Published On: Mon, Jan 22nd, 2024

Suitcase packing hack: Expert shares genius ‘5, 4, 3, 2, 1 rule’ | Travel News | Travel


There’s nothing more frustrating than sitting on your suitcase the night before a flight, begging the zip to close so you can squeeze in that extra top that you’ll almost definitely end up not wearing.

Whether you’re somebody who always leaves it to the last-minute, or somebody who has organised their holiday wardrobe months in advance, packing is one of the most boring parts of travelling – however, it doesn’t have to be this way. 

Jessica Dante is a travel expert and founder of Love and London and she has shared her favourite travel packing tips with Express.co.uk, as well as her advice on how you can deter a potential suitcase thief.

The travel guru explained that bulky items such as socks or underwear take up valuable space, and it’s advisable to pack them in the side or front zips and pockets to save room.

“A trick is to not put all of your items in one place. If your suitcase goes missing in transit then you don’t want to be left hung out to dry by not having any clean underwear or a toothbrush etc,” Jessica explained.

“Therefore, if you are travelling with another person, ie. a friend or family member, or if you have a carry-on bag or handbag/backpack, then put a few spare essential items in there, just in case. If anything gets lost you know you at least have some key items with you.

“The ‘5, 4, 3, 2, 1 rule’ is also genius when you are travelling and really helps in your packing choices – think five tops, four bottoms (you can mix this up, i.e jeans, shorts etc), three types of footwear and two accessories (either for the weather or to dress up in) and finally one evening outfit.”

Jessica recommended: “When packing thick clothing for winter travel, use Space Bags and you’ll be able to pack double the amount of items.

“Space Bags, made for travel, let you push the air out of them, so you can compress your clothing and reduce the size by half or more, sometimes compressing bulky items by 80 percent. You’ll be able to pack way more options, additional shoes and accessories, or even do carry-on only, saving you money on your flight ticket. 

“Space Bags are reusable too and great for storing dirty laundry until you get home. Space Bags are my number one travel hack and will only cost you around £10 for a pack of five,” the travel expert explained.

If you do tend to pack in a hurry, you might be familiar with the feeling of opening up your suitcase and finding your favourite dinner outfits could do with an iron.

“I also love to roll up any dresses or shirts that are prone to creases. By carefully rolling you will not create any creases and they can slot easier next to your Space Bags to fill in a couple of gaps you might have in your luggage,” the founder of Love and London suggested.

“As soon as you get to your hotel or wherever you are staying just remember to unroll the items and ideally hang them up to let gravity sort out any little kinks in the fabric – works a trick every time and no iron is required. Perfect for business travellers or if you are attending a wedding or event out of town or abroad and need formal clothing and are in a hurry – you are good to go.”

It is becoming more and more common in destinations around the globe for thieves to target luggage left in cars, so Jessica warns holidaymakers to never leave their belongings in your care – even if it’s for a short period of time.

“The thieves will break into cars where they see there are suitcases and take them. So leave your bags at your hotel or choose a luggage storage service like Nannybag to find a secure place to leave your bags that aren’t in plain sight and will be protected,” the travel expert explained.

“Most of the time after the thief has taken what they want, your luggage may turn up, therefore wrap any jewellery up in one of your tops so they will unlikely spot your valuable items and steal them. 

“Place any chains neatly in a line before you fold or roll your item of ‘non-branded’ clothing (this is important) to prevent any tangling and any earrings or rings in a shirt pocket. 

“Thieves will dump the suitcase after a quick raid of key items such as ipads, designer clothing and footwear for example, and if you label your suitcase I have heard many travellers getting their luggage returned after such incidents. They will also overlook old or cheap items,” she said.





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