Lindsay Nahmiache

With meetings, cocktail parties, and the added pressure of managing fitness into business travel, many professionals struggle to narrow down the essentials for their ventures and are inevitably faced with the famous ‘suitcase sit.’

Both Lindsay Nahmiache and Almira Bardai, co-partners of Jive Communications, have led fast and furious lives full of culture and worldly projects since the early stages of their careers, and have mastered a few secrets to successful packing along the way.

Lindsay Nahmiache started her buzzing career working in London, England for E! Entertainment Television and The Rolling Stones, which meant travelling across Europe on a daily basis.

Lindsay later worked as a Bollywood film producer in Mumbai, India, sending her across the country on different colourful film shoots. Lindsay has also spent a large part of her career as a film festival advisor; clients include the Sundance Film Festival as well as festivals in Cannes, Berlin, London, and Toronto.

Almira Bardai

Almira Bardai made her mark as Head of Global PR at Cobra Beer in London, England, bringing her to Krakow, Poland for press trips, to Paris for the SIAL food and drinks exhibition, to Germany for the Anuga food and beverage fair, and to Cape Town, South Africa for marketing launches and team training.

After Almira covered each and every European and African landmark, she headed up her own Corporate PR business in Sydney, Australia — a city she admires for its creative, energetic, and balanced lifestyle.

The two globetrotters met and founded Jive Communications, a boutique agency with offices currently in Vancouver and Toronto. The agency’s extensive client roster spans across North America, and includes Banff World Media festival in Alberta, entertainment clients in Los Angeles, and technology clients in San Francisco. I asked the two for their top packing tips to help organize their nomadic lifestyles.

1. Stick to hand luggage to save time and avoid baggage loss

Lindsay Nahmiache is the queen of stand-by flights — baggage check-in is rarely an option. Her trick? She packs all her outfits in a suit bag and then carefully organizes her leftover personal items, e.g. laptop, beauty products, and reading materials into a compact carry-on.

“I NEVER check my bag. Whether it’s 20 degrees or minus 30 degrees, I only bring what I can fit in a carry-on suitcase,” says Lindsay. “I once had a flight get cancelled and had to quickly rebook another one — my checked baggage never made it to my destination, which is why I now never check my bags. This also helps me get in and out of the airport as fast as possible.”

2. Invest in a travelling yoga mat to maintain mindfulness

A certified yoga instructor, Almira Bardai emphasizes the importance of bringing yoga on the road. She always manages to fit a lightweight and compact on-the-go mat into her hand luggage; this keeps Almira focused and balanced in each new work environment.

“No matter how many time zones I’ve crossed, I never get jet lag,” says Almira. “Having yoga at my disposal, whether I’m in Sydney, Burma, or Vancouver, helps keep me levelheaded and energetic.”

3. Master the art of bundle packing

Bundle Packing

Both Lindsay and Almira swear by the bundling method of packing to dress for success and to impress! It takes a little more effort than rolling or folding, but the payoff of strategic packing placement and capitalizing on clothing shape results in wrinkle-free items upon arrival sans ironing!

Although it may seem that the Jive Communications duo have covered every inch of the globe, Bhutan, Bolivia, Medellin, Sarajevo, Mali, Senegal, and Central America remain on their collective travel bucket list.

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