Packing can be a nightmare so follow these tips and travel hapy
The annual war between us and our unruly suitcases is ever lasting. Thinking about what to pack is a task in itself, but trying to fit it all into an airline’s luggage allowance is a holiday nightmare, especially as baggage allowances are getting smaller and some airlines are now even charging for hand baggage.
We’ve all been there before – from your friend sitting on your suitcase while you try in sheer desperation to shut it, to finding out your bag is overweight at the airport and you have to frantically repack it at the gate, or worse still, getting lumped with a hefty excess baggage charge. Last year alone, Brits incurred baggage charges of £186 million as a result of over packing for their summer holidays. Unfortunately some of our holiday favourites are often to blame, with books and magazines taking up the kilos.
Here are some top tips to help you save space in your bag, making sure that sitting on your suitcase will become a thing of the past. You may even end up with extra room to bring back a few holiday treats!
1. Put your toiletries on a diet - If you’re only going away for a few days, you don’t need to bring full sized bottles of everything. Put your shampoo, conditioner and body wash into slimmed-down travel sized bottles, or buy them when you get there.
2. Go digital - Get all your favourite magazines without having to carry them, by downloading them onto your iPad with lekiosk, a funky 3D digital newsstand app that allows you to read magazines, whenever and wherever you want.
3. Prepare what you wear - Match up outfits before you start packing, this will make it easier to spot the items you don’t need to pack. Remember that a nice shawl or scarf can keep you warm so you don’t need to bring a jacket – and they look as good on the beach as they do on the town.
4. Ditch the handbag - Leave the hard leather handbags at home and replace them with light and easy to pack canvas tote bags.
5. Roll, don’t fold - Folding can crease your clothes, and it’s not a good way to save on space. Instead, make sure you up your maxi dresses, jeans and tees into tightly packed tubes.
6. Leave the digital camera at home - Leave your digital camera at home and capture those holiday snaps on your iPad or camera phone. This means you can also upload them straight onto Facebook, making all your friends jealous back home.
7. Embrace your bulky items - Make sure you wear your bulky items such as boots or a hoody for the flight, instead of packing them. This will mean you free up more space for other outfits inside your bag
8. Throw away those cheesy travel games - We all love travel games, but you can download all the top games onto your phone or tablet meaning you don’t need to lug them around in your bag.
9. Fill your shoes up - Don’t waste valuable space, each shoe has space that can be used for storage. Put rolled up socks and leggings (or even your favourite bottle of perfume) inside your shoes to maximise every inch of space.
10. Switch to a soft suitcase - A soft case offers more flexibility with its pockets and side compartments, giving you more room to squeeze in a few holiday essentials while still giving your luggage the protection it needs.
Share your holiday packing tips with us in the comments below or tweet us @FemaleFirst_UK
FemaleFirst
Shabana Adam @Shabana_FAM
Tagged in Travel travel tips Travel Advice Travel Essentials