A travel expert has explained the key steps required to make sure your hand luggage is packed as perfectly as possible.
If you’re going away for the weekend, or planning a short trip, you may be thinking of just taking hand luggage on your next holiday abroad.
While going without checked bags means your outfit choices are bound to be a little limited, it is a great way to keep the cost of a holiday down.
To help travellers avoid an overpacked or disorganised carry-on bag, organisation expert Nicola Rodriguez has spoken to handbag and accessory brand Fiorelli about how to best pack and organise your bag.
Make use of compartments and side pockets
Nicola advises that “when you are placing things in your handbag, utilise the space and find where you can easily fit things."
Make use of compartments which can help store things in separate places such as flat items like laptops and notepads in one pocket and softer items like shoes or gym clothes in another.
If your handbag doesn't come with separate compartments, there are handbag dividers you can buy to put inside of a handbag instead.
Items that you use all the time are also important to store separately so they’re easy to grab. It's helpful to pack these items in separate side pockets so you know they'll be the only thing in there.
Rather than just stuffing everything in until the bag is full, laying everything you want to take with you out on a surface and then working out what should be bunched with what, is good way to maximise space.
Roll don't fold
There are a number of schools of thoughts about what is the optimal way to pack a bag.
While the scientific jury is still out, the travel community has reached a broad consensus - rolling is the new folding.
"When packing clothing, instead of folding it, roll it as it not only saves space, but it also avoids creases when you take it out," Nicola said.
Minimize your beauty products
Make sure to only bring necessary items in your hand luggage as there are strict restrictions on liquids on planes.
Nicola advises that travellers “use mini versions or travel bottles instead. If you can’t find travel-sized versions of your favourites, you can get little containers to store lotions in.”
"When it comes to carrying perfume, pour some of your favourite into a travel spray bottle. It makes such a difference with the weight of your bag and also fits inside better.”
If you feel you need more liquid cosmetics than you are allowed to bring through security, you can always pre-order them in the Boots or another pharmacy inside the airport departure hall and pick them up before take-off.
Compartmentalize with pouches
One of the best ways to keep your bag organised is to separate the items you carry into smaller bags or pouches and create a system, perhaps by using different colours.
For example, you could have similar items such as headphones and a charging cable in one, while another could hold items such as bobbles and makeup.
Nicola says that “pouches make life so much quicker and saves you rooting around to find things, re-enacting the famous Mary Poppins scene to find something.”
It also makes it easy to switch handbags as you can simply move the pouches.
