Checking in a bag on a flight has become almost inaccessibly expensive. From my experience the average one way bag check in cost is over €20. And let’s be honest you have to take the bag home too. So carry on is now the only option. If you have travelled by plane recently you’ll know that you rock up with your rolly suit case only to be told there’s only room for the first 90 bags so it’s going in the hold. Great. But it is. There is a weight restriction on cabin baggage so if don’t mind waiting for your bag the other end then you can add that extra pair of shoes you took out at the last minute. Still, you have to be prudent with your packing to ensure you have what you need to get you through your hols. As you might be aware from my Instagram I do a fair bit of moving around so I’ve found a few ways of packing that I’d like to share as vay cay season is upon us. Here are my top tips for packing carry on luggage!

Outfit plan well in advance

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If time allows plan out your outfits for the time you are there from day to night. I usually start with making a list of the specific items I really want to bring. On my most recent trip to Santander in Spain this included lots of new pieces I picked up in Penneys – my red floral mini dress (in pic right) and my fifties style circular hand bag (also in pic). I also needed to pack jeans in a soft denim to mix in with various tops and a string mini dress to layer over t-shirts. If you want to write down a list that’s great. The next step is to add in the items that you can mix and match amongst your must – pack items. If you are going for a week or more then you need to ensure you can wear these pieces several ways. So ask yourself, will the floral top match the jeans and the mini skirts you’re packing? This is a serious point and if you don’t answer yes then you will end up over packing.

You don’t need all your shoes

OK several questions to be asked first. 1) What are you doing on your holidays? Sitting on a beach, exploring a city etc etc. For sun holidays where you will spend most of the time on a lounger, one pair of sandals in a neutral tone like tan or white will be ample. They’ll match your beachwear and your afternoon stroll outfits. If it’s a city, you need runners not sandals. My torn up sandals are somewhere in a Roman drain from 2007 having prioritised my look over comfort. I ended up buying a pair of Nike Airs. Lesson learned. 2) Probably a rhetorical question but will you be going out? I’m assuming yes and here you need some wedges. They are the universal summer going out shoe of choice for me. Penneys have embraced colour and details with their summer shoe story. Just make sure they match your night time looks.

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Those silly plastic bags

Might be silly but a mandatory security requirement. And I don’t need to explain the 100 ml rule. The problem is we girls love to being the entire cabinet in the bathroom. But that’s not possible. Penneys are the go-to place for plastic containers that meet the rules. And each pack comes with handy stickers for you to identify your products. Larger 100ml bottles are great for shampoos, while the smaller bottles work brilliantly for decanting fake tan (not mousse, just lotions and liquids).