1. Choose your fighter

Going to keep this pretty simple, when choosing which bag your focus should be on practicality. There are three different options available: a 4-wheeler, a travel backpack and a carry-on. Each is a great bag and has different things going for them. If you are after all out ease then the 4-wheeler is your guy, perfect for a city break. The travel backpack is pretty self-explanatory, perfect for the nomad who isn’t looking to settle; Friday, Saturday and Sunday will all be at different locations. Finally, the carry-on can be summarised in three words: simple, easy, and effective. With the carry-on, you can skip waiting at airports and save money on baggage allowance, but you need to be strict when it comes to filling it up. Really, when it comes to bags it’s a case of different strokes for different folks, have a think about what you are going to be doing and then choose which works best. 

2. Keep the essentials in one place

As my mum once said, it’s always good to have a smaller bag to save you having to frantically reach around your jumpers and jackets trying to find your passport for instance (she's right). This bag is focused on accessibility and essentiality so pack with those two things in mind. The main things to think about are Portable charger, Headphones, Laptop, Adapters, Camera, and Important documents (Passport, Visa, ID etc.). If you want to make some friends on your travels, a deck of cards is always a good shout.

3. This might be obvious...

There are multiple factors that come into play at this stage of the packing process. Are you skiing, running, exploring, or just chilling? Pack clothes accordingly. There are, however, some universal things to bear in mind to maximise your efficiency. Firstly, plan each outfit, research your destination for things like weather and terrain, then work out what you might need each day. Secondly, ditch the ‘I might wear it’ attitude and be bold in your decision making. Finally, don’t bring spare shoes, choose one pair and stick with them; multiple shoes just take up scarce packing space. There is, of course, exceptions to this rule; if you are going on a running holiday, bring your running shoes!

4. Tick, tick, tick

This is an area people can get carried away with. Do you really need multivitamins, insect repellant, eye drops, thermometer, altitude sickness pills, and throat lozenges? There are some general essentials i.e. a toothbrush, deodorant, shower gel plus you may have specific medicines other than that consider anything else is a bonus and you should really think about if you need it. If you buy travel-sized toiletries you can half the amount of space they take up!

5. I bet you haven't thought of this...

A recent revelation, but one not to be undervalued are dryer sheets. You are probably wondering, what are dryer sheets? They are the things that you put in the tumble dryer that help your clothes feel softer. But this is not their only use! When you are on holiday the fact is, you do more walking than usual and that means one thing- smelly shoes and smelly clothes. If you put a dryer sheet in each shoe and a couple in your bag, your clothes will stay smelling fresh and you’ll probably make more friends! 

6. Gotta have some tunes

So, now the bare essentials are in order, you are almost ready to hit the road (jack). But before you do, it’s time to get your playlists in order. To make your road trips even better, Spotify has released a feature called group sessions. This feature breaks down long-established barriers, no longer does the passenger in the front of the car have sole responsibility for the music but now you all do. To get you started, I have added 3 of my favourite playlists for a weekend away down below. Firstly, If you are into your funk and soul, embrace all the classics. Or, throw yourself back into the naughties, and enjoy all the old school R & B anthems. Finally, if you are brave enough, share your guilty pleasures with your friends.

7. My favourite part...

Arguably one of the best and often underrated parts of a long journey is the snacks you get to eat. It is a ritual: stop off at the shop, choose your snacks, hop in the car or on the plane and then strategically plan at which part of the journey you will have what. I have been known to get straight in the car and eat all in one go but it's a classic case of short term gain, long term loss. When selecting your snacks, go with the T.T.S method. For those unaware of this way of snack selecting it is Traditional, Traditional, Stretch. Traditional are all your classics, your fruit pastels, your walkers crisps, potentially a galaxy bar if you are that way inclined (Cadburys only for me)- guaranteed joy bringers. Your stretch item is what really spices things up a little, it comes with a certain risk but it also has a potentially huge payoff. These stretch items are often limited editions, I’m talking your cream egg oreo’s, your KitKat salted caramel or your Walkers brussel sprout (wrong on every level). 

That completes the checklist! It’s easy to get caught up worrying and getting upset if you don’t have a particular item, but don’t let it define the trip. Focus on enjoying the experience, whatever that might end up being. Grab a car and book a hassle-free stylish way of getting to your destination today.