Always pack the most comfortable pair of shoes you own. You may think they don’t go with your planned wardrobe, but after you’ve been schlepping around for a few days in more stylish but less comfortable footwear, you will probably be glad you have your tried-and-true kicks.

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Compressible bags may scream “As Seen on TV” but they’re no gimmick—they work! Use the bags made for travel (i.e. that don’t require a vaccuum cleaner to suck out the air) and pack more compactly than you’ve ever dreamed possible.

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Your grandmother was right: pack extra underpants. Always more than you think you’ll need. After a day of sightseeing, changing into a new pair of skivvies for late afternoon or for going out in the evening is pure luxury!

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Rolling versus folding clothes in your suitcase: is there still a debate about this? In terms of saving space and preventing wrinkles, rolling is best, hands down.

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You know you shouldn’t check prescription meds (right?) but here are some other things you should keep in your carry-on just in case: prescription glasses if you have them, deodorant, moist towelettes or wipes for clean-ups, toothbrush and toothpaste, a pair of PJs and a pair of underwear.

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Take an empty water bottle. It’s so simple, yet not enough travellers do it. You never know when you will need it. (And in dry-as-a-desert airplane cabins, you will always appreciate it.) Skeeved out by public water fountains? Ask a fast-food restaurant or coffee shop to fill your water bottle—they’ll almost always comply. Collapsible Vapur and Platypus water bottles take up virtually no space in your carry-on and both can clip onto your bag.

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For packing, go with the divide and conquer method: pack half your clothes in your travel partner’s suitcase and vice versa. If your luggage is lost, you’ll still have some of your clothes.

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For quicker packing every time and to ensure you don’t forget anything, create a toiletry kit with all your travel-size toiletries ready to go, including a travel-only toothbrush, so you can just throw it into your bag.

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Five uses for hotel shampoo, besides washing your hair:

1. emergency in-the-sink underwear wash (cheap shampoo is the best for this!) or as a stain treatment

2. makeup remover: just be sure it’s a gentle shampoo if you’re removing eye makeup

3. shoe polish: dab a bit on leather shoes with a cloth and buff (don’t do this regularly—it may wear down the leather)

4. shaving cream: it’s less drying and sudsier than soap; conditioner works well, too

5. unclog a toilet: dump into the bowl, wait five minutes and flush

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