Wearing stripe linen skirt over bikini for a boat trip to the beach

Packing and prepping for a holiday is all part of the fun for me. A bit like, how getting ready for a big night out was as a teenager. The pre-party; putting make up on and the trying on sessions, were often a lot better than the ‘tennis disco’ itself!

Do you find yourself doing any of the following;

Returning home with a suitcase full of unworn clothes?

Packing everything summery you own?

Trying on lots of different options whilst on holiday and end up wearing the really nice dress you wore on a previous night?

Taking things on holiday, that you wouldn’t be seen dead in at home?

So, if you want to pack a smaller case, wear almost everything, have an outfit for all occasions and never struggle with what to wear, follow my 8 step guide to efficient, fun holiday packing:

Step 1: Plan

Establish what type of clothes you’ll need whilst on holiday. Will you be sight-seeing, shopping, doing sporting activities, or simply lazing on the beach with a book? This will determine the outline of your holiday wardrobe and the amount of each item type you will need. Write a mental list of all the suitable clothes you have for this particular holiday.

Step 2: Edit

Lay out all your suitable things.

Anything you took on a similar trip, but didn’t wear last year- Throw out!! All the things that don’t fit- Throw them out! (You know that bikini you panic bought at the airport last year that doesn't really fit)

One of the most common things I find, when editing clients’ wardrobes, is the drawers of clothes, they have, designated just for holidays abroad, that they would never, ever, wear at home. I agree, a holiday only wardrobe could include swimwear/sheer beach dresses/sarongs or cover ups and maybe flip flops but other than that, you should be able to wear everything else at home too. Why, for one beautiful, sunny week of the year, would you want to wear something that you don’t look your best in? Put combinations together you wouldn’t wear at home instead. Maybe a fancy blouse with denim shorts and a heeled sandal or tankini top with high waisted trousers.

If you wouldn’t wear it on a hot day at home - Throw it out!! Chances are, you take these things with you every year, but never actually wear them. It might be that you don’t have that something to wear with that floaty skirt, say? If that is the case, identify that needed co-ordinating piece and buy it.

Plan to wear things twice. You don’t need a totally different outfit everyday, unless you are going to exceptionally high temperatures. For a week’s holiday, If you have 7 dresses that you love and look great in, by all means take them all, but I’d recommend editing it to your 5 favourite. Limiting it to that and /or double wearing some as both evening outfits and then as ‘breakfast dresses’ and/or ‘beach throw-overs’ on a separate day. Remember you’ve skirts, shorts, trousers to wear too!

Morning coffee; wearing bikini under last nights dress in anticipation of a beach day.

I tend to wear 2/3 outfits a day on holiday, but they are a combinations of different pieces I have worn on previous days, in alternative ways. A morning/breakfast look (until the day’s programme has materialised), the day’s chosen outfit (whether sight seeing, lunching or beaching) and an evening look.

Create a shopping list of your missing pieces.

Step 3: Pick your palette

If your holiday wardrobe is made up of 75% neutrals, this will give you a base for each outfit. White, cream or beige are essential and then blue(and all its tones including denim) and/or taupe/tan or khaki are good holiday neutrals. Then pick a highlight ‘colour family’ for the balance 25%. This could be Pinks, Reds, Greens. This year, mine was Orange.

Edit out items that don't sit in your palette. You will struggle to wear a pink striped shirt, if pink isn’t your highlight colour or you haven't packed lots of neutrals. Dresses are the one thing that can sit outside of your palette because you aren’t wearing them with one another. However, I still like to keep most of my dresses to palette to enable me to wear them over swimwear and/or shorts for an alternative look. When you don’t go over the top with your base clothing you can use accessories to pump up your outfits, changing them for different occasions. It is why the Little White/Black Dress works so well as a holiday staple.

Top Tip: Paint your toe nails in your highlight colour!

Have you enough neutral holiday clothing? If it is all too colourful, it won’t co-ordinate.

Step 4: Shoes

Choose 3 pairs of shoes and wear one of these to the airport, thus only packing 2 pairs. Depending on your type of holiday these 3 pairs will vary.

1)Trainers or Flip flops

2)Flip flops or Flat sandals or Ankle boot?

3)Flat sandals or Wedge/Heeled sandals

If these are all in your neutral tones (white,tan,grey etc..) or chosen highlight colour they will go with every outfit, changing it up or down for all occasions.

Add any shoes needed to your shopping list.

Step 5: Underwear

This is the one area you can afford to take lots of, you can stuff into corners of your case and into your 2 pairs of shoes! Ensure you have the right underwear for the outfits you have selected. Sheer Dresses or unlined white dresses are super over shorts/bikini’s alike but wear with nude ‘big pants’ in the evening. A thong is great way to avoid a VPL but you shouldn’t ever be able to see that you are wearing one. Personally I like ‘brazillian’ style knickers as a happy balance. Look out for my blog on underwear.

Step 6: Accessorise

Accessories are key to finishing outfits and are a relatively in-expensive way for changing up an outfit, pulling a look together and for simple practicalities such as holding your shorts up!

Beach Bags ( use this as your travel bag and have a smaller handbag inside for valuables) I bought a super sized, straw shopper from TK Max this year. I took a Panama style sun hat, which I used for reading by the pool and to keep cool, strolling around the pretty ports and churches. Belts are awesome for cinching in those billowy beach dresses for night time elegance. Scarves can double up as sarongs and to wear over strappy tops or dresses by night. A belt in my highlight colour (orange) allowed me to pull my outfits together. Jewellery is another great way to unite an outfit and create a totally different look. Try a chunky safari necklace with tan sandals over a white dress to change it up for evening drama.

Top tip:- Keep your metallic to either silver or gold and it will go with every outfit and match your sunglasses, if they have metal frames or trims.

Step 7: Toiletries

As far as toiletries (hate that word- is there another?) are concerned, keep it SIMPLE

Some people like to decant into smaller bottles or buy travel size, but by taking essentials only, you can pack up fairly compactly and at least efficiently.

S- Shampoo & Conditioner

Why do Shampoo and conditioner come in the same size bottle? I find a bottle of conditioner twice the size of the shampoo works to combat chlorine and salt water effects.

I - Irons

Straightening or curling irons are great to tame ‘humidity hair’ and give you a polished look for the evening. Make a choice (curly or straight) you don’t need both. Unless you are one of those people who can curl their own hair with straightening irons?? I’m not!!!

M - Make-up

Edit this down to what you will actually use daily, which is probably the same every day. You don’t need 5 lipsticks. As with your wardrobe, if you can see what you have - you will be more effective, quicker and use everything you take.

P - Pain killers

For that night you over do it a bit….

L - Lotions

Moisture is king whilst on holiday and takes up the largest space in my case. Sun tan lotion, body lotion, aftersun, tanning lotion, day face cream, night cream. I double up my aftersun as body lotion and slap it on lavishly, in a challenge to finish the bottle (don’t have to carry it home) and know Im fully hydrated. Well, on the outside anyway!!

E- Emergencies or First Aid

Mosquito repellant is a must for me, that and a few razors. Pack your desert island essentials too. A mini first aid kit is handy especially if you are travelling with kids.

Step 8: Holiday Shop Trip

The super fun bit: go shopping for your missing pieces. But you MUST write a shopping list before you go. Stick to your palette and a chosen list of shops depending on your budget.

If you have 7 dresses that you love and look great in - YOU DON’T NEED ANYMORE!!!!

Avoid things not on your list - YOU DON’T NEED THEM or swap them out for the things you have already that are similar.

Re-wearing stripe linen trouser from previous day as sun sets over my final evening look

And when your holiday is finished and you’re packing to go home.. EDIT again!

Don’t bring home the pieces you tried on and still didn't like yourself in (even with a tan) The ones that really don’t fit and the ones that don’t flatter your shape; leave them behind. If anything - it will stop you taking them again next year..

8 Step Guide to Summer Holiday Packing