Save money and back ache going hand luggage only – but there’s an art to getting it all in the case.

Guest post from travel writer and blogger Alison Chambers

On return from a recent trip to Cairo, I looked across the baggage belt at Heathrow to see a couple of women passengers grabbing armloads of clothes and underwear off the belt and dumping them on the floor. “Some poor sod’s bag has broken,” the guy next to me muttered.

I looked down to see one of my new dresses glide past me on the baggage belt. I was that poor sod.

My bag had split open because I’d stuffed it full, many of the clothes returning unworn, and as a result my holiday wardrobe was doing a catwalk of shame around Terminal 3.

From that moment I vowed to take my own advice: to pack light and travel hand luggage only.

It’s not just the threat of humiliation that’s a good reason to travel light – there’s the strain of lugging a heavy bag stuffed with clothes you won’t wear – according to a survey released this week by tour operators Thomson and First Choice, only 16 per cent of us actually wear all of the clothes we take on holiday. And then there’s the cost of travelling with hold luggage.

This summer Ryanair is charging £60 to take a 20kg bag on a return trip, or £100 if you don’t pay the charge in advance. Frankly, that’s money I’d rather be spending on ice creams and pina coladas.

I’ve tried to summarise all the little gems that I’ve been told by hotel concierges, business travellers and fellow travel writers, to get as much in as possible and keep clothes crease-free and undamaged.

Here are a few more pointers about what to pack and tips how to pack:

• Decant toiletries into smaller bottles – you can buy minis, but they are not good value for money
• Cut down on shoes, which are the heaviest items – take sandals that will work day and night and limit yourself to one pair of evening shoes
• A sarong or cotton wrap can work as a beach towel and cover-up on the beach and is much less bulky
• Only pack gym kit if you are realistically going to exercise – trainers take up a lot of room and frequently never leave the case. Swimming is great exercise and the gear for it requires much less space in your case
• Check the weather before you leave – and try to find out whether the temperature will dip in the evenings. You’ll only need one sweater or cardigan if it stays balmy long into the night
• Check the baggage restrictions on your airline’s website then measure and weigh your case – there’s nothing worse than having to repack or ditch items at the airport

Video and more ideas at Travel Gems

Tips for packing a case

How to pack it into a suitcase that even Ryanair will allow onboard.