Ever the optimist, I'm dreaming of a 2020 summer holiday. Here are a few things I have learnt about hacking a holiday pack...
I know it goes without saying, but some may not, so: I'm not anticipating many 2020 holidays (or 2021 or any other year) until the COVID-19 risks are made 'safe'.
I moved abroad a few years ago and fully expected to fit everything I needed into check-in luggage, which it did, except for the weight limit. Pity was taken on me and two of my small check-in bags became additional carry-on. I've always checked-in everything but the necessities. My unexpected carry-on was an annoyance during my flights and stopovers (two long hauls, two stopovers and a short haul to finish). I needed to re-think my pack-list.
For my next trip I stripped it back. But as I'd packed conditioner and no shampoo I had to beg shampoo from some Aussie girls I met in Çanakkale, Turkey, (I had long hair and I really needed to clean it). They produced a plastic film canister filled with shampoo and my pack hack obsession was born.
Toiletries
I know it goes without saying, but some may not, so: I'm not anticipating many 2020 holidays (or 2021 or any other year) until the COVID-19 risks are made 'safe'.
I moved abroad a few years ago and fully expected to fit everything I needed into check-in luggage, which it did, except for the weight limit. Pity was taken on me and two of my small check-in bags became additional carry-on. I've always checked-in everything but the necessities. My unexpected carry-on was an annoyance during my flights and stopovers (two long hauls, two stopovers and a short haul to finish). I needed to re-think my pack-list.
For my next trip I stripped it back. But as I'd packed conditioner and no shampoo I had to beg shampoo from some Aussie girls I met in Çanakkale, Turkey, (I had long hair and I really needed to clean it). They produced a plastic film canister filled with shampoo and my pack hack obsession was born.
Toiletries
hair soap
I switched from liquid 18 months ago and I haven't looked back (I had long hair then, short hair now)! Hair soap bars are smaller than regular body soaps so they add little real luggage weight or volume and will last you many months (even for a family of five). I use my veggie peeler to peel single-serve soap shavings for solo trips; the no-faff, family-sized compromise is to pack an already well used bar.
body soap
As with hair soap, peel off single-serve soap shavings (solo trips); cut a new bar in half or take a well used soap bar as lower-faff alternatives.
deodorant
Around the same time I ditched liquid soap, I also ditched plastic-packaged deodorant. Now mine comes as a paste in a small glass jar, making it super easy to siphon travel portions into, for example, a lip balm pot. For those who've not yet discovered this plastic-free proposition, you'll need roughly a pea-sized blob per pit, per application. Easy.
hair soap
I switched from liquid 18 months ago and I haven't looked back (I had long hair then, short hair now)! Hair soap bars are smaller than regular body soaps so they add little real luggage weight or volume and will last you many months (even for a family of five). I use my veggie peeler to peel single-serve soap shavings for solo trips; the no-faff, family-sized compromise is to pack an already well used bar.
As with hair soap, peel off single-serve soap shavings (solo trips); cut a new bar in half or take a well used soap bar as lower-faff alternatives.
deodorant
Around the same time I ditched liquid soap, I also ditched plastic-packaged deodorant. Now mine comes as a paste in a small glass jar, making it super easy to siphon travel portions into, for example, a lip balm pot. For those who've not yet discovered this plastic-free proposition, you'll need roughly a pea-sized blob per pit, per application. Easy.
Children
toys
Aside from a sleeping toy each (a'comfort from home') I mostly only pack toys that we can all use together. I've a little, fluffy pencil case filled with small, light-weight dinosaurs - this sometimes makes the cut given it's both a treasure trove of excitement and a snuggle toy for Younger Master. On account of my carrying them in my purse, I also have balloons. Zero eco-credentials but an easy airport distraction and energy drainer during boarding gate waits.
"I'm bored"
I'm usually travelling with Miss and both Masters. As many folks know, bored Misses and Masters make terrible travelling companions. Miss favours STEM and Older Master prefers wordsearches and so I tear pages from those cheap puzzle books and 11+ type school support books. Younger Master is an early reader so sticker books with a handful of words are excellent. All completed sheets are photographed (for evidence) and 'filed' (in a recycle bin). I'm a bit old-school as screen time makes mine crazy, however, I'm entertaining children and lightening my load as I go...
Clothes
'house' clothes
I find occasions for 'house clothes' during every holiday. For this I pack well-loved items (the ones not good enough for charity). This keeps my 'day' and 'dinner' clothes fresher for longer (less stink in my case) and there's less stuff to pack, unpack and wash when I get home.
PJs
Unless you have good reason to do otherwise, pack your old, falling-apart-at-the-seams PJs (or t-shirt etc) and toss them before you return home - I'm always pleased to have one less dirty item in my bag to unpack and wash at home.
layers
If there's a possibility of requiring layers for warmth, it won't surprise you to know I pack not-good-enough-for-charity under layers. You've probably guessed by now who's job it is in our house to do the packing, unpacking (at home and away), and laundry?
socks & jocks
Same rules as with clothes... If I'm flying, my flying socks are binned before I leave the destination airport and for both, I save the unfit for-future-wear ones for the final days of a trip to minimise the volume of packing, unpacking and washing at home.
kids' clothes
Miss and both Masters wear a lot of hand-me-down clothes; we box up and hand down loads as well. There comes a point, however, in every short or trouser waist band's life that it starts breaking away. These are exactly the shorts and trouser we take on swimming holidays - they are worn to and from the beach/pool, and tossed before departure.
my clothes
I also pack good clothes (that I don't toss), which include some light weight, quick drying fabrics that I wash these as I go to enable some mixing and matching.
Everything else
Children
Aside from a sleeping toy each (a'comfort from home') I mostly only pack toys that we can all use together. I've a little, fluffy pencil case filled with small, light-weight dinosaurs - this sometimes makes the cut given it's both a treasure trove of excitement and a snuggle toy for Younger Master. On account of my carrying them in my purse, I also have balloons. Zero eco-credentials but an easy airport distraction and energy drainer during boarding gate waits.
"I'm bored"
I'm usually travelling with Miss and both Masters. As many folks know, bored Misses and Masters make terrible travelling companions. Miss favours STEM and Older Master prefers wordsearches and so I tear pages from those cheap puzzle books and 11+ type school support books. Younger Master is an early reader so sticker books with a handful of words are excellent. All completed sheets are photographed (for evidence) and 'filed' (in a recycle bin). I'm a bit old-school as screen time makes mine crazy, however, I'm entertaining children and lightening my load as I go...
Clothes
'house' clothes
I find occasions for 'house clothes' during every holiday. For this I pack well-loved items (the ones not good enough for charity). This keeps my 'day' and 'dinner' clothes fresher for longer (less stink in my case) and there's less stuff to pack, unpack and wash when I get home.
PJs
Unless you have good reason to do otherwise, pack your old, falling-apart-at-the-seams PJs (or t-shirt etc) and toss them before you return home - I'm always pleased to have one less dirty item in my bag to unpack and wash at home.
layers
If there's a possibility of requiring layers for warmth, it won't surprise you to know I pack not-good-enough-for-charity under layers. You've probably guessed by now who's job it is in our house to do the packing, unpacking (at home and away), and laundry?
socks & jocks
Same rules as with clothes... If I'm flying, my flying socks are binned before I leave the destination airport and for both, I save the unfit for-future-wear ones for the final days of a trip to minimise the volume of packing, unpacking and washing at home.
kids' clothes
Miss and both Masters wear a lot of hand-me-down clothes; we box up and hand down loads as well. There comes a point, however, in every short or trouser waist band's life that it starts breaking away. These are exactly the shorts and trouser we take on swimming holidays - they are worn to and from the beach/pool, and tossed before departure.
my clothes
I also pack good clothes (that I don't toss), which include some light weight, quick drying fabrics that I wash these as I go to enable some mixing and matching.
Everything else
microfibre cloths
Full size cloths cut into four squares make great, light-weight serviettes on the run, and are easily washed and dried.
paperwork
Anything that mustn't absolutely be in paper isn't. Copies of passports, insurances, licenses, and itineraries and bookings - everything - are either attached to a diary entry and/or saved in the cloud.
pens and passports
Always travel with a pen - you'll need it. I keep two in our passport wallet - which is actually a clear plastic pencil case large enough to also carry boarding passes (see here for more detail on this).
adapters
My carry-on always includes a UK socket, surge-protected powerboard, and it's not the antithesis you might think. My single international plug adapter charges every gadget I travel with, at once, safely.
throw/scarf/towel/shade/bag
It has many aliases and servers many purposes. I've a scarf that keeps me warm in cool weather, shaded in sunny weather, is an impromptu picnic blanket or beach towel, and a makeshift bag to carry essentials. It's even helped carry the weight of a young Younger Master as I climbed to the Parthenon in 40degC heat (and to cool us down, it was dipped in the drinking fountain overflow, under the tree at the South Eastern corner). It's also grey: it can be washed with every colour wash load.
microfibre cloths
Full size cloths cut into four squares make great, light-weight serviettes on the run, and are easily washed and dried.
Full size cloths cut into four squares make great, light-weight serviettes on the run, and are easily washed and dried.
paperwork
Anything that mustn't absolutely be in paper isn't. Copies of passports, insurances, licenses, and itineraries and bookings - everything - are either attached to a diary entry and/or saved in the cloud.
Anything that mustn't absolutely be in paper isn't. Copies of passports, insurances, licenses, and itineraries and bookings - everything - are either attached to a diary entry and/or saved in the cloud.
pens and passports
Always travel with a pen - you'll need it. I keep two in our passport wallet - which is actually a clear plastic pencil case large enough to also carry boarding passes (see here for more detail on this).
Always travel with a pen - you'll need it. I keep two in our passport wallet - which is actually a clear plastic pencil case large enough to also carry boarding passes (see here for more detail on this).
adapters
My carry-on always includes a UK socket, surge-protected powerboard, and it's not the antithesis you might think. My single international plug adapter charges every gadget I travel with, at once, safely.
throw/scarf/towel/shade/bag
It has many aliases and servers many purposes. I've a scarf that keeps me warm in cool weather, shaded in sunny weather, is an impromptu picnic blanket or beach towel, and a makeshift bag to carry essentials. It's even helped carry the weight of a young Younger Master as I climbed to the Parthenon in 40degC heat (and to cool us down, it was dipped in the drinking fountain overflow, under the tree at the South Eastern corner). It's also grey: it can be washed with every colour wash load.
