Conference booth packing checklist

Pack by function, not by person. Keep each working kit together, label the outside, and give one owner responsibility for confirming it. A booth is packed only when every case has a destination and every critical setup has been tested.

Use this checklist after the booth plan, rentals, and shipping route are confirmed. It is designed for a small crew packing its own equipment, so skip the clearly marked conditional sections that do not match your booth.

Record the packing plan

• Record the event name, venue, hall, and booth number on the packing sheet.
• Name one packing owner who will approve the final case count.
• List every crew member who will carry, ship, or receive equipment.
• Confirm the exhibitor move-in date and the first time the crew can access the booth.
• Confirm the advance-warehouse or direct-to-show deadline, delivery address, and required label format.
• Confirm the return destination and the person available to receive the shipment.
• Separate rented items from items the team must bring.
• Save the exhibitor manual, electrical order, rental confirmations, shipping instructions, and venue contacts in one shared folder.
• Complete the one-page conference booth brief and give every traveler access to it.
• Start a case manifest with a number, owner, destination, and contents for every case.

Keep the critical kit with the crew

Do not put the only copy of something essential inside freight or checked baggage. For air travel, confirm the rules for every carrier and country on the route; in the US, the FAA PackSafe guidance requires power banks and spare lithium batteries to remain in the cabin.

• Carry exhibitor credentials, badge confirmations, travel documents, and the booth brief.
• Carry the laptop, tablet, phone, or other device required for the main demo.
• Carry the power bank and spare lithium batteries with protected terminals, subject to carrier limits.
• Carry one charger and the minimum adapters needed to keep critical devices running.
• Keep an offline copy of every demo, video, presentation, QR destination, and contact list on a second device or drive.
• Keep shipping documents, tracking numbers, and venue contacts outside the packed cases.
• Remove prohibited tools and liquids before the crew reaches airport security.

Pack the display and demo kit if the booth uses a screen

Confirm the screen and stand before choosing a case; the trade-show TV size guide covers the useful rental and handling questions. Test the complete playback path before packing it, then run the booth screen playback test on the setup the crew will actually use.

• Confirm whether the TV or monitor is packed, rented, or supplied by the organizer.
• Pack a rated stand or mount when it is not part of the rental.
• Pack the display power cable when it is not supplied with the screen.
• Pack the primary HDMI or display cable and one tested spare.
• Pack every required HDMI, USB-C, or device-specific adapter.
• Pack the remote control and a tested set of spare batteries.
• Pack the playback device with its power supply and remote.
• Pack the demo laptop, input devices, security lock, and any product-specific hardware.
• Open every offline video and presentation on the device that will play it at the booth.
• Photograph the tested cable path so another crew member can rebuild it.
• Pack a microfiber cloth in the display kit.

Pack power and connectivity from the confirmed plan

Use the booth power planning worksheet before ordering or packing electrical equipment. Keep the approved cables, adapters, charging leads, and tested spares together in one owned booth cable bag so setup does not depend on several suitcases arriving together.

• Pack the venue power-order confirmation and a plan showing each outlet location.
• Pack only extension cables, power strips, and distribution equipment permitted by the venue.
• Pack the phone, tablet, laptop, and playback-device chargers the equipment list requires.
• Pack a multi-port USB charger if it replaces several individual chargers.
• Pack country-specific adapters rated for the destination voltage and connected load.
• Pack venue-approved cable covers or tape for every cable that could cross a walking route.
• Pack Velcro ties and label both ends of cables that could be confused during setup.
• Confirm the venue internet order, network name, login method, and support contact when using venue connectivity.
• Test the mobile hotspot or other backup connection at the devices it must support.
• Confirm that the demo and lead-capture fallback still work without internet access.

Pack booth graphics and furniture items

• Pack each owned backdrop, banner, wall graphic, and its labeled hardware.
• Confirm that rented walls, counters, stools, and waste bins appear on the supplier order.
• Pack the counter or table covering when the venue or rental supplier is not providing one.
• Pack any approved sign holders, literature stands, or giveaway containers.
• Pack spare fasteners specific to the backdrop, counter, or sign system.
• Put setup instructions or a reference photograph inside each unfamiliar hardware kit.

Count printed materials and giveaways

• Set a daily quantity for one-sheets, cards, and giveaways instead of packing an uncounted box.
• Record the starting quantity of each item on the case manifest.
• Pack product one-sheets and business cards only when the booth plan calls for them.
• Pack giveaway stock and the container used to display it.
• Test every printed QR code with two phones before packing the signs.
• Confirm that each QR destination works without an employee login.
• Pack a small reserve separately so the entire supply is not opened on the first day.

Pack lead-capture equipment and its fallback

• Confirm whether the lead scanner is collected on site or travels with the crew.
• Install the lead-capture app and sign in on every device that will use it.
• Scan a test record and confirm that the required qualification fields are available.
• Pack the scanner, phone, or tablet charger in the same kit.
• Pack or save a privacy-appropriate offline fallback for names, contact details, and notes.
• Give one person ownership of exporting or handing off the captured leads after the show.

Pack the setup and repair kit

• Pack scissors suitable for the planned setup work.
• Pack a box cutter in checked baggage only when permitted for the complete route, with the blade sheathed or securely wrapped.
• Pack gaffer tape and painter’s tape only where the venue permits their use.
• Pack a measuring tape and the smallest screwdriver set the booth hardware requires.
• Pack reusable ties and a limited supply of zip ties.
• Pack adhesive hooks only after confirming they are permitted on the booth surface.
• Pack a permanent marker, removable labels, and blank shipping labels.
• Pack spare screws, clips, or fasteners that match the actual booth hardware.
• Put sharp tools in a closed, labeled pouch that remains inaccessible to visitors.

US airport security prohibits box cutters in carry-on baggage and requires sharp objects in checked bags to be sheathed or securely wrapped, according to the TSA prohibited-items list. Other countries and carriers may apply different rules, so buying or borrowing a cutter at the destination can be the simpler option.

Pack crew and daily operating supplies

• Pack or save the staff schedule and contact sheet where the whole crew can reach it.
• Confirm that each person has an exhibitor badge or knows where and when to collect it.
• Pack the agreed clothing quantity for each show day plus one practical spare.
• Pack comfortable backup shoes for crew members who need them.
• Pack refillable water bottles if the venue permits them.
• Pack mints, hand sanitizer, paper towels or cleaning wipes, and small waste bags.
• Pack low-mess snacks if outside food is permitted, and keep them away from demo equipment.
• Assign one small restock container for supplies needed at the start of each show day.

Prepare every outbound and return case

• Remove or cover every obsolete shipping label and barcode.
• Put the case number and packing owner’s contact details inside each case.
• Attach the organizer’s required outbound label to the correct side of each case.
• Keep return labels in the crew’s document pouch rather than loose inside an outbound case.
• Record the final dimensions and weight required by the carrier or shipping form.
• Put a copy of the contents list inside each case without advertising valuable items on the outside.
• Photograph the open case, its protective packing, and the closed case label.
• Record the carrier, tracking or pro number, and expected delivery date.
• Confirm where empty cases will be stored during the show and how the crew will retrieve them.
• Assign a teardown owner to each case before the show opens.

Before the cases leave

• Have each kit owner confirm every item, quantity, test, and fallback on the manifest.
• Match every closed case to the master case count.
• Separate the critical carry-on kit before freight or checked baggage is collected.
• Confirm that shipping documents and return labels remain accessible to the crew.
• Send the case manifest, photographs, tracking details, and receiving contact to the crew.
• Have a second person confirm the case count and sign off with the packing owner.

Packing is complete when the crew can name what is in every case, where it is going, and who will receive and repack it. Preserve the final manifest for teardown instead of rebuilding the inventory on the show floor.