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Be a Travel Genius
By Julie Morgenstern
O, The Oprah Magazine  |  From the July 2003 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine
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Travel organizer
When it comes to traveling, most people tend to underpack (oops, forgot pajamas again) or overpack (hauling a steamer trunk for a long weekend). The stress of getting ready and of feeling disorganized on the road can make you feel like it's hardly worth the trouble to leave home.

This month's project is to organize your travel preparations so you can pick up and go with minimal anxiety!







Back to Basics
  • Find four easy pieces. Buy luggage for plane travel (by far the most challenging), and you'll find it serves you just as well for trains and cars. You'll need:
    1. Your main suitcase (a well-packed 20- to 22-inch case on wheels can work for up to a week)
    2. A tote or briefcase
    3. A handbag you can slip inside the tote if you're facing a carry-on limit
    4. A leather business envelope or backpack to put in your suitcase and use at your destination.
  • Make Good Lists. Store lists of essentials for each type of trip (e.g., business overnight, one-week island vacation) in your suitcase so they're easy to find. Edit each time you travel, deleting things you didn't need, and adding what you wished you had.
  • Choose sanity. Two days before your trip, decide what you'll wear each day and night. Is your spontaneous side hyperventilating? Weigh the possibility of wishing you had more choices against the annoyance of schlepping 50 pounds of luggage.

Keep Reading

Get Your Suitcase Ready for Take Off!

Techniques for power packing from organizing expert Julie Morgenstern.

Professional Packing Tips

Organizational expert Julie Morgenstern has the packing advice you need to make leaving for your next vacation a snap.

The Best Travel Advice We've Ever Heard

From booking flights to packing light, these experts' advice will make traveling a whole lot easier.

Pack Like a Pro

Do you tend to overpack? Underpack? Never fear! You can have it down to a science in no time with these great resources.

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