Everyone knows that suitcase space is at a premium when you are flying to your destination but there are certain things you must have when going on a trip. Getting to your vacation destination and finding out you forgot something important can really start your vacation off on the wrong foot and especially if it's something you just can't go out and buy another one of.

But you don't want to lug around 10 suitcases, so you really need to weed out what is important and what isn't. Also, make some of your clothing do double duty and wearing extra on the plane can help cut down on what you have to put into the suitcase leaving you more room for other things.

One thing to carefully consider is your clothing. What will the weather be at your destination? While you should always plan for unexpected weather changes, it is not necessary to bring 5 sweaters if you are going to a tropical climate where the medium temperature is 90 degrees. Be sensible about what you bring and remember you are only going for 1 or 2 weeks so the chances of getting to wear 10 different evening gowns is probably slim. Bring your favorite and leave the rest. You can always wear things more than once and chances are you'll probably wear the same outfit all the time anyway!

In order to conserve space in your suitcase, wear as much as you can on the plane. This means wearing your bulkiest clothes and dressing in layers. Wear your bulkiest shoes too - if you will be bringing sneakers these are probably best worn on the flight as your sandals will take up less room in the suitcase.

In the event that your luggage gets lost, you might want to pack the essentials in a carry on. These include your makeup, hair accessories, toiletries, some extra socks and underwear, medications, lotions, toothbrush and toothpaste and anything you must have each and every day.

Some accessories you might want to pack in your suitcase include:
- Dress clothing
- Shoes
- Swimwear
- Hairdryer (check with your hotel and if they provide one leave yours at home)
- Travel alarm
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Ipod
- Umbrella
- Flashlight
- First Aid Kit

Certain expensive items like jewelry and perhaps your camera or ipod you might consider keeping in your carry on in case your luggage decides to go on a vacation an you never see it again.

Generally if you pack sparingly and bring just what is necessary, you'll be able to enjoy your vacation without breaking your back lifting too many heavy suitcases.