How To Maximise Your Travel Bags!
I know what you're thinking: "Faith, we can't go anywhere, why are you writing this now?" Well, I figured a lot of people are sorting out their wardrobes and cupboards so you might find various travel sized tubs and free samples lying around. Also, I can't be the only one gawking over old holiday photos and sobbing over my cancelled trips, so I thought this might spark a bit of excitement and hope for your future trips!
In February my wonderful boyfriend surprised me with a long weekend away in Dublin and it was such an amazing trip! However, he hadn't booked anything like this himself before and didn't realise that on Ryanair flights you have to book hand luggage on separately, leaving us with only backpacks for all of our stuff! I wish I'd had these tips before going!
Before packing your toiletries (and if you're staying in a hotel) check what toiletries your hotel supplies in the room. Often, hotels actually offer pretty nice shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and soap. I was lucky enough to have Rituals products in my room which were lush! Plus, if your hair is anything like mine then one bottle of travel sized shampoo only lasts one wash anyway! So, checking what kind of products your accommodation provides could save A LOT of space in your very limited backpack.
Tip #2 - Roll your clothes
I think everyone and their mother's have seen this space-saving trick, but it is effective. Rolling instead of folding is especially useful for backpacks because they can be placed next to each other and on top with nothing bumpy or bulging out to make you uncomfortable. It also stops creasing, which is an outfit saviour to get those grammable pics! To go the extra step, place your rolled clothes in a sleek travel, zip-lock bag to save extra space AND protect from water damage. I got mine from Shein.co.uk and proved to be a life saver!
Tip #3 - Colour code your outfits!
If you decide to only wear black, white, and red on your trip then every outfit will match! This will mean you can pack less because you can mix and match, and it also saves time in the morning because everythings a winner! In Dublin, I decided to only wear black, white, and grey, pairing it with the same beige teddy coat, meaning I could swap out the tops with the bottoms.
Tip #4 - Invest in a Monzo card
If taking yards of local currency notes worries you, as it should, then I highly recommend the Monzo Mastercard Debit card. You can use it in any country around the world with no currency charge, and you can withdraw from ATM's for free too if you do happen to need some cash. I always used to take both GBP and the currency of the country I was visiting in case I ran short (and for Duty Free shopping of course) but I don't have the worry of that cash being lost or stolen now I have Monzo. Even if your purse/ card is stolen, you can freeze it immediately from your phone no questions asked!
Final Tip - Be ruthless!
A lot of people panic pack things and end up not needing what they've brought. This is particularly common with new and/or anxious travellers who tend to overthink scenarios and end up packing things "just in case". Well it's time to get out of the "rather have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it" mindset and be ruthless with what is actually essential or not. I have made a handy checklist to follow when packing for a leisure trip on a tight luggage limit! You're welcome ;)
The Life of Faith's Travel Checklist
Make sure to tag me on Instagram if you use my checklist! I want to see where everyone goes to after lockdown!
Happy travels and stay safe.
All the best,
Faith x
