Categories: Travel

What To Pack For The Holidays And What To Leave At Home

Packing for that holiday can be a real challenge. To become a packing master we have created a guide to help you.

Chances are you’re off on holiday soon and preparing to fly away for a week or two of pure bliss, but packing for that holiday can be a real challenge. Great packing is a rare talent, much like calligraphy or juggling, and I often find myself arriving at my destination with a lot of things I don’t need. To avoid this we have created a guide on what to pack for the holidays and what to leave at home.

What To Pack

While we are trying to suggest a lighter approach to packing, there are still a few imperative essentials you cannot forget. In addition to your passport, travel documents and suncream, here’s a list of five items to pack for the holidays.

1. Books

Try and tell me your ideal holiday doesn’t involve lounging by the pool or the beach, reading multiple novels cover to cover whilst topping up your tan. Because mine certainly does. If you’re a fast or avid reader then you definitely don’t want to run out of reading material when you’re away, so make sure you pack enough! To save room in your suitcase books can easily go in your hand luggage and that way you can read on the flight too. The current New York Times Fiction Best Seller of 2019 is Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Read the blurb here.

“For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens.”

Sounds amazing, right!?

2. Aftersun/Moisturiser

I know what you’re thinking… will I really need it? You want to try and save space in your suitcase and not go over your allocated luggage weight limit, but yes you will need it. After a day of laying in the sun, your shoulders will definitely be thankful. No one wants to look sunburnt and no one wants their skin to peel either. Ew.

3. Waterproof Mascara

Even when you’re splashing round in the water or sweating it out you still want to look fabulous! And no one blames you! Instagram worthy pictures are a must. In order to achieve this, it’s likely your normal mascara might not cut it, so go for a waterproof one instead. There are hundreds available at a range of high and low prices. Test some out and see what works best for you.

What Not To Pack

One of the most common mistakes made whilst getting ready for your holiday is packing too much into your suitcase. Not only is it often not necessary to take so many clothes, and god knows what else, but it can also cost a fair bit of cash if your suitcase ends up weighing more than your allocated luggage allowance. Less is more, ladies.

1. An Abundance of Underwear

No this isn’t a weird version of the best selling John Green book. Instead, we’re talking about the hundreds of pairs of knickers us girls tend to pack. You’ll never need them all and they surprisingly take up a lot of room. Plus, when you get back home you won’t have any clean available pairs to wear.

2. Too Many Heels

Will you really be wanting to wear heels every single night? Probably not. No one will notice if you wear the same pair twice, or even three times. One pair of mid-height block or wedge heels and a strappy pair is all you should take. A top tip is to plan your outfits advance, and if an outfit doesn’t look great with certain shoes, it’s not coming on the trip.

3. An Iron

So apparently people actually do this. I had no idea. And to be honest it does seem silly. Even though tightly packed away clothes do run the risk of creasing before your holiday has even properly begun, most hotels have an iron in every room or at least one you can request from reception. You might even get a trouser press if you’re super lucky. Another top tip – roll instead of folding. It saves space and prevents creasing.

And now you’re all ready to go off on your holiday with a fabulously packed suitcase, that will serve you well but not be over the allocated luggage allowance. Enjoy!