Traveling for work can be exhausting, especially for Baltimore residents flying through BWI. A custom closet design makes packing and unpacking easier.

From hour-long TSA lines to seats that force you to fold up like an accordion, there are plenty of reasons to dread air travel. If you also happen to live in Baltimore, you’ve really gotten the short end of the stick. You have to pass through BWI, one of the highest-traffic airports in the country, while dealing with everything from lack of dining options to long waits for luggage. For many Baltimore business travelers, the situation is one of those unpleasant facts of life—like heartburn or bad hair days—that you simply have to put up with. But women, who report especially high stress levels when traveling, may find this an unpalatable option.

Although it’s true you’ll never have full control over lost luggage or delayed connections, there are steps you can take to ease the stress. If you’re a frequent business flyer, consider streamlining your packing process so that getting out the door, at least, will be as painless as possible. Where to begin? Your closet.

A Travel System for Clothes

Packing clothing in a hurry isn’t fun. If you do it often enough, maybe you don’t forget anything important. Maybe you do anyway. Maybe you once had to attend a conference call in a Mickey Mouse t-shirt because you forgot your blazer. A closet redesign can ease the struggle.

• Hanging Bars. If you fly frequently, we suggest creating a designated area of your closet for your travel wardrobe. This lets you quickly take inventory when packing. Small, stacked hanging rods are a great way to separate “home” and “away” clothes without taking up too much space, and wardrobe lifts can help you fit a separate travel section into unused vertical wall space while still allowing easy access. Storing business clothes apart from the rest of your wardrobe also helps prevent damage, so you stay looking sharp.

• Shoe Storage. Keep your business shoes matched with appropriate outfits. A custom closet design lets you add extra shoe racks right alongside (or underneath) your travel wardrobe. When it’s time to pack for your next trip, you’ll have no trouble finding the heels that go with your power suit.

Keep Track of Travel Accessories

The little things are the easiest to forget. When you keep accessories all in the same place—and close to the rest of your travel gear—you lessen the chance of waking up at your hotel and realizing you don’t have any deodorant.

• Baskets. Pull-out baskets are the multi-tool of closets. We suggest adding two or three to hold particularly small items. Use one for hair accessories like clips and ties. Designate another for travel-sized toiletries like shampoo and face cleanser. Keep a small collection of makeup just for trips in a third. Packing can be as simple as emptying the contents of your baskets into your carry-on.

• Drawers. Do you have documents you need to bring? Are you traveling internationally? Keep your business files, passport, and photocopies of important information in one or two designated drawers, so you always know where to find them.

• Shelves. Computer accessories, headphones, and those books you’ve been meaning to read will help you pass time in the BWI lobby. We can add adjustable shelving to your closet so that everything’s ready to grab on short notice.

Luggage Needs a Spot, Too

When you’re at home, your luggage transforms from being storage into needing storage. A custom design lets you stow your bags in your closet, so you don’t have to go all the way down to the basement to retrieve them when it’s time to pack.

• Floor Space. An open area beneath your drawers and shelving makes a great spot for carry-ons and larger suitcases. We’ll take measurements to ensure you can house your luggage flush against the wall, so it takes up as little room as possible.

• Hooks. Backpacks, shoulder bags, and computer bags are better off being hung since they don’t stand up well on their own. We can add hooks along the side of your closet to keep these items organized.

Benefit from a Closet System for Travel

We can’t help with booking reservations or processing your reimbursement requests, but if business travel frequently takes you away from Baltimore, we can create a closet system that simplifies your packing process and cuts down on stress.

Connect with us for a free consultation so that your frequent trips don’t eat up even more of your time. We’ll take an inventory of your closet, design a system with customized features, and install it so quickly that you might wish we were also in charge of gate security.