Traveling can be a hassle—arriving in advance, checking in, passing through security, and boarding. Case in point: “what do you mean my luggage does not fit in the overhead compartment?”.

There are so many ways a trip can go wrong. No reason to let a piece of luggage ruin your travel experience.

There are three essential luggage pieces that every person should have: (1) an overnight bag, (2) a carry-on and a (3) larger suitcase for long holidays.

In the second edition of this short series – The Gentleman Traveler, I will present a run-down of what you should pack for a three-day business trip, and tips on how to pack.

I opt for a carry-on bag for trips up to five days, in order to be able to exit the airport immediately after reaching my destination.

Remember that airport baggage handlers make it a sport of throwing suitcases onto tracks and carts and they often have no problem with losing your suitcase in the process.

10 golden rules

1. Think “versatility” in your quest to pack lighter.

Here’s a nice trick: Depending on the season, opt for a worsted wool/hopsack/or fresco blue suit. Then, use the same suit coat as an odd jacket to pair with another pair of trousers or with jeans. This is a clever and efficient choice for lightening your luggage load!

2. Fold your trousers in half and then roll them up gently in order to save space and avoid wrinkles.

3. Pack sport coats easily using a specific method:

– Lay the sport coat on a flat surface

– Turn one of the shoulders sleeves inside-out

– Take the regular sleeve and stuff it in the inside-out sleeve

– The lining of the jacket should now be facing outward.

– Gently fold the jacket in half

4. Light blue is probably the most versatile color for shirts.

5. Choose blue as a prominent color in your tie to go with most anything.

6. Visualize being completely dressed from head-to-toe to pique your memory for items that you may have forgotten to include in your luggage.

7. Use plastic shoe trees to lighten the luggage load.

8. Pack toiletries under 100mL to avoid the security song-and-dance of displaying your personal items in transparent plastic zip-bags for examination.

9. Have laptops, cameras, and any other electronics within immediate reach to remove quickly in order to expedite your walk through security.

10. Don’t forget the magic bullet —- put the items that must not be wrinkled in jumbo zip-lock bags. Be sure to trap lots of air in the bag as an invisible shield against any compression points that could wrinkle the items. Next up on The Gentleman Traveler : packing for the weekend.

Paul Lux