Still using a generic travel checklist (or not using a travel checklist at all)? It’s too easy to forget needed items even if you do have a standard travel checklist. Instead, create a travel checklist for each season, and for each type of trip. See our Travel Gem from 01/04/2010 for a free download of a sample travel checklist. Create several based on your types of travel.

For example:

• Winter trip
• Summer trip
• Business meetings
• Business conference (may need more layering of clothes, recording device, extra business cards, for example)

You can also create different travel checklists for:

• Long flights
• Shorter flights
• Car trips

Create one standard travel checklist of items that you always bring on each trip, and then copy it for each unique type of trip. This will save you tons of time when it comes to packing, and lots of money to buy items you intended to bring but forgot.