Lighten Up

By: Ben Hultstrand
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:42:29
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Any woman who travels a lot will tell you the last thing she wants to worry about is dragging around a caravan of clumsy luggage. Whether it's traveling for business or pleasure, fluttering painlessly through the airport is the key to retaining our mental health. But between the dresses, jeans, suits, makeup, shoes and that all-important laptop – what's a girl to do?

While it may seem ridiculous to some, I actually insist on bringing carry-on luggage ONLY! That way, the airline can't lose my bag, I save money because I don't have to tip porters and I can arrive at the airport a little later instead of standing in line to check my bags. While the task of fitting everything into carry-on items may seem futile, there are some secrets to finding the perfect-sized luggage and knowing how to pack it: *First of all, throw away that dirty, dilapidated, old luggage and buy a brightly colored, light-weight carry-on bag that can be easily packed and stowed on the airplane (a bag about 20 inches wide and 14 inches high is almost guaranteed to fit on most airlines without a problem.) I prefer ones on wheels with plenty of pockets – especially zippered pockets on the outside to hold my tickets, boarding passes, books, etc. CalPak makes a great one called the Apostle 20-inch Rolling Duffel , and this luggage is all about extra pockets and a roomy interior! With a color choice of coral, lime green or purple, you'll have no trouble spotting your new bag in a sea of drab luggage.

*If you're like me, you'll also want to bring that laptop on board. But staying hands free is the way to go, so get yourself a good laptop backpack. I love the Clava Square Mini-Backpack. It's chic and modern, comes in black, caf? or tan, and can double as a purse! There's a big front pocket for extra storage and comfortable shoulder straps that make it a cinch to carry. You'll have room to stick extra items like your wallet, camera, makeup, magazines and unmentionables inside this laptop bag, saving a lot of space.

*Now, if you choose a purse over the laptop bag, be sure to bring one that you can fit a lot of items in. It should be large enough to hold all your essentials, and more! BK Bags Travelers Tote Purse is like a mini-suitcase and purse, all in one. It has huge exterior pockets, four pockets on the inside (two padded for phone and eyeglasses, one open, one zippered), plus a magnetic closure and shoulder strap to keep it all in place. You'll find you can fit plenty of items in here, that didn't quite make it your smaller carry-on bag.

*Of course, no matter how great your luggage is, the key to making your travel truly hassle-free is smart packing! As you're tearing through that closet, ask yourself if you really need to bring a particular item along (for instance, that extra pair of black pants -- one good pair of black pants is usually enough for a week-long vacation.) Follow these tips, and you'll be in and out of the airport and to your destination in no time, with your sanity still intact.

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