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Most everyone loves travel. Beaches, mountains, kicking around cities, skiing, camping and sleeping on the cold, hard ground in a tent. Ok, strike that, we don’t camp (Holiday Inn is considered camping to us). Travelling is a whole different subject. Busted wheelie suitcases, other people’s overstuffed carry-on bags banging your knee, and laptop cases hanging from your neck all make travelling about as unsexy as a colorectal exam. Then you get to your destination and you realize you’ve forgotten to pack underpants, left your dopp kit at home or found your suit jacket and shirts so rumpled that it will take an hour of intensive ironing (isn’t there someone to do this for you?) to bring them back to form. This is all fixable stuff. The first thing Be Better Guys wants you to know is that packing for two days or two weeks isn’t all that different. It’s obvious, but it should be stated: always pack as lightly as possible. There are certain things you need to pack on every trip (besides the obvious deodorant and underpants) and there are ways to pack them that ensure that your clothes unfold in wearable shape and that you haven’t forgotten key items, like your contact lens case or your shoes. General Tips:
- Carry-on your luggage as often as you can; we know way too many colleagues who have had their checked luggage lost by the fine folks at the airlines.
- If you do check luggage, keep your dopp kit and a simple change of clothes in your carry-on bag so you’re not totally high and dry in case your luggage is lost.
- Bring reading material (Sports Illustrated, Business Week, Golf Digest, a book, the latest Be Better Guys article); there will be delays, guaranteed.
- Bring some form of music to listen to or you’ll be listening to screaming children.
- Carry mints with you; you may be sitting next to someone you may actually want to speak with.
Travel in decent clothes. You will be treated better by ticket agents and stewardesses. Unripped jeans, a polo and a sportcoat qualify as decent clothes. Track suits, tanktops, and flip flops do not.
What To Bring – Use This List Every Time You Pack:
Toiletries
Optional
- Cologne Soap/Shampoo
- Mouthwash Cotton Balls and Toner
- Nail Clipper Condoms (just in case, Cowboy)
Two Tips: - Nylon over leather for easy clean-up if any of your liquids leak.
- Keep most of these inexpensive items stocked at all times in your dop kit (even when you’re not travelling) and you’ll be sure you haven’t forgotten many of them
Clothing (Two-, Three-Day Business Trip)
Optional - Raincoat/Overcoat/Jacket Umbrella
- Gloves/Scarf/Hat Gym/Workout Gear
Clothing (Weekend Getaway)
- One Sportcoat One Pair Dress Pants
- One Casual to Dressy Shirt One or Two Polos or Turtlenecks (seasonal)
- One Pair Jeans or Chinos Sweater (seasonal)
- Swim Trunks/Ski Gear One Pair Dress Casual Shoes (Black or Brown)
- Sneakers Two Pair Underpants
- Two Pair Casual Socks One Casual Belt (Black or Brown)
- One or Two T-Shirts Sunglasses/Watch/Keys/Wallet
Optional
How To Bring It (These packing tips apply for any kind of travel):
· Pack socks and underpants in your shoes. Roll them up, stuff them in. It conserves space and helps your shoes retain shape. · Shoes go in the bottom of the bag. I have both put clothing that can wrinkle on top of, and under, my shoes. They tend to come out somewhat wrinkled either way. · Most pants and jeans can be rolled. Start at the bottom of the pants leg (pants are upside-down), put both pants legs together and roll tightly and smoothly to the top of the pants. Pack to the side or on top of shoes. · How To Fold a Sweater: - Lay sweater smooth and face-down
- Bring in one side and sleeve lengthwise to middle of back
- Fold sleeve back so it lines up with vertical fold
- Repeat with other side of sweater
- Fold bottom to middle of back, then fold again to top
- Place on top of pants in suitcase or bag
How To Fold a Suit Jacket (or better yet, just wear it): - Turn suit jacket inside out with lining on the outside
- Fold in half at the spine of the jacket
- Fold the jacket in half lengthwise so it’s now half its length
- Straighten arms, collar and lapel so they don’t get folded onto themselves
- Place on top of pants and sweater in the suitcase
How to Fold a Shirt: - Start by buttoning buttons, laying shirt smooth and flat face-down
- Cross one sleeve over horizontally so the edge of the cuff lines up with the seam of the opposite shoulder. Repeat with other sleeve.
- Fold one side of the shirt lengthwise to middle of shirt back. Repeat with other side.
- Fold shirt from bottom up one third or to where sleeves meet. Fold again so shirt is one-third its usual length
- Place on top of suit jacket
- OR have your dry cleaner box a few of your shirts for travel for easy packing
When you pack, print out this page, lay it on your bed and pack your stuff. Then pour a nice rum and enjoy your trip. Bring us back something, will you? We like booze, clothes, and cool tiki mugs that we can display on our bars at home! |
Your Clothes 
