"When I first started traveling in 1992, I'd forget to pack certain
things. I'd occasionally leave behind a belt, dress socks,
underwear; one time I left behind my dress shoes. It got to be
pretty expensive, not to mention a royal
pain. To solve this
problem, I created a checklist of essential items and posted it
inside my closet door."
- Mark Britton, Arlington, Texas
"I am frequently gone for two to three weeks and may travel to six
or seven cities. I use a 'just in time' system to minimize the
amount of clothes I carry. I have pre-arranged packets of clothes
mailed to the various hotels and mail back my dirty clothes. I have
traveled for more than a month in
Europe with nothing more than a
carry-on."
- Blaise Mercadante, Winter Park, Florida
"Medication, glasses, contacts - these items can't be easily
replaced. I make sure they are packed and one other: salt. Remember
high-school science? Salt is a protein, and proteins get out
proteins. So that coffee, blood, or ink stain that happened right
before a big meeting is easily removed with a touch of water and
salt."
- Gwendolyn Carnes, Richmond, Virginia
"It's taken me years to systematically cut the weight of what I
carry, ounce by ounce. The key to this has been using lots of
rugged, but low-weight stuff available from the outdoors catalogs -
lightweight clothes, pack bags, etc. My favorite carry-on? Not a
rolling bag, but a Patagonia Burrito Suiter."
- George Huba, Culver City, California
"Everything I travel with is on in-line skate (ball-bearing)
wheels. That lets me carry a lot of weight without being physically
taxed by lengthy transits across DFW or O'Hare. Most of my wide
assortment of luggage is made by Atlantic - the quality is good,
the wheels are smooth, and there is a lifetime repair/replacement
guarantee. Stay away from wheels without bearings; they roll fine
in the store, but when pulled for a distance, heat up and create
increasing drag."