I can’t believe how fast time flies and we are soon reaching end of year. How is everybody’s planning on how to end the year? If you are going for holiday soon, here’s our tips on how to pack for your upcoming holiday 😉

1. If you fly, don’t check in what you are going to need when you land

Your other identification, money, credit cards, jewelry, electronics, power bank and other valuables should always be brought onto the plane with you. Learning from last summer airport chaos, put the essential and one set of spare clothes in your cabin bag. If you’re travelling in winter then carry your jacket and warm accessories you’re going to put on when you land in your cabin bag also.

Rather than carrying a heavy bag on your shoulder, especially if you are bringing laptop and a lot of other stuff, put them in a cabin size suitcase with 4 wheels so you are not hurting your shoulder. You will walk a lot at the airport, especially if you have transit. Your shoulder will thank you later 😉.

2. Invest in a hard-shell luggage with four wheeler

Hard shell luggage could offer better security than soft-sided baggage because it can’t be ripped open as easily and usually has integrated locks. Having a four wheeler not only make your life easier when you have to carry them at the airport and to your Hotel but also making the baggage handler work easier too. Four wheeler suitcase is less likely to be tossed over by the baggage handler who work in tight deadline.

3. Get packing cubes

Packing cubes are flexible, zip-closure containers that fit inside luggage to keep the contents organized. They come in various sizes, shapes and materials. They’re sold in sets and individually, so you can mix and match to create a set that suits your needs. Other advantage of using packing cube is later you can separate used dirty clothes with clean ones.

When you put your clothes in the packing cubes, follow these rules:

• Fold the button-downs, jeans, formal dresses and dress pants to prevent creases.
• Roll the rest of your clothes to help you make the most of the gaps in your suitcase that folding can leave. Plus, it lets you pack more.

4. Buy Vaccum Bag with its electric pump for your bulky winter clothes

If you are travelling in Autumn and winter, combine your packing cubes with vaccum bag to compress bulky winter items such as your down/puffer jacket and wool sweaters so you have more space in your suitcase.

There are many vacuum bags on the market to choose from, so picking the right size is important. Ideally the vacuum bags should fit nicely into your suitcase without wasting any extra space.
Below is some sizing suggestions:
20” suitcase – vacuum bag size 50 cm x 50 cm
24” suitcase – vacuum bag size 50 cm x 70 cm
28” suitcase – vacuum bag size 60 cm x 80 cm
32” suitcase – vacuum bag size 60 cm x 80 cm

The number of vacuum bags you’ll need for your trip depends on how many people you’re traveling with and how many bags you’re packing. Typically, one 50 cm x 50 cm vacuum bag can carry enough for a four-day trip for 1 person. Bring at least two vacuum bags, one for your clean clothes and another for your dirty clothes so you can separate your clothes ahead of time. The vacuum bags also work to seal in any odor from your dirty vacation clothes.

5. Wash your clothes

If you’re going for more than one week you will need to do some laundry to avoid bringing too many clothes. Ask for washing machine facility if you stay in apartment. Some serviced apartments don’t have washing machine in their unit but they usually have laundromat facility nearby. When you stay in a Hotel, check where is the nearest laundromat and their opening time. I always make a habit to hand wash small stuff like underwear, socks and headbands every night and let them dry overnight. Carry a small bottle of clothes detergent so you don’t need to buy at your destination as it is not easy finding a small size detergent in the supermarket.

When press with time and I cannot go to laundromat when staying at Hotel I used hotel dry clean facility for selected clothes I need to wear again. When I travel for 1 weeks+ I will select a combination of Hotel and apartment and choose a location where we will need to do some laundry, usually in the middle of the holiday duration.

6. If you go holiday in big cities famous for shopping…

And you like shopping, just bring 1/3 to half of what you need because there is 99% possibility you are going to shop and keep empty space in your suitcase or bring extra suitcase. Remember to check how many suitcases and maximum weight requirement from your airlines

7. If you are going to move a lot from one place to another by means of flight or train

Opt for several medium suitcases instead of larges suitcases. Most airlines in Europe implement self check-in at the airport and the machine is very strict with the maximum weight of each suitcase. It is usually 23kg only. Beyond that you will need to queue for a manned counter and the line will be long. Check your airline policy on your maximum baggage. Usually the maximum weight for 1 suitcase is 30kg for economy class.

The same goes with train, the storage area inside the train is not spacious. Secure them with a lock because you will not be able to supervise your suitcases if you sit far away. Not to mention the hassles of carrying large suitcase everywhere.

8. Store all liquids in your cabin bag in one clear pouch

If you have liquids in your hand-carry, then store all of them in a clear pouch for easy inspection at the Security check points. This will save you pain from having to re-do the process if your liquid stuff is all over the place. Also keep your laptop and tablets within easy reach in your bag as they need to be taken out at security. The same goes for all the liquid in your check-in bag – put them in a pouch so if one of the bottle leak it won’t leak to your clothes

9. Make your luggage easier to be identified

If you have black or other dark colour suitcase you will find many similar suitcases like yours at the baggage claim area. Put a cloth over it or put on something like a ribbon or small scarf.

10. Invest in air tags to track where your luggage is

Remember the big summer chaos in many Europe airports where thousands of luggage were stranded? Travel revenge is real and though we hope airports are now more prepared and have manpower ready, it never hurts to put on some precaution. AirTag is a super-easy way to keep track of all your stuff. You can attach one to your keys, backpack and importantly your check-in suitcase. And just like that, they’re on your radar in the Find My app, where you can also track down your Apple devices and keep up with friends and family. Android also has similar tracker called AirGuard.

I hope our tips helps. Happy Holiday !!!