Shoes in the shower cap: How to pack perfectly this summer

Over-packers and novice travellers are being offered tips on how to pack perfectly for their summer holiday.

The holiday car rental experts at StressFreeCarRental.com have rounded up their top tips for those looking to save space and ensure they pack all of the essentials.

Among the top hacks are packing necklaces in straws to avoid them becoming tangled and placing dirty shoes in a shower cap.

Overpackers should aim to wear some of their more bulky items, like boots or jackets, on the plane to relieve the stress of fitting everything in your suitcase.

Putting your necklace inside a straw can prevent entanglement

“To avoid this, travellers should plan ahead and make a list of the items they need. Easy tips for saving space include only taking the essential toiletries and decanting items like shampoo, conditioner and shower gel into small travel bottles.”

Here are top packing hacks:

Heavy items
Place any heavier or bulkier items by your case’s wheels so the heavy items will be at the bottom when it is stood.

Dryer sheets
Travellers preparing for long-haul flights or for those who don’t like to unpack when they get to their destination should place dryer sheets in their luggage. This will keep everything smelling fresh.

Prevent spillages
To avoid any liquids spilling all over your case, unscrew the lid of your bottles and place a small piece of cling film over the opening and screw the lid back on. Alternatively, pack all liquids in a plastic bag.

Packing chargers
Avoid wires getting tangled amongst your belongings by wrapping up all chargers and electricals and packing them together in a small bag or packing cube.

Outfit packing
Before packing, arrange your items of clothing into outfits rather than individual items. This will encourage you to think more strategically about the clothes you need and will help to stop temptations to overpacking.

Jewellery
Getting on holiday to find all your necklaces tangled in your bag is frustrating. To prevent this, pop your necklaces into reusable straws.

Roll up
Rather than folding all of your clothes, try rolling them up to take up less space and avoid lots of creases.

Bulky clothes
Wear heavy clothes and shoes at the airport rather than stuffing them into your case. Layer up with jumpers and jackets and wear your heaviest shoes.

Wrap up shoes
Cotton bags are great for holding shoes inside a suitcase as they can be washed as soon as you’re home. Alternatively, shower caps are great for holding muddy or dirty shoes and means you can keep them away from your clean clothes.

Fragile items
Avoid breakages of glass perfume and aftershave bottles by putting them inside your packed shoes or in a sock for extra padding.

Hats
Those heading off on sunny holidays and planning on packing hats should stuff them with smaller items like socks and underwear. This will save space and help your hats keep their shape.