Going on a city break in the autumn/winter is always something to look forward to. Christmas markets, cosy vibes and crisp weather – the winter months are a great time to explore cities. Generally prices are cheaper as well, as airlines and hotels are less busy. If you’re like me and you don’t like to pay for check-in luggage it can be harder to pack for a short city break in the winter! You need to stay warm, but jumpers and boots take up a lot of space! Here are my tips to pack light for winter travelling and make sure you don’t have to pay extra for luggage.
In this article you will read:
- Bring a light, but rainproof jacket
- Thermal under layers
- Think accessories: hat, scarf, socks
- Wear the most bulky items on your flight
- Use a packing cube
- Use compression sacks
Bring a light, but rainproof jacket
At home I like to wear big, fluffy coats that keep me warm and cosy. But when travelling these take up so much (unnecessary) space! When you are travelling and walking around lots in a city you are less likely to get cold anyway, so it might be best to leave your big coat at home.
Instead, bring a jacket that is both light and rainproof. Something like an insulated jacket should keep you warm enough from the wind and cold as well as withstand the rain! Some jackets even come with a small bag you can fold (of stuff) your jacket in and it only takes up a small amount of space!
Thermal underwear
It might sound weird but I love thermal underwear! I think layering is essential on a city trip in the winter because it really keeps you warm without taking up too much space in your luggage. Depending on how cold it is in your destination you can wear long underwear under your jeans/trousers. I personally love the long thermal tops, because they are comfortable under a jumper and they look fine to wear on their own if you do get a tad warm.
If you like wearing dresses and/or skirts, thermal tights are a must! You can get these from any shop nowadays, ranging from Primark to a more upscale underwear shop. They are soft and keep your legs warm when you’re exploring the city!
Think accessories: hat, scarf, socks
Accessories are a handy way to squeeze more warmth into your hand luggage. A scarf, hat and couple pairs of warm socks don’t take up much space but will keep you warm on your city trip! Stuff some thermal socks in your shoes before putting them in your case: when you have warm feet you are more likely to stay warm all over!
You can wear your scarf on your flight or tie it around your bag on your travels. If your scarf is big enough you can even use it as a blanket on the plane or somewhere else! Bring a (matching) hat to look cute and keep your ears warm! Accessories are a great way to keep warm as you can easily take them off when you do get warm and they don’t take up a lot of space!
Wear the most bulky items on your flight
This is a pretty obvious travel hack and if this is the first time you are reading this, I’m not sure where you have been! When I travel for a couple days I usually like to bring a hoodie or jumper for those moments I want to feel comfortable and cosy. But these items can take up almost half of your hand luggage case! Just wear that jumper on your flight, or at least keep it around your shoulders or just hold it.
Save the space in your case for other items!
Use a packing cube
I had never heard of these until very recently! Packing cubes are, as the name suggests, cubes that you can use for effective packing. They are available to buy from most travel shops, but you can get them from Amazon really cheap to try out! Most often they come in a multi-pack with different sizes.
Packing cubes allow you to pack up lots of different items in various sized cubes. You might think this won’t really help you saving space, but it really does! When I first used them I was so surprised at how much space they saved in my case. And not only that, the cubes also keep things organised in your luggage – and I like that a lot.
Use compression bags
Compression bags are handy for limited space packing as the airtight packing really saves you a lot of ’empty’ space. They are super cheap on Amazon and last ages! Simply pack your stuff in the compression bag and fold it tightly to take the excess air out! Most travel compression bags don’t need hoovers.
I also use these compression bags to store my seasonal clothing at home!
Do you have any more tips? Let me know in the comments!
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