Pack light, store more

Pack light: baggage and storage

The short list we’d actually buy: backpacks sized to a budget airline’s free under-seat bag, and the cubes that make them hold more. Prices checked 20 Oct 2026.

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Day to night: get two looks out of one capsule → · Cruising? What drinks you can bring → · Duty free and your free baggage → · Travelling with kids →

Karen’s tipMy packing method

How I pack: roll, don’t fold

1
I roll my clothes. I never fold them. Rolled clothes take up less room, squeeze into the gaps and come out with fewer hard creases.
2
Fill your shoes. I pack socks and other small bits inside my shoes, so no space is wasted.
3
Worried about smelly socks? I keep mine in a clear bag. On the way home, I reuse the same bag for dirty laundry or wet swimming costumes.

Need more room for laundry or shopping on the way home? See my bag in a bag tip below.

Karen’s tip

Leave the towel at home

“A beach towel takes up a ridiculous amount of space. I use the towels in my room, and hotels usually offer pool towels too, sometimes for a small refundable deposit. Worst case, I buy a cheap towel locally for a few euros and leave it behind. That’s much cheaper than giving up precious case space.”

Pool-towel rules vary by hotel: check your hotel’s page or ask at reception.

Ryanair, Wizz Air, Jet2, Vueling, Transavia

Free baggage at 40 × 30 × 20 cm

The strictest common free under-seat bag in Europe. These two are cut to fit it.

Cabin Max£29.95 ~~£35~~

Metz 24L Underseat Backpack Stated size: 40 × 30 × 20 cm · fits on paper ✓ Made to exactly the Ryanair and Wizz free-bag size, with a clamshell opening so packing cubes slide straight in. View at Cabin Max ↗

CabinZero£55

Classic Backpack 28L Stated size: 39 × 29.5 × 20 cm · 600 g · fits on paper ✓ Slightly under 40 × 30 × 20 cm and only 600 g, so more of your weight allowance goes on clothes. View at CabinZero ↗

easyJet

Free baggage at 45 × 36 × 20 cm

easyJet’s free under-seat bag is bigger, so you get about a quarter more room.

Cabin Max£29.95 ~~£35~~

Metz 30L Cabin Backpack Stated size: 45 × 36 × 20 cm · fits on paper ✓ The bigger sibling of the Metz 24L, sized to easyJet’s free bag. View at Cabin Max ↗

Cabin Max£44.95

Anode 30L Underseat Small Suitcase Stated size: 45 × 36 × 20 cm · fits on paper ✓ Wheels instead of straps, sized to easyJet’s free bag. Check how your airline counts the wheels. View at Cabin Max ↗

Packing cubes

Organise the bag

Cubes don’t shrink your clothes, but they stop a small bag turning into a jumble and make security checks quicker.

Cabin Max£24.95

Classic Striped 5-Piece Packing Cube Set Five sizes for under £25, so one set covers tops, bottoms, underwear and a laundry bag. View at Cabin Max ↗

CabinZero£12

Ultralight Packing Cube (Medium) A single light cube if you only want to tame the clothes section. View at CabinZero ↗

Compression cubes

Store more in the same space

A zip round the outside squeezes the air out, which is how you fit a knit and a spare outfit into a 40 × 30 × 20 cm bag.

Cabin Max£15

Travel Hack Compression Packing Cube A budget compression cube that suits a Metz backpack well. View at Cabin Max ↗

CabinZero£17

Ultralight Compression Packing Cube (Medium) A lighter fabric version, good for jumpers and winter layers. View at CabinZero ↗

Real trip

Karen’s trip: hand baggage only to Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

I’ve been to Smith Mountain Lake three times, and every time I’ve gone with hand baggage only. My fare included a 23 kg hold bag, but I took a larger bag for the overhead locker instead (I remember it as about 56 × 45 × 25 cm; check your own airline’s size limit).

I had connecting flights too, and going hand baggage only helped so much: I didn’t have to wait for baggage between flights. And if your flight is late, the time you have to make your connection is limited, so hand baggage only is another real benefit.

The weather was reliably hot, so I packed mostly little light dresses, and I still didn’t wear all my clothes.

☀ Day: Flat shoes and light dresses.
☾ Evening: For meals out: nice wedge heels and slightly fancier, but still light, dresses.

Why hand baggage only?

No worrying about my bag getting lost.
Quicker out of the airport to make my next connection.
No waiting for baggage between flights, which really counts if a late flight leaves you short of time.

Takeaway: Even when a hold bag is included, hand baggage only can be worth it on trips with a connection.

Karen, PackToWear’s founder. Illustration, not a photo.

Karen’s tip

Got connecting flights? Hand baggage only really helps

“If you’ve got connecting flights, hand baggage only is a big help. You don’t have to wait for your baggage between flights. And if your first flight’s late, you haven’t got long to make the connection, so that’s another real benefit.”

Karen’s tipSmall thing, big help

Pack a bag in a bag

I always pack a foldable shopping bag that folds into its own little pouch. I call it my bag in a bag. It’s so tiny it lives in my handbag, and I use it all trip long.

Shopping while you’re away: somewhere to put your purchases, and no paying for a bag abroad.
Dirty laundry: keep it all in one place, so it goes straight in the wash when you get home.
Pool or beach: carry towels and bikinis down without taking your whole day bag.

💡 Lots of us already have one in a drawer, so it needn’t cost you anything extra. Have a look before you buy.

Flying home with duty free? Some airlines let you carry one duty-free shopping bag on top of your free baggage; others want it inside your bag. Your foldable shopping bag only counts as that extra bag where your airline’s official rules allow it, and gate staff have the final say. Check your airline’s duty-free rule →

⭐ Karen’s pick: the one I useAmazon UK: QINREN 4 Pack Foldable Reusable Shopping Bags ↗Check priceThin printed bags that fold into a small attached pouch with a popper, plus a clip-on carabiner so you can hang it on your handbag. Comes as a pack of four.

Or tryAmazon UK: ECO CHIC Foldable Reusable Shopping Bag with Pouch ↗£9.99, price checked 20 Oct 2026 Amazon UK: Nanobag Standard 19L Foldable Tote ↗£14.95, price checked 20 Oct 2026

We may earn a small commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. Prices checked 20 Oct 2026 and they change often.

Karen’s tip Weather changes fast

How to layer

Thin layers beat one thick one. A base, a warm mid layer and a shell cover cold mornings, warm afternoons and sudden rain.
Merino and quick-dry fabrics stay fresh for days, dry overnight and pack small.
Make the outer layer packable: a light rain shell or packable down that squashes into its own pouch.
Wear your bulkiest layers on the plane (see On the plane).
Layers double for day to night: swap the knit for a silky top and keep the same coat. Day-to-night swaps →

Layer piecesM&S: Goodmove Merinotec Merino Blend High Neck Fitted Top ↗£26, price checked 20 Oct 2026 M&S: M&S Feather & Down Padded Puffer Jacket ↗£68, price checked 20 Oct 2026 M&S (Mountain Warehouse): Mountain Warehouse Pakka II Waterproof Hooded Jacket ↗£32, price checked 20 Oct 2026

We may earn a small commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.

Karen’s tip

On the plane

Wear your heaviest items on travel day: coat, knit and your bulkiest shoes. They’d take the most space and weight in your bag, and easy-off shoes speed up security.
Planes can be cold with the air con, so take a jacket on board.
On super-hot trips, skip the jacket and take a neutral-colour wrap or pashmina. It keeps you warm on the plane and doubles as an evening wrap, and as a shoulder cover for churches where a guide mentions it.
An inflatable cushion that packs into its own small, discreet pouch: a head cushion on the flight and a pillow on beach sunbeds. You choose how much air goes in, so it’s as firm or soft as you like, which a foam neck pillow can’t do.

More comfort tips for flying economy → · Is a lounge worth it? →

OptionalAmazon UK: World of Shawls Cashmere-Feel Reversible Pashmina-Style Scarf ↗Check price Amazon UK: Inflatable Travel Pillow, Soft Velvet Cover, with Compact Carrying Bag (Black) ↗Check price

We may earn a small commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.

Footwear

Two pairs, max

The best space-savers are a sleek waterproof leather ankle boot (Paris, London, Vienna & Prague, Amsterdam, Rome in December), a clean minimalist leather trainer or slip-on loafer (Tokyo, London), and a low block-heel sandal (cruise). Most trips need just two pairs: one worn, one packed. Break in shoes before the trip. Rome, Prague and Tokyo sources all flag new shoes as the main cause of blisters. Travel day: wear the heaviest pair.

Every destination guide has a “What’s underfoot” section covering cobbles, steps and ice.

Pockets you wear

Karen’s tip

Wear your storage: travel coats and vests

A jacket or vest with lots of inside pockets keeps your phone, passport, charger and a paperback on you, which is handy at security and on the plane and frees up a little room in your bag.

SCOTTeVEST$274.00

Epic Travel Jacket for Women The best-known pocket-wear brand, with a big women’s range. Phone, passport and a book all have a home. View at SCOTTeVEST ↗

SCOTTeVEST$199.00

Best Travel Vest for Women The vest version: layer it over a knit in winter or a tee in summer. View at SCOTTeVEST ↗

CraghoppersCheck current price

Women’s NosiLife Adventure Jacket II A UK brand with 9 pockets, including a zipped security pocket and a removable dry bag, in sizes 8–20. View at Craghoppers ↗

Stuffa£ (GBP)

Stuffa pocket jackets and gilets A UK brand: priced in pounds, with free UK delivery (Isle of Wight included). 12 hidden pockets; the jackets are waterproof. On 20 Oct 2026 the women’s gilet (from £95) was sold out and the men’s Rift jacket was £120. Visit Stuffa ↗

Buying SCOTTeVEST from the UK: prices are in US dollars, and import VAT and any duty are charged on delivery, on top of the price. Returns are within 30 days and you pay the return postage. Prices checked 20 Oct 2026.

What airlines say about coats

easyJet: 'Handheld belongings: You're allowed to bring some extra things into the cabin. e.g. umbrella, overcoat, crutches, walking stick, one standard bag of goods bought at the airport.' Source
Wizz Air: 'A coat or blanket' may be taken on board at no extra cost. A neck pillow must fit in the bag or 'may be treated as an additional item and be subject to … oversized or excess baggage charges'. Source
Air France: A 'jacket, coat, or any other item of clothing you may be wearing' is not counted as hand baggage. Source
Virgin Atlantic: 'Your overcoat or wrap' is allowed in addition. A handbag counts as extra only when used 'as you would normally use it (in other words, not just being used to contain items that would…'. Sourceto re-check
Lufthansa: Jackets and coats can be hung on the seat-back hook. 'Any piece of baggage brought to the gate counts as carry-on.' Source

The honest bit: no airline promises that a coat with full pockets won’t count as baggage. Gate staff decide what counts, and Lufthansa says any piece of baggage brought to the gate counts as carry-on. Liquids, power banks and other items in your pockets still follow the normal security rules. Wear your storage for convenience, not as a way around your allowance.

Quick answer

Do vacuum bags make your bag heavier?

Not by themselves. Squeezing the air out actually makes your clothes a few grams lighter, because air weighs about 1.2 g per litre. But because they let you fit more in, the bag you carry usually ends up heavier. That matters on allowances with a weight limit, such as Wizz Air’s 10 kg free bag or easyJet’s 15 kg.

Watch the creases. Vacuum bags crease clothes more than anything else, so use them for knitwear, fleeces and coats rather than shirts. Put crease-prone pieces in packing cubes instead.

💡 Tip: Vacuum bags save space, not weight. Weigh your bag before you leave.

Amazon UK: FREETOO Luggage Scale with Tare Function, 50 kg ↗Check price

Karen’s tip

No-iron packing

Pick fabrics that don’t crease. Woven cotton and linen crease; knits, merino, jersey and most polyester blends barely do.

Skip the mini steamer on a free-bag trip. It adds weight and takes space, and abroad it needs a plug adapter, so it usually defeats the point.

Hang creased clothes in the bathroom while you shower.
Pack a small crease-release spray under 100 ml (it counts as a liquid).
Roll clothes, and keep crease-prone pieces in a packing cube on top, not in a vacuum bag.
Check whether your hotel or Airbnb has an iron.

On a cruise? Check your cruise line’s prohibited items list before packing a steamer or iron; many ships offer a pressing service or self-service launderettes instead. Crease-release spray and hanging clothes in the shower are the no-risk options.

Wedding, or a bigger baggage allowance? A travel steamer can make sense, as long as your ship or venue allows it. Amazon UK: Morphy Richards Vibe Travel Garment Steamer & Storage Bag ↗£26.67, price checked 20 Oct 2026

Karen’s tipSave money on sun cream

Decant, don’t buy mini

I buy clear 100 ml spray bottles and decant my sun tan lotion into them from the big bottle I already have. It’s far more cost-effective than paying for the smaller travel bottles, and the bottles last trip after trip.

100 ml is the bottle size, not how full it is. At airports still using the 100 ml rule, each container must be 100 ml or less and go in your clear liquids bag. A half-empty 200 ml bottle won’t pass.
Bigger-limit airports? Some UK airports with the new scanners allow containers up to 2 litres, but most airports you’ll fly home from are still 100 ml. Decanted 100 ml bottles work at both.
Label every bottle with what’s inside and the SPF, so security, and you, know what it is.
Runny lotions and oils spray best. Thick creams can clog a fine-mist nozzle, so use a spray or lotion that pours easily.

Clear 100 ml spray bottlesAmazon UK: ILLUVA 100ml Clear Fine Mist Spray Bottles (4 pack, funnels and labels) ↗£5.59, price checked 20 Oct 2026 Amazon UK: Lamapee Small Spray Bottles 100ml (3 pack) ↗£7.99, price checked 20 Oct 2026 Amazon UK: MELLIEX 100ml Fine Mist Spray Bottles (6 pack, funnels, labels and clear bag) ↗Check price

🫙 One little pot for my skincare

Instead of taking three 100 ml bottles, I decant my day cream, night cream and cleanser into one small round soft silicone pot with three sections. It’s a great space saver, and it saves money on buying miniatures of your own creams, which aren’t always available anyway.

The three-in-one pot lasts me about 4 to 5 days at most, so it’s perfect for short trips. I love that it’s soft silicone rather than solid plastic: it flexes, so it squashes into gaps in my bag and makes packing easier. For anything longer, I use separate pots, which hold more.

It still goes in your liquids bag. Creams, gels and cleansers count as liquids at security, wherever the 100 ml rule applies.
It frees up room in that bag: one small pot takes far less space than three 100 ml bottles, leaving space for your sun cream and toothpaste.
Know which section is which. I’d fill them in the same order every time, or label the lids day, night and cleanser, so you don’t mix them up at 7am.
Try not to overfill, and screw the lids on firmly. Pots are best for creams; keep runny liquids in bottles.

⭐ Karen’s pick: the type I useAmazon UK: YUYTE 3-in-1 Silicone Travel Cream Jar (3 x 12ml inner pots, 2 spoons) ↗£8.22, price checked 20 Oct 2026One round silicone case with three 12 ml sections and two little spoons.

Another three-section potAmazon UK: Didiseaon 3-Compartment Silicone Cream Jars, 2 pack ↗£11.79, price checked 20 Oct 2026

Away more than 4–5 days? Separate pots hold moreAmazon UK: Jdbefuy 4-Pack Silicone Travel Cream Containers, 20ml (pastel) ↗£7.99, price checked 20 Oct 2026

We may earn a small commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. Rules: liquids rules by airport and gov.uk’s liquids guidance.

Karen’s tip Before you pack

Check your room first

Read the hotel, Airbnb or hostel listing, or message the host, and ask whether they provide:

Iron or steamer
Hairdryer
Toiletries: shampoo, shower gel (conditioner often isn’t supplied)
Towels, plus beach or pool towels
Washing machine or laundry service
Plug adapters or USB sockets
Kettle, tea and coffee
Slippers and a robe
A safe
Beach gear: umbrella, loungers (beach trips)
Ski storage and boot heaters (ski trips)

Hostels often don’t provide towels or padlocks.

Karen’s tip Bring your own hair products. Most hotels supply shampoo but often not conditioner, and plenty of us prefer our own products anyway. Decant your favourites into leak-proof silicone travel bottles under 100 ml: label them, fill them only about ¾ full so cabin pressure changes don’t make them leak, and put them in your clear liquids bag. Or use solid shampoo and conditioner bars, which don’t count as liquids. Amazon UK: Lericttor 100ml Silicone Travel Bottles ↗Check price · Amazon UK: Friendly Soap Travel Bar 95g (hair & body) ↗£4.72, price checked 20 Oct 2026

Every item they provide is one you don’t carry.

Karen’s tip

Short of space? Buy it there

Adding a checked bag typically costs around £60–80 return on a budget airline. So if your bag is full, buying bulky or liquid items when you arrive is often cheaper:

Sun cream and after-sun
Full-size shampoo and conditioner
Insect repellent
A beach towel
Flip-flops
A cheap umbrella or poncho

Prices vary a lot by destination. Supermarkets in places like Spain and Portugal are usually cheap, while Iceland, Switzerland, Scandinavia, cruise ships and resorts tend to be expensive. Our destination guides say whether it’s worth it.

Prices checked 20 Oct 2026 on each brand’s own website, in GBP, and they change often. Preview note: these are placeholder links to each brand’s normal product page with no affiliate tracking yet. Free-baggage sizes come from each airline’s official page: see the free baggage size reference.