What to Pack for a Conference

This summer I went to a blogging conference. Believe it or not, I usually don’t make time to think through what I am going to pack and just willy-nilly throw things into a bag and go. Before I started running a household, I did make time for this. In fact, Mother always taught me to make a list, by each day, of what I would wear, including shoes and accessories. But now, most of my energy is spent making lists for Mr. and Miss Bee while I am away, cleaning and making sure the house is perfect when I leave. This time, because I knew I would be meeting new people, networking and spending time out of my room in workshops from morning until evening, I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed to be prepared and comfortable.

This post is more about essentials than what to wear, but I will toss in a few suggestions on this.

I took a canvas tote bag that my friend Molly Cox from PoppyCox, Inc. made for me. It was the perfect size to carry.

I packed a stylish pair of tennis shoes. These are Skechers Memory Foam and are super comfy. Perfect for running between flights, to baggage claim to the taxi. They came in handy in the evenings when I would walk to dinner to get some exercise.

Inside my bag:

A pencil case — kickin’ it old school, I dipped into Miss Bee’s overstock of pen/pencil cases and packed fun, sharpened pencils, a big white eraser, pens and a highlighter.
Calling card case — again, I defer to Miss Bee on this. She gets a monthly Ipsy and every order comes with a makeup case. I used one to put all my calling cards and ones I collected during the trip. At night, I would go through each card. It was fun to see everyone’s personalities come through.
Snacks — A small baggie with granola bars. This was helpful because by the afternoon I needed a pick me up.

My Day Designer. This was where I took notes, wrote inspirational quotes and planned my goals for my return home. It is beautiful and functional. Whitney English in launching her 2017 line next week…perfect Christmas gift.
Makeup Bag — I tucked in ChapStick, Systane eye drops, hand lotion, a package of chewing gum, a few mints, and my favorite wipes from The Container Store. They come in mint, lemon and lavender scent. They are the perfect refreshment for your skin.
The other great use for a tote bag is to store all the handouts and giveaways from vendors.
A good water bottle is helpful to stay hydrated. In this case, I was in a hotel conference so I had access to plenty of iced tea!
A soft wrap when the room is cold. This can easily fit into your tote.
Last, I took “hostess gifts” — a praline wrapped in a fun paper bag with my calling card taped to it with washi tape. I share these with presenters at the end of class and to bloggers I admire and had the chance to meet on this trip. Mother always taught me to take a thank you gift to every party I attend, and this was no exception.

Corals and Cognacs has a great post on “How to Pack Your Carry On Like a Boss” including the really cute printable. I’ve always thought it would be helpful to have a personalized travel check-list saved in my PC so I can update it and print it before every trip. Stop. Reinventing. The. Wheel.