Pack for Travel Success by Jennifer Merin on Creators.com

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Pack for Travel Success

Heed my advice: How you pack can make or break your trip.

This is especially true during the holiday season, when most travelers are carrying too much stuff in carry-on and checked luggage.

If you're smart, you'll go lean. Minimize clothing, accessories and other essentials to the point where everything you're taking with you fits neatly into a wheeled carry-on bag. Bringing carry-ons eliminates long waits for checking and retrieving luggage.

The best choice for a carry-on is a duffel bag with wheels — 22 inches is the right size. Why a duffel? It has few compartments, which means fewer zippers and snaps to be fussed with by security personnel if or when you and your bag are selected for scrutiny.

You'll be hand-checked if the X-ray screening reveals something suspicious — such as a bottle of mouthwash that's larger than 3 ounces, which you'll be told to dump, or scissors, which might be confiscated if they're too pointy — in your luggage. Leave those items at home, along with other no-nos listed at www.tsa.gov. Check that site before packing; regulations change frequently.

You don't have to err in your bag's contents to be chosen for checking. Sometimes you're just lucky: The screener feeds your ticket into a scanner, a light turns red and you win the lottery: You and your bag get frisked.

Whether or not these regulations make sense isn't the issue, and you can't fight the regulations, even if they seem senseless. So just pack your duffel in a way that expedites your getting through security and spares you from having those "good Lord, why am I doing this?" moments.

Here are my recommendations — and they all can be purchased very easily by e-mail order:

The duffel I like best is Boyt's microsuede 22-incher, suitable for men or women. It's sturdy, well-balanced, handsome and roomy enough for a week's worth of clothes and other essentials. You can include bulky items, too — if you pack carefully.

First, consider your shoes. They're bulky. If you choose a pair in which you can walk well and look dressy, you can get away with not packing a second pair.

Even if you wear shoes without metal shanks, you probably will have to take them off when going through security. So choose travel shoes that slip on and off easily. For women, Arcopedico's Queen loafer and mary jane fit the bill. For men, Clarks' unstructured shoe is a sturdy, comfortable slip-on.

Wear your coat, even if it's hot out when you head for the airport, and choose outerwear that travels well. For men, Scottevest's microsuede jacket has 39 pockets for stowing your passport, wallet, keys, binoculars, mobile phone, digital camera, maps and other small but cumulatively bulky items. Slip the jacket off when you go through the security X-ray. For women, a leather three-quarter length riding jacket serves as an exceptionally chic wind-resistant jacket for sportive or dressy situations.

If you're heading for a cold climate, your clothes will be bulkier — but you should be able to fit everything in your duffel. Choose one sweater that's warm and smart-looking, a snuggly fleece or microsuede jacket for sport and a blazer for business or dressier occasions. Use Eagle Creek's Pack-It Compressor to reduce their bulk by about 80 percent, making room for slacks and shirts or blouses.

When selecting outfits, treat yourself well. You'll have a nicer time away from home if you pack clothes that make you feel good about the way you look, rather than making you feel make do.

Washable silk and suede travel well, are lightweight, versatile and always look elegant. Women love Citron's beautiful washable silk ensemble: black mandarin-collar with a crane print blouse, black slacks and sleeveless under-shells in black, seafoam green and russet. Or pack gaucho pants, with real flair in black or taupe, with a suede shirt in dusty rose, verdigris or black. For men, packable herringbone silk shirts are in red, black, khaki or marine, with pointed or band collars.

For layering warmth, pack Terramar's Qwik-Dri silk long johns and long-sleeve shirts, available for men or women. And Qwik-Dri underwear, which dries in two hours, lets you wash and wear, so you need to bring only one change of underwear with you.

Where can you purchase these packable items? Magellan's Travel Supplies' catalog, www.magellans.com, 1-800-962-4943.

To find out more about Jennifer Merin and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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