This expert needs two-weeks, minimum to plan her packing. Photo / Nick Fewings, Unsplash
This expert needs two-weeks, minimum to plan her packing. Photo / Nick Fewings, Unsplash
Lockdown is no excuse. To truly be ready for your next holiday you need to start packing now, advises this travel expert.
Lydia Mansel, who runs the packing website Just Packed, has perfected the art of compartmentalisation. To make sure you're not caught short, she advises a fortnight to plan at a minimum.
"For any length of trip, you should start thinking about what you need to pack about a week to two weeks prior," she told Travel + Leisure.
"Personally, I use the notepad on my phone to jot down items I'll definitely need and add as something else comes to mind.
The packing list is an essential she never leaves without.
She suggests typing up your needs longhand by events, activities and number of days. That way you'll be relaxed and ready to go when the time comes, and save yourself the mark-up on a last-minute dash at the airport pharmacy.
Shoes are the Achilles' heel of most packers. Photo / Unsplash, Arnel Hasanovic
"For clothing, I type out all of the days I'm there as well as any specific events (sit-down dinners, weddings, hikes) where I'll need to have a better idea of what I'm actually going to wear."
With this level of dedication, you can see how planning holidays can become a full time occupation.
The American expatriate based out of Bath, England is always on trips for work.
In spite of giving plenty of time to preparation, her advice is always to travel light; Mansel swears by investing in quality, practical accessories such as sunnies and hats to break up outfits and cover any eventuality.
The travel cube is an accessory she swears by. "Since investing in a set of packing cubes, my entire packing process has become more organised," said Mansel.
Her advice is to either pack by outfits, for short stays or by garment type, underwent tops etc.
Always remember a spare cube for worn clothes.
"At the end of my trip, I'll use one cube to house all of the dirty laundry — which also makes unpacking a breeze."
The biggest mistake she sees travellers make is packing too many shoes. She realises that a choice of shoes can be an Achilles Heel for fashion-conscious travellers, however "you don't need to bring any more than three pairs."
Her three-step formula is: Season, comfort, formal. This is a pair of jandals or boots, depending on whether it is for a summer or winter escape, plus an option for special occasions. For a lighter footprint the "travel sneaker" is an all-rounder.
Bringing more clothes than you can wear is a common travel regret. Photo / Unsplash, Sarah Brown
Mansel says her biggest travel regret was travelling to London in her 20s with a "large duffel bag and a backpack full of items I was never going to wear" and trying to walk down West End cobbles in five inch heels.
It never hurts to do some research before packing footwear.
The pandemic hasn't changed her packing routine much. However she likes to travel essentials close, in a secure zip up bag. Her passport, credit cards, extra mask and sanitiser makes up her Covid travel survival kit.
And her must-pack travel accessory? A pen, for filling in travel forms.
"I want to get from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible and not spend any extra time fumbling around my bag looking for my ID, holding up the line in the process."
Check alert level restrictions and Ministry of Health advice before travel. covid19.govt.nz
