Winter is a tricky time to travel. Flight delays, holiday travelers, and cold weather can lead to stressful situations of all kinds! Unfortunately, flight delays and infrequent fliers are out of your control. But you can deal with the snow and cold temperatures—you just have to pack smarter!

I have found that I can follow my normal strategy for packing (one pair of pants for every two days, and a shirt for each day), my winter suitcase becomes insanely full. After my last trip, I figured out why. In the spring, “a shirt for each day” takes up almost no room. But in the winter, a sweater plus undershirt for every day takes up at least twice as much room, and I can hardly zip up my suitcase! Oops. Here is a refined packing strategy, specifically for winter.

• Wear your base layer more than once. There is no reason to have a long sleeve tee for every day. Make sure each undershirt you bring matches multiple sweaters. Neutrals are very helpful here—black, brown, and white will be much more versatile than a colorful print. Also, silk will help keep you extra-toasty.
• Thinner is better. Two thin sweaters take up less room than one thick sweater. Before you grab that bulky knit cable, see you have a sleeker cashmere or wool. It will keep you just as warm (especially with your base layer!) and take up far less room.
• Wear boots and coats. As long as your boots are reasonably easy to take off and put on, wear your boots on the plane. Unless you have a ton of extra room, it makes sense to carry your coat as well. If you aren’t used to navigating a suitcase, briefcase, and coat, practice around your house before your trip so that you can manage gracefully.

Yes, it takes a little more strategic planning. But packing smart in the winter is definitely possible!

For more tips on winter travel, check out my post about What to Pack for a Winter Business Trip.

Readers, what are your best tips for packing smart during the winter?

Interviews are hard. Super hard. Add travel, and you’re looking at a very stressful situation. Not just stress about sounding competent and knowledgeable, but stress over hotel and flight logistics! Here’s some advice for acing that interview, regardless of where the interview is.

General:

• Practice ahead of time. Find example interview questions, and have someone practice with you.  For my last interview, Home Warrior quizzed me day and night for a week.  There are sample questions everywhere, but we found great ones on Monster.
• STAR format. Situational interviewing is everywhere, but organizing your thoughts on the fly is hard. Prior to the interview, think of 3-4 situations you can cover, and during the interview discuss them like this: Situation, Task, Action, Result. I.E.: Last year, my team fell 30% behind on sales goals (Situation). Our manager told us to figure out a way to exceed our goals by end of quarter (Task). By expanding our customer base and offering new products to existing partners (Action), the team ended with a quarterly attainment of 105% (Result).
• Research the company, industry, and role.  Before interviewing, spend time learning about the company and role.  Having a working knowledge of the industry is also very important.  Familiarity with these can help you stand out, but a lack of knowledge will be a strike against you.

Travel:

• Plan for delays.  Missing your interview due to flight delays is terrible.  Arriving the day before eliminates this, and you avoid going straight from the airport to the office.  Map out your route from hotel to office ahead of time, noting road construction or other delays and planning accordingly.
• Pack smart. Bring a suit that doesn’t wrinkle.  Affordable, attractive, wrinkle resistant collections are everywhere!  Don’t wear anything new that may be uncomfortable, because worrying about the tag on your pantyhose during the interview is lame.
• Worst case. If you do have to go directly from the airport to the office, don’t wear your suit on the plane.  After landing, go to the ladies’ room, change clothes, and fix your hair and makeup.

Before you land the interview, you need a job to apply for. That’s where BeKnown comes in!  BeKnown is a professional networking app for Facebook.  Set up a professional profile separate from your Facebook profile, network with alumni on the College Pages, search Monster’s database of job postings (without leaving Facebook), and find many valuable tools.  This app is cool—check it out! (As part of this contest I want lots of readers to check out BeKnown—so do a gal a favor and take a look!)

In honor of BeKnown and Monster, give me your best interview tip!  (Bonus points if it’s travel related.) The winner will be randomly chosen on Tuesday January 10^th. One entry per person.  Winner receives a makeup kit and business card holder from Monster!

Road Warriorette is participating in a blogger contest from Monster, and will receive a prize kit (makeup kit and business card holder) for participation.

Yesterday, CNN had an article about business travelers and expense reports that got me pretty riled up. The point was that people are getting creative about how to cheat the system, even going as far as buying fake receipts online and then filling them out to be reimbursed.

“Those items can include everything from an “accidental” use of the company credit card on a business trip to purchase a suit coat to listing every single can of soda or pack of chewing gum purchased.”

…

“Bachman heard of one instance where an employee frequented a certain restaurant franchise and asked for receipts so often, they gave him a pad of them. The employee would turn in fake receipts for lunches he never had. He was only caught — and fired — when he began turning them in for locations where the franchise didn’t exist.”

Yep–this is bad. Falsifying receipts or having your company pay things that are out of policy are ethically wrong, in my opinion. Although I’m really surprised that they think listing every pack of gum or can of soda is a sign of fraud.  My company allows me to spend X on food every day, and many days I don’t even come close. Soda and chewing gum count as food, so I list them to get reimbursed.

“One woman was immediately fired for putting a $9.95 hotel room movie rental on a business travel expense report, according to Peter Goldmann, president of fraud-prevention consulting firm FraudAware.”

Are you kidding me? They had an employee they spent probably thousands of dollars training, and who they value  enough to send to various locations to represent the company, but they fired her for $10? I’m sure this is just a tiny piece of the story, but I certainly hope that they at least asked her if she meant to put it on there or if it was a mistake. You would think she could just reimburse the company for it and all would be well. And there is a huge difference between this and the people who buy fake receipts online.

“So just what are employees getting away with on their expense accounts? Upgrading hotel rooms, excessive taxi rides, double-billing for plane tickets, seats and baggage fees, luxury rental cars, fake lunches and dinners, layovers for personal visits and heaps of laundry on overnight trips, according to Goldmann, Geron and Bachman.”

Um, baggage fees, really? I am a huge advocate of carrying-on your suitcase, but if you can’t, your company should pay for it!!

“”There are a million different ways to game the system,” Goldmann said. But the fallout could ground high-flying business travelers.”

I’m sure they are right–there are probably lots of ways to game the system, and I’m sure people do it. But I feel like the overall tone of the article makes it sound like we road warriors have a glamorous lifestyle, with fancy food, first class seats, upgraded hotel rooms, and luxury cars. My last trip I stayed in a Hilton Garden Inn (perfectly fine but hardly a luxury hotel), flew coach (and didn’t get my upgrade), ate at fast food places and the hotel (because I had no time), and drove a Ford Focus. Hardly “high-flying”. It makes me wonder how many actual business travelers this writer spoke to. Because he certainly didn’t seem to have a whole lot of personal experience!

The comments to the story are particularly enlightening.

So, Readers, what do you think? My opinion is that fraud is bad (duh) but your company should pay for things in its policy while you travel. Yes, this includes gum. And water. And laundry, if necessary.

What?? You may be thinking. Wear a dress with a skirt? That sounds ridiculous! I thought so too, until a night a couple of years ago. I was at my favorite wine bar with a group of friends. One of my girlfriends had on a super cute gray sweater tucked into a black skirt. “How did you get that to tuck in so nicely?” I asked. She motioned me closer. “It’s a dress!” she whispered, and pulled up the bottom of her black skirt a little to show me the bottom of the gray sweater dress. Brilliant! Another way to use the same items in different ways, especially in packing.

So. How does it work? Sometimes it’s as easy as, 1) put on dress; 2) add skirt; 3) leave the house. Other times, not so much. There are a few things to look for when combining dresses and skirts for the most successful union.

1. Different types of material. It helps the dress and skirt not cling if they are different materials, for example sweater and cotton, or silk and wool.
2. Different silhouettes. The dress needs to have a more fitted line, where the skirt needs to be a little wider. Think a pencil dress with an A-line skirt. This way the skirt will lay more nicely. For example, this sweater dress from Banana Republic with this circle skirt from Ruche.
3.  Lengths. Obviously the skirt needs to be longer than the dress. It also helps if the skirt has a bit of structure, like this wool skirt from JCrew.

One typical reaction from people when I’ve extolled the wonders of dress+skirt is that they’re worried it will be too warm. That is totally valid–this is definitely more appropriate for colder months. But the benefits? You can pack fewer things and have more outfits! My favorite look is my super comfy gray sweater dress with a maroon A-line skirt. I’ll wear the dress with tights and boots one day, and then with the skirt and flats another day. Less to carry, more to wear? Win!!

Over the last week and a half, I was driving around Texas for some reason or another 7 out of 9 days. That was a lot of driving time, for sure. Driving isn’t my main way of traveling for work, mostly I fly, so this was a bit out of the ordinary. I fly again this week, to Ohio again for several days (which I’m a little nervous about due to the crazy experience I had there last time). Hopefully it will be just fine.

But this story is about a trip a couple of weeks ago. First, some background. My mother and I live in the same town, and despite my constant travel have usually been able to get together a couple times a month.  However, she was promoted a few years ago, and now travels almost as often as I do. At least half of her trips are car trips, if not more, but she does fly periodically. For the past several months one of us has been gone virtually all of the time, so haven’t been able to see each other very much at all. Then, two weeks ago, I was heading to Nashville Wednesday at 6:30, and she was headed to Philadelphia at 5:45. I left early for the airport, and got to spend twenty minutes with my mom for the first time in a month.

Of course, it was great to catch up! Though I’m not sure what it means that the only time we see each other is at the airport…… I guess we’re both just road warriors…..

Readers, have you ever timed a flight so you can see a friend or family member at the airport?

Have you ever gotten to the airport and realized, “Dangit! I forgot my toothpaste/deodorant/razor?” I know I have. Well, that won’t be a problem anymore. If you forget some critical toiletry item, you can now purchase a replacement at GroomingZone. You all know I love a good vending machine (Sephora anyone?), and The New York Times calls it “The New Touch Face of Vending Machines.”  I would say it’s probably 20 times nicer than a mere vending machine, as GroomingZone does not disappoint. It has all kinds of products, including:

• Razors and shaving cream
• Deodorant
• Toothpaste, toothbrush,  and whitening strips
• Shampoo

Many products are available as stand alone or part of a nice little kit. Granted, a lot of the brands are more male-oriented, but there are definitely things here that ladies can use. They are also launching a more female-oriented BeautyBar at a variety of malls across the country on September 5. They sent me a lovely bag of sample goodies from the BeautyBar, and I can tell you that there will be some great products in there. (Maybe one will end up in an airport sometime? We shall see!)

GroomingZones have been set up at DFW in Terminal C (near Gate 28), SFO Terminal G, and ATL Terminal C.  So if you have a few minutes, or forget your toothpaste, check it out next time you’re at one of these airports.

A traveling friend recently confessed to me that she hates her twice monthly business trips. “I’m tired of being away from my husband!” she said. “Plus it’s so exhausting. And what about when I want to start a family? How will I do that and be gone all the time?”

Honestly, it kind of surprised me. She is definitely allowed to feel however she feels–business travel isn’t for everyone! But she’s traveled for years, and this is the first I’ve heard of any negative thoughts about it. I’ve traveled for work for over five years now, and while sometimes I feel passionately one way or the other about it, most of the time it’s….just what I do. There are certainly very busy periods where if I never saw DFW again it would be okay. But there are also periods where I’m home for weeks at a time, and I start getting itchy to go. Plus, I really like what I do. Sometimes I even love it. (Could they pay me more? Um, yes. But that may be a talk for another day.) Pictured: The heart-shaped rock my husband found on vacation.

So I am very interested in what is more common. Do you love business travel? Hate it? Is it just part of your job? As always, feel free to leave comments explaining your answer more.

Don’t forget about the contest from yesterday. It’s open until Monday, and you could win a Kindle!!

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According to Google search, the most common length of time for a business trip is three to four days. But what happens when you are gone instead for three to four months? I recently received an email from Reader L that said:

“I have just taken a new job that is clearly defined as a “Road Warrior”, it was even in the job description. I will start in a couple of weeks, and am starting to makes plans and arrangements, but am a little overwhelmed. The job itself is constant travel – as in away from home for up to three months at a stretch with a new place every few days. This kind of travel obviously takes a special kind of packing. I found your blog online and love it so far! I’ve read a number of your posts, but it seems most of them are geared towards three- to four-day trips with a stop at home in between. Any specific tips for this kind of business travel? I would love to be able to carry on.”

Congrats on the new job! It’s true that the majority of my own business travel is for 3-4 day trips, but there are certainly exceptions. Three months is a long time! It will definitely require a lot of planning and strategy. The most important thing is to be as efficient as possible. I know I talk about efficiency while packing a lot, but this time I mean it even more. Planning ahead, carefully measuring the flexibility and durability of every piece of clothing, using helpful items like packing cubes, and the rest of the tips below can make a long-term, potentially tricky travel situation much easier to manage. Here are my suggestions.

• Packing cubes. Cubes will help you so much, allowing you to pack twice as much in the same amount of space. At the same time, make sure your suitcase isn’t so heavy you can’t lift it.
• Neutrals. All of your basics—pants, skirts, jackets—need to be neutral. Black would be my first choice, because it won’t show stains as easily. Just in case you, I don’t know, spill coffee on your pants one morning. Not that that’s ever happened to me……
• Capsule wardrobe!! You guys know I love the capsule wardrobe. Making sure that each of your pieces can be worn together means almost unlimited outfit possibilities, so you don’t feel like you’re wearing the same thing every day. Here is my capsule wardrobe for this summer, to give you some ideas.
• Laundry/Dry Cleaning. Your company should provide for some sort of cleaning service if you are traveling for this long. Definitely take advantage of it! I would recommend taking your clothes to the cleaners for general laundering as well, so you don’t have to mess with washing and folding.
• Stuff that wears well. Quality and durability is even more important when you’re going to be wearing the same 12-15 clothing items for three months. And remember, it’s not typically the wearing of clothes that wears them out—it’s the washing. So try to make your clothes last longer between washings—hang them up with space between the hangers, etc.
• FedEx is your friend. If you can go three months without buying anything, you’re a better woman than I am. Ship stuff home on a regular basis if you buy something that replaces it. If you’re a knitter like I am, once you finish a project, send it home or to its intended recipient.
• Toiletries. This is where things get really tricky. You want to carry-on, but there is no way a 3 oz bottle of shampoo is going to last three months. So there are a few options. First, replace your small bottles when you run out. Sites like 3floz.com and Sephora have travel sized bottles of almost every beauty product available. Another option is to ship your toiletries. If your company will pay for it, I think it’s worth it, and you can have larger bottles of your products with you all the time.
• Invest in an e-reader. I can’t stress how much I love my Kindle. You can carry thousands of books with you at all times, without having to tote around the actual books. On many models you can get magazines as well. Also, a lot of hotels have book exchange programs—you can take a book or leave a book.
• Be healthy. Although you asked specifically about packing, I want to add this one last tip. It is so easy to get into an unhealthy rut on the road—late dinners, heavy food, restaurant sized-portions, fast food, little to no time to work out…. Try to be as healthy as you can as often as you can. Look to places like Whole Foods for dinner, get yogurt or cereal for breakfasts, and try to stay away from fast food as much as possible. Also, plan ahead and work some form of exercise into your schedule. Even a ten minute walk around the block can make you feel better.

Whew! That’s a long list. I wish you luck, and am very interested to hear how it goes.

Readers, any tips that I missed? What is your advice for Reader L?

All of the catalogs and store emails I’ve received in the last week or so have been focused on Fall. Apparently, according to clothing stores, it is no longer 105 degrees. It’s time to bundle up! Wear sweaters and boots! Layer! Honestly, it makes me feel hot and irritable just looking at the pictures of the perky models in their hooded coats. Well, in case you haven’t noticed, it’s still summer, in a lot of places. Since I haven’t done a shoe post in a while, I’m going to find peep toe flats to wear for travel. Because the weather will be warm for at least two more months in Texas, and I need to take the ventilation where I can get it.

These adorable Poetic Licence Danty Doll Flat will add a fun pop of color to an otherwise conservative outfit. I would wear them with a navy pencil skirt and blouse, or gray slacks with a pale pink top. Although it does kind of irritate me that they deliberately misspell “license”. Oh well.)

The Bandolino Warrick Flat comes in Navy, Black, and Gold. The neutral colors are a nice backdrop for the monochromatic floral adornment, which adds interest to an otherwise simple shoe.

Love this fun floral espadrille from Blowfish. Great for a more casual office, I would pair this with taupe slacks or skirt and just about any top. Very summery!

For those of us who travel all of the time, our suitcases don’t always get a chance to air out. Between dirty clothes, dirty airplanes, dirty streets, and dirty airports, there are a lot of chances for our bags to get a little….not-so-fresh smelling. Luckily, there are several ways to avoid this. One is to get a second suitcase, and alternate for each trip. This is not ideal, however, due to the chance that important items will be forgotten when switching back and forth, not to mention the additional cost. An easier way to maintain a bit of freshness with your luggage is to use a sachet. Yes, the same kind of thing you use in your delicates drawer. Just drop one in, and your rollaboard will remind you more of a spring day and less of a locker room. I prefer lavender, but there are tons of scents out there. You can get them pretty inexpensively just about anywhere, from Target to Amazon to Etsy. (I love these simple yet pretty ones from Homemaker Accents on Etsy). If you feel that a sachet is too girly, or just not your style, a drier sheet also does the trick. It’s so easy to keep your suitcase smelling fresh!

We all know that printing our boarding pass before we go to the airport can save us time, but how many of us actually do it? My home airport is typically not that busy, and since I have Platinum status with American, I can go to a special machine. When I fly Southwest, I always check in 24 hours ahead of time, but never print out the boarding pass. Since I know I will typically be able to do it quickly at the airport, plus I hate wasting paper and ink, it just isn’t worth it to me.

When returning home, though, it’s totally different. Most of the time I will try my best to print it out ahead of time, especially if I’m going to a bigger airport or one I’m completely unfamiliar with. There are still a few airports I use all the time, like Nashville or Oklahoma City, where I won’t worry about it. Finally, if I know I’m going to be cutting it really close time-wise I will print ahead of time.

So readers, what about you?

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