The New Way to Pack

You only fly carry-on these days, right? Then you need to know how to make the most out of the least. 7 secrets to flying easy...

Throwing clothes in a bag five minutes before you’re out the door—whether your trip is for business or pleasure—results in bringing half your closet and a fraction of what you actually need. It also leads to wrinkled jackets, sore shoulders, and dying cell phones. The good news is that you can simplify everything without sacrificing anything. You just have to know what you need.

1. Get fleet-footed

wear a pair of rubber-sole leather loafers to the airport. You can slip them on and off quickly at security, and they’ll serve you well later—whether you’re on an all-day sightseeing trek or gussying up for dinner in the evening.

2. Rock a Roller

Wise men convert to rollers. The key to a good one? Sturdy wheels so it rolls easily and lasts for years, and a handle long enough to suit your height.

3. Develop a Business Strategy

Traveling for work? Pack one solid suit and wear it several times, several ways, both to your business meetings and out to dinner (Just don’t sleep in it). Here’s how:

1. All you need is one dark, simple tie. Navy, black, or gray works every time; you can probably get away with pin dots or pencil stripes. Just keep colors and patterns quiet and vary your shirt day to day.
2. If you must bring lace-ups, wear them on the plane instead of packing them. It’ll keep your bag light and leave room for an extra shirt or two.
3. Done with work for the day? Don’t hang up that suit jacket just yet. Wear it out at night with jeans.

4. Keep your Kit stocked

We’ve all done it.

You’re packing for a flight, and you grab your everyday deodorant, toothbrush, and razor from the medicine cabinet and throw them in your Dopp kit. Then, the morning after you return from your trip, you realize you left your Old Spice on the sink at the hotel and you have nothing to roll on before work.

Why go through it?

Instead, buy duplicates of your go-to toiletries and stow them in your Dopp kit. When you’re scrambling to get out the door, you can just chuck the kit in your carry-on and go. Also: Those fancy ones with all the different compartments? Unnecessary. Just get a basic, pliable pouch that you can squash into your bag.

5. Bet on Black

The polo is my go-to shirt for every occasion, and that’s exactly what makes it the perfect travel shirt, whether it’s worn with shorts during a weekend at the beach, with jeans and a blazer on a casual workday, or with my dressiest suit for an evening out. Totally foolproof.

6. Know when to Fold them

Little-known fact about most dry cleaners: They’ll happily fold your shirts rather than hang them. So when you need three freshly pressed dress shirts for a business trip, have them washed and folded, then stack them 69-style, forming a neat rectangle that’s easy to pack.

7. Know your Cordage

Why would you pack all your toiletries neatly in one pouch but be haphazard about your cords? Keep your headphones, iPod, and assorted chargers together in one carrying case—basically a Dopp kit for your cables—and you won’t have a knot to untangle when you finally get to your hotel room.