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" With airline baggage fees, confusing security measures, and grumpy passengers, air travel is getting trickier every year. As a professional organizer and frequent traveler, I know these organizing strategies will help you enjoy your trip as much as possible \u2014 and get there in a good mood! Plan Ahead  Think through your trip. Consider each activity and decide what you&amp;#039;ll wear now instead of throwing several pieces in and hoping for the best. Assume you will get at least two wearings from each pair of pants or skirt, and choose a basic color scheme such as black, khaki, white, or navy to minimize the number of shoes you&amp;#039;ll need. Wear your bulkiest pair on the flight, so you can save room in your suitcase (this assumes, of course, that it&amp;#039;s not the pair with the impossible-to-untie laces; see below on how not to be &amp;quot;that person&amp;quot; in the security line). More helpful packing tips can be found here.  Start with the right suitcase. Make sure carry-on bags meet size regulations to avoid disappointment, hassle, and expense (you should be able to find out this information on the airline&amp;#039;s site). You are allowed one large bag, which must fit in the overhead bin, and one smaller bag, which must fit completely under the seat in front of you, as well as a laptop \u2014 though hopefully you won&amp;#039;t be doing too much work on that summer trip! Read here about sturdy suitcases tested by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute.  Use packing and travel planning lists. Keep these saved as documents on your computer to update as you think of other items. Your travel planning checklist will help make sure the plants get watered, the pets are cared for, the phones are on their chargers, and the garbage is emptied before you leave. Here are some more ideas of get-ahead tasks for your checklist, specifically to help you with the &amp;quot;re-entry&amp;quot; when you return.   Save Money  To avoid airline baggage fees, pack light and carry on your bags. Ladies, it really is possible to pack for a two-week vacation with only carry-on luggage \u2014 I have done it myself! Packing light also means fewer dollars spent in tips and less time worrying and fussing over your bags. BYOB. You need to hydrate even more while traveling, but that expensive bottled water on the other side of security is highway robbery. Save some cash by bringing an empty filtered water bottle through security (I like Rubbermaid&amp;#039;s Filter Fresh), then filling it up at any water fountain. (Great in your hotel room also.) Brown bag it. Good airline or airport food is hard to come by, and it all costs more than it should. Pack yourself a superb set of snacks and sandwiches (make sure there are no liquids). Do make the other passengers jealous, but don&amp;#039;t make them smell something unpleasant like tuna or spicy foods. Try some of these lunch ideas.   Sail On Through  Label it fast. Carry adhesive return address labels for making quick luggage tags and filling out forms. Permanent markers are also handy for labeling siblings&amp;#039; drinks and souvenirs. And remember you can cut down on time spent finding your luggage in the baggage claim sea by tying on a distinctive colored ribbon before you go.  Don&amp;#039;t be &amp;quot;that person&amp;quot; in the security line. Everyone&amp;#039;s in a hurry. Familiarize yourself with TSA regulations and be ready. (Check www.tsa.gov as regulations may change.) Carry no liquids except for your allotted 3 oz. containers in a normal quart-size zip-closure bag, and have them out and ready, along with your ID, boarding pass, and laptop. Don&amp;#039;t wear any large metal jewelry, and wear shoes that are easy to take off and on. Keep important travel documents safe. Always store documents away immediately after using them, store them in the same pocket or protective pouch every time.  If your summer plans don&amp;#039;t include air travel, read here about bags you can pack for quick summer outings like beach trips and picnics. Have a safe, happy, stress-free journey! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/decorating-ideas/a23904/organizing-tips-for-summer-travel/>