At AFAR, we practice what we preach: Every single one of our staff members travels, and travels a lot. Heck, AFAR even gives us a stipend to go on a trip each year. It goes without saying that many of us have become packing ninjas over the years. Here are our best tips for bringing your life on the road.
1. Shower caps are your best friend
“I save hotel shower caps to use as shoe wraps—they’re especially good for running shoes that get a little muddy. Plus, they’re ubiquitous so you’re never in danger of being without.” —Aislyn Greene, associate editor
2. Your dry cleaner and socks can help protect your fancy clothes
“For blazers, slacks, and dress shirts that you want protected from wrinkles, keep them in the plastic bags you get from your dry cleaner when you pack them. To protect your ties from wrinkles, roll them up and stash them in your socks.” —Joe Diaz, cofounder
3. Solve the damp bathing suit problem
“Don’t sweat a damp bathing suit when it’s time to pack up and leave—most hotels have plastic laundry bags, so you can throw your suit in one of those and travel knowing you won’t open up a musty suitcase at home. When all else fails, do like Aislyn does and wrap it in a shower cap.” —Danielle Walsh, associate editor
4. Consolidate your chargers
“I have a multi-port USB charger that I love. I can charge my phone, iPad, camera, and any other electronic device all at once. It’s super helpful because I don’t have to bring a bunch of charging ‘blocks’ and I only need to use one outlet in the hotel room.” —Erika Stallworth, staff accountant
5. Add some extra baggage
“I’m a big fan of foldable bags to bring along in case, um, I do too much shopping.” —Breanna Rhoades, human resources director
6. In defense of folding
“We fold our clothes and use packing cubes. Folding allows for easy transferal from suitcase to drawer if you’re staying in one place for a bit. We make stacks of folded pants and shirts, and use packing cubes for items like underwear and socks.” —Jeremy Saum, executive director
7. Make the most out of your shoes
“I try to wear my bulkiest shoes on the plane and stuff smaller things like socks into other shoes. I also use a headphone taco to keep my headphones in order.” —Samantha Juda, audience marketing specialist
8. Get a zipper purse thing
“We put all our chargers in their own little zipper purse thing. We’re big fans of the zipper purse as organizing principle. Our charger zipper purse even has robots on it, because, it’s like, technology.” —Jeremy Saum, executive editor
