There’s something wonderful about taking your first real trip. There’s also that moment, usually somewhere between booking the ticket and staring at an open suitcase, when you think: What have I forgotten?

I’ve traveled enough to know that you will probably forget something. And you know what? You’ll survive.

The trick to traveling well isn’t packing everything you could possibly need. It’s knowing what matters, being reasonably organized, and leaving yourself enough breathing room to actually enjoy where you’re going.

Here are a few things I wish every new traveler knew.

Start planning, but don’t plan the life out of your trip

Know the basics before you go: where you’re staying, how you’ll get there, what the weather looks like, and what you absolutely don’t want to miss.

If you’re leaving the country, check your passport expiration date and entry or visa requirements early. That is one surprise you definitely don’t want at the airport.

But resist the temptation to schedule every hour.

Some of my favorite travel experiences have been the ones I never planned: the little restaurant around the corner, the shop I wandered into, the street I followed because it looked interesting.

Give yourself room to discover things.

Make a list. Seriously.

I still believe in a packing list.

Divide it into the obvious categories: clothes, toiletries, medications, electronics, documents and those little personal things you don’t want to hunt for in a strange city.

Then look at the list again and ask yourself:

Do I really need all of this?

Probably not.

One of the great lessons of travel is discovering how little you actually need.

Pack for the trip you’re taking, not the fantasy version

This is where we can all get into trouble.

If you’re going to be walking through Rome all day, pack shoes you can actually walk in. If you’re headed somewhere warm, think light layers. If temperatures are going to change, bring pieces you can add and remove rather than several completely different outfits.

And whenever possible, choose clothes that work together.

I’d rather pack one beautiful piece I can wear three ways than three things that only work once.

Your suitcase does not need to contain your entire wardrobe.

Keep the important things where you can reach them

Passport. ID. Wallet. Phone. Medication. Reservations. Chargers.

These should not be buried beneath three sweaters and a pair of shoes.

Keep your essential documents and frequently used items together and accessible. I also like having digital copies of important travel documents stored somewhere secure in case something goes missing.

A little organization at home can save a lot of frantic rummaging later.

Bring things that solve an actual problem

There are thousands of travel gadgets out there. You don’t need thousands of travel gadgets.

The things worth bringing are the ones that make traveling noticeably easier.

Packing cubes that keep your suitcase from becoming chaos. A toiletry case that hangs instead of taking over the bathroom counter. A portable charger when your phone hits 12 percent and your boarding pass is on it. A good eye mask. A travel pillow you’ll actually use.

That philosophy is really at the heart of LuLuROAM: if it doesn’t make travel easier, more comfortable or more enjoyable, why are we carrying it?

Prepare your phone before you leave

Your phone has become your map, camera, boarding pass, translator, restaurant guide and emergency lifeline all rolled into one.

Before you go, download anything you may need when Wi-Fi isn’t cooperating: maps, reservations, airline information and entertainment for the flight.

If you’re traveling internationally, check what adapter you’ll need and what your phone plan covers before you land to a rather unpleasant surprise.

And pack a portable charger.

That one has saved me more than once.

Dress for the journey, too

I think people sometimes forget that the travel day is part of the trip.

Wear something comfortable. Bring a layer because airplanes seem to operate at either tropical rainforest or meat locker temperatures. Keep water and a snack nearby when you can.

A lightweight wrap, eye mask, neck pillow or small personal-care kit can turn a long flight from something you endure into something considerably more civilized.

Comfort isn’t an indulgence when you’re traveling. It’s strategy.

Something will go wrong

It just will.

A flight will be late. It will rain on the day you planned to walk everywhere. A restaurant will be closed. You’ll take the wrong turn.

Some of those moments will eventually become your favorite stories.

Leave a little extra time, don’t build an itinerary that collapses if one thing changes, and remember that you are there to experience a place, not execute a perfect schedule.

Before you walk out the door

Do one last check:

Passport and ID. Wallet. Phone. Medication. Chargers. Tickets and reservations.

Then stop checking.

Lock the door, take your suitcase and go.

And one last thing…

You don’t become a good traveler by knowing everything before your first trip.

You become one by traveling.

Every journey teaches you something: what you use, what you never touch, what you wish you’d brought, and what you definitely won’t drag around again.

That’s part of the reason I created LuLuROAM. I wanted a place filled with travel things that earn their place in your suitcase, pieces chosen because they’re useful, smart, comfortable or simply make the journey better.

So pack thoughtfully, leave a little room in the suitcase, and definitely leave some room in the itinerary.

The best part of traveling is often the part you didn’t plan.