How to pack your bag

Think of the dimensions of your suitcase and where you should pack your items. You’ll put your main clothes on the non-roller side. Place your trousers at the bottom and stack them on top of each other in alternating directions.

Fold or roll tops so they’re thin, compact, and fit into small spaces. Place your underwear in the mesh compartment. Shoes should go at the bottom of the roller side so no dirt goes onto your clothes. Put accessories in packing bags or cubes and leave room for dirty clothes on the way back.

Here’s how to pack your bags like a pro, saving your suitcase zip and your budget.

1. Make a list

Toothbrush? Check. Sunscreen? Check. Mask and travel-sized hand sanitiser? Check. You might want to consider pre-printing your boarding pass or using your phone to ensure your boarding is as contactless as possible.

2. Seal your liquids

The air pressure in the cabin can cause the air in your toiletries to expand and, yes, explode. An easy hack is to reuse one of your sealed plastic bags and pop them in there, or put a little bit of beeswax wrap over the top of your bottles before you screw the lids back on

3. Roll and vacuum pack your clothes

No one wants a pile of ironing on holiday. To save space and stop creasing, roll your clothes instead of folding them, then place them in vacuum compression bags. Put your clothes in, seal the bag, then squeeze the air out.

4. Cube your clothes

Another good packing solution is packing cubes or bag packing bags: these help separate your items and can help find things faster once you get there. You can find packing cubes and packing bags for suitcases on Amazon and other online shops.

5. Fill dead space

When it comes to packing, make use of every inch of suitcase space. Roll tops, underwear, socks and other small items, and stuff them into your shoes to make sure every possible space is filled.

6. Save room for souvenirs

Love a souvenir or a memento from your hols? Make sure you leave a little space in your suitcase and keep your weight under the maximum allowance for those treasured keepsakes to bring home. Wrap any fragile items in clothes to stop them getting damaged.

7. Pack gadgets in (reusable) ziplock bags

How do you usually organise all of your electronics, cables, and those fiddly bits that take you ages to dig out at security? Simply place your phone charger, camera charger, adaptors and headphones in ziplock bags for easy access. Love a gadget? Check out our top travel accessories too.

8. Pack make-up in cotton wool

To prevent your pressed powder or eye shadow from cracking during your travels, place a flat cotton wool pad in between the pressed powder and the lid.

9. Leave books at home

Save space and weight. Download the eBook before your trip, whether it’s a steamy romance novel or a travel guide. You also don’t have to count on Wi-Fi to jump back into the story from your perfectly positioned beach chair. Just remember a water-resistant cover.

10. Pack valuables in empty bottles

To avoid the worst-case scenario of being robbed, be inconspicuous and don’t flash cash or expensive jewellery. Worried about valuable stuff in your hotel room? Hide it in an empty suntan lotion container. Use empty lip balm containers to hide rolled-up notes. Consider travel insurance too.

11. Avoid extra baggage fees by weighing your luggage

Make sure you weigh your bags on both legs of the journey to see how close you are to reaching the weight limit. If you’re close to the limit, wear some of the heavier items or cut down on what you pack in the first place.

12. Buy a lightweight suitcase

The most expensive designer suitcase won’t get you an upgrade. It’s better to be inconspicuous and go for a lightweight option. If you’re using a hardshell suitcase, this can add up to four kilos of weight before you’ve even started packing. Expensive isn’t always the best.

13. Know your luggage limits

Baggage allowance varies from airline to airline. Make sure you’re aware of your limits before you reach the airport. Some, but not all carriers will allow you to check in two bags, and the weight allowance can vary. Make sure you understand the hand luggage allowance and avoid costly charges at the gate.

14. Place heavy items near the wheels

Put any heavy or bulky items (shampoo, shoes etc) in your case first and place them at the bottom near the wheels. It helps the weight distribution of the case and won’t squish and wrinkle your clothes.

15. Make the most out of your hand luggage

Bags can go missing. Put valuables in your hand luggage and always pack a spare change of clothes in your hand luggage too, just in case your checked bag is lost or delayed. Familiarise yourself with these unusual items that are not allowed in your cabin bag.

Until da next Tyme

Sourced from Skyscanner .net