Working in events - Top 10 packing essentials!

Now if you're like me, you will do a lot of very short event contracts, maybe 1
or 2 weeks at a time and chances are you will be staying in a hotel either abroad or in your own country.

I have learned that for these short events, or even for events where the venue is different to your normal office, life is typically very fast paced and very very busy therefore you spend all day onsite and barely any time in your hotel, pretty much only to sleep if you are lucky enough to even get time for that! For that reason I have put together a list of top 10 essential items that I always pack when working away on an event which make life just that little bit easier:

1. Emergency phone charger.

This has become a staple item when working on events and comes in very handy. Event days are so long and we use our phones for so much - calls, texts, photos, flashlight, so it's always good to have an emergency charger in your pocket meaning you don't have to leave your phone plugged in to a wall socket.
You can get them everywhere, some you connect by charger others you can use as a case - either way you're going to want one of these.
I can't remember where I got mine but it has about 2 chargers worth of juice before needing to actually charge the charger! They are actually pretty cheap and save a lot of time on a busy event day.

2. Old phone

I always find it useful to have an old/cheap mobile phone with me for events. It means if you are in a foreign country you can just pop in a local sim card for work calls to local phones, whilst still being able to use your own number. It also means that you don't have to give your personal number to everyone working the event, which is handy as normally you have to give your number to staff, volunteers, contractors.. basically anyone who may need to get hold of you! Another good thing I find with the old style mobile phones is that you can go for days without charging them and they are pretty much indestructible, which is usually handy on events, especially in the build phase! You can get a basic handset in most mobile phone shops and are usually less that £20 in the UK, in fact I have seen them for as little as £5!

3. Adapters/extension cord

Now if you are going abroad, a plug adapter is something you can't do without. In fact I always take at least 3! The reason for this is the same the reason I take extension cords to events in the UK - you get so little time in your hotel that you end up having to charge everything at once! Charging your phone(s), cameras, iPads, whilst at the same time drying your hair require a lot of sockets, therefore I always make sure I have plenty of opportunities to get everything ready.

4. Travel wash

Again, a simple and small item but one that comes in very handy! Travel wash is great for quickly washing socks, underwear, even tshirts in your hotel sink. Now you may have a laundry service in your hotel but the chances are you will be so busy that you never get the opportunity to drop laundry off or pick it up and this is when travel wash is a god send! The one I use is only £1 from Poundland in the UK and is the perfect size to travel with, it does the job and has saved me on more than one occasion.

5. Rain coat

No matter where you are going be sure to pack a rain coat with you, even a little fold up one in a bag - you never know when a rain storm will hit and event build up waits for no one! I have been caught in way too many down pours, even in sunny Barbados so it's always good to have an emergency poncho or raincoat up your sleeve just to keep you that bit drier!

6. Suncream and sunglasses

In the same way a rain coat is essential so is suncream and sunglasses - you need to be prepared for every kind of weather! Even if you are working in winter, you may be asked to drive a car in the snow, or there is a brief morning of sunshine when you will be glad that you have a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes. Any outdoor event, especially outdoor events in summer months, require you to wear suncream, you can't afford to get sun burn or even worse sun stroke in the middle of an event and it's just common sense to protect your skin!

7. Scissors, cable ties, sharpie

Now these may seem strange items to carry with you but trust me, there will be some point during an event where you or one of your colleagues will need one of the above! Don't ask me what for, I have used cable ties for everything from securing fences in the wind, to hanging up signs, to holding boxes together. These are just useful items that I seem to use time and time again and I guarantee you will need at least one of the above at some point during your event.

8. Paracetamol and blister plasters

Almost self explanatory but headaches, sore feet, legs and arms are all a part of working in events! Especially during the lead up where you are constantly walking round the venue and checking different areas.. blisters are unfortunately part of the job! So the more prepared you are the better and something I have learned is never, where possible, wear brand new shoes to an event. Take the time to break them in first otherwise you are just asking for trouble.

9. Dry shampoo

Maybe one for the girls but dry shampoo has become an essential item for me during event time. It's unfortunate but true that sometimes you just don't have the time to wash and dry your hair so dry shampoo becomes your best friend. My personal favourite is batiste which you can get in most supermarkets and boots/superdrug etc but there are many brands available in all different sizes, so you should be able to find one which works best for you.

10. Evening wear

It's always good to have at least one outfit in your bag that can be worn for an evening out. You may be invited out by clients, or there is a last minute end of staff party or dinner and you don't want to be wearing the same events clothes you've been wearing all week! For me I usually just take a simple black dress that is suitable for both dressing up for for a more casual evening. Even if you don't use it, it's always good to have in your bag just in case the opportunity arises.



Any way I hope this list helps you with your event packing and if there's anything I've missed that makes event and hotel life a bit easier please let me know!