Friday, 4:30: How to Pack a Weekender

The truck is idling. The dog knows something is up. There is one bag on the passenger seat, and whatever is not in it is staying home.

Here is how to make that bag count.

1. Boots go in first, and they go alone.

Boots are the heaviest thing you pack and the dirtiest. Put them at the bottom or, better, in their own pocket. The RockCow crazy horse weekender has a side shoe compartment for exactly this reason. Clean shirts stay clean.

2. Roll the shirts, fold the jeans.

Rolled shirts wrinkle less and fill the gaps. Jeans fold flat and make a floor for everything else. Pack two shirts for two nights, plus one you can wear to dinner.

3. The small stuff lives in the outside pockets.

Charger, razor, the good knife, reading glasses. Anything you will reach for before you unpack goes outside. The Traveler has a buckled front pocket and two zipped side pockets. Use all three.

4. Pick the size for the trip, not the closet.

The Traveler comes in 21, 24, 28 and 30 inches. The 21 is sized as a carry-on; check your airline's limits before you fly. The RockCow holds three to five days of clothes and has a sleeve for a 13 to 15 inch laptop. For the truck, buy the bigger one. You will fill it.

5. Leave room for what you bring back.

A good weekend sends you home with something you did not leave with. Pack the bag three-quarters full.

Pack light. Come home late.