Packing Hacks
Whilst we are awaiting for the ever busy Ana Corina Del Pinal to send us her packing hacks (based on her years experience flying to and from the US for school) here is a Travel Hack listing! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/easy-travel-hacks_us_570ff355e4b06f35cb6ef574?
My personal favourite packing hacks;
Have a standard packing list. Mine is about 7 years old now but it never fails me.
My Cabin Max backpack. Perfectly formed to fit within most hand-luggage dimensions. I love you. (Just don’t accidentally take a strangers at the airport then run up to a police lady in a blind panic, holding the bag out, instead of simply going directly back to where you collected wrong bag and casually swapping it back like an adult. Not that I did that.)
Go to department store beauty counters asking to try foundations and for a take home trial. If you only use foundation at night time on holiday the trial is usually enough and you can re-fill the pot with your own - especially if you’re hand luggage only!
Take soap, not shower gel. It’s not a liquid so you’ll have more space in that tiny bag. You can also buy shampoo and conditioner bars from lush.
If you’re hand luggage only take an extra plastic bag with you while you go through check in. Put your heaviest items in at the bottom (like books or shoes) and cover it with your packed lunch. Explain it’s just your lunch if they ask. If you’re eating it and it wont go on the plane, it wont get weighed. Oh yeahhh.
Roll EVERYTHING, don’t fold. Obvs.
Take sarongs to lie on the beach. They are much thinner and lighter than towels and can double up as cover up/a dress.
Bag packers are your friend. They help you keep everything findable and mean you don’t have to spend quality holiday time re-packing over and over again.
Buy suncream at the airport. The offers are often the same as high-street prices and this means you’re not taking up that valuable liquid space in your tiny plastic bag! Check whats available at the airport before you go though. Savers often have good value branded sun-cream in under 100ml bottles.
Keep a holiday supply box. In mine I have miniature bottles to use/refill, the conditioner you get with hair dye, individual packets of shampoo (I bought a sheet from the £1 shop), nail varnish remover pads (don’t count as liquid!), extra airport bags (collected from previous trips), old Vaseline tins for earrings and rings, and freebies of moisturisers etc that i’ve got in magazines.
Pack snacks. Always. Snacks that don’t melt. What don’t you understand? Snacks.
If you have an apartment or will be cooking, pack herbs, salt and pepper. “Yes, its oregano. Seriously Mr Policeman Sir. It’s oregano.”
