Packing Tips for a Business Trip
1. Start with a Professional Bag
When going on a business trip, your bag that you take should appear professional to match the style of your trip. Leave the Hawaiian theme bag at home and opt for a sleek one-color suitcase. You never know who may be waiting for you at the airport or at your hotel upon arrival. Be prepared to always appear professional on your trip!
2. Work Gear
Pack the items that you need to be able to do your work on for your trip. This includes your laptop, charger, and other items that you use on a daily basis for the performance of your job. Consider packing the majority of those items in your carry on to be able to have them handy on the plane ride, if needed. Plus, when you pack them in your carry on, you can load them with care since they are holding some pretty expensive pieces of equipment.
3. Pack Properly
Utilize every inch of space possible in your suitcase. Just because you are going on a trip, it doesn’t mean that you need to overpack. Take a look at your suitcase and decide how to pack accordingly. Every inch of your suitcase is a potential storage space for your items. Roll your shirts when you put them in your suitcase to take up less room. Then, when you unroll then, you will also notice that they are less wrinkled, too! No folding means no creases and no creases means no ironing! Don’t forget to look at items that have space INSIDE of them for additional storage nooks and crannies. Storing your socks on the inside of your shoes can be a great space saver and utilizes the current space that you have.
4. What Not to Forget
Don’t forget to bring along your portfolio to record any business expenses that you may incur on your trip. It’s important to record them as they occur and not to rely on memory when it comes to being reimbursed and keeping track of items for tax purposes. Even if you only use your credit card for business purchases, still write them down in your ledger. It’s always a good idea to have a paper trail of any expenses that are being claimed or written off for business purposes. Make it a habit to always make room for this in your luggage for business trips. Your accountant will thank you!
5. Plan Outfits Ahead of Time
Pack your clothes with your company in mind. When on a trip for business, you are there representing the business as one of the faces of their company. It’s important to be respectful, while also keeping up your appearance with clothes that are in line with your companies values and goals. Leave at home your “slogan” shirts with funny sayings, your meme shirts, and the shorts that you’ve had since you were in high school, and instead pack some nice business and business casual attire. No matter where you are or who you run into during your business trip, you will always look as though you are ready to have a conversation and get down to business at any point in time.
Packing for your business trip doesn’t really have to be that different from packing for your own personal trip, just keep in mind to add in a few more of those business items mentioned above. More business attire and your items that you need to do your work are a few of the main differences to keep in mind. Once you go on your first business trip, you’ll be better prepared on how and what to pack for your future ventures. Enjoy traveling and representing your company and make certain you leave a bit of room in your suitcase to bring home a fun souvenir!
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