WEAR OR PACK A REVERSIBLE BELT

Recently I went to the gift store of a major business hotel. I wanted to see what people usually forgot to pack. Toiletries like toothpaste, toothbrush,deodorant, shaving cream and razors topped the list. When it came to clothing, however, people tend to forget their belts. My solution is to wear it and better yet, make it a reversible belt.

CHECK OUT SPORTS AUTHORITY FOR COLORFUL TEES

For the optimum use of your travel clothes, remember to pack more tops then bottoms. If you are traveling to a beach resort or taking a Caribbean cruise, for example, remember to check out stores like Sports Authority. They carry an incredible assortment of Tees in a variety of fabrics and colors. This week, the  women's Aspire Tees (in the photo above) come with a great price too, only $7.99 each. They are wrinkle resistant and made of 95% cotton and 5% spandex. Men's cotton S.A. Gear  cotton Tees are 3 for $18.00

LUGGAGE & MORE

Yesterday as I was window shopping in Mizner Park, the upscale shopping, dining and entertainment center in Boca Raton, FL, I happened upon Luggage & More. It is new to the park and carries a wide array of travel goodies. With suitcases and bags from luggage leaders like Tumi, Delsey, Samsonite and many more, I was a kid in the"candy" store! Lee Rosenfeld, the District Manager of Luggage & More, could not have been more helpful. He showed me several of his favorite brands and we both agreed that the bright colored Romero Britto bags would (shown above) be the easiest to identify at baggage claim. I doubt a thief would ever snatch a Britto bag when a nondescript black bag could be discreetly lifted.

DAILY CHARTS MAKE PACKING EASIER

Go to my website: http://www.mimipackslight.com/ and print out a Daily Chart before your next trip. The charts are divided into three sections making it easy to plan in advance for what you might be doing on a particular travel day. First fill in your activity(ies) and then fill in what a suitable outfit might be for that activity. Keep in mind that the "pack light" traveler will often use the same jacket, sweater, pants or shoes for numerous outfits. By looking at your perspective trip as it is detailed on paper, you will find it easier to choose the actual clothing you might wear as opposed to the random approach of just pulling clothes from drawers or your closet, and hoping the correct ensembles will appear.

THE ENTERTAINMENT BOOK

Even though there are plenty of sights out there that offer deals on restaurants, travel and retail, I still pick up at least one Entertainment Book each year. It started years ago when my daughter's school was selling them as a fundraiser. After just a few weeks I had recouped my initial investment and the savings just went on from there. The book comes complete with a membership card for fine dining, coupons, 800 phone numbers and websites with discount codes. I regularly use the hotel and rental car discounts and love the added reductions on retail, grocery and hardware stores. By mid-June the price goes down dramatically but there are always specials online so check it out!

PACK A HAT

With more and more reports about the dangers of skin cancer not to mention premature aging,it's important to wear a hat. Last year I picked up a reversible hat from CVS for $9.99. It is black on one side which is perfect for me since my base color theme is black. The reverse side was a black and white paisley print. My mother is a hat lover and will often take four or five of them on a trip. She suggested getting a bright colored flower or two from Michaels and safety pinning or velcroing it to the hat for a completely different look. It was a great idea and it not only customized my outfit but I got a lot of compliments as well. Even though the hat packs well, I opted to wear it on my travel days.

WEAR OR PACK COMFORTABLE WALKING SHOES

One of the most important things to do when you travel is to wear or pack comfortable walking shoes. When you are off on a new adventure or trip remember this is not the time to break in a new pair of shoes. You can't imagine how many vacations or business trips have been ruined because someone decided that new shoes would look great. They probably do but the discomfort of breaking them in could break you as well. Wear your heaviest shoes on the day you fly, or take a train or bus. Pack your other shoes. Make sure that the shoes or sneakers that you do most of your walking in have good support and are comfortable. For getting on planes I recommend sneakers with velcro fasteners or slip on shoes that are easy to get in an out of during the security check.

THE SUPER LIGHT CARDIGAN STYLE WRAP

I was window shopping the other day in Montclair, NJ, when I came upon this elegant cardigan style wrap at Oasis. It is perfect for the savvy light weight packer. Amy (above) is modeling the wrap in a beautiful shade of wine. Besides your basic black and wine it comes in a variety of colors including red, teal and brown. Manufactured by Chris & Carol, the wrap is made in the U.S.A. which I find to be a plus. It is made of 95% Polyester and 5% Spandex and can be machine washed and tumble dried. I will be taking a black wrap on my transatlantic cruise this May. I will be posting my daily attire on that trip, in which I will only use an under the seat suitcase. The goal is for 36 unique outfits in 14 days all from that small bag. The Chris & Carol wrap is certain to be a hit!

MAKE YOUR SUITCASE DISTINGUISHABLE FROM THE NEXT

Always make sure your suitcase is distinguishable. Consider that you are at a crowded airport or a busy train station and you are asking for directions. For a brief moment you have forgotten your bag and when you look for it it is gone. If your suitcase is well marked with bright luggage straps or tags it is much easier to spot and report. As a matter of fact, your identifiable suitcase is most likely to be bypassed by a thief for another plainer bag. When it comes to baggage claim, let those black generic bags go round and round, you will be able to recognize your suitcase immediately. 

OVERPACKED? SHIP IT BACK!

Last night I went out to dinner with my friend Melanie. She had recently taken a trip to Florida and knew that the bag she was planning to check would be over the limit allowed. She decided to visit her local post office and mail some of the clothing she would be needing to her final destination. If you find that you have too much to take back and you are traveling in the United States, consider shipping back the excess. Priority Mail flat rate boxes could offer a solution that is better then the penalty fees at the airport. It is truly amazing, how much you can cram into one of those boxes. I used to ship my dirty clothes back that way but the boxes work just as well on either end of a trip.

EXPANDABLE POUCHES

Expandable pouches are great packing additions. They not only provide a place for those extra travel items that we seem to accumulate during a trip but they can also be used as a day bag when we are out touring. I usually attach mine to the outside of my suitcase.

CALL YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANY BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE USA

When you are planning a trip outside of the US let your credit card company know. Give them a call before you leave to tell them where you plan to travel. Ask if they have any specials going on with banks, stores or hotels. Also ask them for phone numbers that you should call in case you need assistance while abroad. Take those number along with your credit card number and security code on the back and email them to yourself. This way you will be able access the information in case your card is lost or stolen. There is nothing worse then finding out your credit card has been cancelled because your credit company thinks your account has been compromised. Call before you go for added security.