Packing stresses me out. I’m going to admit it. The thought of forgetting something important, or having to decide between two tops of exactly the same colour but a different cut or – the Holy Grail of packing horrors – the airline losing my luggage. *GULP*. I’m always on the lookout for ways to make packing easier and save space so that I can bring all the necessary items – four pairs of shoes, my GHDs, the list goes on…
- ROLL
I cannot emphasise this enough. Ever started packing your clothes and five minutes later realised that to your dismay you don’t have enough room for the gorgeous must-have dress you nabbed in the sales? If you have, your suitcase is either too small, you’ve already packed three gorgeous must-have dresses, OR you’re folding instead of rolling. Tightly rolling your clothes prevents them from creasing and saves room. Win-win all round!
- CLINGFILM
Picture this: you’ve arrived at your dream destination. You open your suitcase and see A) all of your delicate jewellery tangled in one massive messy ball like it has tried to knit itself or B) your clothes in a gooey mess because your shampoo has leaked or C) a neat, tidy suitcase. We would all prefer option C, let’s be honest. Happily, both scenarios A and B can be prevented by clingfilm. Placing clingfilm over the necks of your toiletries, under the lid, will prevent spillages. Wrapping clingfilm around the chains of your fave necklaces will stop them tangling and for tiny stud earrings? Put them through the holes of a spare button to keep them together!
- TIC TACS
Yeah, this sounds weird but hear me out. You know those bobby pins that you buy a fifty-pack of every month that just seem to DISAPPEAR over the course of that month for NO APPARENT REASON?! Well, Tic Tacs can come to your aid. Use an empty container to stash all of your hair grips in one place and save yourself the hassle of digging around in the bottom of your bag to find one – just one! – to pin back that annoying strand of hair on the plane.
- COTTON WOOL
We’ve all had that moment where we smash our powder compact or eyeshadow palette. It’s dusty, messy, and frankly annoying as hell. Especially when the eyeshadow was limited edition and they don’t sell it anymore! Prevent your compacts from being damaged during rough handling at the airport by placing wads of cotton wool between the powder and the lid. It’ll help prevent the knocking around that causes your makeup bag to turn into a pink version of the Sahara Desert.
- POT POURRI
This sounds even weirder than the Tic Tacs, right?! Okay, maybe I don’t mean actual pot pourri but some sheets of fabric conditioner will do exactly the same trick (although if you want to sprinkle your clothes with dried scented petals, be my guest!). Stuffing some of these between your rolled-up clothes will keep them smelling fresh all the way through your journey, ready for you to throw on after a sweaty plane trip before you head to the local bar for some cocktails!