When travelling around Europe an easy way to save some money is to only travel with hand luggage and that is exactly what I spend most of last year doing. Thanks to this I've become pretty knowledgeable when it comes to packing wisely for such a situation. However, I do tend to go completely overboard when I actually have a luggage allowance these days! That being said, I've put together some tips to help you cut down your luggage to fit in the over head compartment and heed to the airlines rules.
Tips for Travelling with Hand Luggage Only
Use a carrier bag for those extra bits
Many budget airlines won't let you travel with a hand bag additional to your hand luggage bag but their policy is to allow every customer on with a bag of airport shopping. So I always take a carrier bag with those bits that I'll want while on the flight and also pop my purse and passport in there for easy access. They never check said bag of 'shopping' so you could pile anything in there.
Reusable bottles over mini toiletries
We've all done it, gone in to Boots or Superdrug and got way too excited by the mini toiletries aisle. These are obviously sized to be allowed in hang luggage but they are such a waste of money! Instead buy some reusable bottles like these awesome silicon ones from Lifeventure and fill them using your normal products you have at home that are too big to take.
Roll don't fold
I have rolled my clothes for as long as I can remember, I think I read the tip when I first started travelling and just assumed it was the norm. You'll be surprised by how many people don't do this though. I recently tried to pack without rolling my clothes and soon realised just how much space it really does save. Another tip is if you have solid shoes in your hand luggage stuff your socks and underwear inside.
Pack a travel towel
I know, I know we all love our huge soft and fluffy bath towel but that isn't practical to pack when you have limited space in your luggage. Instead opt for a soft fibre travel towel like this one which folds up into the smallest size ever. These awesome towels are also fast drying making them perfect for hostel stays.
Take less shoes and wear the heaviest
I know this one seems super obvious but you'll be surprised by how many shoes you want to take. I know I always think but this pair could be useful... You have to be strict with yourself and think about what you will actually need for the trip. Depending on the destination, activities and time of year you will have to adjust a little but my general rule is one 'proper' pair of shoes (think trainers or converse) then a pair of sandals/flip flops - swap these for boots if you are on a winter holiday.
Store your toiletries carefully
When you are packing your toiletries right next to your clothes you have to be extra careful that they won't spill. It can be useful to separate the items for packing ease but I would recommend investing in a decent wash bag to keep everything safe. A bag like this one from Lifeventure has several pockets and compartments making it useful for not only toiletries but all those lose extras like paracetamol, you will never lose anything again with this.
GIRLS: Cut down your make up bag
I'm a big of a hoarder when it comes to my make up bag. Things tend to just get chucked in there until I can no longer close it. When travelling with hand luggage I'm always sure to take out what I actually need and normally just slip it in my toiletries bag. It is also super important to do this to remove things like tweezers which you cannot take through airport security.
Ask yourself 'do I really need this?'
This might sound like a simple thing to do but how many times have you packed something saying 'just in case'? Chances are you won't need those just in case items or half the other things you have packed. Think about the clothes you will need for the specific trip you are going on and pack accordingly, look up the weather so you'll know if you actually need those 'just in case it's cold' hoodies. If you are still struggling then lay out all the outfits you are taking and make sure you have things that go together.