We’ve gathered up some smart packing tips during our time in the travel and hospitality industry. From years working with world travellers, busy executives, and travelling around ourselves, we know that packing can be stressful. It doesn’t have to be.

Are you one of the many people who “hates packing?” Then please, read some of our team’s advice below to discover our best packing tips, no matter your trip!

Our Best Packing Tips #1: Make a List, Check it Twice

There is a reason that this is at the very top of our list of packing tips: if you do nothing else, please make a list in advance. By planning ahead, you will make sure that you have everything you need, and nothing that you don’t. Avoid the last-minute attempts to stuff everything in your suitcase by making a list well-ahead of your of trip.

Plan your packing by outfit: which top are you planning on wearing with your bottoms, which shoes match your outfits. It may seem silly at first, but not only will this help your packing, it will eliminate another step in your morning routine while you’re on the road. Travelling can be rough; knowing that you have the perfect outfit for each day will help, if only a little.

Our Best Packing Tips #2: Roll Your Clothes

One of the more frustrating parts of travelling, especially for business, is the creasing that occurs in clothes after packing them. Suitcases aren’t always the perfect size for your clothes. The fold marks wind up in odd places, and without the help of a steamer, things look like a mess.

You can avoid this creasing by rolling your clothes instead of folding them. This will also create more room in your suitcase.

Too late to roll? Had to fold a particular item? Clothing got shaken in transit and is now all wrinkled? Not a worry! Do you have a steamer with you? If so, great! If not, it’s still okay! Hang the wrinkled items in the bathroom, and turn on the shower. You’re not going to want to be in the shower for this process because it will need to be HOT. The steam from the shower in the bathroom will relax the fabric of your clothes.

Our Best Packing Tips #3: Versatility

Going for longer than two or three days? You don’t necessarily need to pack 15 completely separate outfits. By packing the right items, you can mix and match to create completely new outfits from the same pieces. Pack items that pair well with a few different outfits; a smart black pair of pants can match almost any top. A good shirt will look great with a skirt, pants, or even jeans.

Keep your outfits, and your clothes, feeling fresh by staying somewhere with laundry facilities. Many major cities have downtown laundromats. For ease and convenience, every Corporate Stays Signature Collection apartment comes equipped with an in-suite washer-dryer.

Our Best Packing Tips #4: Don’t Bring What You Don’t Need

As packing tips come and go, this sounds rather obvious. It’s also one of the reasons you made a list before packing your suitcase. But as you leave your home to head to Montreal’s Trudeau airport to fly down to sunny California, are you sure you don’t have anything you don’t need? Stop. Look in the mirror. Are you going to need your winter parka and boots in either the airport or in the California heat?

If you have a friend or significant other to bring to and from the airport, you can simply leave your winter outerwear with them. If not, maybe opt for a lighter coat. You’ll be a little chilly for the 5 minute walk to the taxi in Montreal, but you won’t have to worry about packing a big fluffy parka when travelling.

Our Best Packing Tips: #5. Leave Extra Room!

There are a few reasons to leave extra room in your bag when packing. You are going to have more time to pack before you leave than before your return. As you’re packing up on your last night before catching your flight home, knowing that you have that extra room will make things far less stressful. It will also ensure that everything will still fit.

Planning on doing some shopping during your next trip? Make sure you have enough room for your new purchases! Alternatively, to save yourself some space in your luggage, check online to see if you would be able to ship your purchases back home. Depending on the retailer and the goods in question, it may be cheaper (and depending on the object, safer) to have  your purchases shipped directly home instead of bringing them on the flight with you.

We hope that our packing tips make preparing for your next trip a little easier. Want another way to take some of the stress out of travel? Book your next stay at a Corporate Stays apartment; our experience team will be thrilled to help you enjoy your trip.