Practical packing tips for travel

Just because you're travelling, it doesn't mean you need to look like you live out of a suitcase. Here are some handy tips to keep your clothes in creaseless condition while on the road.

Before hitting the road, save a few toilet-paper tubes, and then put them to work when you pack for a trip. Here are three ways empty rolls will come in handy:

• Stuff one or two tubes with socks and use them as shoetrees to keep leather shoes from becoming crunched and creased.
• Wrap necklaces and chains around a tube to prevent tangling.
• Tape small pieces of delicate jewellery inside a tube for protection.

When it comes to packing clothing, rolling beats folding. Why? Because rolled clothes are less likely to wrinkle — and they take up less room in the suitcase to boot. They wrinkle even less if you roll them in:

• Plastic dry-cleaning bags Your dry cleaner returns your clothing in sheer plastic bags because plastic prevents fabric from rubbing against fabric and creating tiny creases. You, too, can minimize creases by wrapping garments in the bags and rolling them up.
• Panty-hose legs Simply cut off the legs of a pair of panty hose and slip a rolled garment into each one. If you leave the panty-hose foot sections on, use these pouches as secure compartments for cameras, MP3 players, and other valuables; with a piece of clothing stuffed into a hose leg, there's no way such items are going to fall out and play hide-and-seek in your bag.

A creased tie really puts some wrinkles in the smooth business look — but here's a way to ensure ties are wrinkle-free every time you pull one from the suitcase. First, lay the tie out full length. Beginning with the narrow end, roll it into a coil. Take a sock and gently stuff the rolled-up tie inside. If you're the forgetful type, pin a note to the sock so that when you're rummaging through your suitcase for your tie you won't think you accidentally left it behind.

Don't be saddled with wrinkled clothes when you travel. These handy and practical packing tips will have you looking fresh as a daisy, every day of your trip.