How to pack light for a longer holiday

We have been lucky enough to enjoy some longer holidays over the years, but as the children have grown so has our need for suitcases! 

Before children we managed a two week trip around Europe with just hand luggage, we also survived nearly six weeks away with a suitcase and a holdall. I even lived in Germany for a year with mainly just the contents of a 22kg suitcase. So I like to think that I'm quite good at planning my packing to be as minimal as possible. 

Travelling light isn't just about saving on your weight allowance, it's also much easier when it comes to moving around airports and stations with a suitcase, and with less to keep track of it takes away some of the worries.

Here are some tips!

Try to wash clothes while you are away

If you can, book accommodation with laundry facilities. This is the reason that we usually book a villa stay when we travel to Florida - I'm able to keep up with washing as we go and we only need to pack clothes for a few days. It can be a pain taking time out of your holiday to faff with the washing, but it makes such a difference with the packing and it's so nice to come home with a suitcase of clean clothes! On our recent trip to Seoul we stayed in a hotel with a coin laundry which was fantastic, I would never pay for a hotel laundry service so it's definitely worth looking for self-service facilities.

If there aren't any washing facilities you can always wash by hand in the sink or bath, especially underwear that will dry quickly. You can either take some hand washing liquid with you, or in the past I've just used shower gel! Take clothes made from lightweight materials like sportswear and they will dry more quickly if you wash by hand.

Plan your clothes packing carefully

Unless you are an Instagram influencer then you really don't need a fresh outfit each day. Obviously underwear needs to be changed, but outer layers like trousers and jumpers can be worn a few times. 

Make sure that everything you pack goes well together, with neutral colours that can be mixed and matched.

Pack lightweight clothing that can be layered depending on the temperature or your activities.

Choose items that can be worn in different ways. For example I might wear a summer dress during the day, then add leggings and a cardigan for the evening. 

Bring the clothes that you enjoy wearing at home, don't bring clothes that you will avoid wearing and will turn out to be a waste of space.

Don't pack extra 'just in case' clothes - you will always be able to make do with what you have even if it means washing a few things out after unexpected accidents.

Photo credit Nick Fewings via Unsplash

Check what is included in your accommodation

Don't pack towels unless you are absolutely certain that you will need them. If you are going self-catered you can shop for essentials like toilet rolls, tissues, bin bags or dishwasher tablets when you arrive. 

Remember weight rather than size

If you are flying, it will usually be the weight that limits what you can take with you. I find that the heaviest things are usually shoes, so try to pack pairs that can go with all of your outfits. I try to limit myself to a pair of trainers for walking and some comfortable sandals if we are going somewhere hot. Depending on the type of holiday you might also want a pair of dressier shoes.

Books also add to the weight, so if you are an avid reader consider using an e-reader. When we went on our long holiday in the days before Kindles I chose one nice thick book - Anna Karenina - which kept me occupied for the entire trip!

Another way to save weight is to decant toiletries into smaller bottles, or do what I do and plan to use toiletries provided by your accommodation. If you arrive and there aren't any supplied then you can always just buy some when you arrive.

If you are packing heavy clothes like boots or winter coats then try and wear them for travel days.

A luggage scale is a great investment if you are worried about going over a weight limit - we have a simple strap one that you hang the suitcase from and it's very accurate. You can keep track while you are packing, and it helps you to think more carefully about what's going in.

Modern suitcases are much lighter than older ones, so it might be worth upgrading if you are wasting some of your weight allowance on bulky luggage.

Look for travel sized items

If you travel regularly it's definitely worth investing in some lightweight accessories. For example a small, light umbrella or a device charger with multiple USB ports. Thin, foldable ponchos are a great alternative to a bulky raincoat if you aren't sure whether you'll need one.

Remember that other places have shops too

Most of what you need can always be purchased while you are away. Even if you are staying in a remote resort there will always be a shop for essentials.

I always consider the things that absolutely couldn't be replaced, and anything other than that is a bonus. Apart from travel documents, for us that is our glasses as we are glasses wearers (and a spare pair is essential too!) and medication that would be difficult to replace or find an alternative.

Do you have any tips to add?

Some little extras that I always pack for a cruise

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I like to think of myself as a bit of a seasoned cruiser, and as I start to put things together for our next cruise I thought I'd write a little list of the things that I always make sure to pack!

These are things that aren't expensive, don't take up too much space, and that a first time cruiser might not necessarily think of!

Magnetic hooks - these are brilliant. I have a set of four magnetic hooks (affiliate link) and they are brilliant, tiny to pack and surprisingly strong. We place them near the door and use them to hang lanyards, baseball caps, bum bags, swimming goggles - all sorts of things that you don't want lying around and getting lost!

However it's best not to pack over the door hooks or over the door hanging pockets. These may be confiscated by the cruise line as they can damage the doors. There is usually plenty of storage in the room for smaller items.

Travel adaptor plugs - I've seen cruise ship staterooms with both US and European sockets. If you can bring a couple of each then you'll have more charging options.

Photo credit Call Me Fred via Unsplash

A lanyard - this is a personal preference thing, cruisers use it to keep their room card accessible, which can also be used for onboard purchases like drinks. I don't tend to wear one, but the children like to. Some cruise lines will provide them, especially as you move up through the tiers, but they will be expensive to buy on board if you suddenly decide that you want one!

Velcro cable ties - on a couple of our Disney cruises we came back to our room to find that the stateroom attendant had organised all our messy loose cables with little velcro cable ties! We left the ties behind but I bought some reusable velcro cable ties (affiliate link) as soon as we got home. It's a really good way to save space on the small desk area when you all have several devices that need charging at once. 

A spare, non valuable, credit card sized card - some cruise ships have a slot by the door for a card in order for the lights and air conditioning to work, and it's easy to forget that you've left a card in there when you leave. I have a couple of credit card sized cards which have a magnet stuck to the back so when we leave the room we can stick it to the wall ready for our return.

A small magnetic whiteboard and pen - this is especially useful if you are travelling with others. You can stick it on your stateroom door and then people can leave you a message - helpful if you don't have the onboard Wi-Fi or data roaming while you are travelling. An A4 magnetic whiteboard is a good size. You might find that people leave you little messages saying things like 'happy cruising!'

A small bag to hold a phone and room card - most of my clothes don't have pockets, and I do like to take my phone around with me for photos and the cruise line app. I bought myself a small bag which I can use for a few essentials, and it's worth spending a little more for a smarter bag that you can use with more formal clothing in the evening.

Small hand gel - we've found that since covid restrictions eased not all cruise ships have hand gel around the ship outside of the food areas, so it's nice to have a little bottle to take around with you.

Photo credit Engin Akyurt via Unsplash

Waterproof phone cases - we discovered these on a recent holiday and they were brilliant! Even if you aren't going on a beach cruise you may want to use the pools, and having a waterproof case means that you can take photos and not worry about getting your phone splashed while you sit nearby. I bought these waterproof phone pouches (affiliate link) and was very pleased with them (test them at home first by placing some kitchen roll inside and leaving submerged for a few hours!) They are also a good idea for any other electronics that you may want to use near water, like a Kindle or tablet.

Laundry supplies (if your ship has self-service laundry facilities) - I usually take a couple of my own laundry pods. They will be available to purchase but my family can sometimes have sensitive skin so we stick to what we usually use.

I also like to take a small mesh bag which I use for socks. This way there's less chance of losing one, especially if you are late back to the machine and someone empties your things out. A larger laundry bag is also useful for all the dirty washing that you'll be taking home. Something like this set of mesh laundry bags (affiliate link) would work well.

A tip - if you are doing laundry on a cruise ship avoid the first day, the last day, and sea days. Try for early in the morning or later on during dinner. Disney cruise ships have an app which will let you know when your washing is finished and also lets you know which machines are free.

A refillable water bottle - there are usually plenty of free self-service drinks options on board, but it can be awkward to carry cups of water back to the room and I find a water bottle more convenient to keep on my bedside table for drinking at night, especially when space is limited. Just note that you may not be allowed to fill them directly from a dispenser, instead I fill a cup and pour it into the bottle. It's also useful for when you leave the ship.

Photo credit Bluewater Sweden via Unsplash

Towel clips - if you are planning to sit out on deck then towel clips can be very helpful to keep your towel safe in the breeze while you go in the pool or to get some food. They are also a good idea if you want to dry swimsuits or towels on your balcony - you can clip them safely to the furniture! Towel clips (affiliate link) are larger than normal clothes pegs so they will fit easily around a sun lounger or chair. 

Sandwich bags - we are a family of fussy eaters and it can sometimes be difficult to find food when we are out and about. I always take some pre-packed snacks that we can take with us on shore excursions, but sometimes we take a few bread rolls or cookies from the buffet just to have handy and sandwich bags are great for keeping them fresh.

Photocopies of our passports - you must always check whether you need to take your original passports off the ship with you, as it varies between ports and many places will require it. But if you are leaving your passport on board the ship it's a good idea to at least take a copy with you. I'm old school so I have a paper copy, but these days a photo on your phone is probably just as good!

I hope that these packing tips were helpful if you are preparing for a cruise, do let me know about any essentials that I may have missed!

Some of my favourite packing hacks and tips

We are lucky to travel regularly and I'm usually the one packing! I like to think I'm quite good at it, I rarely forget anything and I'm usually prepared for any situation. So I thought I'd share a few packing tips and hacks that I've learned over the years.

My main tip is to maintain an exhaustive master packing list. I have a long list stored digitally which covers all types of holiday from camping to all-inclusive. It covers two sides of A4, and when a holiday is approaching I print it out and cross out things that are irrelevant to that particular trip. I prefer to use pen and paper, but I'm sure there are apps that do the same thing.

I keep a separate toiletries bag packed and ready to go. I add a few things like my toothbrush at the last minute, but I keep it filled with travel sized bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash etc. I also have a small emergency medicine kit stocked with paracetamol, ibuprofen, plasters, spare hair ties, safety pins and so on. Anything that might leak is in a small sandwich bag.

If we are flying I have my transparent plastic bag for liquids ready packed with things like medication and hand sanitiser. This is in the front pocket of the hand luggage so it can be easily removed at security. I don't pack spare toiletries in hand luggage as they can be easily picked up at a destination.

At the top of each packed suitcase I place a laminated sheet of paper with our address and contact details. If the suitcase goes astray, it will be the first thing that someone sees when they open it. The suitcases also have an external luggage label and they are also locked, not just for security but to prevent them coming open if they are thrown about. I make sure that I keep suitcase keys in two places, easy available for when we arrive. 

If we will be separated from our suitcases, for example when flying, I always divide family clothing between suitcases. It can be awkward but it means that even if just one suitcase makes it we will each have clothing for a couple of days. We all pack a separate toiletries bag and I put one in each suitcase so that at least we would have a few bits that we could share until we can buy some more!

I also make everyone pack a spare outfit in hand luggage. Luckily I've only had a suitcase delayed once years ago and it was on the way home, but I'm always mindful that these things happen! Also in hand luggage go spare glasses, prescription sunglasses, any medication, valuables, sentimental items like teddies and all travel documents.

While we are away I pack for the way home as I go along. I'll set aside one suitcase at a time for dirty washing, books that have been read, souvenirs and so on.

Experimenting with an AI generated image - what do you think?!

Things that I always remember to pack:

Laundry bags for dirty washing - large plastic bags will do, or large fabric drawstring bags which can be washed.

Plastic bags - for wet things, dirty things, and things that I want to protect. I always end up using them all!

Photocopies of our passports and other important documents. We also have digital copies on our phones but I like a paper one in case a phone is stolen along with the passports!

Chargers - usually my husband sorts this out as we have so many devices that I can't keep track!

Books - I can never have too many books and I always make sure that the children have plenty too!

Packing for a spa break - the things I was glad to have brought along

I recently enjoyed a wonderful spa break at Champneys Forest Mere with my family. It was my first experience of a spa break and so I spent a lot of time researching what I should pack! So I thought I'd share some of the things that I'm glad I had along with me just in case it is helpful to anyone else (and also a few extra things that it would have been nice to have).

The things that I'm glad that I packed:

Two swimming costumes. I packed a sporty swimsuit for swimming laps and a tankini for relaxing in the spa and sauna areas. Although the tankini wasn't ideal for jacuzzi pools as it kept riding up in the bubbles!

Extra tea bags. There were a few tea bags in the room but I'm glad I packed a couple of different flavours.

A couple of bottles of fizz. We were spending time together as a family and it was nice to have a bottle to enjoy in the room.

Snacks. A couple of my treatments were late morning or late afternoon and I was glad for a couple of biscuits to prevent my tummy rumbling!

A water bottle. There were drinks stations around but they only had tiny pointy cups. I was glad of my water bottle when I was spending time relaxing by the pool or in the lounges.

Slippers. We visited in winter and although the room was warm I did enjoy having some cosy slippers to wear in the evening.

A hair wrap. I seemed to spend a lot of time with wet hair so it was more comfortable to be able to wrap it away. The atmosphere was casual enough during the day that I could have worn in to breakfast or lunch.

My running kit. Outldoor trainers, a running belt and headband. Unfortunately we only had one dry day, but it was lovely to be able to get out and about for a run through the forest.

A mini bag to hold my phone and room card when going for meals.

A small tote bag for taking a book and water bottle to the pool area.

Lots of books. I didn't actually read as much as I thought I would, but I felt happy leaving a book in my tote bag around the pool area while I was swimming or using the spa rooms.

Smarter clothes for the evening meal. I didn't dress up too much but it was nice to wear something a bit more dressy after a day in a dressing gown or swimsuit.

Things it would have been nice to have:

An extra swimming costume. Luckily we had a radiator in the room so we were able to dry our swimwear, but otherwise I would have been putting on a damp swimming costume the next day despite having brought two with me.

Something to do in the evenings. I was staying with family so we socialised in the evenings but the rest of the hotel was deserted. If I had been staying on my own I would have appreciated something to occupy myself, maybe a craft project or an iPad to watch. 

Some extra snacks. Personally I found that the food and drink was mostly sufficient, but for someone used to eating larger meals some extra food might be enjoyed!

Things to check are included in your spa break stay:

Flip flops to wear around the pool - these are a definite must have, so remember to pack if they aren't included!

A robe for relaxing in and wearing to treatments.

Towels, not just the hotel room towels but extra towels to use around the pool.

I hope that this post was useful for anyone that is planning what to pack for a spa break!