It is a common problem faced by many travellers – how best to pack your suitcase to get the maximum space out of it and also how not to arrive at your destination to find all your clothes are creased!
Here are some top tips from
Any Airport Car Hire:
Plan ahead
If you’re going to be staying in a hotel, find out in advance what amenities they have, such as iron in the room, hairdryer, bathrobes etc. If these items are available to you then there is no need to pack them, which is a blessing as they’re all bulky items. If staying with friends or family, find out if you need to take your own towels and suchlike.
Think about the sort of weather you can expect when you get to your destination. It’s pointless packing a huge heavy jumper if you’re travelling to
Spain in the peak of summer!
Downsize where possible and improvise
Most shops now stock a good range of toiletries available in mini-size – especially useful if you’re going away for a short break. Why take a big bottle of shampoo and conditioner when you’ll only be washing your hair once or twice? Toiletries can take up a lot of space in your luggage and also can weigh quite a bit. So buy some mini-sized ones where available, this will save lots of space and weight.
You can also buy some toiletries at the airport, once you have gone through security. For example
Heathrow Airport and
Gatwick Airport both have a Boots outlet which should have most items you need.
If you are familiar with the area you are travelling to and know where the local shops are, it might be prudent to buy items such as shower gel, suntan cream etc when you get to your destination – saving valuable space in your suitcase!
Also think about improvising with certain items when on a short break especially. Shampoo can double up as shower gel or bubble bath, hair conditioner makes an effective shaving cream. Be creative!
Lists, lists and more lists!
It might seem a bit of a chore making a list of items to take with you, but this will pay dividends later on. Often what with the excitement and rush of going off on holiday or on business, things are easily forgotten and you could end up paying the price – especially when you get to the airport to find you’ve forgotten your passport! So make a list of all items to take, starting with the most important such as passport, tickets, wallet, mobile phone etc and then add to it other items that could easily be forgotten.
Plan your wardrobe
Whilst most of us can’t be bothered to think ahead as to what we might wear day to day, give some thought to how many items of clothing you will need. It’s ridiculous to take ten T-shirts for a three day holiday for example. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind to yourself!...so be strict with your choices and resist putting thing in “because I might just need it”.
Also depending on your destination and accommodation, you may be able to hand wash items or there may be a reasonably priced laundry service available – check in advance as this could cut down on the amount of clothing you need to take.
Packing the case
Make good use of room where possible – for example a pair of shoes can be stuffed with various items. Rolling clothes up lessens the chance of them creasing later. Toiletries should be in a suitable bag so that if there’s any chance something might leak – it won’t be over your favourite shirt! If you’re taking a towel or beach towel with you, a good idea is to lay that over the top of everything once you have finished packing, tucking it in all around – that should keep everything nicely in place.
Any valuable items or very fragile things should go in your hand luggage (obeying the rules of the airline of course, i.e. no sharp items, liquids over 100ml etc.)
Follow some of these handy tips and hopefully there will be no sitting on your suitcase to get it done up and no nasty shocks at the weigh-in at check-in at the airport!