The lead-up to a holiday should be filled with anticipation, as you count down the days to sun, sea and sand.
But the packing process can often induce pre-holiday anxiety.
It can be very difficult to figure out the exact weight of your luggage before you get to the airport to check-in.
The potential embarrassment and inconvenience of finding out you’ve gone over the allotted weight once you get there, is enough to fill any passenger with dread.
Adding to the stress is the changing guidelines for different airlines, when it comes to sizes and weights of your checked bags and carry on.
Express.co.uk has consulted the experts to get the best packing tips for reducing your baggage.
Chris Clarkson, Managing Director at www.Sunshine.co.uk, has revealed the travel hacks that will ensure the stress stays well away from your stress-free holiday.
Ditch the footwear
It may be super tempting to bring every pair of shoes you own but footwear can be bulky and often weighty so it’s important you fight the urge. If you’re going to a hot country, don’t take your favourite pair of boots; you aren’t going to wear them, even if they do go with an outfit you’ve packed.
Limit yourself to two or three pairs maximum when you go on holiday to free up some room in your suitcase and make it much lighter.
If you’re determined to take a pair that you know is heavier than the rest, wear them for the flight, reducing the weight in your case.
Roll clothes, do not fold
Many people make the terrible mistake of trying to fold their extensive wardrobe into their little suitcase. This, contrary to popular belief, is not the best way to go about packing your holiday goods; it actually makes far more sense to roll your clothes rather than fold them.
Starting from the bottom, roll up your shirts, skirts, trousers and dresses into very tightly packed cylinders which you can stack on top of each other like Tetris blocks.
Not only does this free up a lot of room but it also prevents your clothes from getting creased.
Use vacuum bags when possible
If folding doesn’t free up enough room for you, the best alternative is to purchase some vacuum bags and seal all of your clothes up tightly. Having all of your luggage vacuum sealed will minimise the size of your items drastically, which will create substantial of room, allowing you to take more of what’s needed.
Always take travel bottles – even in your suitcase
Even though you are allowed to take full sized bottles in your suitcase, to ensure that you are under the weight allowance it’s recommended that you still stick to travel-sized bottles.
Not only will it make your suitcase much lighter but it will also prevent you from wasting any product. If you do run out of anything while you are on holiday, you can always buy more.
Wear anything that takes up a lot of room
If you do need to take a coat or a big jumper, ensure you wear it on the journey there so you don’t have to pack it in your suitcase. Another method you can use is wearing multiple layers on the journey (although this isn’t always the most comfortable).
Research the weather beforehand
A great way to prevent packing clothes that you don’t need and won’t even end up wearing is to research what the weather is going to be like where and when you go on holiday.
There are plenty of websites that can predict how hot it’s likely going to be, as well as how much rain on average the destination receives each month.
Buy a lightweight, soft-sided suitcase
It’s easy to overlook the suitcase itself when you are packing but if you are worried you may go over the weight allowance, get yourself a lightweight, soft-sided suitcase. This could save you those last few crucial pounds.
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