7 Tips to Help You Pack for Your Holiday ...

By Rebecca

7 Tips to Help You Pack for Your Holiday ...

If you’re anything like me, packing is not your strongpoint. I always start out with the best of intentions, but these soon devolve into frustration that I can’t just take everything I own, and panic because the departure time is looming and my suitcase is still completely empty. In order to make sure I don’t just give in to failure and cancel my trip, I’ve developed a few foolproof guidelines to help me with my little problem. Here they are: 7 tips to help you pack for your holiday.

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1

Give Yourself Time

In order to make sure you don’t end up frantically stuffing a strange assortment of things into your holiday bag, begin your packing several days in advance. Keep your suitcase open in your room, and turn the process of filling it with stuff into a gradual one. This will give you a chance to do laundry, reclaim the important items your friends have borrowed, and to generally make sure your holiday outfits and other accoutrements are well-chosen, useful and appropriate.

2

Make a List

Take some time to sit down and give your holiday some thought. Consider the duration, the climate and the kinds of things you’ll be doing. On paper, figure out how many outfits you’ll need and what, if any, special equipment (like sports shoes, hiking gear etc) you need to bring. Once you’ve sorted this out and written it down, packing your bag should be an easy task.

3

Be Selective

Unfortunately, throwing your entire wardrobe into your bag isn’t going to work. If you’re flying, heavy luggage is a real no-no, and if you’re driving you’ll want to keep room in the car for your fellow vacationers and their belongings. Be very selective when it comes to picking out your clothes; try to choose items intelligently so that you can minimise the things you bring with you.

4

Choose Staple Pieces

When you’re trying to decide what outfits to bring, make sure you structure whichever pieces you choose around a set of good solid staples that can be mixed and matched to create a variety of useful outfits. Instead of packing ten different pairs of trousers, for example, take a couple of pairs of versatile jeans along with something a little smarter (or more utility-orientated, depending on the type of holiday you’re planning).This way, you’ll pack fewer pieces so your bag will be lighter; always positive if you’re travelling by air.

5

Don’t Overload on Accessories

Jewellery, in particular, can be fairly heavy to transport and it takes up a lot of room. Choose a few, all-purpose items; simple hoop earrings, a few adaptable necklaces. The same rule applies to things like belts and scarves. If you can, bring one or two all-purpose pieces that will definitely complement the rest of your holiday wardrobe. You’ll save yourself space and weight, and there will be more room in your bag to bring home vacation prezzies.

Famous Quotes

Happiness depends upon ourselves.

Aristotle
6

Pack Your out-to-Dinner Clothes

In my experience, holidays seem to be synonymous with eating a lot of tasty food. Unless you hiking up the Andes (in which case this list won’t really be much use to you anyway), you’re more than likely going to be doing a fair amount of dining out on your trip. Remember to pack a few forgiving items that will allow you eat a big supper and still look fab: very few people can pull off a skin-tight body con dress after three full courses and two helping of dessert.

7

Prepare for the Weather

Obviously, if you’re heading to a country with a hot climate, you’ll be packing dresses, shorts and vests: summer clothes. While the majority of your luggage should be filled with appropriately seasonal gear, you should always also include a few items that will keep you warm in the event of a sudden chilly snap, and, obviously, vice versa.

There are few things worse than arriving at your long-awaited vacation destination only to find that, in your haste, you’ve brought nothing except a dressing gown, your running shorts and a couple of cocktail dresses. Hopefully, my list of 7 tips to pack for your holiday will help you to avoid this kind of scenario; do you have any suggestions to add it?

Top Photo Credit: elitatt

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