
Whether you’re prepping for a weekend getaway, a month-long honey moon, or for your first year of college, you want to make the most of what you pack. Not just seeing how much you can jam in your suitcase, but having your clothes, shoes, toiletries, and more arrive at your destination as easy to find and presentable as possible. To make bulging suitcases a thing of the past, streamline your packing process with these 30 super efficient ways to pack your stuff.
1. F1 Spacepack Clothes ($46): This carry on-sized bag is designed to allow for double compression of its contents. It’s even got designated “clean clothes” and “dirty clothes” pouches perfect for sorting cargo on short business trips.
2. F1 Go Clean Set ($52): Clean freaks have something to freak about with these labeled travel pouches that keep cross contamination at bay. Made of heavy duty nylon, each set of three comes with a bag for laundry, shoes, and of course, stuff.
3. Pack-It Folder 18 ($28): This travel folder acts like kryptonite against wrinkles if you pack it right (simply fold your clothes using the lightweight packing board inside). Those who are good at following instructions can fit up to eight collared shirts and four slacks in this briefcase-sized bag!
4. The Gooseneck Garment Bag ($132): Don’t board your private jet without this sleek garment bag in hand. With a diagonal zipper that allows for maximum packing efficiency, this bag can be folded in half for toting and tri-folded when not in use for easy storage.
5. F1 Seat Pack ($28): Whether you’re stuck in business class or a back seat, store your time-passing essentials in this multi-zip pouch. Once it’s packed with your passport, phone charger, eye mask, and much, much more (you’ll be amazed at how much it can hold), hang it on the nearest hook so it’s in your face when you need it.
6. Grid It Med Grey ($24): Woven rubberized bands hold your personal items snugly in place on this gray grid, from electronics to craft supplies and even snacks (a guy added a banana to the Grid-It in this video). There’s even a full zip pouch on the back to store what may slip through the cracks.
7. Rollbag M (roughly $20): The beauty of a roll-top bag is its ability to shift its volume. These water-repellent pouches are even more versatile because they come in three sizes and a variety of colors.
8. Pack-It Mobile Locker ($38): This red piece of luggage may look pretty typical from the outside, but unzipping it reveals three compartments that unfold into a hanging locker of sorts. It’s a perfect way to pack for day-long hikes, early morning boot camps, or even the gym!
9. Dubble Duffle ($158): Hands down this is the bag we’d take with us to fashion destinations like Paris or London. It may not look super chic, but it expands to twice its size, so you can bring home twice as much in the same bag. Our tickets are already booked ;)
10. Pack-It Shoe Sac ($13): Keep your kicks in their own compartment with this specialty shoe sac. This way you’ll never see that sticky bubble gum transfer from your soles to your finest dress shirt right before your best bud’s destination wedding. Yuck!
11. Pack-It Compression Sac Set ($22): To pass efficient packing 101, you must get down with these basic compression sacs. By loading in your clothes and rolling it up tight, you can save up to 80 percent more packing space just by eliminating excess air! These sacs are also great for seasonal storage, especially for those bulky fall sweaters.
12. The Aviator ($490): Channel Amelia Earhart with this gorgeous canvas day bag. Designed by a pilot, this carrier contains a removable passport pocket and built-in organizers large enough to hold tablet-sized devices.
13. Set of 8 Travel Packing Bags ($8): The more the merrier with this set of eight mustache-faced travel bags. These bags come in a variety of different sizes so you can pack as much or as little of what you need in these cheery, space-saving containers.
14. Signature Travel Jewelry Case ($50): Meet the ultimate jewelry travel case: a multi-pouch, waterproof linen binder! Three plastic-covered organizers make it roomy enough to travel with your finest statement accessories while keeping your everyday items untangled. There’s really only one rival to this modern marvel…
15. Vintage Caboodle ($26): …and that’s a blast from the past! Remember Caboodles? You had one if you were a girl in the ’80s, and now that we’re all grown up, they still seem unbelievably handy with their swivel organizer trays and protective plastic shell. Just us?
16. Portable Charging Station ($80): Keep all your devices charged and organized when you’re on the go with this portable charging station. The real clincher: its built-in power hub lets you charge up to four USB-chargeable devices while using only one outlet.
17. Pack-It Wallaby ($35): This dopp kit transforms into your own portable medicine cabinet, complete with a mirror! Pack your toiletries, grooming tools, makeup, and more in this collapsible pack.
18. Travelus Mesh Pouch Long ($10): The unique design of this mesh pouch makes it incredibly versatile. Bend it in half to accommodate your travel-sized toiletries or leave it long to house writing utensils for jotting in your trip journal.
19. Monopoly Travel Underwear Pouch ($27): Stuff your skivvies in this weekend travel case made for unmentionables. The inner bag cleverly detaches for easy storage in your carry on while the main pouch keeps your main stash of underwear in one place.
20. Collapsible Sunglass Case ($34): Now you see it, now you don’t! This collapsible sunglass case is an amazing space saver for both travel and everyday use. It’s strong shield easily reassembles with a few strips of Velcro.
21. F1 Fill+fly Bottle Set ($24): Don’t worry about having your toiletries tossed before take off with this carry-on approved bottle set. This genius pack includes four leak-proof pump bottles designed to eliminate product waste.
22. Slim Bag-in-Bag ($29): Ever wish you had more pockets? This bag-in-bag has 13 of ’em! Made of protective padding that’s lighter to carry than an iPhone, it fits the definition of travel made easy.
23. Travel Zip Organizer ($31): Quit guessing which color maxi dress you packed with this see-through organizer. Made of a chipper yellow mesh, this travel case allows your garments to breathe, making it a great accessory for closet or under-the-bed storage too.
24. Pack-It Mesh Stuffer Set ($22): Still pack efficiently even when you’re feeling lazy about it. Simply roll your shirts or socks in a ball and toss ’em in! Your college self is so jealous right now.
25. AmazonBasics Universal Travel Kit ($12): A plastic shell protects this travel kit’s contents like armor. Mesh pouches can accommodate multiple devices, chargers, and memory cards, keeping your electronics and their accessories all in one safe place.
26. Baggu ($9): Aren’t Baggus the coolest? Made of ripstop nylon, the classic Baggu is a simple, single-compartment carrier that folds flat after each use. We’ll take one in every color, please!
27. Grand Shoulder Bag ($74): We love this twist on the classic messenger bag. Besides its bottom zip pouch and main bag, this over-the-shoulder sling has an easy-to-reach top compartment perfect for keeping boarding passes and other frequently used items close at hand.
28. Pack Bags ($36): These Pack Bags lay flat and zip wide open to make packing as easy as it can be. The dapper bags can be paired together to create an efficient packing system sure to rival that of nesting Russian dolls.
29. Zucca Pro Road Warrior Luggage ($305): As its name implies, you are a true packing champion when you wheel around this luggage. All travelers will bow to you for you unparalleled willingness to stay organized.
30. Biknd Helium Travel Case ($600): If you travel in comfort, so should your bike. This inflatable-padded carry case is an awesome solution for traveling long distances with your two-wheeler in tow.
Do you have any awesome packing tricks? Did we miss any bags or luggage that are great for efficient travel? Let us know in the comments below.
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures