If you’re anything like us, it doesn’t matter how long the holiday is, we ALWAYS over-pack! Knowing how best to fit all your beautiful outfits and accessories into your luggage is the best way to make sure you can bring everything you want, so here’s our handy tips!
Baggage Allowance
When booking your TUI holiday with us, your baggage allowance is already included in the price which is great news! But, did you know, if you think you’ll need a few extra kgs then you can add these onto your booking? Depending on the holiday package you choose, you can take up to 25kg of luggage, which is perfect for the over-packers among us.
Extra luggage allowance also means you can shop guilt-free during your holiday and there’s plenty of space and weight for you to bring all your goodies back with you!
Packing Cubes
Packing cubes are a pretty new trend when it comes to holiday luggage but they are so handy and definitely worth considering if you like your suitcase to be super organised. You can buy packs of the cubes online, and they often come in a variety of sizes which then zip up and close once you’ve filled them. You can organise your items into the cubes, undies in one, dresses in another, swimwear in another etc. Once you get to your hotel, it’s a quick fix to pop everything into the wardrobe or, you can even keep everything inside the cubes so it’s all in one place for when you get dressed each morning!
Though you can find the cubes from many retailers, here’s some great ones from Amazon, and they come in different colours: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Toifucos-Multifunction-Organiser-Waterproof-Compression/dp/B08HCN5W85/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=packing+cubes&qid=1668678664&sr=8-6
That’s How We Roll
Thanks to Netflix sensation Marie Kondo, condensing the size of your clothes when tidying them away has become very popular! Whether you’re looking to fit more items into your drawers at home or want to maximise the number of items you can bring on holiday with you, rolling your clothes or trying the Marie Kondo method is a great way to reduce the size of each item.
To fold trousers like a pro, follow these steps:
- Fold the legs in half
- Fold the legs upward toward the waistband — and leave a gap at the edge
- Fold in half or thirds
- Stand the trousers upright
For handy video clips, or tips on how to fold other items, head to https://konmari.com/how-to-fold-clothes/.
Snap A Picture
Packing is all about organisation, and what could be more organised than knowing exactly which items you plan to wear together! There’s method to the madness though, as by knowing which top looks good with which shorts means you don’t need to throw in those extra items ‘just in case’.
When grabbing your clothes from your wardrobe, take the time to pair things together if needed and make a note on a piece of paper or in your phone so that when it comes to wearing them, you know what you had in mind when packing! You can even take it to the next level by snapping a picture of each outfit laid out so when you get on holiday you can just grab and go.
Hide Your Smalls
To get the most out of your luggage space it’s really important to use all the nooks and crannies available. That’s why it’s a good idea to save your undies, socks and other small items until last so that you can stuff them in the empty spaces! One great place you put them that you may not have thought of before is to stuff them inside your shoes. This is usually dead space in your case but it’s a great place to put smaller items and it keeps them all compact too.
One For Me, One For You
Luggage going missing can unfortunately happen sometimes, and though airlines, airports and baggage handling companies do their utmost to try and prevent this from happening, sometimes it still does. While some bags show up pretty soon, and can be delivered to your hotel in no time, others take a little while to reappear. To ensure you’re not stuck in the same clothes for a week, your airline may offer you a shopping voucher so you can pick up some more bits and bobs.
To avoid the worry of not having any outfits, swimwear or clean underwear to use straight away, a great idea can be to split your items across two suitcases. For example, if you’re travelling with your partner, half the things you plan to pack logically i.e. half the number of swimwear, outfits, etc and pop one half in one suitcase and the other half in another. Do the same for your partner’s luggage and if for any reason a case goes walkabout, you each still have plenty of clothes to get you through a couple of days.
Where’s My Bag?
Speaking of lost luggage, there’s a few things you can do to make your luggage more identifiable and to reduce the chance of it going missing. These are:
- Pick your case carefully – bright colours are ideal, even have large initials or stickers on the exterior to make it easily identifiable
- Take a picture of your suitcase so that if it doesn’t show up on the baggage carousel, you can show the picture to a member of staff at the airport. This also helps if there’s any language barriers
- Put an AirTag inside your case – you’ll be able to see the case’s journey from the plane to the baggage carousel and if for any reason it goes astray, you’ll be able to see the bag’s location thanks to the tag
The Magic Number
One thing that’s worth mentioning is that when travelling, you’re restricted by baggage weight not the number of bags you have. For example, if you plan on utilising all of your 20kg baggage allowance but don’t think you’ll be able to manage all of that in one bag, then you can bring two smaller cases and split your items between them both. This will make it easier for you when collecting your bags and taking them to the hotel. Always remember that it’s okay to ask for help if needed though!
Similarly, if you’re travelling with children and know you have not only your suitcases and hand luggage to carry, but also a pushchair and will need to keep an eye on an excited toddler, it might be easier to split the child’s clothing between the adult’s suitcases. As long as you don’t exceed the total baggage allowance for all travellers, i.e. 3 passengers x 15kg each = 45kg, then this isn’t a problem and can make your airport experience much more stress-free.
Ready To Go!
Has all this talk of packing your suitcase got your craving a break? Then why not explore our fantastic holiday deals?! We’ve got something for all types of travellers and with our exclusive online discounts you’re sure to get a bargain.