Travel Chaos: How to Help by Packing Light
While travel is back on after the COVID19 pandemic, right now things are going to be a bit chaotic for a while as the travel industry starts to adjust to people travelling at the previous volume once again. While holidays were cancelled during lockdowns and rearranged for the next year or two, the reopening of travel has seen massive queues, crowds, busy airports and a whole load of flight delays and cancellations which has led to frustration and upset for passengers.
Understandably, a lot of us just want to finally be able to enjoy a family holiday or a couple’s break once again after over two years of a pandemic. But since the airport and travel industry is currently dealing with a high volume of passengers along with being short-staffed as a result of the pandemic, it’s important to keep this in mind.
One of the main things that experts recommend passengers do to help the flow of traffic through airports, reduce queuing and help relieve some of the pressure on staff is to pack light. While not every passenger will be able to pack light, of course, those of us who can, should do so in order to help things move along smoothly and support the aviation industry as things start to return to normal with travel.
Figure Out What Packing Light Means for You
Packing light can mean different things to different people, depending on your destination and how long you are going to be staying. What works well for one passenger might not be right for another. Some people can easily travel for a week using just their carry-on bag while others might have to go for the smallest hold luggage size for a range of different reasons. The first thing to do is figure out what travelling light means to you. If you can stay within carry-on limits, this will not only help to reduce queues as you won’t need to check your bag in, but you’ll also save money. Decide what kind of bag you’re going to use to get the best results from packing, how you’re going to fold or roll your clothes and what you need to take, and what you can forgo.
Pack Items You Can Reuse
When it comes to packing your suitcase for a holiday, it can be all too easy to overdo it and end up taking much more than you are actually going to need for the duration of your stay. It can be exiting to go out and buy new outfits for your trip but if you don’t end up wearing them all, then you are probably only going to end up wasting money and maybe even queuing in the airport unnecessarily to check your bag.
Instead, think more minimally and take items that you can reuse during your stay and get the most use from. Clothing items like these men’s swim shorts from Olerbar Brown are a great choice since they are good quality and can easily be reused if you wash them. Many hotels and resorts offer a laundry service that you can take advantage of, or you can take travel detergent to do your own washing. Choose from a range of styles and designs from Olerbar Brown that you like enough to wear several times during your stay.
Buy Necessities Past Security
Taking liquid items with you like shower gel, shampoo and sunscreen can get in the way of packing light as these items might need to be checked into the hold. For hand luggage, travellers need to keep liquid items under 100ml and be able to fit all their items into one small plastic case provided at the airport, which can be tricky.
However, there is a trick you can use to get around this – buy your items once you are past security instead. Many airport terminals have shops where you can get toiletries after you have passed through security so you don’t have to worry about the limits and can use your plastic liquids bag for those essential items that you need to bring from home.
Choose Your Luggage Carefully
It’s definitely worth investing in better luggage that you can use to get the most out of packing light. Experimenting with different types of luggage can quickly get expensive. And don’t forget that the weight of your case is going to contribute to the total weight of your luggage. So, if you need to check a bag into the hold but want to go for the smallest and cheapest option, a lighter bag will enable you to take more with you while still packing light.
When it comes to your hand luggage case, if you’re only travelling with this then you need to be careful that it is going to be accepted. Some airlines put weight limits on hand luggage while others do not, but there are usually size limits that you’ll need to adhere to. Make sure that you are aware of these and carefully measure your hand luggage before travelling as if your bag isn’t the right size, you might end up getting held up and charged more to check it into the hold.
Leave Some Room in Your Bag
It can be tempting to completely fill up a bag of any size; however, there are plenty of good reasons to leave some room when packing. This is especially true if you are using a soft bag as if the dimensions of the bag are larger than the size restrictions, leaving some room in it means that the bag can be squashed into the sizer at the airport and will probably be allowed onto the plane. Along with this, many people like to buy some souvenirs and other items when they are travelling to different countries, so if this sounds like you, the last thing you are going to want is to have to buy another bag to check in for your purchases, or leave things behind to make room. Leaving some extra room also makes it easier to repack your bag quickly when you’re returning home.
With travel getting back to normal, it’s going to be a while before things settle down and become less chaotic. As a traveller, the best thing you can do to help is travel light.
