It’s all very well and good booking that luxury week’s holiday, purchasing some gorgeous new antler luggage for the journey, just so you look the part, but sometimes we could all use some assistance with the actual packing part so we don’t overload those trolley case.

I bet we are all the same, we wash everything in sight, iron it all, fold it all beautifully then stuff it all in at the last minute, sitting on top of the suitcase just to add some much needed weight to close it.

There is a better way you know…..

I am a die hard fan of the day by day planning method. I make steadfast decisions on exactly what I will wear each day and resist the urge to waiver, apart from a couple of extra tops (in case I spill something), a couple of jumpers (in case its cold) and a jacket (blame my Mum!). You can take it one step further and pack each outfit in a plastic bag separately, but unless you have OCD, it’s probably not necessary.

I expect many stick to the folding and stacking method. Everything is perfectly aligned and piled as high as you can, Mary Poppins style. Except of course, she doesn’t squidge it all down with her palms so she can close the lid.

The final method of course, used by hardened travellers and the like, is the rolling method. Everything gets rolled and squished and packed tightly side by side. It’s a popular myth that this reduces the wrinkling, so beware.

Finally, there are some superb little traveller toiletries packs you can buy. They tend to come in the form of a clear plastic resealable pouch containing several small plastic bottles in which you can put shampoo, conditioner, shower gel etc. The perfect travelling companion.