Top 10 Ultimate Travel Packing Checklist

With the holiday season fast approaching, we’ve searched the web for travel tips (we’ve also added some of our own) to find the Top 10 packing tips for you.

1. Use An Expandable Bag

In preparation for all the gifts you will need to pack along or the shopping you may do while on holiday, using an expandable bag which can double or triple in size is a good way to save yourself from having to lug around a big bag.

 

2. How To Pack Clothes

When packing, roll your clothes rather than fold them. Doing so will save you space while at the same time prevent your clothes from wrinkling.

There is also a nifty video circulating online where you lay out all your clothes and overlay them over each other before rolling it into one single bundle.

For even more space, place your clothes into a vacuum bag and expel the air prior to sealing these vacuum bags.

 

3. How To Pack Shoes

Place your shoes into a free hotel shower cap to prevent your shoes from dirtying other items in your bag.

Additionally, you may stuff your socks into your shoes to retain the shape of your shoes and to save space.

If you’re worried about the rest of your bag smelling musty like your shoes, place fabric conditioner sheets into your shoes and in between clothing to keep everything in your luggage smelling fresh.

 

4. How To Pack Computers

Keep your laptop into a computer sleeve. This not only protects your laptop, but occasionally if you’re one of the later passengers to board the aircraft and all the overhead bins are filled, you may be required to check-in your cabin luggage.

In this unfortunate circumstance, you will need a bag to store all your valuable items and the laptop sleeve will come in handy for this.

 

5. How To Pack Wires And Chargers

If you forgot to bring along your wall plug (or intentionally left them behind) or find that your wall plug is not compatible with those used in the country you are visiting, you can always charge your phone using the USB slots available on the back of most modern TV.

Additionally, if you forget to bring the cable charger altogether, you may try asking the hotel reception if you can borrow one for the duration of your stay.

Hotel guest leave behind their cable chargers all the time, and the hotel may be able to lend one to you from the lost and found.

If you find that your wall plug is incompatible with those used in the country you are visiting, travel adapters are usually available at the front desk.

While most hotels will lend these adapters to you for free, some hotels may require a deposit which is refunded when the adapters are returned.

 

6. How To Pack Accessories

Use a pill organiser to keep all your little accessories. For earrings, use a button to help keep them in place before placing them in the pill organiser.

For finer necklaces, string the necklaces through a drinking straw prior to packing them. This we keep your necklaces from tangling.

Items like hairpins can also be stashed away in an empty Tic Tac container to keep them organised and all in one place.

 

7. How To Pack Liquids And Gels

Remember, more airports only permit gels and liquids up to 100ml. Travellers can find a wide range of travel size lotions and gels which comes at or under 100ml.

These are smaller in size and are great for travelling. Do not throw these bottles away once they are empty. For that additional cost savings, you can refill them when you get back home.

To prevent any liquids from leaking, use a little plastic wrap to wrap the lids of the bottles. For bottles with screw on lids, you can remove the lids to place the plastic wrap before screwing the lids back on.

 

8. How To Pack Make-Up

To prevent your pressed powder or eyeshadow from cracking during your travels, place a flat cotton wool pad in between the pressed powder and the lid.

You may also want to save space by transferring make up items like foundations and powder into contact lens cases if you’re just travelling for the weekend.

 

9. Checking-In

When checking in at airports, where there is usually a weight limit for your check-in luggage, place the heavier but small items in your cabin luggage. Airports rarely weigh the cabin luggage.

To further save weight and space, wear the heaviest and bulkiest item of clothing when you check-in, you can always remove them once you clear the boarding gates and once you get on board and you can store these bulky items in the overhead bin.

 

10. There Is More Than One Way To Get Your Treasures Home

If on your way home and you’ve found that you’ve bought more stuff while shopping than your luggage can hold, consider shipping your times home.

When doing this, you may want to choose to mail home items that was brought along with you when you departed your home country.

This way, these items would not attract custom duties – just remember to mark on the declaration form “Used personal items”.

Additionally, some of your new purchases, may be eligible for a VAT/GST refund, so to qualify for the refund you will need to show the items to the customs when claiming a refund prior to departure.

So do not forget to keep these items and receipts with you in your cabin luggage.