Packing hand luggage correctly: The essentials for business travel

Always look fresh, well-groomed and elegant, shine with a versatile wardrobe and fit it all in a small bag? Often, only carry-on luggage is intended for business trips, and packing for the trip is a headache for many people. Yet traveling light has many advantages: Hand luggage is not only cheaper to book, you always have it with you, it can't accidentally end up on another flight or go missing, and even after landing you don't have to wait long at the baggage carousel, you can take off directly at your destination. But the limited space and special regulations also pose special challenges for packing carry-on luggage. To make this time-consuming task easier for you in the future, we've put together a little guide to packing carry-on luggage that can serve as a guide to choosing and assembling the perfect luggage for business trips in carry-on format.

The right carry-on luggage

In order to arrive at your destination comfortably and still be able to take everything you need for the business meeting and relaxation afterwards, it is essential to take care when choosing a piece of carry-on luggage. The layout of the bag and the appropriate design play just as important a role as its dimensions. Unfortunately, there is no obligatory standardization in this context, to which all airlines would adhere, so you should check the respective dimensions again before the flight if necessary. In general, dimensions of approximately 55 cm × 40 cm × 20 cm are common.

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Since especially for frequent travelers the hand luggage is heavily used, you should focus on quality in your selection. You can pay special attention to sturdy zippers, reinforced corners and a sturdy handle. An elegant, easy-care and timeless design ensures long pleasure in the everyday companion. The layout of the perfect piece of carry-on luggage is best easily surveyed, and a variety of pockets makes it easier to organize and quickly access everything you need during your trip. For example, when transferring to the airport, consider whether you prefer to be able to stow computers and work documents in your carry-on as well, allowing you to travel with a single piece of luggage. The shape, size and layout of the ideal carry-on luggage for you personally depends entirely on what you want to have with you on your trip.

Prepare the packing

Even before you start packing, familiarize yourself with the climatic conditions at your destination. Especially if the business trip will take you far away or to places you've never traveled before, spend a little time researching appropriate clothing. Culturally, your destination may also wear different clothes than you do at home; this may relate to colors and shapes of clothing, for example, as well as their gender attributions.

Familiarize yourself with your company's dress code and planned schedule of events, and consider what attire is appropriate and conducive to your purpose. Is a formal suit required or is business casual acceptable? Only when you are familiar with expectations can you pack appropriately for the trip.

Essentials for business travel

If you travel for business all the time, you probably already know your ideal packing order. If you're less practiced at packing for work travel, it can be hard to narrow down to what's really important, and carry-on luggage dimensions can quickly seem tight. So before packing carry-on luggage for business trips, know exactly what absolutely needs to go and what's better left at home.

The most headache is usually the appropriate choice of clothes for the business trip. Among the important items of clothing that should not be missing on any business trip is, of course, first and foremost business clothing. The best way to do this is to opt for simple outfits that can be combined in a variety of ways and can be loosened up and refined with small accessories. Depending on your preferences and the occasion, this can include ties, scarves and jewelry, but also belts or a special bag. Even in cold temperatures, limit yourself to just one jacket or coat that is as simple as possible, but comfortable and weather-appropriate, that goes with all your outfits, and that you wear when traveling so you don't have to put it in your carry-on luggage.

For leisure time at the end of the day or weekend, you should plan for comfortable, light clothing. In addition, of course, pleasant sleeping clothes and underwear belong in the bag for the business trip as well as items for personal toilet and body care. Again, be aware of the special regulations for carry-on luggage, which only allow liquids in small quantities of 100 ml and a total quantity of less than one liter. Also, pack any necessary medications and health products you may need.

To make the most of the limited space in your carry-on luggage, there are also so some small packing tips for carry-on luggage that will allow you to pack more space-efficiently. Packing cubes can be helpful for good, clear organization in the bag and quick access to everything you need. They act like mobile compartments that divide up the bag. Compression bags can serve a similar function and also have the advantage of taking up less space. Some people also swear by the space-saving effect of rolling clothes compared to folding them. However, when traveling on business, it is most important that clothing items look neat and presentable when they come out of the bag.

Conclusion

Packing carry-on luggage for business travel requires careful planning and thoughtful organization. However, with the right carry-on for you, a good layout in your bag or suitcase, and a little planning, you're sure to find packing easy. You'll quickly discover which items of clothing prove practical and appropriate, and which you didn't need at all. Once a good packing order and a set of favorite items for business trips have been established, feel free to stick to it. In this case, make notes or take photos so that you don't have to start all over again next time and save yourself an exhausting headache!