7 hacks for making the most of your hand luggage space

Although you might have some checked luggage with you too, making the most of your luggage space can be difficult especially when you’re packing all the essentials and plenty of outfits for your trip.

To help you make the most of your hand luggage space Matthew Corrigan, the CEO at Trtl Travel, has shared seven hacks you can try before your next trip to the airport.

7 hacks to help you make the most of your hand luggage space

It’s important passengers follow their airline’s baggage rules to avoid having to pay extra when they get to the airport.

Packing cubes and rolling clothes instead of folding them can help maximise your space when packing hand luggage (Image: Getty)

Matthew said: “One of the main drawbacks of heading off on holiday with only a carry-on bag is significantly less space for your belongings. While this may seem like a deal-breaker, there are some simple ways to maximise the space in your hand luggage.”

You can see Matthew’s full commentary via the Trtl Travel website.

Here are Matthew’s seven hacks:

Plan your outfits

Matthew advises holidaymakers to choose their holiday outfits ahead of time and “ensure you have several outfits that allow you to mix and match.”

This way, passengers will have fewer clothes to pack and more space to play with.

Wear heavier clothes

If you’re taking heavier items like jumpers and coats with you, it’s worth wearing these rather than packing them to save some space.

Roll your clothes

Matthew said: “Folding your clothes is a guaranteed way to run out of space and find most of your holiday favourites covered in creases.

“Rolling your clothes makes the most out of carry-on space while ensuring that your clothes are crease-free when you get there.”

Use packing cubes

If you want to stay organised, packing cubes could be the way to go.

Matthew advises: “A great way to keep your belongings organised is to use packing cubes to separate smaller items that could get lost in the bottom of your bag.”

Avoid packing unnecessary items

To maximise your space, you could avoid packing items you know will be provided when you get to your destination.

Matthew adds: “Avoid packing items that will be provided by the accommodation - such as hairdryers, towels, and toiletries. Only bring items you know you’ll use, and try to share phone chargers and other technology wherever possible.”

Use all the space in your bag

Matthew suggests travellers should use all the compartments of their bags as well as the corners.

He added that you should “remember to pop items in your shoes as well.”

Recommended reading:

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• What items are not allowed to be packed in your hand luggage?

Decant all your liquids

Matthew said: “If you bring any liquids on your travels, ensure that you decant each product into a transparent 100ml plastic bottle. Any liquids in bottles over 100ml will not be allowed to pass through airport security.

“This applies to water, face creams, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, liquid makeup, sunscreen, and perfume.

“All airports across the globe allow travellers to bring up to 1 litre of liquids stored in individual 100ml bottles, meaning the maximum amount of bottles you can bring with you is 10.”