and pre-print boarding passes.

7. Join airline mileage programs, rental car VIP programs, and hotel loyalty programs. It saves time in the long run. You're often given priority status for boarding, don't wait in as many lines, have special TSA lanes with shorter lines, get comp'd upgrades, early check-ins and late check-outs, etc.

8. Approach TSA security line with your belt and jacket already off. Wear shoes that slip on and off easily (preferably w/o laces).

9. Bring one book, iPod. No more. It's a business trip, not a week in Fiji... Don't buy magazines at the airport. They're heavy!

Yeah, I'm that guy who zips through airports.

Vacation travel? Well, that's another story for me...

I just got back from a long weekend trip. I don't normally travel for work, so I am not particularly concerned when I have to wait a bit for luggage at baggage claim. I flew back on a Tuesday evening, presumably with a good number of business travelers who prefer to use carry-on only luggage. We were in a small Embraer jet, with even less overhead space than bigger sized jets. I carried a small shoulder bag and my purse.

There was barely any room in the overhead bins for my small bag! The gentleman behind me had TWO roller bags, one of which was unlikely to have fit within the standard carry-on limits.

It is really unfair to the rest of the travelers when one person (or a few) cannot be inconvenienced like everyone else to check his (over-sized) bag. In the end, the time (that could delay take-off) spent searching for extra room in the overhead bin could be spent at the carousel waiting patiently like the rest of us commoners.

I would say ditto to Enrique--I have traveled from NYC to SF (at night) to LA (same day meetings) to San Antonio (overnight) and back to NYC with one brief case in the fall (with no laptop). The key to this is shoes and clothes that can change the look of the outfit with something like a silk sweater set and jewelry or scarves.

The CEO of the company had the laptop for the presentations and couldn't believe a woman could pack that light.

This was in 2002 before the stuff with the quart bag of liquids, etc. Tooth brush, toothpaste, use the hotel's shampoo, take multitasking make up and really pare down.

Incidently, he and I got stopped at every airport We looked at each other each time with the "what did we do fer cryin' out loud?" look until we left LA and realized the reason--because we had one-way tickets and a different airline on each leg. He and I flew probably 200 times from 9/11/01 to 6/28/03 when I moved back to LA and we had some experiences which allowed us to change flights last minute to get to the presentation and/or get home sooner because we DIDN'T EVER check bags.

jmorey - as a San Franciscan, you don't need to worry about packing for rain in the next week or two. Just pack a jacket/coat that you can survive in foggy, windy (but no rain) 50 degree weather. As I run around town, my secret is gloves tucked in my purse or pockets.

And I never wear open shoes, especially sandals & flip-flops. So many tourists, business and pleasure, wear open shoes & thin shoes and regret it. You will always need to walk in San Francisco, even if you only use valet parking!

jmorey - It's definitely layering time here. I wouldn't worry about it being really hot or really cold, but anything in the middle is fair game. Sometimes in the same day.

I also really try to stick to carry-on only, but the liquids limit can really screw things up.

I never ever check a bag - even for 2 weeks in Europe!

1. Pick a color scheme (black or brown) and match everything to it. That way, you only need one pair of shoes for work, and one pair (perhaps) for workout. I usually wear pants and a blazer and pack a skirt, a wrap dress, lightweight knit tops and several scarves. If you're travelling for more than a week, have the hotel send your laundry out or find a place to do laundry.
2. Use clear plastic ziplock bags to organize chargers and cables.
3. Liquids aren't really a problem - you don't need as much as you think. Hotels have shampoo and lotion, and there are small "travel" sizes of makeup and deodorant and toothpaste.
4. If you need a laptop and a purse, consider a laptop sleeve that can slide into your carry-on or a tote than can do double duty as laptop bag and purse.
5. I picked up an envirosac my last trip to SF. VERY useful!

I second the pre-pack. I travel a lot, and my liquids bag is always in my carryon, along with workout shoes & socks. I replenish the bag when I get home from a trip, so I don't have to think about it the next time. Other makeup, hairbrush, extra laptop powercord, etc, stay in the bag.

Also, a bag that is one big space will allow you to take more than one with a bunch of little compartments, as tempting as little compartments can be!

I have the Samsonite Maxima series rolling tote. It is 14x17x8 and is a true Mary Poppins bag. I am a professional pilot, and live out of this bag for 2 weeks at a time. It fits underneath the seat of a CRJ (commuter airline class), holds my laptop perfectly in its own individual zippered compartment, and has plenty of space for clothes and gadgets. It has a short stance and wide wheel base, making it very maneuverable and stable over all kinds of terrain. I also does NOT have a long floppy handle/strap that I see on other bags that just gets drug on the ground or caught on things. I never NEVER check a bag. Expecially coming back from Greece, checked luggage always arrives a day late.

The second piece of this puzzle is to coordinate your wardrobe that things mix and match well. Also take minimal and smaller portions of necessary items. Small Cool at it's finest - out of a carryon suitcase.

i did it!!! i biz-tripped to florida for four days. i am a notorious over-packer, with friends often teasing that they didn't invite me to move in when they see what i've brought for a night or two at their place. but i pulled it off, and even had a little room to spare for the goodies i brought back with me!