How to have a hand-luggage-only holiday if you're not Gwyneth Paltrow

Whenever I’ve been on a press trip to review a destination or a hotel, my fellow journalists have always remarked upon the fact that I travel so light. It’s not what they expect from someone whose main beat is fashion, but I’ve always loved the efficiency of breezing past the groaning baggage carousel with my compact wheelie case. As far as I’m concerned, the less time spent in airports the better.

Gwyneth Paltrow shares that approach, and has written about how she packs for a four-day work trip for her lifestyle website, Goop. Her guide has come in for some flak though, because the combined total of her ‘essentials’ comes to £5,500.

Goop is a luxury website, and the article is sponsored by Net-a-Porter, which explains the high-value merchandise, but I also know that it’s possible to travel with hand luggage only on a budget that’s less than the cost of the holiday itself. I’ve travelled for up to ten days with hand luggage only, though it was a hot weather destination, which makes it a lot easier.

With overseas summer holidays back on the agenda for some, my packing skills are finally relevant again - so here’s how I’d pack for a week-long trip that, like a typical August getaway, might include sightseeing, nice dinners and a decent chunk of time on a sunlounger by the pool.

The case

A hardy, lightweight suitcase is key - mine is a well-used case from Away (£215, awaytravel.com) though Tripp cases offer great value for money and start at around £40. Spinner wheels make it easier to get across the airport without hurting your back, the hard shell will protect your possessions and it’s easy to lift into the plane’s overhead cabin.

The clothes

I notice many people overpack because they’re trying to account for every eventuality, but in planning well, you can avoid that. For a seven-day trip in which you’ll wear two outfits per day (swimwear, shorts or a sundress by day, something smarter for dinner in the evening), this is what I’d bring:

Three dresses, lightweight cotton or linen trousers, a pair of shorts, three tees or tank tops, a silk camisole, a pair of heels or wedges, two pairs of flat sandals, a few favourite pieces of jewellery, two pairs of sunglasses, three swimsuits, two cover-ups and a small handbag.

There should be space for all of the above, along with underwear, chargers, adapters and a hair dryer or straighteners. For travel, I’ll wear my jeans, trainers and a light jacket, like a linen blazer, as these are bulkier items that take up a lot of suitcase space.

Just make sure everything can be worn in different combinations: e.g. all the tops can be worn with your jeans, trousers and shorts alike. You could even try a tee under a strappy dress if you need a bit more coverage on your shoulders and arms in the midday sun.

I use a tote as a handbag, into which goes my laptop or iPad and a transparent washbag (all liquid products must be under 100ml) - this makes security a breeze. I’ll carry my sun hat in the tote too (packed last so that it’s not crushed by heavier items).

Frequent flyer hacks

All together, you should have enough clothes to take you through to the end of the week in style without having to send anything to the hotel laundry. That said, I have some favourite items that I’ll want to get a couple of wears from, so I’ll hand-wash them in the bathroom sink - which I do with my swimwear at the end of the day anyway as exposure to salt and chlorine can damage the fabric. I like Sea to Summit’s laundry leaves (£3.50, Rock +Run).

Une a Une hoop earrings, £39, Feather & Stitch; Leather flatform flip-flops, £35, Marks & Spencer; Yara bikini top, £40, and Couva bottoms, £40, Toco Swim; Garment-dyed tie-waist trousers, £99, Toast; Carry-on suitcase, £215, Away; Thebe shorts set, £260, Yolke; Linen V-neck T-shirt, £95, Essentiel Antwerp

I’ll also pack my favourite new gizmo, a FreshUp (£249, bosch-home.co.uk) which magically removes odours from clothes, though leaving a garment in the sun for a few hours works well too. A portable steamer (prices start at around £25 on Amazon) is also a great way to refresh clothes on holiday, as well as removing creases.

Pick up a bottle of sunscreen in the airport after you’ve been through security, as you’ll need more than 100ml for seven days in the sun. There’s usually a decent range of brands in Duty Free.

Toss a couple of old dust bags into your suitcase. When I’m packing to go home, I use them to sort my laundry into lights and darks, which makes the chore of unpacking a lot less painful on your return.

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