Organised, ready and the chocolate lived to tell the tale
We’ve already shared some thoughts on suitcases and hand-carry essentials. Here are a few more real-life packing solutions that save space, sanity — and your favourite treats including the all-important chocolate!
Vacuum Bags
We vacuum-packed our pillows, sheets, and towels to save space. For a budget-friendly alternative, we’ve also used large plastic rubbish bin bags with duct tape — surprisingly effective!
Laundry Bags
We love net laundry bags. They’re super light and handy to keep dirty laundry when travelling. If you’re blessed with access to a washing machine, you can also toss everything in with less chance of losing a sock. Tip: Underwear laundry bags aren’t just for washing — they’re great for storing and organising socks and underwear while on the move.
Wet Bags
They are really handy when you are on the move, and you have clothes and swimwear that didn’t dry in time.
Packing Cubes
We’re convinced that once you start using packing cubes, you never go back! Mesh packing cubes let you see contents at a glance and make it so much easier to organise your luggage — especially when you’re unpacking and repacking on the road during a busy time of transition. One of our favourites is a first-night cube for the first night. It avoids rummaging through the whole suitcase and you have everything ready so everyone can hit the hay after a long journey.
Evacuation Bag
For the past 13 years, we’ve always kept an evacuation bag ready in case of emergencies. It’s basically a duplicate of our hand-carry essentials, with a few extras:
- Portable travel water filter
- Microfibre towels
- Small change of local currency
Handheld Luggage Scale
So convenient—we never travel without one.
Space Fillers
When we have extra space but not much weight allowance left, we fill gaps with lightweight treats we can’t buy locally, e.g.:
- Marshmallows
- Tortilla chips
- Herbal teabags
- Rice cakes
- Seaweed snacks
- Washing up sponges
- Cushions/pillows
They help keep the luggage contents from shifting too much — and bring a little comfort from home.
Before you zip up, here’s our ultimate packing rule:
SAVE THE CHOCOLATE!
If you’re bound for a hot country, tuck your chocolate in the middle of your luggage — never on the top or bottom — unless you want to arrive with a tragic pool of melted goodness clinging to its wrappers. We once packed a 2-kg bag of chocolate chips, only to receive it back as a single, solid 2-kg chocolate rock. In our experience, the most heat-proof chocolate treat is M&Ms — thank that sugar coating for saving the chocolate!
That moment when you unwrap the unharmed chocolate? What joy! We are so excited for you and your precious chocolate!