If you’ve ever found yourself frantically stuffing clothes into your holiday suitcase at the last minute or agonising over whether you’ve forgotten something essential, you might be suffering from Travel Packing Stress Disorder or TPSD. As someone who used to loath packing (not great when you write for a travel magazine), I regularly overpacked yet still managed to forget something. However, with a bit of forward planning and some nifty accessories I have said ‘Adios’ to TPSD and ‘Bonjour’ to stress free packing. Here’s my top eight tips to make packing for your travels a breeze.
Start with a Packing List
The key to avoiding TPSD is proper planning, and a packing list is your best friend. Before you even think about touching your suitcase, sit down and make a list of everything you’ll need for your trip. From clothing and toiletries to travel documents and electronics, jot down everything you’ll need to bring with you.
Research your Destination
I once packed four pairs of heels for a trip to the Maldives to only get there and not wear a single pair. If I’d done my research, I’d have realised the vibe was bare foot luxury so no heels necessary. To avoid this, do your homework. Look at the hotel website and socials to get a feel for the dress code. Some of the restaurants might require a collared shirt or have a no beachwear policy. Also check out the weather forecast, this will help you when it comes to selecting outfits.
Pack Outfits
One thing that has helped my TPSD is packing versatile staples for during the day that can be dressed up and down. Trying to lay out outfits for each evening, dresses and jumpsuits are good options as they take up less room in your case. Remember, you don’t need to pack your entire wardrobe – stick to the essentials and mix and match clothing items to create different outfits.
Use Packing Cubes
I recently discovered packing cubes and have never looked back, they are a game-changer when it comes to staying organised while traveling. These handy little pouches allow you to compartmentalise your belongings, making it easy to separate clean clothes from dirty ones and keep everything neatly organised. Plus, they help compress your clothes, saving even more space in your suitcase.
Streamline Toiletries
Toiletries can be heavy and take up a lot of your luggage allowance so decant your favourite products into travel bottles and get a smart storge holder. I love the Briggs and Riley Essentials toiletry case, It is translucent so I can pinpoint my essentials and is large enough to hold all of my make-up, bottles and hairbrush in. The design is sleek, durable and can easily be wiped down if you have any leaks and easily fits into a suitcase or tote.
Opt for ‘Smart Luggage’
I once found the coolest tiles while on holiday in Lisbon, I knew they’d be perfect for my reclaimed fireplace but getting them in the case was a struggle. If like me, you love to pick up some local souvenirs and goodies you will need to leave space in your case or invest in ‘smart luggage.’ The best investment I have made was in the Briggs and Riley carry-on case with CX® Technology. This stylish suitcase gives you the ability to jam-pack your bag with everything you need (and want, and then some). But thanks to the incredible patented compression-expansion system, not only can you expand your bag up to 22 percent, but then you can compress it back down to carry-on size.
Don’t Forget Gadgets and Electronics
There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination only to realise you’ve forgotten an adaptor or phone charger. I invested in a multi-charger cable that means I can use it to charge my phone, Kindle and speaker without the hassle of packing lots of leads. You can also get similar adaptors that are multi-use destinations all in one cube. For long-haul travel I always keep my adaptor and charger cable in my hand luggage, so I don’t arrive at my destination with no juice in my phone.
Use a Jewellery Case
Keep all your bling in one stylish case with the Caroline WOLF jewellery portfolio. Available in ivory, red or black this soft leather quilted wallet with gold hardware includes 13 earring holes, one ring roll, two compartments and four necklace holders with pocket. It also uses LusterLoc™ fabric lining inside the case to absorb the hostile gases known to cause tarnishing. I love it because I can take all my favourite accessories on holiday without the worry of losing it or anything getting damaged.