Here’s my own personal packing list for business and conference travel. I check it off before every trip. As with all checklists, I update and refine it, every time I notice something missing.

A few days before travelling:

  • Email itinerary details to plans@tripit.com (Make sure you have an account & it is synced to your calendar!
  • Buy insurance
  • Check all clothes I need to take are cleaned.
  • Open up laptop & mobile phone and make sure all updates have happened.
  • Charge everything that needs charging.
  • Lay out travel clothes the night before travel
  • Contact the bank and let them know the dates you’re travelling overseas.
  • Get your nails shellacked.

APPS

  • Receipt Bank (Dext) – Scans your business bills and expenses, extracts summary information and pushes the data, and scanned documents into your online accounting solution.
  • Minutedock – don’t lose any billing hours while you are travelling! Tracks your time against client, task, or project, and pushes into your online accounting solution.
  • Podcast listening device – I use Google Podcast and download podcasts to my Queue (under the Library tab). I play them at 1.5x the speed so I need  to download more hours than I shall be travelling. Remember to download some podcast episodes from Top Accounting and Bookkeeping podcasts in preparation for your flights.
  • Library App + Libby App (for audio books from your local library. I can also access CAANZ library)
  • Destinations Public Transport App – ask what is relevant for your destination.
  • Google Maps
  • Plane App
  • Plane entertainment app
  • Conference App
  • Uber
  • The Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app for travel to the USA
  • SplitWise or Splid to keep track of shared expenses and balances with friends, to show you who owes how much to whom.

BUSINESS + NETWORKING

  • Business cards
  • Learn how to airdrop to share details
  • Notebook for trip
  • Pens + stationery
  • Print off any paperwork you may need – e.g. presentation notes

TECHNOLOGY

  • Check for app updates and charge mobile phone
  • Charger and cables
  • Earphones – if you’re flying you will need OVER THE EAR earphones so you can hear over the aeroplane noise.
  • Laptop + Mouse – make sure you update everything that needs updating, like software, and the Browser. Remove any excess files.
  • Powerpack
  • Selfie Stick
  • Presentation pointer
  • Targus Charger – a laptop charger with multiple interchangeable tips and you can access additional free compatible tips from them here.
  • Podcast Recording equipment.

TOILETRIES

  • Antibacterial wipes
  • Dry hairspray
  • Volume powder
  • Emery board
  • Hair bands + bobby pins
  • Hair brush
  • Hair straightener
  • Lip balm
  • Lip pencil
  • Eye line pencil
  • Foundation
  • Eye powder
  • Make up remover
  • Moisturiser
  • Toothpaste
  • ShowerHat

HAND BAG

  • Have mini bags within main hand bag of different textures
  • Mini all-day make-up bag
  • Mini stationery bag
  • Small clutch for when you don’t need the main hand-bag

FIRST AID

  • Band-aids
  • Berocca
  • Hand sanitiser
  • Panadol
  • Regular medication
  • Vitamins
  • Plastic bags – for anything that needs to be neatly separated

CLOTHING

  • Bras (1 per 3 days)
  • Comfortable shoes + extra inner sole pads
  • Knickers (1 per day)
  • Layers (check the weather forecast )
  • Necklace
  • Pyjamas
  • Swimming costume
  • Sunglasses + spectacles + case to keep it safe while in the airplane pocket
  • Washing bag
  • Travel Compression bags
  • Travel Compression socks

SLEEP

  • Eye Mask
  • Ear Plugs
  • Sleep balm
  • Phone ahead and check they don’t put feather pillows in your room – if you’re allergic!

TRAVEL

  • Breakfast Cereal
  • Physical Credit Card for Hotel deposit
  • Contact the bank and let them know the dates you’re travelling overseas.
  • Flat water bottle that will fit in the seat pocket
  • Airplane leg hammock
  • Plane Tickets – remember to forward to Expensify
  • Cabeau Travel Neck pillow
  • An extra bag option or express post bags in case the conference swag does not fit
  • I have an account with Amaysim and use their International Roaming feature. It’s super easy to activate, you use your own mobile number, you don’t need to worry about fiddling around swapping SIM cards. My only warning is to set it up before you leave, and give it about ten minutes in the new country to fully activate and then you should be fine. (Here’s a referral link to Amaysim: http://r.amaysi.ms/zfyafd76) … Or consider pre-purchasing an overseas prepaid Sim card. or an eSim, through somewhere like Airlo.
  • A paperclip to swap sim cards if you are travelling Internationally.
  • Masks
  • International Vaccination Certificate
  • Include address details in luggage in case it goes missing
  • Melbourne : SkyBus App

Did I miss any?