7 Overnight Bag Essentials for the Working Woman

Those of us bitten by the travel bug take travelling for work as a perk of the job and those who would rather be anchored to a city abhor it. Love it or hate it, there are times when you do have to pack the overnighter. It is enough that you are travel weary and to top it when you remember something important that you forgot to pack, it can be downright annoying. Here is how you can make sure to be ready for your big office meeting by being completely in control of what you pack –

1. Work related documents, pen drives, presentations, etc – Might as well have stayed home if you actually turn up at an out of town meeting without the necessary documents. Nothing is more important than this. Check, recheck and then check again. Not just the files and folders, micro manage your schedule for the day and remember if you have to take something along that would be indispensable, say a pen drive, a presentation or an AV that you slogged hard at.

2. Formal Office attire – Feeling confident in what you wear is an important part of any official meeting. Dress your best; be formal and classy. Pack a crinkle-free shirt and pants or skirt with a blazer, if weather permits. Pack it in a zip lock so that a leaking lotion doesn’t dampen your clothes and your spirits.

3. Accessories – Keep closed toe, medium heels for the meeting and a comfy pair for the rest of the trip. Having a scarf handy is a sure way of turning office clothes into something more appropriate for a night out, should the need arise. It also lets you style the same outfit differently, in case you need to repeat it.

4. Change of clothes – Should your meeting be postponed or another one gets scheduled, you should have a spare set of clothes on you. You may just keep just a formal blouse and team it with your bottom from the previous day.

5. Makeup and hair do – Put your look together with style. If you wear eyeliner everyday and skip it for the all important meeting, you may yourself not feel confident about how you look. A few finishing touches to your hair and make up can help you be your confident best.

6. Credit card, cash, tickets – You definitely don’t want to be caught without your tickets or cash/credit card. Make sure to pack in your wallet with these essentials.

7. Chargers, battery bank – What would you do with a phone that runs out of battery as you are trying to book a cab online. Be doubly sure of your battery banks and chargers, without which your plans to finish the important presentation while travelling could simply go awry.

Bonus – Carry some sort of entertainment like a book, magazine or music with you. It is the easiest way to ignore the not so welcome seat companions when using public transport or even just to while away time when travelling alone.