For many people, packing for a trip is an art form—trying to pack as efficiently as possible so you’re not overloaded with unnecessary stuff. If you are traveling with a laptop and other gadgetry—cameras, phones, external drives, etc.—cables can become an unruly and ungainly clutter in your suitcase. Here are a few tips in how you can stay organized while you’re traveling.

Minimize the devices. First, and most simply, try to reduce the number of devices that you take with you, thereby decreasing the need for extra cables. Do you need a digital camera if you have a good camera in your phone? Do you need an external hard drive for your laptop or would a thumb drive suffice?

Lose redundant cables. Assess what devices you are bringing, and see whether or not they all use the same type of cable; if so, just bring one cable and change out the devices as needed. There are also accessories you can buy that are a USB plug at one end and a variety of adaptors at the other.

Pack smart. Once you’ve narrowed down your cords and power adapters, you need a place to put them. The simplest and the least expensive thing to do is to get a couple of cable ties, wrap up your cables, and put them in a zip lock bag so that they stay together. If you’re looking for something a little bit nicer that keeps your cables safe, separated, and free from getting tangled, there are a couple of products I really like:

• Kangaroom Storage makes little pouches with dividers that are really great for travel. You can store some of your small electronics in there, such as your iPod or phone, along with chargers and cables associated with those devices. The pouch fits neatly into your carry on or into your checked bag. https://www.kangarookeeper.com/
• GRID-IT is a new product that I really like. Essentially this is a flat board wrapped in fabric, and stitched into the fabric are a variety of elastic bands that can be resized to securely fit your various gizmos, cables, and other devices. http://www.gridittechnology.com

Once you’ve narrowed down your devices, reduced the number of cables, and packed them all in an efficient case, your technology won’t slow you down when you’re on the go.

If you’re wondering how to implement these strategies, we’d be happy to chat with you. Contact us for a complimentary strategy session by going to http://www.customlivingsolutions.com/Apply

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