Watching George Clooney strategize his way through security lineups in Up in the Air, it occured to me that a lifestyle which includes logging frequent flyer miles yields some serious packing wisdom and rituals. Here are a few of my most resourceful tips for packing well.
Tip 1: Choose a suitcase with a colour or pattern that stands out. If you do travel with generic black luggage, you'll want to distinguish it. Stick adhesive fluorescent labels -- the kind cyclists wear -- on the bag's exterior. It's effective and you can buy them at sports shops. I recently had a pilot stop me in the airport because he loved the idea.
Tip 2: Make travel easy by keeping toiletries and hair tools in ready-to-go bags. I save room in my suitcase by strategic packing. For instance, my shoes are filled with underwear, t-shirts and socks. I can pack 12 velcro-rollers in the space of four by putting smaller-sized rollers inside larger ones.
Tip 3: Travel with Ziploc bags. I once purchased olive oil in the south of France and came home with a marinated wardrobe. I use the zippered bags to hold sunscreen, toothpaste, wet bathing suits and any item that might leak during transport. Oh yes... and wine.
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