With holiday season ahead, glean some packing hacks from this piece …
On my last family trip to Spain, my sister did a double take at the clothes hanging in my wardrobe. There were dresses, lots of them; minis, maxis, printed, plain. Cotton, of course, but the excess didn’t end there. My stash also included five pairs of shorts, four pairs of shoes and four swimsuits, which is all before we got to the accessories (plus a mini-edit of jaunty holiday shirts). My husband even managed to pack in some acrylics, “should we get a whim to paint” (side note: we didn’t, we got distracted by rosé).
I’ve always been of the ‘squeeze it in and see mentality’, although this, of course, hasn’t been without its fair share of stressful moments at the Ryanair check in desk. By this point, I am well known for pushing my packing allowance to the limits: during my college years, I once travelled across the US on multiple internal flights with a vintage fur coat I’d proudly bought at a flea market in San Francisco in tow. The extra layer wouldn’t have been so bad, if it hadn’t been July.
On this most recent trip, after purchasing an excess of baskets (it was Mallorca, need I say more), I trilled onto the return flight with three baskets as my carry-on. My workaround was, I thought, simple: I bought a huge one and layered two more inside it, nestled next to essentials like my phone, laptop, charger, hand cream, lip balm and passport. It was a veritable Russian Doll of carry-alls. It’s not for everyone, but it certainly did the job and Aer Lingus didn’t bat an eye.
I recently fell down a rabbit hole of packing videos on YouTube, and picked up some seriously good tips on how to embrace multi-purpose products (see below, although I will be taking the conditioner-as-cleanser tip with a pinch of salt) as well as clever ways to store jewellery (pill boxes) and charging cables (sunglasses cases).
Rule out some items: Travelling with a 10kg bag does automatically rule out some pieces, first to go for me were heels: too cumbersome and they take up too much space. Secondly, abandon any notion of less-important toiletries like shower gel or generic body moisturiser (I pick those up locally), you’re going to need to prioritise space for serums, plus a good night cream. Try to buy a day moisturiser that doubles as a high strength SPF. CeraVe does a good day moisturiser with SPF 50. Use a cleanser that’s a balm, rather than a liquid; it may not have to go in your liquids bag. Lastly, I always hedge my bets that the accommodation will have a hair dryer.
Clever storage: The golden rule of packing, though, still seems to be ‘the roll up’, that is rolling your pieces into cigar-shaped rolls, allowing for maximum space. Storing items such as underwear into sandals and hats, is another worthwhile tip. My favourite is making maximum use of the oft-overlooked zip-pocket at the front of my luggage; it’s where I store flip-flops plus any reading material, like magazines, I want on the plane.
Other clever storage: Wearing layers is always advisable: any weighty items, including long trousers, jackets and fine knits or cardigans (including the one you want to throw around your shoulders when dining alfresco) should be worn on the day of travel. The last rule is to take advantage of your significant other. Are they a minimal traveller? They could have room for an extra dress, or some toiletries.
The bottom line: make sure everyone in the party is maximising the allowance you’re entitled to. Lastly, take a deep breath and remember: it won’t always be like this. Sunnier climes, holiday crisps and Aperols are on the horizon. And (hopefully) a not-too-dire selection of clothes to enjoy, while you’re at it.
