Hand luggage vs checked in case - the biggest advantage of travelling only with hand luggage, is that there's no danger of it going missing en route! According to Direct Line travel Insurance, fewer than 6 in 1000 cases get lost by airlines, but you'd sure hate for yours to be one of those six! There'll also be no waiting around at the luggage carousel the other end, so you can beat the long taxi queue and get down to the beach quicker!
Holiday capsule wardrobe - rather than finding the biggest case possible and filling it with as many clothes as you can cram in, why not try to plan ahead this year and take only what you're definitely going to wear?
You know how many days and nights you're going to be away and you've done your research into what the weather's going to be like.
Find out in advance how smart (or not) the area you're staying is in the evenings and whether or not you'll have access to a laundry service? Paying for a wash to be done mid holiday, often works out more cost effective than checking in a suitcase!
With all this information, you should be able to plan your holiday outfits before you leave and avoid taking a whole heap of clothes with you, that end up not being worn! The more clutter free and organised your wardrobe is to start with, the easier your outfit planning will be.
One packing rule always worth keeping in mind is, only give valuable packing space to those items of clothing/shoes that work with at least two (preferably three), different outfits.
Folding & space savers - wear your heaviest/bulkiest items to travel in, that way you'll free up the maximum space for the rest your holiday packing. Pack shoes at the bottom of your bag. Fold and roll all your clothes (see photo above). Not only does this save valuable space, but it avoids unnecessary creasing.
Need (or prefer) to take your own pool or beach towel? Hammam towels and the 100% reclycled quick dry towels from Dock & Bay (stocked by Filling Good), are perfect for this. Not only do they dry quickly, and double up as a sarong, they're also lightweight and easy to roll, fitting into a small space in your bag.
Books vs Audio - love reading on holiday, but hate carrying a bag full of heavy books? Listening to audio books on your phone via Audible might be just be the thing for you. Alternatively many hotels and resorts now have a book swap service, enabling you to leave the book you've read and choose something new.
Refillable toiletries & reusable make up remover pads - if you have any of those little toiletries from hotels lying around, now's the time to use them up. If you're not so keen on what's inside them (or they're past their best), wash them out and fill them with products you do like. These minis are the perfect size to go through airport security in your hand luggage.
I stopped using wet wipes of any kind a few years ago, including make up remover wipes. I switched to the reusable make up remover pads (stocked by Filling Good and widely available from other zero waste stores). These are easy to rinse out and use again and again, making them a bulk free (as well as plastic free), holiday alternative. Another swap I've made since my "hand luggage only" photo was taken, is switching from a tube, to toothpaste tablets (again space and plastic saving).
Empty water bottle - avoid buying an overpriced, single use, bottle of water at the airport (and throughout the rest of your holiday) by taking your own refillable water bottle with you. Just don't forget to take it to the airport empty and refill it the other side of security.
Sible cups and bottles are perfect for taking on holiday as they collapse when not in use!. Many airports worldwide are now offering a free water bottle refill service, use Water at Airports to check availability before you travel.
Bon voyage and have fun in the sun!
If you have any tips for travelling light this summer, please add them in the comments below ⬇️
Jo Hall is a Professional Home Organiser and Clutter Free Living expert 🏠
If you would love to have a really good sort out but don't know where to start, or maybe you've made a great start with it, but have since lost your way, Jo can help!
Jo works online with clients worldwide 🌍 via 1:1 sessions, DIY resources and group courses 👩💻 Guiding overwhelmed people to break free from the burden of stuff.
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