"I set aside one drawer in my house for travel items such as shampoo and contacts," says Sharon Tiehm of Oroville, Calif.

"Check your passport to make sure it hasn’t expired," advises Teresa Cliff of Tualatin, Ore.

"As soon as we put a trip on the calendar, I create a paper file for hotel confirmations, maps, and notes," says Irene Dawson of Henderson, Nev.

"The night before traveling, I take a bath and go to bed early," writes Shana Maziarz of Nevada City, Calif.

"Plan for your next trip at the end of the last one," says Gary Lichtenstein of Bluff, Utah. "Make a list of what you brought—noting what was essential or unnecessary—and toss it in your suitcase."