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Master the art of packing Hand Luggage efficiently with our tips for packing all your essentials easily.
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As you are probably aware, airlines can be strict on what they deem as the correct size for their free hand luggage option.
This makes it necessary to pack efficiently.
By following a few simple packing tips and using all the available space in your cabin bag effectively, you can make the most of what you have and avoid having to leave essential items behind.
Most importantly, by packing all of your essentials into Hand luggage you can save hundreds of pounds by avoiding checking in larger bags!
Following the tips below will save you a lot of time and effort when packing as well as reduce your stress level when going through airport security and boarding the plane.
How can I pack smartly to fit in all of my essential items?
Make a packing list:
As previously discussed, before you start packing, make a list of all the items you ‘need’ to bring.
Travel outfit:
Have a designated travel outfit that you can use on both of your flight days. This means you will have the same space coming home as you do going. This saves any issues when trying to pack in the hotel or apartment on the last day. You don’t want to waste too much time packing!
Wear bulky items:
If you need to bring bulky items, for instance, if you are travelling out of season and you are unsure of the weather. You may wish to take a warm coat or boots. Our advice would be to wear them on the plane instead of packing them in your hand luggage.
Pack versatile clothing:
Choose items of clothing that complement each other and can be mixed and matched in various combinations. This will help you pack fewer items while still having enough clothing options.
Roll your clothes:
Rolling your clothes instead of folding them can save space in your hand luggage bag. Plus, it also helps prevent creases in your clothing. Which is ideal when you don’t have access to an iron.
Use packing cubes:
Packing cubes are great for organising your clothes and maximizing space in your hand luggage. They can also make it easier to find the items you need when you arrive at your destination. Meaning you can avoid completely emptying your bag when you arrive at a new destination, for example, when island hopping.
Use vacuum bags:
Vacuum bags are great at space saving as they can help you compress your clothing into a small space. However, please consider the fact that you will also have to be able to compress them again at the other end to bring them home. Also, be mindful of any weight restrictions when flying.
Use every inch of space:
Be creative with how you pack your cabin bag. For example, we normally put socks or underwear inside shoes and place belts around the inside wall of the bag.
Fill your neck pillow:
Speaking of being creative; now we have not tried this one personally, but we have heard of people who, because neck pillows often get overlooked as an item, use the pillowcases and stuff them with clothing or underwear.
This is just an idea that you may want to try but as I said, we have not tried this ourselves so please don’t come looking for us if it doesn’t work for you! 🙂
Consider doing laundry:
I know this doesn't sound like the type of thing you should be doing on your trip but hear me out! Doing some light laundry at your destination can mean you don’t need to pack enough clothing for every day of the trip.
So, especially if you're going on a longer trip, consider taking a travel wash, just make sure it is under 100ml.
This could free up loads of space in a child's case especially as there would be no need to bring 10 of everything just in case they drop ice cream all down the front of them. Which they 100% will let’s face it!
Separate items that will stain:
Putting shoes in shoe bags and separating your liquids into a different compartments in your bag would limit the chances of anything staining or soiling your, already limited clothing.
Store your liquid bag in a front pocket or at the opening of your bag where possible so that it is easy to access when you are at security. Also, take a few extra zip lock bags with you in case yours rips or you need one on your return journey. They do have these in airports but we discovered recently that some airports charge for these now.
Toiletries:
Remember, when you are travelling with your family, you don’t all need to take a complete set of toiletries! I have seen so many, of what appear to be families in the security queue with virtually the same items in their liquid bags. Take the bare minimum and then you can dispose of all the empty containers behind, saving you room for a few small souvenirs on your return.
As a side note, remember that many hotels and even some Air BnB’s provide you with free toiletries so you may want to check this before you leave.
Be aware of any tech:
Often you will have to get all tech out of your bag when you go through security. Therefore, it is best to keep it accessible near the top of your bag. However, also be careful to store it in a manner that when you open the bag it doesn’t fall out and get damaged.
Personally, when we pack our camera gear, we use a small but sturdy clear makeup bag like this one. We use a clear bag as it allows me to take the whole bag out and place it in the tray at security without the need empty the contents out.
This works perfectly for our needs and allows me to include my GoPro and all accessories sim cards, spare batteries, battery charger and plug and our DJI Osmo.
Universal Travel plug:
Taking an All-in-one Universal Plug Adapter will save you space. Allowing you to leave your charger plugs and universal plugs at home.
Cosmetics and beauty items:
Again, for things such as none liquid makeup and makeup brushes, hair clips, razor, nail scissors etc, I use another clear makeup bag.
Invest in a small foldable hairbrush and if you like to have the option to both curl and straighten your hair, take straighteners only. You can do both hairstyles with this one item.
Reading:
If you like to read a good book on the plane why not consider taking an Amazon Kindle instead of a book?. As not only can you take as many books as you like but the Kindle will take up a fraction of the space of a single book.
Also at the moment, you get a FREE 30-day trial of Kindle Unlimited which will give you access to over 1 million books and popular magazines as well as thousands of audiobooks on any device. To find out more click here.
Instead of trying to squeeze in a normal beach towel which is often big and bulky, consider investing in a micro towel. These are great as they dry really quickly and roll up small into a little netted bag that you can carry easily.
Hat storage:
The best way to carry your summer hat is on your head, this will stop it from getting crushed as well as stop it from taking up a lot of valuable space in your cabin bag. Better still, take a baseball-style cap and fasten it around the straps of your bag so it can hand there without the need to be worn and doesn’t take up any space inside the bag.
Documents:
Print your flight, accommodation, passport photocopy and insurance documents in case you have no signal at the airport for any reason. Store these in a front pocket. This will save you from having to pull everything out to find them when needed.
Money, passports and phone:
In order to keep all money, passports and boarding passes together in one place. I take a small cross-body bag with me. This doesn’t really save space but will allow you to stay organised. When packing, make sure you included your cross-body bag inside so that you know there is room for it should you need to put it away.
At the airport, I wear mine across me at all times, so that I can get to all the essential things easily and keep my money and phone etc safe.
Going through security I simply put the bag down separately from my cabin bag. As having this ‘extra’ little bag is only an issue when boarding. If needed you can put it in your cabin bag as you board the plane and then quickly take it back out to keep on your knee during the flight.
That way you have it ready to put on when you get to your destination as you won’t have to worry about repacking it here. They don’t care how many bags you have!
It doesn't have to be daunting!
I understand that packing light can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. If you plan ahead and implement these handy tips and tricks, you will be able to make the most of your limited space and travel with ease.
The key is to not try and overpack. Remember to focus on essentials and to be strict with yourself.
By following a packing checklist such as the one in our What to pack when taking hand luggage only! Buy All Your Travel Essentials today in one place post and using handy items like Packing cubes and Vacuum bags, you'll be able to fit everything you need into your hand luggage.
So why not give it a try on your next trip and see how much easier and stress-free your travels can be? But most importantly, take note of how much cheaper is it to travel this way!
I am sure you will agree, saving anywhere up to hundreds on your luggage cost will make the extra time spent planning all the more worth it!
Happy packing!
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