Are you the type of traveller still packing in the car on the way to the airport? Do you have a hard time figuring out which items you simply can’t do without? Do you ride your suitcase, Bucking Bronco style and wrestling with the zip, when it’s time to wrap things up and get going? If you’ve answered yes to these questions, then firstly, welcome to the club. But more importantly, it might just be time to take a different approach to your holiday packing. With that in mind, here are 8 IDEAL ways to save space in your suitcase when travelling.
PACK VERSATILE MIX AND MATCH CLOTHING PIECES
To reduce the load from the start, make sure you’re packing versatile clothing pieces. Ideally, you want to be able to pack items that can be mixed and matched with each other to give the illusion of fresh new pieces each day, when in reality you’re just skilfully pairing the same old clothes. A good way to go about this is to pick one colour palette and stick within those parameters when choosing which clothes to pack.
Denim is one of those materials which works with pretty much everything in the holiday setting, and can be styled to be casual looking, trendy, or even a bit more dressy. Accordingly, a pair of great fitting men’s slim fit jeans, such as these from EDWIN jeans, coming in a variety of styles and washes, or a similar style of female skinny jean, are ideal. These can be dressed up or down as the occasion dictates.
INVEST IN QUALITY LUGGAGE & REGULAR MAINTENANCE
A good suitcase holds all your stuff when you travel. Investing in a durable suitcase can save you space and, more importantly, prevent unwanted mishaps during your journey. But sometimes, even strong suitcases can get damaged after many trips. Instead of throwing away a suitcase because of a small problem like a broken zipper or wheel, consider fixing it. So, before you start packing, give your luggage a thorough once-over. Check the zippers, handles, and wheels for any signs of wear and tear.
Should yours be looking a little worse for wear, then consider seeking the help of a UK suitcase repair store to prevent the hassle of a malfunctioning suitcase on your trip. It is also more cost-effective than impulsively buying a new suitcase at the last moment. Moreover, a well-maintained suitcase functions more efficiently, making packing and unpacking smoother experiences.
USE TRAVEL-SIZED TOILETRIES
Let’s be honest; you don’t really need to be lugging around all of your shampoo, conditioner, body wash and the rest. Instead, go for travel-sized toiletries. Better still, look for mini-sized, reusable containers that you can fill up at home, saving you a little pocket money and reducing your plastic use in the process. Result! On that note, check out these sustainable, plastic free products we’re into right now.
LIMIT YOUR FOOTWEAR OPTIONS
When you think about the one item that takes up the most space in your luggage, it’s got to be footwear. However much Tetris you play with interlocking loafers or stacked sandals, shoes tend to be heavy and bulky, and it’s not like you can just roll or fold them up to save space.
Be ruthless in the amount of footwear you’re taking. Ideally, you just want to pack one pair and wear your other pair for a short trip; one for strolling and one for the evenings out. Much more than two is going to get far too cumbersome, though you can use the inside of your shoes as extra packing space in your suitcase, putting your socks or other small items in them, if you do want to justify bringing more.
TRAVEL IN YOUR BULKIEST ITEMS
Though you may value your comfort when passing through security and settling into your plane seat, it’s sensible to wear your bulkiest clothing items while in transit. Yep, all of them, even if this means layering up in several jumpers and moving through the airport like Michelin Man. Actually, to be honest, if you’re travelling by plane, these layers could well be welcome; it gets awful chilly up there.
ROLL & FOLD
Are you a roller or a folder? Perhaps you swing both ways. Well, we actually like to think it’s a little more nuanced than that. In general, rolling lighter clothes like t-shirts, skirts and underwear works a treat, and you can stuff them into the nooks and crannies of a suitcase (including those shoes we mentioned earlier) which a folded item just couldn’t wriggle into. But with the bulkier stuff, folding is the better space saver, as keeping those padded items as flat as possible amounts to less space filled. A little from column A, a little from column B, we think. And who said compromise was dead?
MAKE WISE USE OF YOUR CARRY-ON BAG
Most people tend to travel with more than just their suitcase; typically a carry-on bag or hand luggage. The temptation here is to keep the bag on your back light, since security checks can be such a pain and unwarranted paranoia about being frisked always kicks in. But carry-on bags can provide you with additional space for packing, and as such, should be utilised. Keep in mind that specific airports and specific airlines have restrictions and rules in place as to what can go in a carry-on, how big the items can be, and how they need to be packed. Be sure to look into all the rules well in advance of travelling.
DIVIDE & RULE
Don’t you hate how fast your holiday hotel room becomes a bombsite, with clothes strewn all over the shop, and some inadvertently left behind, just because you couldn’t find your mascara in the mayhem? Yep, us too. Some lightweight suitcase dividers will see you right, enabling at least the illusion of some organisation in that bag of yours. Tidy suitcase, tidy mind, and all that.
And with that, you’re ready to roll on. Before you switch on that aeroplane mode and hassle the air steward for a g’n’t, check out these; our tips for surviving long haul flights. Happy holidays!