These buys will help you avoid 4 common packing mistakes ahead of your next trip
3 min readPacking is difficult. Aside from the stress of what to bring in the first place, who among us hasn’t had to sit on top of our case, or rope in someone to help squeeze the zipper closed? Reached baggage check only to be hit with an eye-watering extra charge? Had to flap about at security desperately trying to unpack and repack an unruly case at speed?
Fortunately, there are many top travel brands who have heard our concerns and created some clever packing hacks to make life easier – both at home, at the gate and when you’ve reached your destination. Here are four key packing mishaps travellers make in which there’s room to improve the experience – and the buys to invest in to make it as seamless as can be.
1. Not being organised
By far, one of our favourite travel hacks at Conde Nast Traveller is using packing cubes. These clever buys help keep things neat and tidy in your case and often allow you to squeeze more in as well. You can use one for clothes, one for shoes and one for delicates, for example, or pack separate outfits for each day in each. They also help you keep dirty laundry from mingling with your fresh clothes; earmark one large cube for used garments once it’s emptied. Side note – you could also invest in a separate laundry bag for this. There are lots of inexpensive options on Amazon and some of our favourite luggage brands, such as Monos and Paravel, include them as standard. Slinging a travel steamer into your bag can also help refresh clothes and banish any mustiness.
It’s also a good idea to invest in an in-flight bag with a luggage sleeve. This way, you can slot it over your suitcase’s handle, saving your back from the inevitable aches associated with toting about a stuffed-to-the-brim bag. No sleeve? No problem. A bungee strap or travel belt will furnish your beloved old weekender or vanity case with a trolley sleeve without the need for an upgrade. Some even have mini bags attached for your passports and travel documents. We also like this Go Travel carry strap, which clips around your suitcase, backpack or tote bag straps, giving you somewhere to keep your coat without the need to carry it.
2. Not prioritising security
Your belongings are precious cargo, and a few little tweaks can make all the difference in keeping them as safe as possible, especially if you’re checking a bag in the hold. Sadly, a recent Air Consumer Travel Report from the Department of Transportation shows that nearly 238,000 bags were mishandled in May 2023, up about 45 per cent from the same period the previous year. There’s not much you can do to stop this from happening – other than flying hand luggage only – but keeping a luggage tracker in your case can help you zero in on its exact location quickly, so you can be reunited as swiftly as possible.
A luggage strap adds an additional layer of protection against theft, which is especially handy if yours doesn’t have a built-in lock. Alternatively, you can manually lock your case with a padlock. We like this Groov-e smart lock, which uses fingerprint technology, with a memory for up to 10 fingerprints. Of course, investing in a suitcase with a TSA-approved lock is a good place to start.
3. Overpacking
It’s easy to overpack, especially if you’re an anxious flyer prone to throwing in those last-minute just-in-case items. But nobody wants to be hit with an excess baggage fee in the airport. There are plenty of inexpensive digital luggage scales available so you can gauge if your case is over the limit, giving you the chance to repack accordingly before being slapped with an extra charge. The Shanje option below is our choice, or see all of our favourite luggage scales.
