If you travel for work a lot - give me your best tips

[mixandmatch]

I have a big job that currently involves a little bit of travel but from January this is going to increase a lot - I’ll probably be away for at least a few days every month. Mainly UK and Ireland.

If you’re a frequent work traveller, give me all your best tips and hacks… I already have a separate duplicate toiletries bag always packed and ready to go. What else? Whether in terms of packing, hotels, anything else… thanks!

Try and limit the amount of crap you eat on the road! Get a good list of healthy snacks that don't need to be refrigerated that you can take with you.

Spare USB plug and chargers which you keep in your bag.

Hangable dirty laundry bag.

Always pack a fork.

If you're going to be in the same places repeatedly, look into a pure gym membership that allows you access to multiple branches.

Coordinated colour outfits. Saves loads of time. Find a favourite airport taxi firm. Supermarkets overseas often a better bet for a salad than nearby restaurants. Learn to love (or at least tolerate) running. Insist on business class wherever possible - or figure out which hotel and airline loyalty schemes to use. Never forget to relish the experience - it is a huge privilege.

Take photos of your receipts as soon as you get them

Earplugs (the foam ones) and an eye mask. Take a photo of your room number so you can find it again after dinner with clients and don’t have to shamefully ask the desk staff…

Depending on how you travel, sign up to any and all loyalty/points schemes which apply.

if you're a light/fussy sleeper like me, get in the habit of phoning ahead to the hotel and requesting a type of room - I always say "quiet, as high as floor as possible, definitely not ground floor, away from the lifts, end of a corridor ideal" or something like that. Your preference might be different but it's worth asking, whatever it is.

Separate toiletries and make up bags and brushes.

solid shampoo and conditioner bars.

good quality suitcase thats light. I have a solid sided one and I wish I’d bought a light fabric one.

personally bag for laptop and/or handbag - get one with a sleeve so it goes over the handles of the case.

keep sunnies and a toothbrush and toothpaste and a change of underwear in it for travel. I got wee toothbrushes with teeny toothpastes off Amazon and habe them all sorts of places.

keep a plug and charger leads in your case.

i habe a wee folding charging station that stays in my bag it has a spot to charge AirPods and charges my phone and watch.

I also have a set of straighteners that live in the bag.

Definitely! This is what I came here to say.

I travel for about 2 weeks a month in the UK. Constant travel,
Things I'd recommend:
Audible for trains
Get a extension cable/block with a few USB ports as well as plug sockets. ( ive been to places with only 1 plug socket)
Pack a toiletry bag and dont touch it when home.
If you need hair straighteners buy another just for travel. ( I have just for travel)
I also have a bit of a uniform, trousers, tops just for work. I plan what I'm going to wear each day and hang up in that order in the wardrobe.
A packing cube just for dirty clothes/underwear.

There is probably more I'll have a think.

Have a non-negotiable core packing list and make sure those are packed. These are the things that if you don't pack you will be really frustrated.

These are things like toothbrush - they're available pretty much everywhere but do you really want to find out that you've forgotten yours at 11 p.m. ?

Will you have your car or hire one after a flight?

Dh travels a lot internationally and UK. In winter he has a ditch bag with him in his car, change of clothes, waterproof hat, gloves and trousers, snow shovel, snacks, power pack.

Umbrellas in the car. Each door holder has a bottle of water in it. If its used he replaces it. Fleece blanket on backseat (protects the seat from him dumping his work bag on it, also another layer if he breaks down). Tyre compressor, he's fanatical about checking his tyres (and mine) before a trip.

He always takes a coat, even in this weather.

He collects the hotel points, he likes Hiltons and always asks for a quiet room. His regular hotels know him now so automatically give him the rooms he likes. He never lets them clean his room while he's out, does a wipe down when he arrives. Doesn't unpack just hang his shirts up.

For travelling longhaul he wears walking trousers and a poloshirt that does not rumple, after a 14 hr flight and a 4 hour train home he still looks tidy.

Also second the sturdy, good‑quality rucksack with a sleeve that can go over the handle of your suitcase.

I don’t like to work in the hotel room or on a train, so think about whether you’ll be doing that or whether you’ll have time to catch up when you’re back home or in the office. Is it expected that you work in the hotel room in the evenings? I’ve turned jobs down where the expectation was to travel and work all day and then do any ‘admin’ side in a hotel room at night. Make sure the expectations are agreed beforehand.

I love travelling for work and reiterate what PP said — enjoy it, and remember it’s a privilege. I really enjoy those evenings away where I can eat out and properly chill.

It’s been a while but these come to mind:

Whenever you can, stay in hotels of the same chain and use the same airline. Not only will you gain status and upgrades, but all your travel dates/locations will be in one place, thus avoiding confusion.

Research healthy eating options in advance. They can be in short supply, especially in the US, and room service and eating in hotel restaurants gets monotonous. Carry a set of plastic cutlery at all times so you can get food from a grocery store and eat it while relaxing in your hotel room.

Get smart easy-care clothing that can be thrown in the wash and don’t need ironing. I remember a 3-week trip with just a carry-on and my business backpack. I did my laundry at the weekend at my hotel and saved a lot of time because I never had to check luggage (or worry about my bag going astray…).

Take exercise clothes and yoga socks and try to exercise at least 10-15 minutes a day.

just remembered: if your employer doesn’t give you a company credit card, get a personal CC specifically for business travel. Makes dealing with expenses so much easier.

Spare everything eg chargers, toiletries etc. Dh even had underwear and shirts that were washed, dried and put straight into the little case (which took a laptop, 2 shirts and underwear basically, compliant with standard roll on case dimensions. He kept snacks in his bag too plus a bottle opener!

the main tip though is to keep your diary updated and synced with your dp if applicable so he/she knows when you are away, saves a lot of stress and arguments

Yes, I also have list saved on my laptop and phone that I can refer to the night before, especially if in a hurry, without having to think about it.

(I have them for very scenario to be honest).

Find a few stretch/mobility routines you can do in your hotel room to unwind after a long day travelling, so you don’t end up with back pain.

Get clear on your employer’s subsistence/expense policy, and if you’ll be eating outside the hotel, I usually research a few likely places ahead of time to make life easier.

Business travel are what reward credit cards are made for, get organised about tracking your expenses, receipts and mileage and make it one of the first things you do on your first day back in the office.

You don’t have to max out your subsistence.

if you guys book through a travel agency, get their 24/7 support hotline in your phone. You don’t want to go through the intranet and stuff on your laptop when things didn’t go as expected.

Packing cubes
CC cream
Trinny London T pots
Short hair

The caveat I would add - bearing in mind I recommended loyalty schemes for hotels and airlines - is don't take the mick by choosing the vastly more expensive option just because it will give you loyalty points. Where there's not much in it, go ahead, but use your judgement.

Doing otherwise will cause any colleague who approves your expenses to think worse of you.

Little handheld steamer. Little bag of common medications. Couple of pairs of really lovely pyjamas. iPad with the tv streaming apps on them. Easy outfits - look at sudoku packing.
If budget is an issue I always stay at a premier inn as I find their beds really comfy. Dont get into the habit of having a fry up every morning ! Get an adaptor with multiple usb/ micro usb slots. Start making a list of books you want to read - having a book when eating solo in a hotel breakfast makes it a lot more enjoyable

Why doesn't he let them clean the room?
If you're going to be out anyway, surely it's nicer to come back to the bin emptied, bed made etc.

Me too. I have a core 'weekend packing list' and that goes for weekends, holidays, work trips. It has things like nail file, needle and thread, tampons, swimsuit, comb, shampoo, soap, anti-perspirant, concealer, eyeliner, tinted lipbalm, ...so if I forget my underwear or make-up bag I'll at least I can wear my cozzie instead of bra'n'pants and not be completely bare-faced.

Laptopbag has the work core items - charger, pen, notepad...

I once stayed somewhere with a gorgeous-looking pool and didn't have a swimsuit, and I've stayed somewhere with no toiletries.

Spare laptop charger

Healthwise - do some exercise even if it's just a 20mins walk and eat proper food - some of the food you'd normally eat (e.g. salad, fruit and protein)

Sign up to hotel and airline loyalty schemes. Once you get to a higher tier in one chain you can usually get another chain to match it. For example, let’s say you’re a Gold at Hilton. You can tell Marriott you’re considering switching to them and ask them to match your status. They will usually fast track you. Same with airlines. You’re the type of customer they all desperately want to have. At least that's how it worked 10 years ago.

Secondly, never fully unpack your suitcase. Keep certain items there permanently so you never have to remember to pack them. I used to have an umbrella, sunglasses, phone and laptop chargers, bag for dirty clothes, toothbrush and small toothpaste, toiletries and make up, dry shampoo, straighteners, gym shoes, earplugs, a pack of tampons, needle and thread, safety pin (in case of a wardrobe malfunction), tweezers, nail file. This way I only had to unpack and repack clothes and any items that ran out. I used to have another set of these items to use at home.

Personally, I prefer soft shell suitcases because they are lighter and everything is in one space. But I know others swear by hard shells.