Fast Company asked one road warrior to pack her bag. Then we sent the suitcase to a real packing expert for inspection and rehabilitation.

Here's what happened.

The traveler: Debby Ackerman, vice president and general counsel, Southwest Airlines

Credentials: 15-plus years in the airline business

Travel résumé: In the past six months, 16 business trips

The suitcase: A standard 22-inch wheelie bag by Travelpro

Packing philosophy: "If I can't carry it on, I don't take it." She also insists on no extra work when unpacking her bag. "I prefer not to iron anything."

Packing time: 15 minutes

The expert: Judy Bruckert, director of design development, Hartmann Luggage

Credentials: In her 15-year career at Hartmann, she has repacked hundreds of bags in design and has led packing workshops for sales teams and customers.

Travel résumé: On the road one week every month

Packing philosophy: "Make use of every bit of space." And like Ackerman, she makes a point of packing to avoid wrinkled clothing.

Repacking time: 25 minutes

Bruckert's expert initial assessment upon opening Ackerman's "wrinkle-free" suitcase: "Oh my God." (Pause) "She's a dumper. She doesn't fold her clothes nice and neat. Apparently, when she gets to her destination she doesn't mind ironing."

Bruckert observes that Ackerman packed her most delicate things near the bottom of the bag, on top of the exposed soles of her shoes. "They'd not only get wrinkled on a trip," says Bruckert. "They'd potentially smell." She suggests starting with sleeping garments, exercise shorts and other less fussy items that can be easily laid flat or tucked into corners and awkward spaces. This is also a good place to slip Ackerman's phone adapter, a spare she always leaves packed in her suitcase. With wheelie bags, the trick is to make use of the empty space created by the handlebar system; create a level plane at the bottom to help maximize available space.

What to do about the shoes? Bag 'em, Bruckert says. Put most everything in bags, for that matter. Old plastic grocery bags will do for big pieces and ziplock baggies for small stuff. Bruckert packs the shoes on the top and bottom sides of the suitcase, and then slides Ackerman's Hawaiian-print toiletries bag into the nested space. Why all the bagging? "Trust me," says Bruckert. "It will save you time."

As it turns out, zipping, buttoning, and folding your clothes ultimately saves time, too. Bruckert turns to Ackerman's more delicate clothing. She zips up a pair of slacks and a skirt, refolds the pants on the crease line, and puts them into individual plastic bags. The same for an unbuttoned jacket, shell, and linen shirt. Bruckert also recommends slipping in a piece of tissue at the folds to avoid hard creases. If it were her bag, she'd also stuff tissue into her shoes to keep them "nice and crisp looking."

But all's not bad. Ackerman may not know how to pack, but she knows what to pack: the same Cole Haan brown loafers as Bruckert's.

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