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Most business trips come at a short notice. You hardly get time to organize your work and personal life before you take the very next flight out. Packing a suitcase for business travel needs to be quick and efficient.
Does the idea of packing for business travel make you nervous?
Don’t worry! We are here to help you with a checklist so that you don’t leave out anything important.
Here are 9 items you should always have in your business suitcase.
1. Business Cards
The stack of your business cards is always handy at your office desk. You might even be handing out a few cards daily. Of course, it would be the most obvious thing to carry on your business.
But many amateur business travelers forget to bring along their business cards. You’d agree, it can be very embarrassing to give out your business coordinates on a spare piece of paper.
2. Documents
If you’re leaving on an important business meeting, make sure you have packed along with all the business papers you’d need on the trip. It is a good idea to organize everything in a folder so that all your papers are safe and available for easy access.
If you’re traveling internationally, you would need to carry your passport and visa.
3. Laptop
Did you finish your last-minute preparations late in the night? In that case, make sure you don’t leave behind your laptop on your work desk!
Some people decide not to carry their laptops along thinking it’s a very short trip. But unlike vacations, business trips can be highly unpredictable. Your return flight may get delayed or canceled. When you get stuck at a location, having your laptop at hand will keep you assured that you can get important work done.
If you work on any other smart device or tablet, you need to pack that too.
4. Notepad and Pen
Keep it old school, and carry a notepad and pen on your travels. Notepads are handy for jotting down quick points and meeting summaries for your informal records.
Besides, you’ll have something to doodle on!
5. Business Attire
Always remember to pack a business suit in your suitcase. You can also keep some spare shirts. You can also carry along some business casuals for a more relaxed corporate meeting. Try to stick to office dress code policies.
6. Comfortable Shoes
Most business trips demand you to reach directly to the official meeting point. In such cases, you may already be dressed for the meeting when you board a flight. It is advisable in these situations to pack a pair of comfortable shoes besides your business outfit.
As we indicated earlier, your business trip could come with surprises. Suppose you are on a business trip to Dublin. The business gets done in the day, and your associate invites you to visit the National Gallery. You can put your comfortable shoes on, leave your suitcase at the luggage storage at National Gallery and enjoy the evening.
Don’t worry, your belongings will be safe! Luggage storage facility providers like Vertoe have made their mark in most big cities around the globe with world-class secure storage spaces.
7. Phone Charger and Battery Backup
People can get by without food and water for a few days, but a professional can’t do without his smartphone even for an hour.
Don’t forget to pack your charger. Having a battery backup is also crucial because you may not find a charging point easily every time.
Conclusion
No matter how often or how hurriedly you pack your bags, these are a few things you can’t afford to leave behind when you are traveling on business.
Frequent fliers smugly claim that packing a suitcase at short notice is an acquired skill. We couldn’t agree more!
You may need to refer to this checklist a few times, but very soon efficient packing will come to you naturally.
Good luck on your business trip!
You may also like: Have a Successful Business Trip with the Help of These 4 Tips
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