MY HANDY TIPS FOR PANIC FREE PACKING

You've booked the holiday your dream beach holiday and now your depature date is nearly here, but whats left is the packing! 

We all know people who start packing weeks in advanced with their packing list, and then there are those of us who no matter how organised we try to be, packing envitably becomes a mad last minute mess. This is followed by a panicked laundry bin selection, back-of-the-wardrobe raids, and then a dash round Boots at the airport, for all those crucial items you didn’t buy in advance.

According to a survey by ATOL, us Brits consider ourselves to be 'Perfectionist Packers', with just 1 in 10 admitting to a 'chaotic' last minute packers - sounds low if you ask me!

Which is why as your Personal Travel Agent, we are here to take away the stress of packing, with our beach packing list and our 10 top tips for panic free packing...

 

Psssst....Take a screen shot of the checklist so it's in your camera roll ready for when you're packing.

 

 

Our top 10 Tips Packing Tips

As much as we try to plan we fall into guilty habits, of either over packing or just throwing everything into the case. So here are my top tips so that you have more room for souveniers in your case, instead of than stuffing it into your hand luggage... We've all been there. 

PACK LIGHT

It really is so much simpler when you have less to lug around, you don’t have to stand in line at the check-in desk worrying you’re about to be charged an arm and a leg for excess baggage, or fret about your case bursting open because the zip’s so strained. My main rule for packing light is to stick to the ‘do I actually need to take this?’ rather than the ‘ooh, you never know, I might fancy wearing this’ method.

PLAN YOUR OUTFITS

Think about actual outfits you’ll wear, rather than aimlessly pulling random garments out of your wardrobe. Think about the type of holiday you are going on. If you are staying up in the mountains in a villa with a pool chances are you won’t be going out every night for dinner. Mix and match items – you really don’t need to take the equivalent of three distinct outfits a day. You definitely don’t need three pairs of heels.

PRODUCT PROTOCOL

Be realistic about products – and amount of products – you’ll actually use. If you are staying in a hotel, they are more than likely to provide shampoo and shower gel, and if you are travelling with others, perhaps consider sharing? Products fit snugly and safely into shoes and it’s a good use of space.

BUY SENSIBLY

There’s always the temptation to splash out on a ‘whole new holiday wardrobe’. But most of us are on tight budgets, and we all know impulse buys often end up being a waste of money. Investing carefully in one or two items, however, that will enhance your holiday experience and be useful time and time again, is a wiser approach. Perhaps really well-made luggage, a great carry-on bag, a sarong you’ll wear constantly, one decent pair of flip-flops, compact gadgets …

ROLLING IS THE WAY TO GO

A more efficient way to pack is to roll up garments tightly; ensure all space is used by tucking smaller items inside shoes, and removing things from unnecessary bulky packaging wherever possible. This is where starting early really counts: give yourself time to make sure everything fits, and either play around with how you’re packing – or be stricter about how much you’re taking – and still have time for a good night’s sleep before you set off for the airport.

SPREAD THE LOAD

If you are taking more than one suitcase try to make sure you have a little of everything in each case. If one of your suitcases is lost it might be a couple of days until it arrives at your hotel. All the swimwear in the lost case will mean you won’t be able to cool off in the pool.

A CUSTOMISED FIRST AID KIT

This goes beyond your usual plasters and paracetamol supplies. Think of all the bits you might need to recover from over-indulgence, as well as minor scathe. Tailor this to the type of holiday you are going on. i.e. if you’re off somewhere hot, don’t forget the Afterbite and a soothing after-sun, just in case. If you’re going somewhere exotic, you might give special attention to stomach settling remedies, etc.

HAND LUGGAGE

Getting hand luggage right makes a world of difference. Make sure all those vital documents (passport, ticket, hotel details etc) are all securely stored together, so you know exactly where they are and can access them quickly when needed. Empty your hand luggage and pack it from scratch before travelling – you really don’t need to be carrying unnecessary weight. Place all liquids under 100ml, and make up, in a clear plastic bag and place in your hand luggage. This way you can be the smug traveller who has prepared in advance and you don’t have to scramble around in your hand luggage before going through security. 

GUIDE BOOKS

Take one with you! Wherever your destination, buy a guide-book and learn about the country and places you will be visiting. It’s fun to read on the plane, and you never know, you may end up discovering places you had only dreamed of.

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

Don’t abandon all common-sense when you arrive at your chosen destination. We Brits are a proudly practical bunch, but it’s funny what a bit of sunshine and a few Pina Coladas can do to our sense of reason!