Unless you travel weekly, when it comes down to actually packing that bag you carefully picked out, it can take a few tries to remember everything you need…and more likely than not, you’ll be left feeling pretty confident that you left out something important like deodorant.
Well, that’s why we decided to come to the rescue for you, and have you packing like a pro in one simple blog post. No need to thank us, just visit us to show us that well-packed luggage sometime, all right?
WEAR SHOES HALF A SIZE TOO BIG FOR AIR TRAVEL
Whether it be a short or long flight, if you’re wearing uncomfortable shoes then you will soon regret it. The pressure in the cabin means that your feet will invariably swell, and so take this into account by wearing shoes that are slightly too big. You don’t come out of your flight feeling like you’re walking on pins and needles.
Ladies, it’s also a good idea to ditch the high heels and opt for comfortable flats for your flight as well. They will also come in handy if you are going to be doing lots of walking at your travel destination.
MAKE YOUR SHOES MULTITASK
Shoes can end up taking up the most space in your bag, as most are bulky in some way or other. So curb this effect by packing as few pairs as possible, choosing shoes that will take you from day to night, and go with a variety of outfit options.
If you can get it down to one pair of casual shoes and one pair for when you need to dress up a bit more, then your bag will thank you immensely.
TRAVEL SIZED TOILETRIES MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
But don’t waste money buying the specially packaged smaller sizes. Rather buy in bulk, or simply buy the bottles you normally do, and then get some small empty bottles from your local pharmacy and decant the amounts you will need.
You’ll save a lot of space in your bag, and money in your wallet.
KEEP YOURSELF ENTERTAINED
Don’t expect your journey or your destination to constantly be entertaining you from all angles, all day. Load your iPad, Kindle or phone with your favourite games, apps and books and make sure that you can easily spend any waiting time without getting bored, or spending money unnecessarily.
Another great idea for leisure trips, is to use your downtime to document your trip. Keep a journal or write a blog to make sure that you keep all the memories that you are making alive.
CHOOSE THIN LAYERS OVER BULKY ITEMS
Make sure you’re always comfortable by rather packing thinner items that can be worn over each other, than opting for big bulky jackets that take up most of your bag. More often than not you will end up lugging round a big jacket more than you’ll be wearing it.
Layers also allow you to change up your look day-to-day more easily than if you wear one big jacket every day.
GO DARK (DARK HUES MATCH EASIER, ITEMS AND SHOW LESS DIRT IF YOU CAN’T GO HOME AND CHANGE)
If possible, pack mostly darker clothes. This is useful in two main ways:
- One: dark hues tend to match each other well
- Two: dark clothes are less likely so show dirt
Imagine you get tomato sauce on your nice white shirt at breakfast, and then can’t get back to where you’re staying until the afternoon to change? That can either ruin your mood for the day, or force you to spend money on a new top that you don’t need. Darker is better.
MAKE A TRAVEL NECESSITIES CHECKLIST
There are certain things you can’t replace once you get to your destination, such as passports. While packing, make a list of everything you need that’s essential for you to get to your destination, stay there and then also leave again.
Once you have the core essentials packed away, then you can start to choose the things you like to add to your bag, like that top you bought last week that you love.
DRY SHAMPOO
Traveling knocks out your normal routine, and you may not be able to do things like wash your hair when you’d like. Dry shampoo gives you back your freedom to confidently go and explore your surroundings, without feeling dragged down by greasy hair.
This is especially useful for business travel – if you woke up too late and have to rush to a meeting, then you can still make that good impression you were after without any fuss.
STOP, DROP AND ROLL – NOT FOLD
Not sure if you’ll always have access to an iron?
Want to fit as many clothes items into your bag as possible?
No more folding – it takes up too much room and clothes have a very high chance of becoming wrinkled as they move around (and will at least have the folding lines). Rather roll up all your clothes…down to your socks! You’ll find you have a lot more space to work with in your bag, and you won’t have to worry about wrinkled clothes on the other end letting you down when you meet new people.
MIX AND MATCH
And the ultimate for packing light – make sure that every item in your bag goes with every other item. Don’t pack outfits, pack multi-use items instead. Packing a pair of jeans that can be worn again and again is much better than packing different slacks and skirts for each outfit choice.
Just make sure you have enough of the one day only items packed and you’ll be a-for-away.