5 Packing Tips for Business Trips

Hi hi! Today I wanted to talk to y'all about a small, but important part of my job- business trips. More specifically, I want to talk about packing for one! Week-long business trips are something that I do 2-3 times a year. So pretty rarely. But one of the biggest challenges I've run into is how to pack for the meetings. We usually head out to attraction destinations- I've attended meetings in Las Vegas, Orlando, and Scottsdale. These locations are mainly warm, so packing for the trip can be a little tricky.

Layers are key. For those of you who haven't been to a corporate meeting hosted at a hotel, let me set the scene for you. You are bustling around with hundreds of other people packed into conference rooms chattering all day. You may or may not change rooms depending on your meeting agenda. Hotels see large groups of people and decide to BLAST you with air conditioning, regardless of the temperature outside. I understand that it would be terrible in the rooms without the flow of the air. However, I am cold-natured and this is my worse nightmare. I pack plenty of layers that can be worn in different combinations to keep warm through the meetings.

Bring conservative post-meeting attire. While it's absolutely necessary to let loose after meetings end for the day, executives are also going to be around the hotel. I recommend either wearing your meeting outfit to the evening activities or packing something more comfortable yet still conservative for the evening. At my company meetings, everyone generally hangs around the hotel bars and it is a wonderful time to network. Be comfortable yet still try to look professional! You never know who you might run into!

Travel in style. In my experience with business trips, we are expected to fly in on the morning of our first meeting day. This means that we will be seeing people in the arriving airport to get transported to the hotel and be expected to sit in meetings after lunch. For my first trip, I traveled in the outfit I wanted to wear for the day but planned to shower at the hotel before our meetings. Big mistake. I didn't know that everyone would be completely done up even though they got to the airport at 5AM! Since my first mistake, I shower the night before and wear light make-up for my flight. I will typically wear my glasses on the plane so I can sleep (don't forget your travel pillow!) but fully ready myself in all other aspects! In addition to feeling more put together at the airport, I have enjoyed having the extra time to rest or get settled into my hotel before my meetings instead of frantically getting myself ready upon arrival. 

Create a packing list. This is huge for me. I have always suffered from over-packing when I travel, even when I was a little girl. Due to the clothing that I bring for work and the length of my stay, I need as much room as possible in my suitcase! Writing a packing list (and sticking to it!) helps me ensure that I'm bringing exactly what I need and helps me leave what I don't need at home. I've also found that preparing a list helps me create outfits with pieces that I can mix and match. I think that's truly my trick to packing less! I've also found that if I make my list a few days in advance, it is more reasonable. Without the pressure of a time crunch, I can make a well-thought out list that covers all of my bases.

Bring all of your chargers. While this should be a no-brainer, the last thing you want to do is show up to a company meeting with uncharged technology (especially if you were enjoying some in-flight entertainment). I have a laptop, iPad, and phone for work- so I need to make sure that I have the right chargers! I think that while chargers are important, they are easily forgotten. Make sure you add them onto your packing list!

While these ideas just scratch the surface, I find them to be helpful when planning my trips. I hope they help you pack for your next business trip too!

  
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What are your travel secrets? How do you keep from over-packing? Do you have any travel essentials?