How to pack for a 10-day summer holiday – with hand luggage only

Packing for the rest of the family

I have three year-old twins, and I haven’t accounted for their needs in my bag. Now that they must each have their own seat on the plane, they’re entitled to a carry-on case too. The only bulky things required are overnight nappies, pool inflatables and beach toys (they have collapsible buckets for sandcastles), a stuffed animal each and a couple of puzzles decanted into old dust bags. 

Between them I pack about 10 T-shirts, five pairs of shorts, two swimsuits each, and three cotton dresses for my daughter. For them, the same rule applies about wearing their bulkiest clothes for the journey, so they travel in trainers and wear Crocs by the pool or on the beach. In my handbag, I’ll pack snacks, water, and some activity books for the flight. We’ve just about reached the stage where we can do without a buggy.

My husband’s approach to packing is quite straightforward too. His greatest suitcase space indulgence is a fresh T-shirt for every day of the holiday, and two sets of running gear. Beyond that, he’ll bring a couple of shirts, three pairs of shorts and one pair of trousers in case we decide to do something smarter for dinner. His Toms espadrilles can be worn for pretty much everything, but he’ll also bring flip flops for the beach, and travel in his running trainers. 

Patrick Grant, founder of Community Clothing and judge on The Great British Sewing Bee, is even more of a packing minimalist, but it doesn’t hamper his style: “I wear the same stuff pretty much every day, whether I’m on holiday or at home which makes packing super simple,” he says. “I’ll wear a light raincoat, baggy cotton trousers and a jumper to travel in so I’ve got warm stuff covered, which means I can pack super light for warm holidays; just a couple of pairs of Community Clothing’s lightweight cotton sports shorts in black, a pair of black speedos, one olive green and one navy cotton army style shirt, a couple of cotton crew neck T-shirts, a few socks and pants, leather sandals and a washbag (with not much beyond a toothbrush and a comb in it). That’s pretty much it.” 

Now all I need to do is hope that the flight isn’t so full that the cabin crew decides to put my bag in the hold anyway. One of those things that no amount of savvy packing can prevent.