A Beginner's Guide to Business Backpack Travelling

The old-school briefcase is no longer the only way to travel for business. Many business travelers now carry a backpack: it is comfortable, keeps your hands free and holds a laptop, documents and a change of clothes in one bag. Business backpacks come in many sizes, shapes, materials and layouts, and the right one makes packing less stressful and the trip more enjoyable. Here is how to get started.

Plan ahead

Every smooth trip starts with a plan. Ask yourself:

• Will it be rainy or cold where you are going?
• Is the trip a couple of days or more than a week?
• Will you be in a city, or out in the countryside?

Write down the important details, including your schedule and your destination. It helps you sort what you will need from what you will not. Just because there is space left in the bag does not mean you should fill it. The last thing you want is a cluttered bag that you have to unpack every time you need something.

Create a packing hierarchy

In any organization, some things matter more than others. The same goes for your backpack: what you use most should be easiest to reach, and what you rarely need can go deeper. Modern business backpacks make this easier with separate compartments and pockets, but the principle works with any bag:

• Outer and top pockets: passport, phone, wallet, boarding pass, earphones.
• Laptop compartment: laptop and documents, easy to pull out at security.
• Main compartment, top: chargers, toiletries bag, a light layer.
• Main compartment, bottom: clothes and shoes you will only need at the hotel.

Convenience and discipline

The most important advice is discipline. When we travel, especially far, we tend to pack for every possible scenario:

• "I might need this flashlight."
• "These scissors could come in handy."
• "An extra sweater would be nice."

Those thoughts lead to a cramped backpack. When your mind is disorganized, so is your packing. Focus on what the trip actually needs, not every possibility, and you will travel lighter and find things faster.

Ready to choose your bag? See our business bags and packing organizers, or read about the best business travel laptop bags.