The 23rd March 2022 saw some major airlines announce important changes to their hand luggage rules.
The likes of Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2 now allow passengers to take one piece of hand luggage on the plane, free of charge.
However, the wheels and handles must fit under the seat in front of you, and whilst the weight and dimensions may vary, they’re generally smaller than what you might’ve been used to in the past.
Upon booking, there’s the option to upgrade to large hand luggage, but this will require additional costs or paying for specific seats with extra leg room.
So, to help you combat airport queues and potentially save time and money, Casumo have put together some of the most popular packing hacks to save the day and help you pack more, for less.
Let’s take a look…
The roll vs fold debate
The age-old roll vs fold debate – this packing hack has been around for centuries, but it’s proven that rolling your clothes not only helps you to save a little bit of space, but also allows you to see all your outfits and minimise the chances of creases once you’ve arrived at your destination.
Use compression bags
Vacuum packing is a magical tool that’s great at decreasing the amount of space your clothes take up. However, taking a vacuum on holiday definitely isn’t space-efficient.
For the same effect, TikToker @sideofsequins shared how she fit nine days’ worth of clothes into a carry on – with compression bags!
Simply fold your clothes into the bag and roll out the excess air. When you pack, you’ll find you have so much more room in your hand luggage.
Although, don’t forget to pack a steamer or a travel-sized iron so you don’t spend your trip in wrinkled clothes.
Utilise your travel pillow
Pillows travel for free, so when @anayotothe was asked to pay $60 for a carry-on, she invested in a neck pillow with a zipper, removed the stuffing, and filled it with her clothes instead.
Another viral TikToker suggested making your own DIY neck pillow by rolling up extra clothes into a jumper and wrapping the sleeves around your neck.
Use a packing cube
A packing cube is a great solution for long-term travellers. @scorpionbabygirl proves this by fitting eight months’ worth of clothes into just one cube!
A bag inside a bag inside a bag
Packing your items into small bags before placing them inside of a bigger bag, ensures you can take as many handbags or beach bags as you’d like on your trip. As long as they all fit into your carry-on luggage, you’ll have lots of bags-in-bags that can then be used to pack shoes and any dirty laundry on the way back.
The pregnancy hack
This dubious trick was performed by @miniadventures, who documented her fake pregnancy on TikTok, revealing that not only did she manage to bring extra luggage, but she also got priority boarding!
It might be somewhat risky, but the viral TikToker could be seen using a string bag to create the fake bump, disguising it under a hoodie.
Tangle-free jewellery
Another packing hack that isn’t so much about saving space, but will definitely save you time when it comes to untangling those pesky knots from your jewellery after it’s been jumbled in your bag.
Pack your necklaces in individual zip-top bags, with the necklace’s latch secured out the top of the zipper and the rest hanging neatly in the bag. It should stay this way for your flight, and as for rings and earrings, these can slot neatly into pill organisers.
Click and collect toiletries
Government guidelines state that you can’t take any more than 100ml of each liquid in your hand luggage, and so @emma.mahonn took to TikTok to share how she gets around this.
Purchasing your liquids at the airport shops once you’re through security is always a good idea, but you’ll expect to pay above-average prices and perhaps even have limited stock.
Instead, purchase your desired items using the click and collect option on online shopping apps, then collect them in the store at the airport. This way, you’re still able to take as many toiletries as you’d like!
With all these ways to save space, time and money, what packing hacks will you be using on your next trip?
