Infographic: 5 Smart Packing Tips For Your Holiday

Packing for holidays is a balancing act between making sure you've brought everything you'll realistically need and leaving enough space for extra items to take home with you. More than half of travellers end up packing clothes that they don't wear on their holiday, while only 30% use the space-saving method of rolling clothes when packing their luggage. When you're packing for a holiday, and especially if you're only taking cabin luggage, it helps to be smart about how you pack. Here's a few pointers worth following so that you'll save space and still feel sufficiently covered for the duration of your trip.

1. Don't pack what you can get there:

You might need an unexpected item during your holiday (e.g. aspirin), but you'll almost certainly find somewhere where you can buy it, so there's no need to fill you bag with 'just in case' items.

2. Favour neutral-coloured clothing:

By taking clothes in neutral colours, you can create scope for multiple attire combinations from a small amount of clothing. Three shirts and three pairs of trousers, for example, can cover nine days without wearing the same combination twice.

3. Leave the laptop at home:

Laptops take up space and weight in your luggage and taking them with you runs the risk of losing it or having it stolen. Your phone will almost certainly suffice for online connectivity while your destination is very likely to have a few Internet cafes if you need to access one.

4. Pack your gadgets and toiletries last:

Place your toiletries in one zip-lock bag and chargers, iPods, etc in another and put these in at the top of your luggage so that, when you get to airport security, you can put them onto the conveyor belt straight away instead of wasting time scrambling through your luggage for them.

5. Protect light-coloured clothes:

White/cream apparel could become stained in transit, so it helps to pack these inside out so that stains won't be visible. Also, consider wrapping the base of footwear in a plastic bag so that it won't mark your clothes. This infographic from The Dunloe Hotel & Gardens offers further advice on how to pack sensibly for your next holiday. These tips are sure to save you precious space for souvenirs to bring home!