Packing for Winter? Here's How to Stay Warm and Not Exceed Luggage Limits
Any traveller who has had to grapple with strict airline luggage weight limits knows that packing for a winter trip can be an absolute nightmare. Not only are winter clothes heavier, but you need more of them to stay warm, and they are often bulky, and hence take up a disproportionate amount of space in your suitcase. So to ensure you avoid hefty overweight luggage fees, here are four handy hints for packing smart for this year's winter trip:
Sharing is Caring
If you're not travelling alone, one of the best space-saving tips is to share certain clothing items with your travel partner. Although items such as jackets may not be able to be shared, many winter clothing accessories, such as hats, scarves, gloves, warm socks, and even thermal underwear, are often gender neutral and one-size-fits-all. So, if you're travelling with anyone, or even if you're staying with a friend on the other end, ensure you plan to share accessories to save precious luggage space.
Opt for Lightweight Fabrics
Winter clothing items are often bulky, but they needn't be. Fabrics, such as cashmere and some silks, are able to keep you incredibly warm, and are also lightweight. So to save space and weight in your suitcase, ensure you pack your lightweight items first, and plan to layer them, for much the same effect as packing bulkier jumpers or coats.
Layer, Layer, Layer on the Plane
One of the best ways to transform an overweight suitcase into a right-sized one is to replace whatever you are wearing with the heaviest items in your suitcase, and as many of them as possible. Whilst it may not be possible to wear multiple pairs of snow boots, it is certainly possible to wear your thermal underwear, underneath a couple of t-shirts, two jumpers and jacket. Whilst this may not make for the most comfortable check-in, you can always remove the layers once through the gate, and put your excess clothing in your carry on. Remember – it's your luggage that is weighed, not you!
Optimise your Mixing and Matching
A big benefit of winter clothes is that they often come in mostly dark colours, all of which often match each other. However, it is necessary to give some thought to how you will mix-and-match your winter clothes and accessories so that you are able to create the maximum number of outfits with the minimum number of clothes. A good golden rule for any one item is: Can I wear this with at least 3 outfits? If not, consider packing something else.
Overweight luggage fees are not inevitable, so pack smarter, not heavier, for this year's winter trip. For more information about luggage, check out Sweeney Luggage Centre.
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