With the September school holidays in full swing, most people would take the chance to go on a short holiday for a well-deserved break with the kids. And with the meagre baggage allowance that most budget airlines offer, packing light has become really something of an art form. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a simple guide on how you can maximise the space within your suitcase without forgoing your creature comforts.
Images: Pinterest, Pixabay. This post first appeared on 16th January 2018.
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If you’re embarking on a short holiday that only requires a hand-carry luggage, pack half of what you would usually bring. Chances are, you probably might not use half of what you bring, so why waste those precious kilograms trying to bring more clothing options that won’t likely ever be taken out of the suitcase!
If your bag is running low on space, then start optimising the procedure by packing smart. The easiest method to free up space? Roll your socks up into balls and stuff them into the shoes that you’ve packed. Not only do they help to keep your footwear from denting during the rough handling process, they also free up some space for other stuff.
Travelling with your boyfriend or your husband? Share your clothes between both of your luggages. So in the unfortunate incident that one of your luggages go missing, you’ve still got a spare outfit in each other’s baggage to tide you through the day. Secondly, you also get to use some of his unused baggage space, freeing up more luggage compartments for your shopping.
Ever had to rummage through your entire luggage just to look for a fresh bra to wear? That’s what happens when you don’t compartmentalise. Invest in packing cubes, so that the next time you need to get dressed in a hurry, you’re not tossing out half of your suitcase just to look for that one shirt you brought.
Alternatively, use rubber bands if packing cubes are too expensive.
When you’re standing in front of your closet trying to decide what to wear on holiday, start first by identifying a colour scheme you can stick to easily. Because you don’t have the luxury of your entire closet when you’re travelling, it would be wise to choose two or three colours that can match each other, and pack items that fit into that colour story.
Rather than flat-packing or folding your clothing, save even more space by rolling them up. There are plenty of tutorials out there that can teach you how to roll a blazer or a certain skirt so you don’t damage the item, but the consensus we all agree on is that folding your clothes not only takes up more space, your clothes are more likely to crease up.
There is no way you’re going to finish a 200ml bottle of lotion on a week-long trip, so why subject yourself to all that extra weight when you can simply decant the amount you need (with a bit of extra), and leave the rest at home.
This requires a bit of planning in advance, but instead of throwing away your clothing months before your holiday, keep them around for your vacation. Then after you’ve worn them on your trip, toss them into the hotel bin. This frees up plenty of space in your luggage on the return flight, so you can shop for plenty of new threads to replace those that you’ve tossed. Plus, not bringing back so many worn items means less laundry to do.