Working as cabin crew means I spend half my life packing, unpacking and living out of a suitcase. After years of flying around the world, I’ve picked up lots of practical tips and clever hacks through plenty of trial and error. This guide brings all of my packing tips together so you can pack better and be more organised for your next trip.
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Luggage
One of the questions I’m asked most often is whether it’s better to travel with a suitcase or a backpack. It really depends on your travel style and where you’re travelling to, each has it’s own pros and cons. Backpacks give you hands‑free mobility, which is great for public transport, stairs, and more adventurous trips. But carrying the weight can get tiring, and space is usually more limited. Suitcases offer structure, durability, and far better organisation. They’re kinder on your body, but less practical on uneven terrain or anywhere you’ll be lifting and hauling.
Luggage recommendations:
- Backpack: Best for adventure travel, long trips, campervans, hiking, and camping.
- Duffel/holdall: Great for road trips, active holidays, and flexible, throw‑in‑and‑go packing. Opt for ones with wheels if you can for ease.
- Small cabin suitcase: Ideal for weekends, work trips, city breaks, and overnights.
- Suitcase: Perfect for luxury travel, resorts, cruises, family trips, and shopping breaks.
I love Osprey for backpacks and duffels, they’re durable, comfortable, and built for adventure travel. For suitcases, Away is my go‑to. They’re on the pricier side, but the lifetime warranty and quality make them a crew favourite, and I use my Away cabin bag on layovers all over the world. If you want something more budget‑friendly, Tripp is a great alternative with a five‑year warranty and is another crew favourite. Remember to keep your luggage fresh – air it out regularly, spritz with fabric spray, and pop dryer sheets in your packing cubes.
Find planning tools, digital guides, and travel must‑haves in the Pretty Planet Shop. Browse my Amazon Storefront for luggage recommendations and the best travel gadgets and accessories for your next trip.
Packing Essentials
Packing accessories
- AirTags: Track your luggage and keep tabs on checked bags.
- Carabiner: Handy for backpacking – clip extra items to the outside of your bag.
- First aid kit: Pack essentials. Remove pill packets from boxes and keep dosage cutouts with them to save space.
- Jewellery case: Use a travel box, roll, or pouch to keep jewellery organised and tangle‑free.
- Laundry bag: Separate clean and dirty clothes and make washing easier on the go.
- Luggage tag/ribbon: Add something distinctive so your bag is easy to spot and less likely to be taken by mistake.
- Packing cubes: Keep your bag organised, compression cubes help maximise space.
- Shoe bags: Protect the rest of your luggage from dirt and smells.
Find planning tools, digital guides, and travel must‑haves in the Pretty Planet Shop. Browse my Amazon Storefront for the best travel gadgets and accessories for your next trip.
Packing lists
Always keep a packing list somewhere easy to access – your phone notes, a screenshot, or a dedicated app such as PackPoint, so you can quickly glance over it while you pack. Break everything down into small, manageable categories and tackle them one at a time. Think carry‑on essentials, tech, clothes, shoes, accessories, toiletries, and anything else specific to your trip. This keeps the process organised, and far less overwhelming. My Trip Kit includes packing lists, travel planning and organisation sheets that make everything easier and more organised.
Packing Tips & Methods
Create a capsule wardrobe
Choose a simple colour palette and pack a capsule wardrobe so everything mixes and matches. Leave delicate favourites at home for humid destinations, and remember you can buy cheap basics locally if needed. Use every bit of space in your bag and plan your outfits to avoid overpacking. If you’re travelling carry‑on only, bring a few lightweight accessories to switch up your looks – headscarves are perfect because they take up no space and can be worn in multiple ways.
Final sweep and essentials check
Take a few minutes before checking out or before leaving your plane seat to scan the space and make sure nothing’s been left behind. It sounds simple, but after working in both hotels and aviation, I can promise you people forget everything. Also double‑check your luggage allowance, as it varies between airlines. If you’re travelling with hand luggage only, review what’s actually allowed in your carry‑on. Skyscanner’s Complete Guide To Cabin Luggage is a great, easy-to-understand resource.
Multifunctional products
I’m a big fan of multifunctional items when travelling. Packing cubes keep clothes organised, and smaller pieces like underwear, bikinis, socks or jewellery can go into pouches or clutch bags that double as evening bags once emptied. A scarf or sarong is another great multi-use item – blanket, cover‑up, beach towel, and more.
Optimise packing space
You don’t need to pack your entire wardrobe. You can get clothes washed almost anywhere, or use a Scrubba wash bag, a travel washing line and some detergent to do quick washes on the go. Use smart folding techniques to maximise space. Rolling clothes usually saves the most room. For items that crease easily, wrap them around softer pieces or lay them flat at the top. Put small items into sandwich bags and slot them inside shoes or handbags to use every bit of space. Try to limit shoes, as they’re bulky. Aim for no more than 3 pairs: a comfortable walking pair, something dressier, and one activity‑specific option like hiking boots or flip‑flops. Wear your bulkiest layers and shoes on travel days to free up space. Try on outfits before packing to avoid bringing things you won’t actually wear.
Packing heavier items
Place heavier items like shoes or toiletries at the bottom of your suitcase near the wheels to keep it balanced when upright. For backpacks, position heavier pieces close to your back and centred to reduce strain and improve stability. If you’re travelling with a backpack only, keep the weight to a minimum since you’ll be carrying it for long stretches.
Save time when packing
If you travel often, keep a pre-packed bag ready with the essentials such as an adapter, a charger, trainers, basic outfits, a lightweight coat, underwear, pyjamas and a small handbag. I find packing such a chore, so having a grab‑and‑go bag means I only need to toss in a few extras. It also helps to double up on items like chargers, a hairbrush and toiletries. Keep a set at home and the other permanently in your travel bag. You will avoid forgetting things, and you won’t need to unpack and repack every time. When you get home, just remove the dirty clothes and restock the clean ones so your bag is always ready for the next trip.
Travel accessories
There are so many clever travel products out there, and a few well‑chosen items can make packing easier. Use packing cubes or pouches to separate categories and keep things tidy and make security checks smoother. A foldable tote or packable daypack is perfect for overflow, beach days or shopping. If you travel often, it’s worth investing in lightweight, space‑saving essentials like:
- Carabiner
- Laundry bags
- Microfibre towel
- Muji travel pots and bottles
- Multi‑way adapter
- Perfume atomiser
- Reusable fold‑up carrier bag
- Travel hairbrush
- Travel sewing kit
- Uniqlo packable jackets
Watch: Muji Travel Products Vlog
Find planning tools, digital guides, and travel must‑haves in the Pretty Planet Shop. Browse my Amazon Storefront for the best travel gadgets and accessories for your next trip.
Valuables
Keep your valuables in hidden or inner pockets to reduce the risk of theft. Tucking items into shoes or socks can work too, just make sure you remember where you’ve put them. If your accommodation has a safe, use it. A simple trick is to place something you can’t leave without (like a shoe) inside the safe so you’ll retrieve everything before checking out. You can also leave a reminder note by the door for extra peace of mind.
Toiletries & Liquids
Inflight products
If you’re checking a bag, keep a small set of toiletries in your carry‑on so you can freshen up during the flight or if your luggage is delayed. It’s also worth packing a little arrival pouch in your carry‑on with pyjamas, clean underwear and a few basic toiletries. If you land exhausted or your suitcase doesn’t show up, you’ll have everything you need to hand without digging through your whole bag. A spare outfit or at least clean underwear can make a huge difference after a long journey.
Makeup
In hot, humid destinations or outdoorsy trips, keep makeup minimal as it tends to melt or run. Stick to lightweight essentials such as a tinted SPF or concealer, a travel makeup brush set, light powder, mascara and a tinted lip balm or lipstick. A natural look is easier to maintain, and remember that full‑coverage foundations often won’t match once you’ve tanned. Travel‑sized products help save space. A compact mirror is handy, especially in hostels or budget stays with limited mirrors or lighting. To protect pressed powders, place a flat cotton pad inside the lid to prevent cracking.
Minimise liquids
Decant liquids and creams into smaller containers – spray bottles, mini pots and perfume atomisers to save space and stay within carry‑on limits. Muji has been my go‑to for years for travel bottles, pots and other miniatures. Trim down items like dental floss, cotton pads or even a small reusable face cloth to only what you’ll need. Toiletries add up quickly, so if you’re travelling hand luggage only, be strict with quantities and prioritise multipurpose products. A small pot of coconut oil is a brilliant all‑rounder, and travel minis or samples are ideal for short trips. Use airside “click & collect” services from shops like Boots to bypass 100ml liquid rules. For a clear overview of the rules, Skyscanner’s Liquids In Hand Luggage: What Can You Carry? gives an up‑to‑date breakdown of what counts as a liquid and how the limits work.
Watch: Muji Travel Beauty Products Vlog
Solid products
Solid toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, body bars and soaps are great for eco travel choices. They last ages, don’t count towards your liquid allowance and are far more sustainable with minimal or plastic‑free packaging. They also tend to be lighter, longer‑lasting and create less waste. Store them in reusable tins, and if you’re only away for a short trip, cut off smaller chunks to keep everything compact and just take what you need.
Strong chemical liquids
Pack products like DEET, nail polish remover and other leak‑prone harsh chemicals in wipe‑clean pouches to protect the rest of your luggage. If you can, swap traditional nail polish remover for remover pads.
Tech On The Go
Go digital wherever you can – store tickets, confirmations and travel documents in apps or digital wallets to avoid carrying paper. If you’re travelling with someone, share key documents with them too so you have a backup if your device is lost or runs out of battery.
Download books, magazines and playlists in advance to save weight and avoid relying on patchy Wi‑Fi. Most phones now cover everything, so try to limit yourself to 1 or 2 devices. A power bank is essential for charging on the move, and a universal adapter is worth investing in if you’re visiting multiple countries.
Store chargers, cables and adapters in a pouch and secure cables with elastic bands or hair ties to prevent tangles. It’s also helpful to download offline maps and translation tools before you go, especially if you’ll be navigating areas with limited signal.
Find planning tools, digital guides, and travel must‑haves in the Pretty Planet Shop. Browse my Amazon Storefront for the best travel gadgets and accessories for your next trip.
You may also find these other blog posts helpful:
- A Quick Guide To The Best Travel Apps
- Solo Female Travel Safety Tips: How To Stay Safe
- Why Travel Insurance Is So Important For Every Trip
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to comment, subscribe, or follow along on socials for more travel inspo. Some links may be affiliate at no extra cost to you, helping support Pretty Planet and keep the free advice flowing. If you found this helpful, and would like to support this little corner of the internet you can do so here. Your support means the world. Happy travelling!
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