Hi Ya’ll From New Orleans

Posted on May 12, 2005 3 Comments

I’m in the Big Easy this week on a work trip. Things are pretty calm – but very, very hot and humid! I need a shower each time I venture outside, I swear. Which brings me to an interesting subject… I’m in a steamy place on a biz trip and can start to smell myself bake after five minutes outside. All my biz clothes are in a smelly heap at the foot of my bed and I’ve still got one more day to go. Now what???

The above situation is actually a hypothetical, because Budgeting Babes always pack proactively! I’m in New Orleans with a heap of sweaty smelliness but am always shower fresh. An experienced business packer, I use an array of techniques for hot-weather packing so I won’t have to run to the store for supplies and/or clothes while stuck in a high-priced tourist trap.

Budgeting Babe’s Steamy Summer Biz Trip To-Do and Packing List
(Note: I only travel domestically, so don’t be mad if you’re traveling internationally and none of this applies.)
1. Always check the weather channel before you pack…and learn how to read a weather map. This will get you packing on the right track, and of course, it’s free! (Also check out the allergy alert on weather channel’s Web site. I hate having to buy pharmaceuticals on the road, knowing I have two bottles of the same stuff sitting at home!)
2. Pick a color palate and stick with it. On this trip, I chose black for the base color and brought along various shades of aqua. This helps because you only need one set of jewelry, one purse, one pair of shoes, one hair accessory, one belt and one make-up bag. The less you bring, the less you can leave behind, which is good for the wallet! Also, your bag will be tons lighter.
3. Pack at least two pairs of cotton undies for each day (three if you plan to work out). If you’re bringing socks and nylons, double up on those too. Bring lots of cotton camisoles to serve as undershirts (I like the flesh colored ones because they don’t show through white.) These items take up very little space and are essential to keeping your clothes smelling good and sweat-free. Plus, if you perspire through them, you can just pull on a new undershirt and your clothes will still be fresh.
4. At some point, buy travel shampoo and conditioner containers at your local drugstore if needed. Bonus if you can simply reuse bottles from old hotel stays. Don’t like the shampoo? Empty out the original and fill it with your favorite beauty products. The point here is to keep refilling your mini-travel supplies with your daily beauty supplies so you don’t have to keep buying full travel bottles.
5. Bring Febreeze or some other good-smelling-fabric solution. (I’m told they sell Febreeze in travel-sized bottles, but have yet to see one.)
6. Get organized. Once you get all your outfits picked for each day, matched with your sweat catching undergarments and other loose ends, pack those up. Again, I can’t stress how much time and effort you can save by bringing the same color palate for each day. (There is not one brown item in my bag!)
Then, grab three zip lock baggies for 1) Face soap, face lotion, tooth brush, toothpaste, floss; 2) Shower supplies – shampoo and conditioner, body soap; and 3) Hair spray, mousse, ties, bobby pins, pomade and any other hair supplies.
(I got the zip lock baggie idea from Jules Asner in Budget Living Magazine and have used the technique several times now. It keeps everything so organized and visible, and is very cheap!)
(Also, one note about toothpaste and floss – I save these supplies from the dentist after cleaning appointments because they’re always travel-sized….and free! Drop them in with your travel supplies right away!)
7. Consider what else you need – going out clothes? Keep them light, and please, stay professional to some degree. (You never know who you might run into, and remember, you’re representing your company.) I often don’t bring entirely new outfits, just plan to change one top or bottom and I’m ready to go. Again, stick to your color palate!
If you’re bringing workout clothes, this could be a problem in the heat. Bring something in a light, wicking fabric that you can rinse out after wearing to at least get some of the stink off, then hang in your room to dry before rewearing. Put these in a plastic bag before you put them into your luggage so as not to “contaminate” your clean(er) clothes.

There you have it! Now you’ve saved on luggage space by sticking to one color scheme, saved on supplies by reusing hotel bottles filled with your beauty supplies, saved your money by not running out of fresh laundry and saved on fancy-schmancy luggage by using zip-lock baggies. If you travel a lot, this could really add up!

One final note – I have an entire drawer of travel bath supplies at my apartment, filled with stuff I’ve picked up along the way. Each year, I donate supplies I haven’t used yet to a local women’s shelter, which most times could really use things like hotel soaps, lotions, shampoos and conditioners. (Also a great place to give make-up that wasn’t the right color, candles you no longer like, nail polish that you only wore once, deodorant that you had an allergic reaction to…)
Look for one in your area or donate it to your local religious gathering place. Every donation, no matter how small, is appreciated.

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