Those of us that like to travel as affordably as possible know the battles that come with choosing to fly with hand luggage only.
Measuring the dimensions, checking the weight limit, trying to shove enough clothes into the case while keeping space available for souvenirs... it’s not for the weak, to be honest.
However, one ex-flight attendant and travel expert has shared her tips for effectively packing your cabin bag without having to compromise your favourite holiday outfits or the all-too-important souvenir trinkets.
Ex-cabin crew member Saskia Sekhri has teamed up with Next to share these essential tips ahead of summer holidays.
How to make the most of hand luggage space
Sekhri said: “Make sure you maximise your ‘personal item’, most airlines usually let you bring a personal item as well as your cabin bag (suitcase), so choose a generous-sized backpack or tote to maximise your capacity.
“Often women are well-prepared with their handbag prepped for travel, but men don’t always utilise this added bag option. If you’re travelling as a couple or family, don’t forget that this allowance is available for every individual passenger - so make the most of it!”
As for packing the bag itself, these tips can make a big difference:
Wear it, don’t pack it
I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before, but, Sekhri said: “Free up space in your hold luggage by wearing items such as heavy shoes or jackets on board, by doing so you reduce the risk of an overweight fee and shameful overweight sticker on your suitcase!”
Roll instead of folding
While folding is our first instinct when storing clothes, Sekhri recommends rolling them instead, saying: “Roll your clothes up instead of folding them, you’ll be surprised how much more you can fit and they’re also less likely to crease!”
Use packing cubes
Packing cubes are the air fryers of the travel world — if you don’t have them yet, you will soon and either way, you’ll hear all about them from loved ones.
Sekhri said: “These are game changers and my holy grail if I’m going on a long trip!
“Not only do they compress everything so you can pack more, but they also help keep everything organised. Think a different packing cube for different outfit options!”
She added that they are also really helpful if travelling with a family and can help to separate out laundry on your way home, making doing the post-holiday wash easier.
Use every nook
Sekhri said: “Fill your shoes with smaller items like socks, plug adapters, hairbrushes, scrunchies, I always end up finding random bits and bobs tucked into my trainers.”
Plan outfits ahead of time
What better way to get hyped for a holiday than planning your outfits ahead of time? Sekhri said: “Plan your outfits around a capsule wardrobe and take pictures of different outfit combos like your very own Clueless wardrobe!
“You’ll have a digital style guide of outfits you know work, so you can mix and match, and no stress wondering ’what am I going to wear today?”
Travel-sized toiletries
Sekhri said: “This might seem like an obvious one, but travel-sized toiletries are super useful!
“Skip the full-sized bottles, they’re so heavy and do you really need a 500ml conditioner for 1 week? You can also opt for ‘fill your own’ travel-sized containers and decant your favourites into the pots, which is cost effective too.”
Brb, re-thinking my entire travel set-up.