As I have been traveling for business pretty much every single week for the last 8 years, I have developed my own pretty specific preferences of what to pack on a short business trip (1-5 days). So here’s my business trip packing list (hand luggage only):
My Business trip packing list (hand luggage only)
- Suitcase Rimowa Original Cabin– I love four-wheel spinners over two-wheel suitcases as I have more options to move my suitcase and they cost less energy. The only moment I would prefer a backpack-style bag is when I am spending a lot of time moving around in a city during the day (e.g. meetings all over London). Spinners are then slowing you down, especially if you are fortunate enough to encounter a lot of stair or cobblestones. When I recently broke my gazillionth Samsonite Spinner within its warranty, I had it and I shifted to my Rimowa Original Cabin – super happy ever since. Extremely durable, great customer service.
- Default Toilet bag (also, see my post on how I use different colored toilet bags to pack super-fast)
- Hair wax
- Toothpaste (huge Paradontax fan)
- Electric toothbrush Oral B Genius 8000 S
- Mouthwash
- Deodorant
- Clothing
- Socks for each day + 1 extra
- Boxers for each day + 1 extra
- 2-4 folded
button up shirts (also see how I pack my button up shirts and how I pack them fast) - 2-3 jeans
- Compression bag for dirty laundry (also see my separate post on how I use compression bags for travel)
- Food toilet bag with
Porridge / oatmeal – I am rather picky when it comes to breakfast and I usually get up very early (somewhere between 4 and 6) when there is no breakfast available yet.- Trail nuts – to eat with the porridge/oatmeal
- Tea – I like good tea, so usually change the hotel tea bags for fresh tea packed in a sealed container.
- Sports
gear - Garmin Forerunner 935 to track my runs.
- Nike hip belt to carry my phone, wet wipes, some cash money, ID and bank card while running.
- Clothing for runs:
- T-shirt for each run planned that week – I love my Nike Combat Compression shirts.
- Long sleeve shirts (in winter)
- Pair of shorts for each run
- Pair of socks for each run
- Boxers for each run
- Running toilet bag with
- Charging cable for my Garmin Forerunner 935
- Wet wipes
- Extra pair of contact lenses
- Nail clipper
- iPhone earphones
- Camelbak Circuit vest (only if I have long runs planned)
- Summer gear:
- Decathlon sunglasses
- Running cap
- Winter gear:
- Gloves
- Windstopper
- Manduka eKO Superlite yoga mat (for core exercises in my hotel room)
- Running shoes (depending on my planned runs, I will switch between my regular shoes, trail runners or
lytes ) - Running shoe bag
- Two plastic hairnets to put over the soles of my running shoes to keep dirt from scattering around my suitcase (also see my separate post on how I use hairnets).
Notes for my Business trip packing list
- When I need to pack my suit and for longer stays, I usually switch to a larger suit case.
Recent changes to my Business trip packing list
- My yoga mat was added early 2018.
- I dropped wearing white t-shirts under my button-up shirts after French colleagues made painfully clear that that was the Dutchest thing to do ever.
Changes I am planning to make to my Business trip packing list
- I will need to change my default toilet bag to a see-through one for security clearance purposes.
- To cut down on my plastic footprint, I will be adding my own travel cutlery soon.
8 comments
They don’t come an different colours, but we’re very happy with this one: https://www.ospreyeurope.com/shop/nl_en/washbag-carry-on Very basic, but does the trick.
Do you use any packing cubes? I’m currently using this see-through dopp kit by Sea to Summit: https://seatosummit.com/product/see-pouch/
Simon! Currently I do not, as they offer me less flexibility in packing my suitcases. I ‘only’ have my color-coded toilet bags and I use an IKEA SKUBB clothes cover to pack my shirts together and keep them wrinkle-free.