Did you know that the standard 22″ carry-on was designed by a pilot for one day’s worth of clothes??  Hmmm.  No wonder we have trouble packing our closet in those.

If you are taking a 3-4 day getaway, your 22″ carry-on can do the trick but any longer and you’re going to need to move up to a 24″ or 26″ and check it in — or pack 3-4 days worth and utilize the laundry services at your hotel.

I have traveled a lot around the world and have a great system for packing light and keeping the stress levels down. Here are some quick tips for simple packing:

1. Plan ahead what you are going to wear 2-4 weeks before you leave.  Yes, I know that we are all busy but when you don’t plan for your trip, you end up lugging around a lot more than you should. Be tough with yourself as you review your selections.  Select pieces that color coordinate well together (such as black) and that are multifunctional.  (BCBG has a cute bathing suit coverup that acts as a halter dress and a skirt!)  If you want to add color, do it with your accessories.
2. Pack lightly by minimizing the number of shoes you take.  You certainly don’t want to reach the airline’s luggage allowance (~50 lbs) and find your luggage emblazoned with an “Overweight” sticker and then checked in with a nice fine. <Heavy sigh>  Keep your shoe selections down to two if you can: a nice walking shoe or flat and a dressier shoe for evenings out.  Your heaviest ones, you should wear on the plane.  Rockport makes some cute and comfortable shoes that are perfect for travel.
3. Stay wrinkle free by wrapping your items in dry-cleaning bags.  I’ve tested both tissue and dry-cleaning bags and the thin plastic bags are a winner every time.  If you do get a few wrinkles, simply hang it in your hotel shower with the hot water running so the wrinkles can fall out with the steam.
4. Ziploc your purse “liquids.” New airline regulations require that all the lotions, lipsticks, hairsprays, et cetera in your purse need to be under 3 ounces (which is quite a bit!) and packed in a sandwich-sized ziploc bag.  Be prepared to pull out your ziploc bag to have it scanned when you go through security.
5. Pack two days before you leave so that if there are any missing items, you can get them without running around too crazy.  Prescription medicine is critical.  A cute bathing suit can be purchased where you are going if you are out of time.
6. Most importantly, don’t stress if you forgot your toothbrush. The only two vital things that you really need are your passport and credit card.  If you forget everything else and your luggage ends up missing, your credit card can get you new clothes and your passport can get you from A to B.  Everything else is baggage.