Addicted to Overpacking? Try This 5-Step Program.

(Julia Ewan)

Susan Foster recalls checking into a chichi Hong Kong hotel and spotting a group of American tourists in the lobby dragging "enough luggage for three armies." Yet for the duration of their trip, Foster says, the tourists appeared in the same outfits.

"If they were wearing the same grubby stuff every day, I wondered what was in those suitcases," says Foster, author of the book "Smart Packing for Today's Traveler." "Obviously they didn't pack appropriately."

Foster should know. She has packed and unpacked some 4,000 times over three decades, she said, traveling first as a book publisher and later as a companion to her globe-trotting husband, who worked in international trade.

Some people heading out of town don't give much thought to packing, thinking it's something to do the night before a trip by dumping half their closets into flimsy bags.

Need encouragement to pack less? Consider that in August, when the Transportation Security Administration changed the rules about carrying on liquids, the number of pieces of checked luggage jumped 20 percent -- and the number of lost bags increased 33 percent compared with August 2005, according to a report last month by the Department of Transportation.

"The beauty of travel is that you are on vacation from all the material complexities of life," says TV travel host and guidebook writer Rick Steves, who lives out of one suitcase for more than 120 days a year. And he means one suitcase, and he always leaves room for small souvenirs.

Based on the advice of like-minded packing experts and guided by dozens of books and Web sites, we've assembled a five-step plan for packing wisely, with tips on how to accomplish each step.

1. PLAN AHEAD. Start thinking about what you're planning to pack at the same time you buy your plane tickets, book the cruise or confirm the availability of your aunt's resort condo in the mountains.

· Write down everything you think you'll need for a trip. Don't just make a mental list -- get it on paper. It'll serve as a good checklist, and if you're suddenly pressed for time, you'll have something to jog your memory.

· Before you start assembling items, check the Transportation Security Administration Web site ( http://www.tsa.gov/ ) to see what is and isn't permitted in checked luggage and carry-on bags.

· Think about what you're going to wear from the start. Would revealing clothing such as a bikini or deep-plunging neckline create an international incident? If you're planning a Christmas trip to Aruba now, do you need to buy any warm-climate clothes? Is your cruise strictly casual, or will you need to pack formal wear?

· Never pack the night before or day of a trip. Do it at least a day (preferably two days) ahead. Even if you don't stuff all the contents into your luggage, at least have the items stacked and organized. Once packed, if you must dip back into your bag at the eleventh hour, do it only to weed out items you won't need.