As promised yesterday, I will share my handy packing tips I picked up while watching an Internet video of a British butler packing for his “Sir.”  Now why would I be watching such a video, one might ask.  After too many 2 AM scrambles before an 8 AM flight, with a bed full of clothes and a suitcase that looked much like this one, I was desperate.  Living with a man who would happily pack in a manila envelope if his dopp kit would fit, I was finished with his snoring away as I frantically shoved everything I own into an expanded 22″ the night before a trip.  And don’t even mention carry on to me. It sends chills down my spine.

Anyway, after one of these nights where I arrived at the airport bleary-eyed, wet-haired, without a drop of caffeine in my veins, I vowed never again.  Now in my defense, I have come a long way from the days when I packed a 26,” which my son affectionately referred to as my fourth child Hartman, as he lifted all 75 pounds of it into the trunk.  I would often follow with a hanging bag and a hat box. Embarrassing but all true.

So before my next trip, I googled how to pack a suitcase.  Rather than Over Packers Anonymous, up popped a video of a friendly looking Jeeves who had me at, “This is how it is done for Master Brown.” I figured it it was good enough for Master Brown, it would be good enough for me.

This is what he said:

–Try to stick to one or two color families (black/white or brown/ beige) as that minimizes shoe and accessory choices.

–Pack heavy items such as shoes, larger toiletries and books (travel guides and leisure reading) on the bottom of the case, heaviest items toward the spine. (Makes sense as that is where it all falls anyway when the gorillas the airport pick it up and toss it toward the conveyor belt.)

–Cover all bigger items and those you care most about not wrinkling with saved dry cleaning bags or thin tissue.  (Jeeves was so cute with his large squares of  cream-colored tissue paper carefully placed between master’s cricket pants and smoking jacket.)  I stick with dry cleaning bags and they work great.

–Pack pieces within pieces after making a firm base above the heavy bottom items.  For this one, I put my work out clothes and PJ’s on top of the shoe base to make a more even surface and then start layering on that.

–For layering, again start with heaviest items, for instance jeans or a pair of wool slacks and lay them flat on the PJ’s etc. with half of the pant laying across the suitcase lengthwise and half of it out to the left or right.  Place the next item on top of the pants and fold in the other half of the pants on top so the inner item makes a cushion and prevents wrinkling. Continue layering items, sticking in t-shirts and softer items (like underwear) at crease points until you have filled the case.

He actually used the straps I always leave tangled on the bottom of the case to tighten it all at the end and much to my surprise, it prevents shifting and added wrinkles.

And if all of this is just too much trouble, pack like my daughters.  Take ten minutes to grab from your closet, roll it all in balls, stuff it in and wear what you forget on the plane. They always look much cuter and more rested than I do when we arrive at our destination.

I do get some satisfaction that they invariably ask to borrow some little something from me. And of course I always have it.