Summer is officially here

For some of us this means a vacation and the challenge of packing a suit case. If you have never mastered the art of travelling light, this article may help.

Once you have made your travel arrangements and know your agenda you will have the basic information to determine the contents of your suitcase.

Where are you going? What will you be doing? How long will you be living out of your suitcase?

Pack enough underwear and hosiery for each day you are away. Since the clothing in your suitcase represents your entire closet while you are travelling, make sure you take clothing that you need to be appropriately dressed for your agenda. Layout your clothes for a day by day scenario. Work with a colour capsule and with a little ingenuity you will find that mixing and matching as few as eight separates will give you up to twenty four changes. Accessories will dress up simple outfits and add texture and variety to solid basics. No matter how casual your agenda be prepared for unexpected invitations and include something that you can dress up and that will do the job. Conversely, regardless of how formal and corporate your agenda, include comfortable casual wear for downtime. Make sure to pack a jacket or shawl for unexpected cool weather or cold air conditioning. Bottom line when packing your suitcase is stick to your plan and feel confident you have done it right once you have set out your daily outfits.

Include foot wear in your plan. Always pack one pair of very comfortable shoes and wear your heaviest shoes on the plane. Include one pair of basic dress up shoes and a pair of flip flops for the beach or to use as slippers.

Use a carry on to hold your essentials. Look upon it as your survival kit so that whether your luggage is in the trunk or stowed in the compartment of your plane or train it will be available for your comfort. Some items that should be included are as follows: make up, medications, glasses, sunglasses, bottled water, snacks, toothbrush, toothpaste, pen, paper, camera, film, and batteries (chargers) and your choice of mental amusement. Be sure to put copies of your passport, itinerary, credit cards, and bank cards in you suitcase and carry on. Email yourself the copies if you plan to be using web mail while you are away and also leave copies with your family. Make sure to have medical and eyeglasses prescriptions on your carry-on as well. Verify the expiry dates of your passport, medical insurance, photo I.D. and credit cards. Be certain that your passport expires at least 6 months after you return. Review your credit and bank cards daily withdrawal limits.

When packing for your holiday never pack more than you can carry. Pack your belongings tightly so things don’t move around. Use the suitcase straps to hold your clothes in place. Use the space around the perimeter of the suitcase for packing items such as shoes. Pack clothes with the least amount of folds and roll your T-shirts. Fold your clothes with tissue paper or dry cleaning bags to stop your clothes form wrinkling. Pack lightweight disposable hangers because many hotels don’t provide enough hangers. Make sure you pack your clothes zippered and buttoned. To save space put hosiery or underwear inside your shoes.

It is a good idea to identify your luggage with a scarf ribbon or unique decal so you can recognize your bags at a glance and at a distance.

[Note: You can get a PDF tipsheet from Marilyn's store website at http://marilyns.ca/fashion_tips.phtml]