Tips on packing a suitcase correctly to avoid Richard Madeley’s holiday blunder

Packing a suitcase well is a special skill that not everyone has, and sometimes it can lead to frustrating situations.

It's two days before your trip, you still haven't finished packing, and you're frustrated because you need to pack all your items into just two suitcases in order to avoid paying for extra baggage fees.

TV presenter Richard Madeley faced a similarly tense situation earlier, as he shared that he believed that he’d be in less trouble for having an affair, than for leaving half of his wife Judy’s clothes behind, when they went on holiday.

“Judy and I drove to France and I was responsible for packing the car,” said Richard, 65.

His wife had left two lots of clothes on hangers in the spare room, but Richard only managed to get half of them into the car.

“We get to France and Judy says, ‘where’s that jacket I wanted to change into? Where’s that skirt?’ I’d left them behind. Can you imagine?”

Thankfully, he managed to get them packed up and couriered over. “She basically didn’t speak to me for the first two days!” Richard admitted.

Save yourself an argument and hefty courier bill by learning to pack like a pro with these easy tips:

1. Lay everything out on the bed in one room

Write a list of everything you need to pack, then lay it all out on the bed, so you can see how much you’ve got and won’t forget anything.

2. Use packing cubes

These are a really good guide to stop you from overpacking, and they also help to compact clothes down more. Having one cube per person in a case makes it easy to see who’s trying to squeeze in too many clothes!

3. Always roll your clothes

Rolling is always the best way to fit your kit into a suitcase. It minimises the gaps, squeezes out any air and ensures you fit the most inside your luggage without wasting any space. Smooth as you go, and they can be less creased, too.

4. Use your shoes

Footwear takes up a crazy amount of space, but if you utilise them, you can fit lots more in. Stuff each shoe with things like socks, headphones, belts, chargers – anything that’s small enough to fit in. Things you don’t want to get squashed – like tubes of hair product – are often better protected inside a shoe.

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5. Take some layers on your journey

If you’re travelling by plane or driving at night, it can get chilly, so wearing a few thin layers is a good way to stay warm, whilst also carrying some items with you, freeing up a bit of space in your case.

6. Use vacuum bags

If you need to take bulky items like jackets, baby sleeping bags or coats, consider using a vacuum bag, so you can suck out all the air and take up much less space.

7. Use suit carriers

If you’re taking clothes on hangers, as well as in a suitcase, pop them into a suit carrier of garment bag – that way, they’re all packed together, and you can’t make the mistake of leaving any behind.

8. Buy miniatures

Packing mini versions of all your toiletries – especially the ones you only use a tiny amount of – will save you a huge amount of space and weight.

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