Los Angeles. Marrakesh. London. Three Dress Codes. No Checked Bags.

Observations from Managing Partner Jen Prosek in the Leading in Volatile Times Newsletter.

Nearly two years ago, I wrote a "packing post" about how I managed four nights at Davos for the World Economic Forum without checking a bag. It was one of my most popular posts - and even spawned a few follow ups.

That convinced me of something: packing creates an enormous amount of friction in our lives, especially for people who travel constantly for work.

So, when I looked at my latest itinerary, I took it as a challenge.

Los Angeles: Two-day Goldman Sachs conference. Business casual.

Marrakesh: 50th birthday celebration. Warm weather. Festive cocktail+.

London: Three-day business conference. Meetings. London weather.

Then home.

Could I do the entire thing without checking luggage?

Yep!!!!. Here's how I did it.

THE PACKING LIST

One pair of white jeans (packed)

One pair of regular jeans (wore on the plane)

Two very thin white blouses and one thin black blouse.

Two short-sleeved sweaters.

Two very thin Pucci skirts; one in summer colors, one darker/more winter.

One thin work dress.

One thin, sparkly cocktail dress for the birthday party.

One smart blue blazer with gold buttons.

One leather trench.

One pair of sandals.

One pair of ankle boots.

One pair of sneakers.

Thin rollable PJs, underwear etc.

One bathing suit and flip-flops. Always.

And one "crushable" black woven leather purse.

That's it.

I wore the leather trench on the plane with the blue jeans and blazer underneath the trench; two of the bulkiest pieces eliminated from the luggage immediately.

Everything else went into plastic dry-cleaning bags and was rolled tightly into one hard-sided carry-on and one soft, regulation-size second bag.

The purse got emptied, flattened and stuffed inside the soft bag so I was technically boarding with two pieces.

Once safely on the plane? Purse reassembled.

I left the aircraft with three bags in tow.

Stop One: Los Angeles

Day one of the conference: white jeans, white blouse, blue blazer with gold buttons.

Day two: thin work dress. And thank God for the blue blazer with the gold buttons. The weather in California was perfect. But inside the conference, it was approximately 37 degrees. Re-used the blazer. Never underestimate conference-room air conditioning.

Next: LAX → Paris → Marrakesh

Here, I made one extravagant decision that I would make again in a heartbeat.

I had a tight connection at Charles de Gaulle airport and two extremely heavy carry-ons. I paid about $300 for a greeter to meet me, help with the bags and whisk me through the airport and security to my Marrakesh flight. When you've maxed out your carry-on strategy and are connecting through a giant airport, this is worth its weight in gold.

Marrakesh

White jeans and a thin white top worked perfectly during the day, with sandals for walking around. I tapped the white jeans again with a navy top for the second day.

Friday night: summer Pucci skirt + thin white top.

Saturday night: the sparkly cocktail dress.

And yes, I hopped in the pool, hence my rule that there is always room for a bathing suit and flip-flops.

Then it was off to London.

London, Day one: Thin work dress, ankle boots, leather trench. The leather trench was key with my black ankle boots. Lots of compliments on the leather trench.

Day two: Fall colors Pucci skirt, black short-sleeved sweater, ankle boots, leather trench (Pucci material is killer and chic when rolled in plastic)

Day three: Quick morning meeting in regular jeans, blazer, ankle boots and trench.

And then came my final packing hack.

By London, I was finished with all the clothing I had packed specifically for California and Marrakesh. So I DHL'd it home.

Why drag clothing through another airport when you know you won't wear it again?

My bags instantly became lighter, easier to manage and much less annoying.

I arrived home having done three cities, three completely different dress codes, multiple climates, conferences, meetings, a 50th birthday party and a swim - all without checking a bag.

My rules:

1. Thin wins. Silk, lightweight knits and dresses that take up almost no room.

2. Build around a few workhorses. The white jeans, blue blazer with gold buttons, ankle boots and leather trench earned their keep.

3. Wear the bulky things. Never put the trench or blazer in the suitcase if you can put it on your body.

4. Assume hotel laundry and dry cleaning exist in a pinch. You don't need a fresh outfit for every day.

5. Always pack a bathing suit and flip flops. Always.

6. Pay to remove friction when it really matters. The CDG greeter was $300 well spent.

7. Ship things home. Your suitcase does not need to carry your past.

And perhaps most importantly:

8. Never check the bag.

Because after all this, the greatest luxury in travel is walking off the plane and straight out of the airport. And, in the case of a transfer or a trip short of time and high on costume changes, you cannot risk a lost bag - which happens more than you'd like to think.

Los Angeles → Marrakesh → London → home.

Carry-on only.

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