As we finally make it to summer holiday season, we’ve been frantically researching where’s best to go on holiday now! But when it comes to booking your travel, that extra hold luggage fee can be off putting can’t it? So we caught up with some of the most well-seasoned travelling bloggers to find out their best tips for how to pack smart in the face of luggage restrictions.
As you may have seen, we are working with Away to give you the chance to WIN your very own Away luggage set in our Instagram competition! And after seeing how super easy and stylish these suitcases make packing look, we know you will be dying to have your own!
Pack white tops – they go with everything!
Kelly Eastwood, aka The London Chatter, always packs a white linen shirt, a white vest top and a white t-shirt – ‘you can’t go wrong!’ she advises. This way you can re-wear skirts, jeans and trousers to make new outfits which is especially useful for longer trips and lighter packing.
Roll Everything
Emma Bates, Head of Global Marketing and Operations at Away & blogger, suggests rolling all your soft and small items (e.g. t-shirts and shirts) and folding larger items like jumpers flat. This not only saves space in your suitcase (smaller items really do roll up small!), it also can save many of your shirts and t-shirts from creasing as deeply.
Always take something reliable
Even though a holiday is a great time to experiment with different looks, it is always good to take something you can always rely on, no matter what. Kelly recommends a black jumpsuit but really it is whatever your fail safe outfit is.
Don’t overpack
This is key whether you take hold luggage or carry on, nobody wants to pay extra at the scales! One top tip from Kelly is just before you zip up your suitcase, take a glance and whatever items grab your attention you remove. Its ruthless, but it works!
Always take spare sunglasses
As an exception to the overpacking, always overpack sunglasses. They’re so easy to break or lose and they are your must have accessory for any holiday. Make sure you only carry them in a hard case to prevent them breaking in your bag, if your sunglasses didn’t come in a hard cover just buy one it is definitely worth the investment!
Take a big scarf for the plane
Style and travel blogger, Carrie Santana da Silva of Wish Wish Wish, advises it doubles up for when it is unexpectedly cold when you get there! Plus, its very useful to have when you land back in rainy London.
Wear your heaviest jacket on the plane
Whether you’re going in the height of summer or on a winter break, wear your heaviest items on the flight. This not only saves space for other things in your suitcase, it makes it much lighter to carry! And also keeps you warm on the way to and from the airport if you need it! Natasha Ndlovu makes the good point that this also gives you pockets for your passport and phone – essential.
Buy mini versions of all your beauty products
To avoid becoming a whole new you on holiday, this is a great idea. Most brands have toiletry-sized versions of their brands now which means you can still smell and feel the same even if you’re on holiday! It is also a good idea to take some of these with you on the plane in hand luggage should you have a long stayover in the airport and want to freshen up, or if your (heaven forbid) hold luggage should get lost!
Always check the weather before you fly
As former Featues Editor of Hello! Fashion Monthly, Delphine Chui, explains in the video below, this may impact your expected travel times. It will also help you to know that age old decision: what do I wear to the airport?
Always take a power bank
Reem Kanj-Kemal makes the very important point to always take a phone charger so you don’t miss any Instagrammable opportunity if your phone dies, but Away are one step ahead of us because they have a USB charger port built in!
For more expert packing tips, check out Delphine’s fabulous video:
Now you know how to pack for your summer holidays, how do you decide what to pack? Check out our latest shopping guides and see if anything takes your fancy...