Since I travel a lot, I’m always trying to find ways to make the packing process easier.  Here’s some of the things I came up with:  1) I purchased two of those organizers used for daily pills.  In one I put my vitamins, in the other I put small jewelry items such as earrings, necklaces and pins etc.  2)  Wear your heaviest shoes on the airplane.  In the winter I wear my boots even if I’m going to a warm spot.  3)  Place your bulky necklaces inside a sock and slip them into your shoes.  4)  Purchase sample sizes of your favorite toiletries and always keep them packed in a small cosmetic bag kept inside your suitcase.  5)  Purchase a set of those Space Bag Luggage bags, they are great for packing underwear, socks etc, things that can be wrinkled.  You just pack stuff in the bags and then roll to remove the air, it’s a great space saver in your suitcase.  On my return trip home, I use them for my dirty clothes.  6)  You can minimize creases and wrinkles by rolling 3 to 4 items together.  For even better results, roll the items in a plastic dry-cleaning bag.  7)  Tie a yellow ribbon (or any color besides red) around your luggage handle so you can spot your luggage amongst the variety of black luggage.  Or, do what I did and purchase a new set of silver luggage from  eBags and get $20 off when you spend over $100 at eBags.com.
  8)  Keep a small note pad and pen in your luggage so you can make note of all the things you wish you had packed, then leave it in your suitcase for your next trip.  I added scissors to my list and I’m very glad I did!  9)  Most hotels have hairdryers, check it out and then leave yours at home.  10)  For those of you that want the unpacking process to be easier and you’re not too concerned about wrinkles, keep your clothes on their hangers inside your luggage and then just hang them up when you get to the hotel.  11)  If you use a hanging bag, put a plastic dry-cleaning bag over every other clothing item to help prevent wrinkles and creases.  12)  I always put bottles prone to leaking into plastic zip-lock baggies.  They also come in handy at the hotel for various uses.  13)  I keep a small Blank Book in my suitcase so I can jot down some of the fun things I do on my various trips, the memories are enjoyable to read later.  14)  Then there’s the obvious, (but worth mentioning) pack one pair of black slacks, one pair of black shorts, one pair of black capri’s, two pair of black shoes, 7 tops, wear your jeans and jacket on the airplane… this wardrobe will take you through an entire week vacation.

Give me your unique suggestions and tips for packing!