What’s your best travel tip and travel accessory?

[boomoperator]

Random question but given I’ve had to cancel my trip to New York for a third time, I’m consoling myself by looking at travel accessories on Amazon and reading loads of trip reports on TripAdvisor. What’s yours?

Yes to mixed packing in case of lost luggage. I read that tip many years ago, and always spread the packing between the cases.

@elQuintoConyo

Roll up knickers. Put into a ziplock bag. Squish all the air out and close. Saves space. Ditto socks and bras.

Pack mix and match outfits, plus something fabulous you'll wear once.

Pack lots of shoes - you never know!

Pack flipflops or sliders for the hotel room - I never walk in bare feet in hotels pukeface.

Pack a A4 wallet or envelope type thing to keep all your paper souvenirs in (or is this just me? I always pick up paper maps, pricelists of things I've done -horserides etc, entrance tickets to places). Only if you don't Kondo

I research the fuck out of places, look at prices, options, discounts, times, off the beaten track type stuff, Google Street view the hotel and surroundings, look out for restaurants, look at their reviews etc. We're hoping to go to Bilbao soon and I'm having enormous fun looking at what to do! We won't do half of it, but if we leave the Guggenheim and fancy a cheap lunch we can go to X 10minutes walk, if we're Hank Marvin and and have a good budget we'll go to Y place 15 minutes away. That kind of thing. Or of we're walking from A-B, we could go down C Street cos that's where they filmed James Bond.

That type of thing.

At least if we don't do some things, we'll save them for the next trip, if we liked the place.

And take a book/sudoku for downtimes when you want to put your phone/camera down and just soak up the atmos.

All of this. I love the preparation almost as much as the holiday!

I'd add to the list:
Put your clothes out on the bed, look at them, then put half (at least) back in the wardrobe, you won't wear them.

I'm off to Rome on Monday for 4 days and this afternoon will finish getting all the entry tickets sorted.

Bright coloured suitcases. You can see them a mile off on the carousel.
If travelling with only handluggage, I put on electrical and toiletries in one of those fold up reusable shopping bags inside main bag. Means you aren't trying to shove everything back in after security.

Take photos on your phone of all documents and travel insurance, medication etc.

When I get near to the end of make up and toiletries I put them aside for holiday then throw away at end. Same with underwear, keep stuff when I buy new sets then wear the old ones on holiday and throw away.

@Knittingnanny

When I get near to the end of make up and toiletries I put them aside for holiday then throw away at end. Same with underwear, keep stuff when I buy new sets then wear the old ones on holiday and throw away.

I do this too - I have left my knickers all over the world 😀

Personally, if going for more than a week, I prefer to hand wash stuff than to lug loads of changes of clothes. I once travelled for 3 months with a single change of clothes, so I got the hand washing down to a fine art, though this only really works in warm climates, where you can dry stuff quickly. Soap leaves are great for gentle washing.

A large linen scarf is a good beach towel substitute, and takes up a lot less space.

The old tip to hang stuff up in a steamy bathroom to get creases out works, but only if you have ironed the clothes before you put them into the case.

If going anywhere cold (e.g. camping in the UK in August 😉), silk long-johns and a silk thermal top are your friends - take up virtually no packing space and can also be substitute PJs.

@ButYouGottaHaveASkillJeff

I'm currently investigating a lightweight beach towel thing that's sand resistant and has a hidden pocket which would be handy as I travel solo. Hoping it turns out to be good!

If you're talking about dock and bay towels, 100% worth it. We have a few of the extra large and large ones for the family and I've just bought the hair towel! Expensive but great!

@Knittingnanny

When I get near to the end of make up and toiletries I put them aside for holiday then throw away at end. Same with underwear, keep stuff when I buy new sets then wear the old ones on holiday and throw away.

DH has often done this with shoes. There must have been a number of hotels/apartments over the years where the cleaners have found an old holey pair of size 10 men's trainers

Regarding suitcases, I bought the lightest ones (fabric) I could find, as we do cheapie flying and a heavy suitcase can eat into a Ryanair 15 or 20kg limit quite a bit. Ours are from Debenhams (RIP)

Coordinate your wardrobe, shoes and jewellery. Not matchy matchy but enough to mix and match with a few combos.

I know only pack dresses and jumpsuits as they're a whole outfit. A few scarves and cardigans and I'm good to go. A lightweight blazer if I'm going on a city break.

A different colour set of packing cubes for each family member makes unpacking so much easier. Everyone knows where there things are all the time.

Take almost empty toiletries or sample sizes to finish off while you're there.

Hooded towels for beaches. Talc for getting sand off.

My next purchase will be a multi tiered hanger as there are never enough for me.

My next purchase will be a multi tiered hanger as there are never enough for me

They are in my Amazon basket too. The bathroom in our hotel has no counter or cupboard space so I’ve also put an over the door shoe holder in my basket for toiletries.

A shampoo bar will double as soap, and lather for leg shaving. And as its not liquid, it can go in hand luggage.

• Download Inkitt or Libby apps, and take free downloaded books on hols for the long journey.

• pack bits and bobs in Take away plastic containers, you can then use these out and about to hold snacks, first aid kit, etc.

• always, always put essentials and a change of clothes in your carry on (learned that one the hard way when all our luggage didn’t join my extended family and kids on a two week vacation due to a computer malfunction at Heathrow, the plane flew with no luggage and they only told us as we were landing - cue sobbing lady a few rows ahead, as she packed all her medication in her suitcase).

Also don't pack anything you cannot afford to lose in your hold luggage. My pricey cosmetics come in my hand luggage and it makes sense to take old underwear and make up dregs.

Oooh, my people here.

A house-leaving checklist before leaving (bins/electrics/water/petrol/tyre pressures) - can leave home stress-free once it is all ticked off.

A packing list - varied to destination/activity

Packing cubes - 1 for each activity - sailing/yoga/swimming/daywear

Small Asda plastic sandwich box - for non liquid cosmetics - mascara, lippy, liner - in hand-luggage - just open it in bathroom on arrival, everything there easy to see.

Repurpose old body-butter containers - colour coded for ease (headphones/tablets/cotton buds/jewllery)

Small ear defenders in handbag and also in beachbag

Decathlon hot peach microfibre sheet - as beach towel and sarong

Google maps in advance - to look for patches of shallow sea water/interesting snorkelling sites

Crocs - both for hotel room - and safe on multiple terrains - beach, rocks, distance walking, sea swimming, poolside and in town

Roche Posay SPF 50 sunscreen for face, inc lip-balm

Conference delegate plastic card holders - on a shoelace - for room keys

Lightweight rucksack as a day bag - with small repurposed plastic bottle topped up with sunscreen

Waterproof MP3 music player with new music - to use in the pool

Diving mask and snorkel - use Crocs in place of heavy flippers (unless in tidal waters 😬)

Mifi - mobile data wifi unit.

After years of over packing, I laid out all my summer holiday clothes for my friend to see and within 10 minutes she had capsule wardrobe-d them for me - a list of 14 mix and match outfits.

It's honestly changed my life!

Capsule wardrobe - every top has to go with at least 2 bottoms and every bottom with at least 2 tops.

Store toiletry bag, leads, adapters, passport etc in your suitcase between trips. If you have form for forgetting your charger but a second one to live in the suitcase.

Keep a list of what you bring and take a couple of minutes to update it after a trip

@SynchroSwimmer

"Google maps in advance - to look for patches of shallow sea water/interesting snorkelling sites"

SUPER interested in this!!! Please can you tell me a bit more about how to do this? Currently in Crete and want to go snorkeling tomorrow.....

Save money on travel adapters by only visiting countries that use UK type plugs.

@ArabellaPilkington

Easy, just look on Google Earth or Bing Maps then satellite/aerial view, look at the coastline where you are, look for some gently shelving rocks or similar, rocky beaches that sort of thing, and just check out the shallowest areas of interesting looking preferably flat water 😀

Diving mask and snorkel - use Crocs in place of heavy flippers (unless in tidal waters 😬)

We take travel flippers. Light, compact and have to be better than crocs for swimming in any situation.

Always pack some underwear and a change of clothes in hand luggage if going long haul in case your luggage isn't there when you get to the other end! I have list in my head which goes: tickets/passports underwear, tops trousers shoes and then everything else books etc... if I'm in the zone packing can take me about 20 mins even for long haul! I also have a world adapter it was about £20 and is totally worth it. Always wear outfits you can co-ordinate. Don't wear new shoes for sightseeing in. If going long haul buy big bottles of water once airside to stop dehydration. Always set your watch to the time zone you're going to and try to keep to your sleep routine on the plane if long haul e.g. if you go to bed at 10pm. Try to sleep at 10pm. NYC is amazing. Have a good holiday!

@SynchroSwimmer thank you!!

Ginfilledcats
Love those Dock and Bay towels, they would make great presents.

If you are flying and going to put your bag under the seat in front take a bin liner to wrap it in. It doesn't always happen but it has been known for people to spill drinks, throw up or pee themselves. Sorry...