Easy Packing Pointers
If you're yet to jet off on your summer holiday, you may be considering what to pack and just how many pairs of shoes and swimming costumes you can justify without doing your partner and/or children out of precious suitcase space.
As a person who is vehemently opposed to paying airlines any more than I have to for the privilege of taking enough clothes for a fortnight abroad, I have made it my mission to travel light these days. And while I would love to take half my summer wardrobe with me simply for the choice, my son and I will be travelling around a lot and getting on and off trains so the lighter our suitcase, the better.
This all started last year when I discovered that the package deal I'd booked to Marrakech and the Atlas mountains didn't include hold luggage. So irritated was I by the extra charges that I insisted we both travel with just hand luggage - not a bag to go in the overhead locker you understand, ohh nooo, it had to fit under the seat in front in order for it to be free. I was determined to beat the system and given it was only five days and I was able to get some Instagram content from it too, it seemed like a worthwhile challenge to set myself.
In the interests of encouraging you to read on, dear reader, I can reveal that we not only managed it with each of our bags easily fitting under the aircraft seats (this was a mini break but the guidelines work for a longer holiday) and we still had both daytime and evening outfits! How did we do it? Here are some easy packing pointers:
1. Skincare and hair products can usually be decanted or bought in miniature versions and there's really no need to take big bottles of cleanser and shampoo for two weeks. Slim down your make-up selection to one of each product with an extra lipstick and store them in the internal side zip up pocket or if you have a handbag take it in there so if the worst comes to the worst and your suitcase goes astray, you can still put your face on.
2. If you're a dress wearer, pick out your four faves with a variety of colour and dressiness. Lie each dress flat on the bed, turn each side in towards the centre so it's a rectangle shape and then tightly roll from top to bottom so you have a neat sausage-roll shape.
3. Choose three pairs of contrasting shoes. If trainers are one pair then wear them to travel in as they tend to be the heaviest and bulkiest (not to mention the most comfortable). Add flip flops or flat sandals and a pair of metallic shoes (they'll go with everything) for the evening. Put footwear into your bag first, if it's a suitcase then place them around the sides.
4. Pack two swimming costume options and stuff them to the bottom of the bag along with your underwear just in case your bag gets searched at the airport - this way they won't all tumble out as soon as the bag is unzipped.
5. Any casual pieces such as shorts and t-shirts can be added in. I suggest sticking to a colour palette of two or three colours so it's easier to mix and match and if one of these is black or white, even better. You will only need one warm layer - wear it on the 'plane, even if you just throw it around your shoulders or tie it around your waist.
6. Choose accessories that'll go with everything but dress up a dress for the evening; a neutral belt, hair accessories and jewellery will fit nicely into a small metallic or straw evening clutch bag or tuck inside shoes or an internal pocket.
7. It's a personal preference but if I'm putting a bag in the hold, I always carry a bikini, change of underwear, the afore-mentioned make-up and my toothbrush in my handbag. This takes up minimal space but means I'm covered for 24 hours if my bag doesn't arrive at the same time as me.
Happy packing and bon voyage!
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