7 Must-Know Holiday Packing Tips for Stress-Free Travel
Packing for a holiday divides people into two schools. The first leaves everything to the last minute, throwing in as much as possible; the second packs early and systematically, but often has to unpack again because they need something already stowed away in the suitcase. Hence, these useful holiday packing tips.
Well, I happen to be the first case (as most backpackers do) but believe me, if you want to pack for a holiday better, you don’t want to do that. For most of my journeys, I end up leaving something or the other behind and later regretting it.
But whichever side of the packing divide you fall on, don’t worry – there is a middle ground too. And this middle ground, my friends, will help you back better and more efficiently.
Contents hide 1 Holiday Packing Tips: 7 Tricks 1.1 Make A List 1.2 Roll Your Clothes 1.3 Use All The Space 1.4 Keep It Fresh 1.5 Make-Up 1.6 eReader Over Books 1.7 Carrying ValuablesRelated Read: What I Pack For My Travels
Holiday Packing Tips: 7 Tricks
Before we start with my essential holiday packing tips, let me talk a little about myself. This is to assure you that whatever you’re going to read below is coming from an expert.
I quit my corporate career in 2016 and since then I have been only travelling. From budget backpacking to holiday packing tips, I learned and mastered it all myself. In total, I have been to a zillion trips, most of which were conducted solo. I pack myself, travel myself, and live myself. in short, if it’s about tips and tricks on a travel subject, you can rely on me. And speaking of some most useful holiday packing tips, well, here are some:
Make A List
Without a packing list, you can so easily forget something, especially if it’s not something you use every day, such as suncream, sunglasses, or even a swimming costume. The essentials such as your passport, ticket and holiday money might not make it into the right bag if you’re not careful, and this all adds to the stress that you don’t want to feel just before jetting off.
Equally, a list stops you from over-packing and taking loads of clothes with you that not only never leave the suitcase but also weigh down your luggage (and could lead to excess baggage charges).
Roll Your Clothes
To fit more into your case and prevent as much creasing as possible, the best tip I can give you among these other amazing holiday hacks is to roll your clothes, and not fold them. Once they are rolled you could even put them into vacuum compression bags and save even more space (you seal the bag then squeeze the air out, flattening the clothes rather usefully).
Rolled clothes also look more systematic in your suitcase or the backpack, making it easier to find out if you’re missing anything of need. It moreover allows you to pack your clothes in one corner and the rest of the stuff in the other.
Use All The Space
Packing well means using all available space in your bag. If you can do this, you won’t have to take more than one suitcase, and you won’t have to fill up hand luggage with all the bits and pieces you couldn’t fit in your main case. This means filling your shoes with underwear, for example, and remembering to use the extra pockets in both your bag and your clothing to store smaller items.
Keep It Fresh
When you arrive at your destination, you won’t want your clothes smelling musty from having been in your suitcase, especially if there is nowhere to wash them or hang them out to air in your hotel. To prevent this, include a bag of potpourri in with your packing or add a scented drawer liner. This will be enough to make your clothes smell lovely, and it won’t take up any additional room.
Make-Up
Packing make-up can be a problem – it often arrives at the other end of the journey cracked and potentially unusable. To stop this from happening, simply slip a cotton wool pad between the powdered makeup and the lid of the container.
eReader Over Books
For many, going on holiday is the ideal chance to catch up on all that reading you wanted to do during the rest of the year but didn’t have time for. Because of this, it can be tempting to pack a stack of books; after all, you don’t want to run out when you’re relaxing on the beach or by the pool.
But unfortunately, books are heavy. If you really do want to read and think you’re going to get through lots of books on your holiday, buy an e-reader. They can store hundreds of books and weigh less than a single book.
Carrying Valuables
Valuables such as precious jewellery, cash, your passport, and other useful documents may need to be taken on holiday with you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep them safe. Clean and empty lotion bottles are perfect for storing jewellery, and lip-balm containers can make paper money totally invisible, for example.
Although packing may not be your idea of fun, if you follow our guide and plan well ahead of time, you’ll be able to relax and get ready for your holiday without having to worry about forgetting anything or packing too much. You can get it just right!
