Tips for travelling hand luggage only

Until recently travelling light was a bit of a foreign phrase for me.
 No matter what my luggage allowance I will always be on the cusp of going over it. Do I really need to pack 3 pairs of black boots for one trip? You bet I'll try. However, this weekend we're flying to Milan and guess what? We didn't book hold luggage. With nothing but hand luggage only I'm downsizing my usual gargantuan 'weekend away' packing list and I thought I'd share some of my tips for getting the most from hand luggage only.


Know your limits
It's really important  to know the maximum dimensions and weight of the bag you're allowed to take in the cabin. If not you could end up having to check it in and this can be costly. Some airlines also only allow one bag which means you can't take a handbag separately to your cabin bag.

Pick the right bag
Choosing the right bag is also important. You need to make sure you have enough compartments to separate your shoes from your knitwear. Some people prefer to go for a softer, holdall style bag so it's lighter and easier to cram in those overhead compartments.

Only pack the essentials
Okay, so I'm not always the best at this. I find that a bit of prep before hand such as outfit planning makes all the difference. Also read up on the weather before you set off. Make sure you pack some shoes you know you can walk all day in and a scarf in case it gets cold. I also find making a list really helps me be more ruthless in deciding just what makes the cut

Roll- don't fold
This is a little tip that I wish I'd learnt years ago. Rolling your clothes instead of folding makes packing so much easier and gives you a whole load of extra room in your case.

Toiletries
So obviously airline regulations state that you can't carry liquids over 100 ml. Boots do a great range of travel bottles so you can decant your favourite products and they even do cute little miniatures if you'd rather not get your hands dirty squeezing and pouring everything in to little bottles.