How To Pack A Hand Luggage Handbag For A Summer Getaway

There’s no better feeling than zooming past baggage claim and jumping straight into your holiday and avoiding all the hefty baggage fees while you’re at it. Ryanair estimates that 165 million passengers will travel in the UK this summer, so what better time to learn how to pack your hand luggage handbag and skip the ques than right now?

So we’ve rounded up some of the best advice for how to pack a cabin bag from picking the perfect hand luggage to space-saving tips…

What’s The Best Type Of Hand Luggage To Use For A Short Break?

When searching for your next cabin bag it's important to consider the quality, format and weight as well as your airline requirements. If you’re travelling to lots of new places, we’d opt for a leather backpack, they work across universal terrains and allows you to be hands-free - great for avoiding awkward encounters with cobblestones, sandy surfaces or dirt roads and wheely suitcases.

The Zatchels City Backpacks are ideal when you’re on the go! Designed for city explorers the handmade leather backpack is adjustable, so you can use it as a backpack cabin bag when carrying heavy loads, and easily switch it into a shoulder bag once you’ve landed and want to explore your vacation destination.

Crafted from the finest Scottish Leather, Zatchels Backpacks safely carry laptops or tablets and the City Backpack Plus’ 12-inch size has plenty of room for all your belongings too. Never be afraid you’ll hand luggage will be mistaken for other passengers with Zacthels’ customisable backpacks that are available in an array of colour choices and can be engraved with your initials.

How To Pack A Hand Luggage Handbag: 5 Helpful Tips

Space-Saving Techniques

Our number one packing tip: roll your clothes. The ‘ranger roll’ or ‘army roll’ is an effective way to keep your clothes compact, tight and most importantly wrinkle-free. Whether it's jeans or long sleeve t-shirts you can achieve perfect burritos by following this step-by-step guide.

Your socks and shoes are made to be together and that’s what they’ll do in your hand luggage; stuff all of your socks into your shoes to save space. This works for delicates too - tuck your pants inside your bra for extra room.

But we can all agree jewellery is the worst thing to travel with, it tangles and knots in ways you didn’t think were possible. For your next trip, string your necklace or bracelet through a paper straw (ensure you close the clasp together afterwards) for tangle-free jewellery.

Back To Basics: ABC Hand Luggage Technique

(A)ccessibility: Keep all of your travel documents, electronic devices and toiletries at the top of your bag for quick and easy access. We’d recommend opting for a backpack with internal pockets or separate sections, so you don’t have to fiddle around at the check-in desk or security.

(B)alance: Try to spread weight evenly across your backpack to avoid extra strain on one side of your body - you’ll thank us later.

(C)ompression: See tip one.

Utilise Digital Devices

Our phones and tablets offer a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips, allowing you to reduce your ‘Essential List’. Ditch the hardback books, paper maps, board games and so much more by embracing technology. That being said, we recommend packing a sealable bag for all of your wires, so they don’t get crossed.

Of course, if you’re planning a technology detox, camping trip or remote break you’ll still need an analogue backup.

Separate The Essentials

Find your boarding pass, money and passport in seconds with a travel wallet. A flat, thin travel pouch is perfect for staying organised and keeping your personal belongings safe. Zatchels Handmade Leather Folio Cases are long-lasting and durable purses that are perfect for travel; the convenient leather cases fit everything from your phone and wallet to your tablet or kindle.

Wear The Largest Items

Planes aren’t exactly known for being warm and cosy, so why not layer up? By wearing your bulky and heavier items on the plan such as coats, jeans or jumpers you can save tonnes of room in your hand luggage handbag - just remember you need to wear them on the way back too.