BORN AT DAWN LIFE: The Secret to Perfect Packing?
April 03, 2017
![BORN AT DAWN LIFE: The Secret to Perfect Packing?]()
It seems like everyone is going away this Easter and the pictures of exotic locations are slowly creeping into our Instagram feeds. We LOVE going on holiday but we never seem to get the packing quite right? Sometimes ours is a little frantic, stressful and last minute or not thought out and unplanned, meaning excess charges and lots of wasted unworn pieces at the end of our holiday.
We needed some tips from someone who always looked great whilst discovering the world. We spoke to seasoned traveller Abbie Ting, founder of Bikinis and Bibs, a stylish family travel and fashion blog and she has very kindly shared her top tips...
I'd say my packed luggage definitely doesn't represent that of Marie Kondo's - I'm still a mum who gets the fear and has to pack for all eventualities. I have, however, learnt a few ways of making life easier when packing for a big trip. Here is my advice:
- Time and Space - pack when the children are at school or daycare or if they must be in the house, put a film on for them. Having time to think about what you are packing and getting it all done without little ones interrupting your head space (and unpacking for you) is half of the battle.
- Create Compartments - I lay everything out in piles on my bed first so I can see it all, add things or take them away (it's hard to see what you've packed if you put it straight into the case and you can end up double packing things). I then get all of my old dust bags and put different things in each one ie. swimwear in one, underwear in another, my son's t-shirts in another, accessories etc etc. This makes life so much easier when you arrive at your destination too as you can just take each bag out and put them straight onto a shelf or in the wardrobe. If you don't have dust bags then Muji do great 'garment cases'.
- Choose The Right Luggage - Having the right luggage is something people often neglect but it can make life so much less stressful from the moment you start packing, right through to getting to the airport and then transferring the other side. Consider: size needed, ease of mobility, amount of luggage allowed. Most families need the largest size luggage available and so consider getting one with four wheels that is easy to manoeuvre - pulling a heavy case on two wheels is extra work that is not needed at the airport. I am a convert to hard, four wheel suitcases - the best I've tried is the lite-shock spinner by Samsonite which is a very light but strong shell with two huge sections for packing, zip covers to keep everything in place and very easy to move around. Their less expensive, not so good looking but just as practical version is also made by them but under the brand American Tourister.
- Transparent Washbags - continuing the 'have the right luggage' theme. I love large, bold printed washbags but since having my son I realise I need access to everything quickly. Transparent washbags are not the most stylish but they are a god send when you need medicines or toiletries fast. I usually take a hanging washbag with transparent sections that I can just hang in the bathroom as soon as I arrive. To indulge my love of pretty washbags, I take a bold print one with any larger toiletry bottles - take the bottles out at the destination and reuse it as a swimsuit wetbag or a bag to keep things like phone and money sand free.
- Invest in Luggage Scales...and take them with you. It's incredibly easy to over pack when you have a family and there is nothing more stressful than having to either pay the excess or re-pack at check-in if you haven't got it right. Whilst airlines do tend to be a little more flexible with families and their luggage, I find, adhering to the luggage allowance also helps you put a limit on what you take and stops over-packing unnecessary items.
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