How to Pack Presents In a Carry On

If you are anything like me, you travel a lot around the holidays. This can get complicated when you are trying to take presents to the people you love.Here are some tips on how to safely get gifts to your loved ones this year:1) Ship gifts right to their home. When possible, when I am buying gifts online, I ship directly to my in-law's house. My mother-in-law keeps the gifts in the room we stay in and I wrap them when we get there. This frees up a lot of space in my luggage and usually insures that the gifts get there in one piece.2) Mail anything you can't fit. If it won't fit in your luggage or it won't get through TSA, mail it. This goes for liquids, anything really fragile and anything bulky that takes more room in your luggage than your clothes.3) Only pre-wrap flat items. If you are giving someone a book, cd, iPad (or anything else flat on all 4 sides), go ahead and wrap it before you put it in your suitcase. There isn't a difference with those items if they are wrapped or not, so save yourself the time and do it ahead of time. Anything that does not have four flat sides, DO NOT WRAP! Trust me on this one, you don't want to wrap those gifts until you get to where you are going, otherwise the beautiful wrapping job you have done will be ruined in transit.4) Take gift wrap supplies. If you are staying in a hotel or are unable to borrow someone else's supplies, you should always bring your own. You don't want to be that person that is running to the local Target on December 23 to buy wrapping paper and gift bags. I always put a few gift bags and tissue paper in my carry on so I can wrap any gifts I need to when I get there.5) Pack around the gifts. This year I am taking a few gifts that are a bit fragile but will make it through TSA if pack them just right. Use your clothes, including those bulky sweaters and winter accessories, as cushions for those fragile gifts. I promise, you will be able to fit everything!