Packing for PAX
Mar 22, 8:40 pm
I have been traveling my whole life. When I was younger I had to fly stand-by everywhere and always had to carry on my luggage. So if I were gone for a couple days or a month, I had to make it all fit into the bag I was going to carry on and lug around with me. Thus turning me into the master packer and organizer that I am.
I’m so glad I don’t have to travel stand-by anymore and I can check my luggage but I still use the principles I learned from traveling light. Since we have a big event coming up and some of you Cadettes may have questions about what to bring, I thought I would share with you what I am bringing and how I prepare to travel for an event. Keep in mind PAX is a 3-day event but I am traveling from the 23rd to April 7th. I am going to check 1 bag and carry on 1 bag. Everything I need for two weeks has to fit in my checked luggage or in my carry on.
When packing I start with the most important items.
Work Checklist:
I get together all the stuff I will need for work.
- x2 Team Shirts
- x2 pair of work pants
- My hip pouch and belt (store all my necessary items)
- Bra and panties
- Work shoes / insoles / socks
- My binder (w/ schedules, event details, factsheets)
- Work jacket (that I can wear on the show floor, matches my uniform)
- Make-up (I have it all in it’s own little bag)
- Hair dryer (there is one in the hotel but two girls, I just bring my own)
- Curling iron
- Toiletries
Hip Pouch:
I don’t carry a purse to the event, as there may be no safe place for me to put it. In fact a lot of times we are instructed not to bring anything with us when we come to the booth. I wear a hip pouch that can store all my necessary items.
- My left handed controller (if needed)
- Hand sanitizer
- Rice paper sheets (to blot away shininess for on camera interviews)
- Drivers License / Money
- Lip gloss or chap stick
- Gum or mints
- Dental floss
- My pocket camera
- Schedule (I always print an extra schedule for me to put in my pocket)
- Fact sheet (sometimes for quick reference if it’s a new game that I don’t know well enough yet)
FD Binder:
I recommend getting a three ring binder to organize your PAX schedules, travel itineraries, contact lists, etc. We all carry a Frag Doll binder we put together our selves. Don’t rely on any one to tell you what you are suppose to be doing you have all the info take initiative and COME PREPARED! I don’t work really hard to be prepared so that you don’t have to be. You don’t have to get as nuts about this as I do but you should at least have all the info you have been sent and expected to know.
- Factsheets (I print all mine out, not just for the games I’m assigned to, but, for every game at the event. I also go through my Gameinformer or Play magazines and cut out the articles about the games I’m working on, sometimes they are more informative then the factsheets)
- Schedule (I printed out every page of PAX EAST 2010 FD Schedule FINAL, I printed 2 copies of my personal schedule 1 to keep in my binder and 1 to fold up in my pocket)
- Travel Itinerary (hotel and flight info)
- Receipts (I have an empty sheep protector that I put my receipts in)
- Contacts (everyone’s contact info, whether I know who they are or not)
- Plain Paper
- Business Cards (I have business card holders as we meet a lot of people)
- Pencil Pouch (I have a pen, a sharpie, 3 hole punch, my business cards, 4 GB thumb drive and a memory card reader)
Special Event Clothes:
We have to go to parties a lot and out to nice dinners. I always want to have the appropriate clothes for the occasion.
- x2 Dresses (party club attire)
- Tights (because Boston is COLD right now)
- Jewelry (that I can wear with both dresses)
- Heels (that I can wear with both dresses)
- Clutch hand bag (to hold my phone, ID, money, camera, lip gloss)
- Nice pants and shirt (for a dressy dinner, that I can wear with the same heels)
- My leather jacket (that matches all the above)
Misc. Important Items:
- PJ’s (modest ones are a must, just assume no one wants to see you in your skanky underwear)
- Phone charger (always put this item in your carry on incase they loose your bag)
- Winter Jacket (Boston is cold this time of year, check your weather report)
- Hat / gloves / scarf
- Eye mask and ear plugs (just in case your roomie is a night owl and you are not)
Toiletries:
I am a snob when it comes to products I like to use nice stuff. I always am on the look out for the travel size version of the products I use. They don’t always come that way, so, I buy little travel size bottles and pour stuff into them. I put everything in zip locks because pressure on airplanes sometimes causes bottles to burst and I hate getting my clothes or bag ruined. Each little zip lock bag has it’s own category. All this stuff fits into my “Toiletries bag”.
- Hair zip lock (hair spray, volume booster, leave in conditioner)
- Face zip lock (face wash, lotion, sunscreen, eye cream)
- Body zip lock (body wash, scrubby, and razor)
- Just Dance Degree deodorant
- Mouth zip lock (tooth past, Listerine)
- Toothbrush
- Brush and a comb
- Mini Lint roller
Packing Tips:
* I have a huge zip lock that I put all my socks, tights, panties, in. It’s great because I can squish all the air out and it makes all that bulky stuff easier to pack.
* I roll all my clothes like jeans, sweaters, and shirts. I find it gives me more room.
* I travel with the least amount of shoes possible. On this trip I have 3 pairs, one work pair, one pair of heels and my boots. Boots are great because they are fast at the airport, they are perfect for Boston weather and I can wear them with almost anything.
* I put my shoes in shoe bags so I don’t have to worry about getting my clothes dirty.
* I bring extra work socks because if you switch socks in the middle of the day, your feet will thank you. This is a trick I used when I was a production assistant in the movie biz. When you are not allowed to sit down during an 18 hour workday, you’ll try anything. It works.
* I try and minimize my bulky clothes. I have one sweater that goes with everything and I am wearing my winter jacket on the plane. In Boston almost all the restaurants have a place to put your big jacket by the door.
* The only purse I bring when I travel for work is a small clutch. It’s perfect for going out to dinner and easy to dance with. And if a guy has to hold it for you he won’t feel like such a spineless whipping boy. I would bring a bigger one if I knew I would have time to shop and cruise around.
* Even though I love jewelry, I don’t travel with a lot. I pick a few key pieces I can wear with everything and I put them in a little jewelry bag.
* Bring clothes that mix and match and try everything on before you pack it. Sometimes stuff looks better in your mind then it really is. I put my outfits together before hand, it helps me weed out the stuff I don’t really need.
* Items that I need often, my ID, money, boarding passes, and stuff like that I put in an accessible pocket on my carry on. I call it my “quick draw”. I try to put stuff back in the same place I got it from so I don’t freak out thinking I lost it (which happens a lot).
* It is a good idea to carry on anything that cannot be replaced or done without - computer, phone charger, FD binder, video camera, medicine, etc. Sometimes luggage gets lost or items get stolen. I always carry on anything I couldn’t afford to loose. Like when I did the GameStop show where I had do demo Splinter Cell on stage, I would not have been able to do it w/out my “lefty” controller. I would have been screwed w/out it. I carried it on, but most of the time I check it. So if you cant afford to just buy new stuff when you get there or you couldn’t live w/out something CARRY IT ON!
I hope this helps the packing madness, as you ladies get ready for your PAX trip. We are going to have so much fun. Boston is an amazing city. I love it. It’s so chic and beautiful. Remember to check the weather so you know what to expect and come prepared.
Mar 22, 8:40 pm
I have been traveling my whole life. When I was younger I had to fly stand-by everywhere and always had to carry on my luggage. So if I were gone for a couple days or a month, I had to make it all fit into the bag I was going to carry on and lug around with me. Thus turning me into the master packer and organizer that I am.
I’m so glad I don’t have to travel stand-by anymore and I can check my luggage but I still use the principles I learned from traveling light. Since we have a big event coming up and some of you Cadettes may have questions about what to bring, I thought I would share with you what I am bringing and how I prepare to travel for an event. Keep in mind PAX is a 3-day event but I am traveling from the 23rd to April 7th. I am going to check 1 bag and carry on 1 bag. Everything I need for two weeks has to fit in my checked luggage or in my carry on.
When packing I start with the most important items.
Work Checklist:
I get together all the stuff I will need for work.
- x2 Team Shirts
- x2 pair of work pants
- My hip pouch and belt (store all my necessary items)
- Bra and panties
- Work shoes / insoles / socks
- My binder (w/ schedules, event details, factsheets)
- Work jacket (that I can wear on the show floor, matches my uniform)
- Make-up (I have it all in it’s own little bag)
- Hair dryer (there is one in the hotel but two girls, I just bring my own)
- Curling iron
- Toiletries
Hip Pouch:
I don’t carry a purse to the event, as there may be no safe place for me to put it. In fact a lot of times we are instructed not to bring anything with us when we come to the booth. I wear a hip pouch that can store all my necessary items.
- My left handed controller (if needed)
- Hand sanitizer
- Rice paper sheets (to blot away shininess for on camera interviews)
- Drivers License / Money
- Lip gloss or chap stick
- Gum or mints
- Dental floss
- My pocket camera
- Schedule (I always print an extra schedule for me to put in my pocket)
- Fact sheet (sometimes for quick reference if it’s a new game that I don’t know well enough yet)
FD Binder:
I recommend getting a three ring binder to organize your PAX schedules, travel itineraries, contact lists, etc. We all carry a Frag Doll binder we put together our selves. Don’t rely on any one to tell you what you are suppose to be doing you have all the info take initiative and COME PREPARED! I don’t work really hard to be prepared so that you don’t have to be. You don’t have to get as nuts about this as I do but you should at least have all the info you have been sent and expected to know.
- Factsheets (I print all mine out, not just for the games I’m assigned to, but, for every game at the event. I also go through my Gameinformer or Play magazines and cut out the articles about the games I’m working on, sometimes they are more informative then the factsheets)
- Schedule (I printed out every page of PAX EAST 2010 FD Schedule FINAL, I printed 2 copies of my personal schedule 1 to keep in my binder and 1 to fold up in my pocket)
- Travel Itinerary (hotel and flight info)
- Receipts (I have an empty sheep protector that I put my receipts in)
- Contacts (everyone’s contact info, whether I know who they are or not)
- Plain Paper
- Business Cards (I have business card holders as we meet a lot of people)
- Pencil Pouch (I have a pen, a sharpie, 3 hole punch, my business cards, 4 GB thumb drive and a memory card reader)
Special Event Clothes:
We have to go to parties a lot and out to nice dinners. I always want to have the appropriate clothes for the occasion.
- x2 Dresses (party club attire)
- Tights (because Boston is COLD right now)
- Jewelry (that I can wear with both dresses)
- Heels (that I can wear with both dresses)
- Clutch hand bag (to hold my phone, ID, money, camera, lip gloss)
- Nice pants and shirt (for a dressy dinner, that I can wear with the same heels)
- My leather jacket (that matches all the above)
Misc. Important Items:
- PJ’s (modest ones are a must, just assume no one wants to see you in your skanky underwear)
- Phone charger (always put this item in your carry on incase they loose your bag)
- Winter Jacket (Boston is cold this time of year, check your weather report)
- Hat / gloves / scarf
- Eye mask and ear plugs (just in case your roomie is a night owl and you are not)
Toiletries:
I am a snob when it comes to products I like to use nice stuff. I always am on the look out for the travel size version of the products I use. They don’t always come that way, so, I buy little travel size bottles and pour stuff into them. I put everything in zip locks because pressure on airplanes sometimes causes bottles to burst and I hate getting my clothes or bag ruined. Each little zip lock bag has it’s own category. All this stuff fits into my “Toiletries bag”.
- Hair zip lock (hair spray, volume booster, leave in conditioner)
- Face zip lock (face wash, lotion, sunscreen, eye cream)
- Body zip lock (body wash, scrubby, and razor)
- Just Dance Degree deodorant
- Mouth zip lock (tooth past, Listerine)
- Toothbrush
- Brush and a comb
- Mini Lint roller
Packing Tips:
* I have a huge zip lock that I put all my socks, tights, panties, in. It’s great because I can squish all the air out and it makes all that bulky stuff easier to pack.
* I roll all my clothes like jeans, sweaters, and shirts. I find it gives me more room.
* I travel with the least amount of shoes possible. On this trip I have 3 pairs, one work pair, one pair of heels and my boots. Boots are great because they are fast at the airport, they are perfect for Boston weather and I can wear them with almost anything.
* I put my shoes in shoe bags so I don’t have to worry about getting my clothes dirty.
* I bring extra work socks because if you switch socks in the middle of the day, your feet will thank you. This is a trick I used when I was a production assistant in the movie biz. When you are not allowed to sit down during an 18 hour workday, you’ll try anything. It works.
* I try and minimize my bulky clothes. I have one sweater that goes with everything and I am wearing my winter jacket on the plane. In Boston almost all the restaurants have a place to put your big jacket by the door.
* The only purse I bring when I travel for work is a small clutch. It’s perfect for going out to dinner and easy to dance with. And if a guy has to hold it for you he won’t feel like such a spineless whipping boy. I would bring a bigger one if I knew I would have time to shop and cruise around.
* Even though I love jewelry, I don’t travel with a lot. I pick a few key pieces I can wear with everything and I put them in a little jewelry bag.
* Bring clothes that mix and match and try everything on before you pack it. Sometimes stuff looks better in your mind then it really is. I put my outfits together before hand, it helps me weed out the stuff I don’t really need.
* Items that I need often, my ID, money, boarding passes, and stuff like that I put in an accessible pocket on my carry on. I call it my “quick draw”. I try to put stuff back in the same place I got it from so I don’t freak out thinking I lost it (which happens a lot).
* It is a good idea to carry on anything that cannot be replaced or done without - computer, phone charger, FD binder, video camera, medicine, etc. Sometimes luggage gets lost or items get stolen. I always carry on anything I couldn’t afford to loose. Like when I did the GameStop show where I had do demo Splinter Cell on stage, I would not have been able to do it w/out my “lefty” controller. I would have been screwed w/out it. I carried it on, but most of the time I check it. So if you cant afford to just buy new stuff when you get there or you couldn’t live w/out something CARRY IT ON!
I hope this helps the packing madness, as you ladies get ready for your PAX trip. We are going to have so much fun. Boston is an amazing city. I love it. It’s so chic and beautiful. Remember to check the weather so you know what to expect and come prepared.
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