So, having done quite a bit of travelling this year I’ve learned from my mistakes and so am writing this guide on How to pack to help you avoid my travel disasters. 

One time my bag was so overweight it exceeded the maximum weight allowed by so much that I had to buy a second suitcase!

How to pack
How I would like to pack
How to pack
The harsh reality !

How to pack

Anyone who knows me will know I have a bit of a problem with concepts, such as ‘capsule wardrobe’, ‘wardrobe detox’ and ‘travelling light’, but after the number of times I have turned up at the airport with excessively overweight bags and have had to frantically unpack and stuff clothes into my handbag and/ or layer up with four or more jumpers, I’ve decided to adopt a more reasonable approach to packing!

I put this into practice for my trip to Barcelona and was delighted to find that my bag checked in at 4 kgs under the weight limit! Result!

However, after a shopping trip in Barcelona the return journey was a different story! Technically, my bag wasn’t overweight but it was so full that the zip broke and I had to have it wrapped in a sort of cling-film before I could check it in! Oh well, nobody’s perfect!

Anyway, I’m now in the middle of packing for a month long trip to California so this seems a good opportunity to retest my theory – I just have to remember to leave more room for shopping this time!

My approach to packing consists of one or two steps:

i) Select a capsule wardrobe (I will explain how to do this below)

ii) Put half of it back in the cupboard and pack the remaining half!

Of course, if you are perfect at step one, then step two becomes obsolete. I, however, still add a few extras in step one ‘just in case’, so always have to carry on to step two.

For ideas on how to pack and selecting a capsule wardrobe, read on:

How to pack in two easy steps

Step one of How to Pack : Select a capsule wardrobe

Select coats/ jackets/ handbags and shoes

I always start by selecting coats and/or jackets, handbags and shoes.

The reason for this is that these are the heaviest and/or most awkward items to pack, so I try to limit these to a minimum (and I am always wearing or carrying one of each!) and then the rest of my packing has to co-ordinate with my choices at this stage.

Coats/ Jackets

How to be Stylish and Comfortable when Flying

I always wear the heaviest one to travel (saves vital kilos!) and will usually take a second one in a lighter weight and different colour, unless I am going somewhere really cold and then I will just vary the colour.

I also always pack a comfortable cashmere cardigan in my handbag for a long haul flight!

Handbags

Selecting the right handbag is very crucial in the packing process. I will always take a big one on the plane (to stuff any overflow from my suitcase in!) and then a small, easily packed one for while I am on holiday.

Apart from being useful to stuff any overflow from my suitcase in, my handbag has to fit anything I might need on the flight: See below for what to have in your handbag/ carry on bag.

i)   the obvious stuff, such as passport, credit cards, money, keys, hotel bookings, car hire vouchers etc. (and remember if you are travelling with a visa or an ESTA do NOT pack this in your suitcase or you will have problems at customs! (and I speak from experience!)

ii)  my iPad/ camera/ phone/ books etc.

ultimate accessory gift guide

iii) sunglasses for when I land (partly because I hope it will be sunny when I get there and partly to hide my eyes and how jet lagged I look!)

iv) cosmetics (although I do pack most of my cosmetics in the hold luggage for a long-haul flight I will keep out what I need for the flight and also a few items for the first night (just in case my luggage gets lost or I’m too tired to unpack!). So, I will pack travel size toothpaste, deodorant, cleanser, moisturiser etc.. , as well as some make-up to make me look human when I arrive! Remember to pack all these in a plastic bag to go through security. I also take blush and eye-shadow in a powder form as then I can just take these loose in my handbag.

v)  underwear and sleepwear ! Slightly strange things to have in your handbag – but linked to my fear that my luggage may get lost! (If I am taking other carry-on luggage then these would be packed in there, along with a change of clothes for the first day!)

So, my big bag is now all packed up and ready to go.

How to pack

I usually also pack this little gold bag, as it is small and flat so easy to pack, yet big enough to fit my purse, sunglasses and phone and it has a holiday feel to it.

Shoes

Again, the obvious rules apply. I only take one pair of high heels on holiday for going out in the evenings and to minimise weight and maximise space in the suitcase I will wear them to travel (I know they’re not comfortable on the flight but the airlines usually provide socks on long-haul flights or add some slipper socks to your already very heavy handbag!)

Just one word of advice – try to wear shoes that are easy to take on and off, such as court shoes or shoes with stretchy backs and avoid shoes that tie around the ankles or have loads of buckles as you will have to take them off at security and the people behind you will look as though they want to kill you if you take 10 minutes to get your shoes off! (Also, beware of belts!)

Select the rest of your capsule wardrobe 

Now, you have the jackets, shoes and handbags anything you select should match with these. You may want to do a checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything. You will need:

i)   underwear and sleepwear

ii)  swimwear/ beachwear

iii) a selection of skirts/ shorts and trousers (the number of each you take depends on your personal preferences.) I tend to favour skirts as I wear these most often on holiday but will take shorts for activities such as hiking/ cycling and a pair of jeans in case it is cooler in the evenings

iv)  a selection of t-shirts/ tops/ jumpers that can be worn with all the skirts/ shorts and trousers. I always take a plain white t-shirt as it’s my ‘go-to’ in any situation.

v)  a few dresses if you like to dress up in the evening

vi) some flat sandals/ shoes for sightseeing/ beach

And don’t forget the rest of your cosmetics if you didn’t pack them all in your handbag

So, that’s step one completed! Now, if you’re capsule wardrobe looks reasonable then well done and you can just pack it all in your suitcase.

Step two of How to Pack : Review capsule wardrobe

However, if like me you find yourself asking if you really need ten dresses for a week, then you should move on to step two and put half of it back in the cupboard before putting the remainder in the suitcase!

Job done – you’re ready to go – and in the worse case as long as you’ve got your plane tickets, passport (and visas, if necessary) and credit cards in your handbag you’ll survive !

The next thing is to select the outfit for travelling – combining comfort and style – what a challenge!

I hope you enjoyed this feature about How to Pack, and have a look here for more of our travel tips.