A travel blogger suggests planning your packing at least two weeks before you plan to leave.
Whether you’re a meticulous planner when it comes to packing, or leave it until the last minute before throwing random items from your wardrobe into a bag, it can be harder to pack for a weekend than it is for a longer holiday.
Stephanie Parker, an award-winning travel blogger, claims that just 35 items add up to the optimal amount of clothing you’ll need for a weekend, with just three pairs of shoes and accessories per person.
She also recommends packing enough clothing for several layers rather than your thickest clothing items, so you can prepare for any type of weather.
According to Parker, the process should start a couple of weeks in advance before you head to the airport.
“As travellers go through the first week, they should make sure all the items they want to pack are clean and put in a separate pile,” she says.
“During the second week, they should do a test run to make sure everything has been thought of and packed.
“The final pack should be done two days before departure and suitcases and hand luggage should be weighed and ready to go.”
What to pack for a weekend away
If you’re a parent heading off on holiday with young children, pack the essential items they’ll need for the flight, like bottles and nappies, but leave the sunscreen and inflatable armbands for buying when you get to your destination.
Again, Parker recommends making a list of everything you’ll need at least two weeks before your flight.
According to a survey of 1000 adults in the United Kingdom, two-thirds of travellers admit they leave packing to around three hours before leaving home for a trip, while one in 10 people leave it even later, putting off their packing until about half an hour before leaving.
Daisy White, now a crime fiction writer, worked as cabin crew for 12 years on both short and long-haul flights, including five years with British Airways.
Speaking to Metro UK, White shared a few packing tips she picked up along the way.
Air hostesses and stewards are used to lugging their own suitcases around on multi-stop long-haul trips, so they know a thing or two about packing light while including all the essentials they’ll need.
She advises to pack your underwear rolled up in your socks, admitting that “it sounds weird, but it saves room and keeps everything tidy”.
“Bras can be folded carefully inside dresses, T-shirts rolled up from bottom to top. Get a ziplock bag for your swimwear.”
White adds that she’s picky when it comes to which shoes she packs, because they can add weight to your bag quickly.
“Try to pack minimal shoes,” she advises. “Flip flops cute enough to double as evening shoes, trainers which double as gym shoes and sightseeing shoes.”
