Expert: Anne McAlpin, author of Pack It Up: The Essential Guide to Organized Travel (Flying Cloud, $20, www.amazon.com).

Start off by printing a packing checklist (options include general, beach, skiing, sightseeing/safari, and child-friendly). Add any items unique to your destination, and start piling the items it calls for onto a bed or a couch. Once you’ve checked off everything, start editing. When looking at clothing, make sure you choose versatile selections that you can mix and match (see following pages).

Once you’ve selected the items, make sure you pack them the smartest, most space-saving way possible. Here, a how-to for some popular suitcase items.

Accessories (earrings, necklaces, scarves)

Keep necklaces protected and kink-free “by threading them through drinking straws, then putting the filled straws in toothbrush holders,” says McAlpin.

Store earrings in a day-of-the-week pill container, or cut out a small cardboard square and punch them through.

Put all the jewelry you intend to wear with a certain outfit in a sandwich bag and pin it to one of the clothing items.

Toss silk scarves near the top of your bag to prevent them from getting crushed.

Belts

For narrow belts: Wind them into coils and place each one in a zipper-sealed bag. Put every bag in a shoe.

For larger versions: Fit them around the edges of your bag. Their size and width make them less likely to snake about.