There are a number of basic mistakes that a lot of people make when packing their luggage for a holiday, and as long as you follow a few simple rules, you should find the experience of carting your worldly possessions halfway round the globe is a perfectly straightforward one. The first thing to think about well in advance is where you are going, and being realistic about the sorts of things you'll actually need for that location. Is it, for example, quite warm, or a cold climate? Are you likely to be going out to a number of smart occasions or events? Is there any specialist equipment you might need to take?
Once you have a general idea of the kind of equipment and belongings you will need, then it is important to think about the kind of case or bag. Very often people make the mistake of simply carting out the same old suitcase year in year out. Yet it is very unlikely that this one suitcase will be the best one to use. It might well be too big, too small, too cumbersome or too old. Although it is another expense added to the overall cost of the holiday, ensuring you have an appropriate and reliable bag is of tremendous importance.
Well in advance of the holiday it is worth giving consideration to the possibility of reducing your luggage to a single carryon bag. This might seem absurd, and quite possibly might be unrealistic, yet it is surprising how achievable it can be in many instances, and will save you a tremendous headache checking in, checking out and simply carting your luggage with you.
When you are packing your luggage a very good tip to consider is planning how the luggage will fit into the case, bearing in mind three particular points. The first is where the centre of gravity will be. Often people pack all of the heavy items into the suitcase first, and then tip the suitcase up, meaning the heaviest portion is off to the side, and this makes it very difficult to carry the suitcase around.
The second point is about valuable items or delicate items which need to be protected. These should be surrounded by clothes and kept well towards the centre of the bag.
Finally, those items that you will need easy access to, such as tickets, passport, money, keys and so forth, which preferably should have a space of their own, should be both easily accessible by yourself but secure enough to prevent accidental loss or theft.
A final word of advice about packing luggage. Be as ruthless as you can possibly be. The further in advance of your holiday that you do your packing, the more chance you will have of being ruthless. Generally those people that do their packing the day before over pack, and end up struggling with the weight of dozens of unnecessary items that will probably never be worn or seen. Try to consider the value of each item you pack, and discard items where possible that do not allow for flexibility and versatility with other items whilst you are on holiday.
