Before I've even booked the holiday I've mentally packed for it and once I have actually booked it the physical packing begins, no matter how far in advance I've payed for the holiday! So as someone who genuinely enjoys packing and finds it an exciting activity I thought I'd share with you my many tips!
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
If you're someone who hates the thought of having to pack up your life to go away then you're also probably the same person who puts it off and frantically packs the night before. This is a recipe for disaster! Firstly you're going to chuck in so many random things that a. they won't even match so b. will probably not even be worn! Lastly, you are taking a situation which you don't really like and proving to yourself the reason you don't like it, if you take the time to plan and then slowly pack in a civilised manner you'll find the entire process a lot more fun and relaxing!
Write it down
The first step to packing a suitcase/bag for me always starts with sitting at my desk with an abundance of coloured gel pens, a pretty notebook and a cuppa. I then will write down the dates of my holiday so I can clearly see how long I am away and finally what I need to dress for eg. swimming, outings, smart dinners etc. Once I decide what I'll bring then I also write that on the same page.
Shop your wardrobe
The easiest way to decide on outfits to take is to actually look at your clothes! Take your time to re-introduce yourself to your Summer wardrobe and the pieces that only seem to make an appearance when you're on holiday! Then see what you can wear multiple times in different ways so you don't have to pack too many things.
Go to list
After you've done this a few times you can scan back in your notebook and soon you'll see a pattern on what you like to pack every time eg. washbag / make up bag/ chargers / sunglasses / book etc which really speeds up the process for your next holiday!
Lay everything out on your bed and take 5 away
If you find you're someone who over packs and you know you always end up bringing things back home unworn, lay everything out on your bed so you can see it all easily and then take away 5 items. This may seem difficult but it will show you that you don't really need 5 swim costumes for a weeks holiday, or 7 pairs of shorts for a two week break and you can wear things more than once and style them differently. I would at this point recommend over-packing on underwear as you do tend to shower a lot on holiday and change your clothes multiple times in a day!
Think small
I am very proud to say I can easily pack for a week long holiday in a carry on suitcase, mainly because of the above steps, but also because of how I physically pack;
- Stuff your shoes with underwear, pop each shoe in a plastic bag and place where the wheels of the suitcase are.
- Put your wash-bag in a plastic bag and again place near the wheels.
- Any thicker clothes e.g. jeans which can't be rolled, fold in thirds and put at the bottom
- Roll your other clothes (individually) and put on top of the jeans
- Finally leave your chunkiest item e.g. jumper/coat/towel and cover the entire top of the suitcase with it. This works well if your suitcase magically pops open whilst travelling as your items won't fall out! It also means your items are compact and won't move around which is perfect if you're packing anything fragile.
I hope you're enjoying this mini packing series and seeing what I've packed for my most recent trip away!
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