The Smart Traveler (Part 1)
Image source: Marissa Grootes @stilclassis
31 Super-Helpful Items, Tools, Sundries and Supplies to Keep In Your Suitcase 24/7 and Enjoy Better Travel, Business Trips and Vacations
In 2017, my colleague Marc and I were working on forming a joint venture with a consulting firm that was based in London. We travelled from New York to London three times in 2017 and one time in January 2018. We were proud that we closed the joint venture. Unfortunately though, after we closed the deal, we hired someone there so my trips to London ended abruptly. Oh well.
Love London.
If you haven’t been there done that, add London to your ‘Bucket List’.
Although, some might say, “If you’ve seen one conference room, you’ve seen them all.” At the same time. . .
London is an amazing city and needless to say, steeped in world history. When you go there, be sure to look both ways before crossing the street because they drive on the left – opposite from the United States. Many a pedestrian has gotten hurt or killed by oncoming traffic.
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Smart and easy travel among other things enables a smoother and worry-free trip. And that leaves more room for fun and successful business meetings.
If you’re a Budget and Grow Rich® veteran, you know that I thrive on being organized.
Staying organized helps me focus and powers my success. In fact, after using checklists for ten or twelve years now, I can confidently say that my checklists have checklists. At this point, my checklists even have children and grandchildren.
All kidding aside, a robust checklist or series of checklists can help you stay focused and guide your path to get things done, be more productive and 10X your success.
Turning back to our London trips, I take some allergy medicine every day.
I Wanted to stay healthy and have a successful, stress-free business trip. To increase the likelihood that I would remember to pack my medicine and everything else and eliminate my last-minute scramble to pack the night before the trip, I created a custom packing list in Excel.
You can customize it and grab it for FREE right here.
Ever scramble to pack your suitcase and carryon late night just before your big trip?
Only to find that when you arrive, you left several key items, supplies and sundries at home.
I sure have! UGH!
Before I created my packing list, it was a last-minute, mad dash to grab everything I thought I would need to feel comfortable and position myself for a successful business trip.
Passport, Global Entry Card, UK Pounds Sterling currency, vitamins, allergy medicine and so on.
After my first trip to London, I supplemented my packing list by storing key items in my suitcase, 24/7.
This simple practice takes the guesswork out of packing and reduces my last-minute search for stuff. Instead, upon my return, I replenish supplies that I used up. And at a leisurely pace too.
By storing these key items in my suitcase 24/7, I reduced the number of items I had to pack last minute, saved time, reduced stress and took comfort knowing that I had the essential supplies that I might need, on hand.
Being prepared helps you focus on the tasks at hand, your mission and the purpose of your trip.
Make it a habit to store these key items in your suitcase 24/7:
Eyeglasses wipes
Eyeglasses screwdriver set. Most supermarkets and convenience stores sell these
Makeup remover
Band-Aids® or other adhesive bandages
Travel size toothpaste
Razor and razor blades
Travel size shaving cream
Travel size sunscreen
Q-Tips® or cotton swabs
Shout® Wipe & Go Stain Remover (single packets)
Safety pin – small and medium size. These are especially useful to hold garments together in a pinch. And insert a bathing suit string that managed to slide out of place
Rubber bands
Paper clips
Binder clip – one of my favorite variations of a paper clip
Shoe horn. This handy tool helps your shoes last longer by avoiding stretching out the backs
Shoe Shine Sponge to clean your shoes
Nail clipper
Dental floss
Collar stays
Aspirin, Tylenol® or their generic equivalent
Plastic Bags – ideal for shoes, dirty laundry and to keep your suitcase organized
Twist Ties for plastic bags and to immobilize clothes on hangars
Pill Bottle – one or two. I store vitamins in a plastic pill bottle. This prevents the pills from spilling all over the place if the bottle happens to open. I find that ‘screw tops’ are better than ‘pop up’ lids because they are more likely to stay closed.
Ziploc® bags or ‘Double Zipper’ Plastic Bags. When I bring vitamins, sunscreen, lotions and other small items along for the ride, I place the items in plastic bags to prevent them from spilling.
List of Key Contacts – name, telephone number, email address
Passport photocopy
TSA Precheck – Global Entry Card photocopy
Drivers License photocopy
CDC Covid Vaccine Card
Face Mask
Frequent Flier Numbers list
Business cards
Pen
Paper, and
Cash – US Dollars (USD) and UK Pounds Sterling (and any other country’s currency that you might visit).
While almost all merchants and establishments accept credit cards these days, it’s helpful to have some cash – small bills/small denominations – on hand.
Recently, I stayed at two hotels in the USA and the front desk couldn’t make change for a $10 or $20 bill. Maybe it was COVID-related but I’m not sure. Regardless, having some cash on hand saves time, especially if you want to leave a gratuity for housekeeping or the valet.
I typically store only one to two, maybe three of each item in my suitcase. I set the quantity of each based on how likely it is that I will use that item and how often.
My rollaway suitcase has ample internal pockets with zippers. If yours doesn’t, use Ziploc® bags or buy a little nylon, zippered pouch or two.
To truly be prepared and ready to go, when you run out of one of your supplies or sundries, make a note to replenish them. This way, you’re prepared and all set to hit the road, relatively worry-free.
Your standing travel inventory of key supplies, sundries and nice-to-have items will take the guesswork out of packing and save you money, time and stress and enable worry-free travel.
Because you won’t have to hunt for a store in an unfamiliar place. Even though London and many other destinations have all the creature comfort stores that you probably have at home. What’s more, you can avoid paying tourist prices too.
Thank goodness my suitcase has wheels. Hope yours does too.
See you across the pond.
Have a good week,
Arthur V.
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