Packing for holiday

The wait is finally over. Your summer holiday is only a few days away and here you are, staring into an empty suitcase…

Empty suitcase

10 Summer holiday packing tips

If you are wondering what and how to pack – you are in the right place. Here are our top summer holiday packing tips:

  1. Invest in light luggage
    Don’t let your empty case weigh you down. Invest in the lightest case you can afford to maximise space. This is particularly useful if you are travelling with hand luggage only.
  2. Less is more
    Listen to the old adage ‘halve your clothes, double your money’ going on summer holiday and try to avoid overpacking. Remember, if you are going on a beach holiday, you will spend a lot of time dressed casually. Try to limit yourself to three pairs of shoes; walking, formal and for the beach. They can be mixed and matched into every situation.
  3. Use packing cubes
    You will not regret investing in a set of inexpensive packing cubes. They will change the way you travel. Particularly if you try to make the most of carry-on luggage. There are lots of YouTube tutorials on how to pack them efficiently.
  4. Forget full size toiletries
    Full size bottles are heavy and bulky. Save your precious luggage space for clothes and jewellery. Bring travel size bottles for the first day or two, then buy toiletries locally. They’ll probably be cheaper too!
  5. Leave valuables at home
    Do you have a necklace that belonged to your grandmother you love to wear? Or diamond earrings from your partner? Best to leave them at home. The risk to precious items is too high when you are in unfamiliar places. Instead opt for costume jewellery to brighten up your outfits while you are away.
  6. Invest in an e-reader
    Do you love to lie by the pool with a paperback on your summer holiday? Save space and weight by investing in an e-reader. There is one to suit every budget and you can bring ‘War and Peace’ on holiday in your handbag.
  7. Leave your beach towel
    Although they look fabulous, beach towels are heavy and take up a lot of space. There may be towels in your hotel room. If not, and you want something to bring to the beach, bring a sarong. Just as pretty, but much lighter.
  8. Roll your clothes
    An oldie but a goodie. Rolled clothes take up less space and crease less, so it’s a win, win!
  9. Fill dead space
    Don’t leave empty space in trainers or sandals, fill them with smaller items of clothes.
  10. Put liquids in ziplock bags
    The pressure in both cabin and hold of a plane can cause bottles to crack or break. So even if you are checking a bag, protect your clothes from spillages by putting all liquids into zip lock bags.

woman with suitcase watching an airplane takeoff

Holiday packing list

With all the excitement, it is easy to forget some of the most important things you may need while you are away:

Passport

No one’s going anywhere without this! Pack passports for everyone travelling first, and leave them somewhere easy to access while you are going through the airport.

Plug converter

If you are travelling outside of the UK or Ireland, don’t forget to pack a plug converter. If, like most of us, the thoughts of a dead phone fills you with dread don’t forget this! Don’t forget to check the kind of socket used in your destination before you travel as there are various kinds of two-pin sockets used around the world.

Chargers

If your phone is also your camera, GPS and source of music, you won’t want it to go dead while you are on holiday! Don’t forget your phone charger and any others that you may need while you are away.

Power-bank

A power bank is such a handy thing to have in your bag, if you are going to be out and about and using the camera on your phone a lot. Like e-readers there is one to suit every budget.

Bank cards

Check you have the cards you might need, especially if you move them around bags or wallets while you are at home.

Sunglasses

Easy to forget, especially if you use them for driving. Remember to take them out of the car before you leave.

happy couple strolling through the airport

Getting everything ready for a summer holiday can be stressful. Take the pressure off travelling to the airport by booking a room in Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport. We look forward to welcoming you to Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport!

Executive Room Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport

Start planning your trip and book your perfect break at Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport.

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