Travel restrictions have lifted, summer is on the way, and you may be starting to daydream about jetting off to a sandy beach with a bar that serves unlimited cocktails.
But most airlines, especially budget airlines, will only allow you to take one piece of carry-on luggage on the plane with you, free of charge. This must fit under the seat in front of you, and if not, you could be facing additional charges.
This may explain why searches for ‘packing hacks for flying’ have increased by 175%. Since many Brits are busy trying to save space and more importantly, money, Casumo has put together a round-up of the best travel hacks doing the rounds on TikTok right now - so you have all the tips you need in one place.
1. Roll your clothes
@mrsblinks ♬ cottagecore gf - Fohrenbach
Instead of folding, you should be rolling your clothes to save precious suitcase space. Rolling also reduces how much your clothes will crease during travel!
2. Use compression bags
@sideofsequins ♬ Classical Music - Classical Music
Compression bags are essential when trying to save space in your bag. Simply pop your clothes in the bag, roll out the excess air, and pack! ‘No pump needed!’
3. Fill your travel pillow
@anayotothe ♬ original sound - Ayo!
This TikToker refused to pay $60 for a carry-on so proceeded to stuff all of her extra clothes into a travel pillow. “Make sure to get a pillow with a zipper for easy stuffing,” she says. Genius!
4. Buy a packing cube
@scorpionbabygirl ♬ original sound - Laura Horan597
Packing cubes are not only great for organising your suitcase but are also key to saving space as they compress your clothes. LauraHoran597 managed to pack 8 months' worth of clothes into just one cube!
5. Use a clothes organiser
@lorafied ♬ Thrift Shop - Instrumental Hip Hop Beats Crew
TikToker @lorafied has changed the packing game with this ‘1 step pack and unpack travel hack’. All you need to do is pack your clothes in a clothes organiser, then hang it up when you reach your destination!
6. Do the bag inside of a bag trick
@laurenkawano ♬ original sound - 🦋Lauren Kawano🦋
‘My biggest tip is the bag inside of a bag inside of a bag tip!’ says Lauren. Bags are great for packing shoes as well as your underwear. Don’t forget to pack an extra bag for dirty clothes!
7. Pillow flies for free
@nolimitua ♬ how would they know bad girls club - Chris Gleason
For this hack, all you need to do is stuff your pillowcase with the clothes you can’t fit into your luggage. This tried and tested trick has been used on many flights - the crew are none the wiser!
8. DIY neck pillow
@kristenashleyblack ♬ Slow and Sneaky - Adam Saunders & Mark Cousins
Kristen Black has gone viral on TikTok with this impressive hack - simply roll up any extra clothes into your jumper, wrap the sleeves around your neck, and you’ve got yourself a DIY neck pillow! ‘You criticise, I improvise’ she says.
9. Use the vacuum trick
@bblawncarekc ♬ original sound - Olivia
For this quick and easy tip, all you need to do is put the oversized items in a bin bag and wrap the bag around the nozzle of your hoover! The hoover will remove all of the air - reducing the size by up to 4x!
10. The string bag/pregnancy hack
@miniadvantures ♬ how would they know bad girls club - Chris Gleason
Ashlin, or @miniadventures to her TikTok followers, created a fake baby bump to smuggle an extra bag onto her flight. She simply wore the string backpack on her front and put her hoodie on over the top! Ashlin later revealed she even got priority boarding due to ‘being pregnant’, sneaky! Personally, I won't recommend this hack, however – if airport security suspected something fishy then it could land you in trouble.
