Packing for a getaway always seems such a chore. Between airline baggage limitations & hand luggage liquid restrictions, as well as pairing up outfits and managing all weather-wear (when it’s not a sunny destination), trying to get everything squeezed in can be a pain.
My job often involves travel, but I am the queen of the weekend away too. As a rule, I only ever bring hand luggage (except if we are going on a longer holiday and then I will bring a bigger suitcase). This saves SO much time – both at the airport, at the destination and when packing to come home again - leaving more time to enjoy the destination or optimise my time between meetings if it’s a work trip.
I’m often asked how and what I pack, so I have collated a quick list of my top tips for packing like a pro (and saying goodbye to baggage reclaim queues!)… Hope you find it helpful!
1. One of the biggest mistakes travellers often make is not planning – and this includes checking the weather before you go – that way to can pack only the outfits you will actually wear. For me, sunshine is always preferable, I love a bit of Vitamin D – and lighter clothing means lighter bags (or more options if you’re not feeling like fully streamlining).
2. Lay all the clothes you want to bring out and then make like Marie Kondo on that pile and put most of it back! No matter what you tell yourself, the truth is you don’t need two outfits for each day - winners will always be the effortless, multi-tasking pieces that can take you from day into evening.
3. Colour co-ordinate. Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m a bit matchy-matchy and this really comes to the fore when packing for a weekend away. In winter my entire suitcase has been known to be black (for the record my travel uniform in winter is typically black leather jeans/leggings, black cowboy boots, a nice black blazer, black vest top or nice blouse and then a big scarf – non-black! – for comfort and to act as a pillow. If its cold, I’ll wear a wool trench over this and probably have lots of thin thermals from M&S for layering too. Then in the suitcase I’ll have an LBD and probably an LBJ (little black jumpsuit), plus walking trainers, jeans, layers of tops and swimwear – you should always pack swimwear, just in case!
4. Wear your heaviest items to travel. That gorgeously-soft chunky knit will be absolutely no use to you neatly tucked away in your suitcase when you’re sitting freezing on the plane – and we all know aeroplanes can be cold no matter what class you’re in.
5. Make use of space. All of it. If that means scrunching small items into any gaps you spot then so be it! Sunglasses inside trainers? Check. Pants in boots? Check. Always pack heavier items on the bottom and lighter fabrics on the top. Quick tip – pack silk or wrinkle-potential pieces into a dry-cleaning bag before folding, this will stop them getting too creased.
6. LIQUIDS: To save space, try to find and use up all those beauty and skincare minis from event goodie bags or beauty counter freebie samples (I keep all mine in a shoe box in the bathroom cupboard and save for travelling)… and if you want to be super organised and be more eco-friendly, decant your fave products into small bottles and jars in the days before travel so you’re not spilling everything in a last minute rush. Depending on your hotel, the in-room shampoos and body lotions can be on the economy side, so if you want speciality or luxe or organic products, maybe buy them when you get airside at the airport. And buy small so you can use them up while away and not have the whole liquids dilemma again on your return.
**PS - Now that we’re on the subject of liquids, make sure to top up on drinking water before and during the flight. We know getting past other passengers to go pee in what feels like a trap can be a pain, but nothing plays havoc with your skin like cabin pressure and dehydration - now that is a look we don’t want to arrive with! Oh, and always pack a good lip balm!