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Perfect packing: myth or reality?
Picture the scene: a holiday beckons and out comes your football pitch-sized suitcase. Do you cram it with more medical supplies than the Red Cross and more clothes than a TopShop delivery truck?
Maybe you used to be a Brownie, growing up with the motto 'Be prepared' and always carrying a 10p coin for emergency calls along with plasters and a hanky. Well, old habits die hard as new research by Holiday Inn has discovered.
Apparently, the average Brit packs around £1,571.98 worth of goods into their case for a two-week holiday. That's twice the price of the actual holiday. Plus, 76 per cent of people admit to not using/wearing everything they pack yet 46 per cent take more stuff home than the case can hold, with a third forced to buy another bag.
Mini-breakers are no better, packing at least £1,108.71 of goods even though their trip costs an average of £349.11. Chris Hale, spokesman for Holiday Inn, said: 'It's a very British thing to be prepared for anything. Maybe it's our unpredictable weather or something to do with growing up with the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides.'
So how do you pack to perfection without resorting to crinkle skirts and reversible jumpers?
Get some space
Two words: expandable suitcases. These are fabulous inventions. When you pack, make sure everything fits in comfortably before you expand it, then you'll have room for extras on the way back and it avoids last-minute case-stuffing one minute before check-out time. With wheelie cases, pack heavier items at the bottom. It's easier to wheel, items like shoes won't crush clothes and it won't topple over every two seconds.
Roll-up, air-compressing pack-mate bags are another must-have. They don't reduce weight, but dramatically reduce space. Place items flat inside and roll the bag until the air is out. They genuinely work - no vacuum cleaner necessary.
Time to get ruthless. Do you need that bath towel? Most hotels provide towels (as do grown-up friends) so check. As for medical supplies, painkillers, plasters and essentials are fine, but unless you're hiking through Saharan wilderness, do you need that Health & Safety Executive-approved first aid box?
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