More travel tips from ADDiva One:

7) Use travel tight screw lid bottles to pack only a week’s worth of shampoo, conditioner and other products. I refill them when I get back home so they are travel-ready again.

8) Anything that could spills inside my suitcase goes in plastic. My cosmetic bag is plastic-lined and I have several smaller plastic-lined bags for hair products, medication, hair dryer and brushes.

9) Buy a duplicate set of cosmetics and hair products just for travel. It’s less expensive to buy your favorites at home then to try to replace them in a strange city (where you have to first FIND the right store and then GET there and back).

10) Carry 2-3 days worth of meds in your carry-on just in case your luggage gets lost in transit. In my experience, medications do not need to be in their original bottles or labeled as long as you pack a reasonable quantity for your trip.

11) Pack some lightweight snacks in your carry-on: pretzels, energy bars, nuts, dried fruit. And buy a bottle of water after you get through security. You never know when you might end up sitting on the tarmac for hours because of weather or other delays.

12) Take a lightweight bag for dirty undies and socks. Mine is a Tyvek bag designed as a super light bag to bring home souvenirs. Find them at travel stores or online shops.

13) Pack only two pairs of shoes – they add a tremendous amount of weight to your suitcase.

14) Wear slip-on shoes that are comfortable – you will have to remove them in the security line so make it easy to get them on and off. I prefer to wear socks so I am not barefoot on those dirty airport floors, but hey that’s just me.

15) Don’t drag along heavy books. If you want something to read, try magazines that can be discarded along the way (tear out all the pages with ads only before you leave to lighten your load). And don’t BUY books to bring home. You can ship them home if you like, but unless it’s something you can’t find at home, leave it at the bookstore. Or buy it and pass it along.

16) Think black coordinates for clothing. Everything goes with black, even in the summer. You really don’t have to be a fashionista when you travel. If a special occasion calls for something fabulous, pack a crushable black dress or dressy pants, then decide whether you’re willing to sacrifice one of your “shoe slots” for shoes you may wear only once.

17) Take one super comfy outfit to hang around the hotel room. I pack a pair of cotton sweat pants and a casual T-shirt that won’t be worn “out” but let me feel completely relaxed.

18) If you’re taking your laptop pack it in an easily accessible place so you don’t hold up the security line fishing for it. It must go in a “tub” by itself on the conveyor belt.

19) Buy an Eagle Creek padded bag to contain your computer charger, travel mouse, earbuds, flash drive, blank CD, USB cord, camera charger and battery, three-pronged plug expander and USB hub if you need it.

20) Eagle Creek also makes mesh bags in various sizes which are wonderful for packing underwear, socks, hose, swimsuit, etc.

21) Don’t forget the charger for your digital camera. Otherwise, when the battery goes you are stuck using disposable cameras. Ditto for the camera download wire to your computer … to avoid using all your memory card the first day.

22) A featherweight umbrella used only for travel will seem like an extravagance…until it rains on the entire tour of the prehistoric ruins you were eager to see.

Foreign travel

23) Check the electricity voltage before you leave. No sense taking your 110v curling iron if the 220V will burn it up the first day. There are good dual-current appliances on the market at reasonable cost.

24) Check the connector type, too. New Zealand and Hong Kong both use 220v current but the plugs are vastly different. Get a converter kit before you leave home; don’t expect to find them in the country you are visiting!

25) If you need a break from local food, try stocking your hotel room from the nearest convenience store. Sometimes a few cookies and beef jerky tastes good after spicy hot kim chi or heavy cream soups.

For long trips that require crossing several time zones (my internal clock goes beserk) allow several days to readjust. Don’t plan BIG events the day after you arrive. Be gentle with yourself.