I travelled a LOT for work, in fact I used to travel every single week! Typically, I took the first flight out Monday morning (or Sunday evening if there was an early Monday meeting) and then flew out Thursday or Friday to be home for the weekends. Nowadays I don’t travel too much for work – I had a business trip last month and have another one coming up next week – but I’ve taken well over 100 work flights so trust me when I say I have my work suitcase and business trip routine on-lock. In fact, my work suitcase packing was so streamlined that MP used to often pack my suitcase for me because I would be so exhausted from the work travels lol.

Keep It SIMPLE

Here is my simple packing checklist for your work suitcase to help you prep for your next business trip! When you travel every week for work, the last thing you want is an overpacked suitcase so my list is the bare minimum – no more, no less. I am NOT lugging around a heavy thing around the terminal all by my lonesome (too bad MP can’t come with me on all my business trips), and to have to lift them in/out the Ubers and up above the overhead by myself?! Yea right.

Anyway, unless you are travelling to the middle of nowhere America (sorry to my people with agribusiness or energy industry work), you will likely be in the city or some other major civilization with all of the first-world amenities closely accessible so really there’s no-need to pack “extras” or for “what-if” scenarios. My main client site was in the Bay Area (doesn’t get any more normal and boring than that lol) and I usually stayed at a hotel that was literally in the same parking lot as a Target so I could get anything I needed if I happened to have an emergency (like that time a lady dropped a smoothie and it exploded all over me and my clothes).

Packing Checklist

Here are the basics!:

• THE BAG / BACKPACK | You’ll need a giant bag to carry all the sh*t needed to survive the sh*t of a work day. I gotchu and I listed all of my essentials in my previous What’s In My Bag? blog post! For work, I will usually opt for the backpack just to make it easier on myself especially if I have to walk to the office.
  
  
• THE SUITCASE | I recommend getting a suitcase from a Ross/Marshalls/TJMaxx. They have some higher end brands for a great price – I recommend Samsonite!
  
  
• THE SHOES | These take up most room so I keep it to 3!
  • Work Shoes | Only one pair! If I want to change out my shoes I change them out the next week. My go-tos are black, brown, or gray boots, flats, or loafers that can go with any outfit
  • Sneakers | In all my years of working in the Bay Area I have only ever used my hotel gym ONCE lol
  • Flip Flops | To walk around the hotel room in because I don’t love having my bare feet on the hotel floor
    
    
• THE CLOTHES | My clients are mostly tech so the dress code is usually VERY casual
  • Pants | Jeans or comfy work pants like jeggings or trousers (I’m all about being comfy if I’m going to be stuck in an office for 12+ hours (,:)
  • Tops | Usually long-sleeve turtlenecks or blouses
  • Jackets | Similarly to the shoes, I usually choose just 1 jacket to rock for the week
  • Scarf | Because offices are cold!
  • Work-Out Set | While I never have time to workout during a work trip, there are sometimes those “team bonding” workout classes
  • Pajamas | Something appropriate because you never know when you have to go to the lobby for something and potentially run into coworkers lol
  • Undergarments | Underwear, bras, socks, sports bra
  • Jewelry | Earrings, rings, bracelets etc. for the week
  • Emergency Professional Outfit | I carry with me one nice little black dress just in case, but have never had the need to use it!
    
    
• THE COSMETICS | Idc and I just use the hotel shampoo/conditioner/body wash. They also (usually) have everything else like toothbrush/toothpaste, razor, lotion, etc.
  • RETAINER!!! | Tres importante
  • Heat Styling Tool | Again, I just choose 1 for the week whether its a curling iron (usually I pick this because its the fastest) or a straightener
  • Messy Self-Care | Think hair masks, clay masks, scrubs, self tanner – things I might avoid doing at home because I don’t want to make a mess or clog the drain but have zero inhibitions in a hotel room with room service!
  • Sheet Masks | TBH usually there is no time to do the above and the quickest and easiest self-care (exactly what is needed after a long work day) is a sheet mask!
  • Skincare | Travel sized items, samples, or decanting my usuals. Whatever I have at the time for face wash, moisturizer, toner etc.
  • SPF | I used to not believe in wearing sunscreen for business trips because literally we would be stuck in the office ALL DAY and by the time we left the sun would be gone (,: The only daylight I’d see was the 5 minutes from when I’d leave the uber to walk into the office but my coworker shook me when she said “but that’s 5 minutes every day” so ya, SPF people
  • Makeup Remover | Bioderma and cotton pads is the easiest and mess-free
  • Makeup Bag | Minimal makeup because who are we trying to impress? TBH I usually don’t even wear mascara at work because I spend all day rubbing my eyes from all the BS lol
  • Mini Hair Brush | I have a lot of hair so I need my paddle brush. Conair makes great mini ones!
    
    
• THE MISC. | Other
  • Instant Rice | To go with the leftovers from the team happy hour ^-^
  • Pepper Spray | Getting pepper spray through TSA can be tricky so if I know I will be at a client site long-term, I’ve actually had the front desk staff keep my pepper spray during the weekends and then they give it back to me when I check-in!
  • Collapsible Laundry Basket | To toss your laundry in (better than putting them in hotel drawers lol)
  • Luggage Scale | This is moreso just for international long-term trips i you are worried about luggage weight!

Thanks for reading and see you next week ❤
Em