Packing – you either love it or you hate it. It can be an exciting thing to do because if you are packing your suitcase you know you are nearly at that stage where you are heading off on holiday.
But there is work to be done here first, and that means you should allow plenty of time to get your packing done properly. Most people take way more than they actually use or need when they go away, so it might pay dividends to think back to previous holidays when you are starting to pack for your next one.
First of all, lay everything out on the bed and see what you have. Don’t worry about limiting everything for the moment – just put everything you think you might take on there and see what you have.
Now this is where you start paring things down a bit! Make sure you have everything in orderly piles, so all your tops can go together, all your shorts and so on. This makes it easier to tell what you have and what you need. It can also help you identify anything you may have forgotten.
If you think about previous holidays you have taken you will probably realise you don’t wear something different every single day. Think about your habits and the clothes you know you will wear more than once. Do you really need to pack fourteen tops for a two week holiday? Obviously you will want some dressy items as well as some beach type items, but aside from this you won’t always be wearing anything other than beach wear. A swimming costume and a sarong would be ideal for the beach or a pair of trunks and shorts for example.
Of course if you are going on a different kind of holiday you will have different needs. Think about the essentials and make sure you pack those first, and then move on from there.
The trick to packing successfully is not to leave it until the last minute. As the time for going on holiday approaches, make sure you start setting aside some items as and when you think about them. This will enable you to pack more successfully because you will already be half done by the time you come to finish the packing off.
And all that remains then is to unpack your case when you reach your destination to get changed for the beach.