It can really spoil your holiday… you arrive at your hotel and open your suitcase and scream with dismay when you look inside.

All your clothes are creased… the sun cream bottle has burst and your nice new jacket is still lying on the bed at home.

What a nightmare!

But, take heart, with a little bit of know-how you will never find yourself feeling like that again.

So, what to do?

Let’s start with Preparation.

Yes, even if you have the most frantic of lives you still need to make time in your busy schedule to prepare before you pack your suitcase.

Leave it to the last minute at your peril. To avoid disaster you need to spend some time thinking about what you need on your vacation.

First, you need to think about where you’re going and how long you’ll be on vacation. A long weekend visiting family or friends at Christmas in the UK will need a completely different packing list to a month in Australia at the same time.

The weather can make such a difference to what you pack in your suitcase so, the first thing to do is to check the weather forecast for the place you plan to visit and pack your suitcase accordingly.

Now you’ve done the first part of your preparation it’s time to sit down and make a list of all the things you will need on your vacation. Then the hard part… crossing of the list a few of the things you can do without. Remember, when you reach your vacation destination you can always buy things there if you need them.

If you are flying to your destination make sure you know the limit of your baggage allowance, as most budget airlines today charge substantial excess charges for overweight baggage. Make sure you weigh your baggage before leaving home if your want to avoid paying extra.

Only take the minimum amount of toiletries with you as you can always buy more locally. Always pack them in sealable plastic containers to prevent any spillage from damaging your clothing.

The Rolling Method of packing your clothes is a great way to reduce creases and wrinkles.

Photo: AnsyDuPiton.com

For example, take a shirt… lay if face down on the bed and fold the arms neatly behind it. Fold the shirt in half lengthways and lay another shirt or a tee shirt folded in the same way on top.

Then, from the bottom of the shirt roll them both together into a reasonably tight roll. The idea behind this method is that by rolling the clothes they are being wrinkled less right from the start and as the rolling creates a gentle bend in the clothes it will recover when unrolled and given a gentle shake… Try it…it works!

Photo: Molly Feltner

You can put three or four or more items together in a roll and because you are creating a gentler bend there will be less creases in your clothes.

It’s best to roll your socks and underwear and put them inside shoes or boots which can then go inside plastic bags and fit either in the bottom or sides of your suitcase.

Photo: trundstrom

You don’t need to roll all your clothes… Jeans and trousers fold in half easily and are best placed in the bottom of your suitcase.

It’s best to put jackets, sweaters and heavy items like books at the bottom of your suitcase with lighter clothing placed on top of them… and then put your clothing rolls at the very top.

The best place to put your toiletries bag is right in the center of your suitcase. Cushioning it in between your clothing rolls is a good place as it will reduce the chance of damage from squashing.

It can help to decide in advance the outfits you want to wear each day and then pack each outfit in individual re-sealable bags and then roll them up.

If you’re flying  make sure you have a change of clothing in your carry-on luggage. Unfortunately, luggage does go missing from time to time and it can take a day or two before you get it back.

If you like to buy new things when on vacation and need to make space in your suitcase to bring your new purchases home… It’s a good idea to take some old clothing with you to wear. You can throw them away before coming home.

It’s also useful to have some sort of identifying tag on your suitcase so you can recognise it… especially if you’re flying. So many suitcases look the same today it can be difficult spotting yours on the baggage belt.

And, if you’re buying a new suitcase, don’t buy a black one… There are so many black suitcases it can be really hard to spot yours… Get a bright colored one like ‘Red’ or ‘White’ and save yourself a lot of hassle.

Also, make sure you don’t pack the cat!

Photo: libraryrachel

When you decide to go on vacation part of the downside of it all is getting yourself organised to do something that is way out of your normal routine and most likely way out of your comfort zone.

So, I have put together for you in these Scottish travel tips ….ways to make your vacation easier, safer and more enjoyable for you.

Tip #1 Make Sure You Confirm your Reservations

There is no bigger nightmare than turning up at an airport expecting to take a flight to discover the airline has never heard of you.

So, always confirm your flight details at least the day before you are due to fly out.

Do the same with you hotel accommodation.

If you have booked you vacation with a travel agent check all the details with them  a day or two before you are due to leave.

Tip #2 Always Leave Your Itinerary With Family Or A Friend

It is always important and also courteous to leave a copy of your itinerary with a member of your family or a friend so if something happens back home they will know where you are and can get in contact with you in a reasonable time.

It helps to have a chat with your family or friend and decide between you how often you should be in contact with them when you are away.

Keeping in regular contact prevents your family from worrying about you if they do not hear from you for a while.

There are lots of places where you can access the internet when you are on vacation so it is really easy to send emails regularly.

Tip #3 Don’t Travel With Too Much Luggage!

The temptation is always there when going on vacation to pack as much as possible into your luggage to cater for every type of weather.

Try to resist the temptation… not easy I know. I struggle with this every time I go on vacation.

If you are flying, make sure you know what your luggage weight allowance is before you go… And make sure you weigh your luggage to be sure you are within the luggage allowance. Many budget airlines charge a hefty premium for overweight luggage.

Tip #4 Put Your Personal Papers Into Your Hand Luggage

It is a sad fact, but so much luggage goes astray at airports today so you must be prepared for it to happen to you.

Make sure you put all of your important papers in your hand luggage and carry it onto the plane. This will include your itinerary and any tickets you have for pre-booked tours you will take on your vacation.

If you are taking medication make sure you pack this in your hand luggage also.

It can be very useful if you include a few items of essential clothing in your hand luggage. They will help you out while you are waiting to be re-united with your luggage.

Tip #5 Arrive At The Airport With Time To Spare

Find out from your travel agent or online booking when the check-in time for your flight begins.

Just as important is to find out the time when the check-in for your flight closes. Many budget airlines are turning passengers away because they arrive at the check-in desk late. The plane may still be at the airport, but if you arrive after the check-in desk closes you may miss your flight.

So, include enough time into your schedule to allow for delays in your journey to the airport.

If you do arrive at the airport at the last minute find an agent straight away, explain your situation to them and ask for their help to get you through the check-in process.

Do not just join the line expecting someone to contact you. They won’t.

The important thing for you to remember when you read these Scotland travel tips is you are going on vacation so relax, don’t panic and most of all… enjoy the trip!

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