The holiday season is upon us, the school holidays are nigh, and our minds are full of exciting plans for travel. But how do we avoid the backaches, delays, extra expense and stress of taking too much clutter with us?
We’re in Love
We love our holidays. We’ve worked hard, we deserve a break and we’ve picked a great destination. We’ve spent months looking forward to it, and the day before we go we pack everything, including the kitchen sink… and that is where we’re going wrong.
Just in Case
Despite the fact that you usually wear shorts and a T-shirt every day, you take almost your entire summer wardrobe, just in case. That magic phrase ‘just in case’ makes you throw caution to the winds and common sense out of the window.
You might go to a posh evening function, so a cocktail dress or jacket is essential just in case. It might rain (even in Mexico), so you’ll need an umbrella and a raincoat just in case. It might be cold (even in Turkey), so you’d better throw in some warm jumpers and a coat just in case. You might acquire a stain which is strangely resistant to washing, so you’d better take extra clothes just in case.
Niggly Aches
Taking too much luggage with you may account for those niggly aches and pains and backache that often strike you on holiday (although too much sangria and dancing all night should take some responsibility). Lugging a heavy suitcase around an airport and lifting it on and off trolleys, is bound to give you a backache.
Suspicious Packages
Packing will also take you longer. Remember you’ve got to unpack it all at the other end, keep track of it all while you’re away and then lug it all home again. Whilst if you’re flying, it will give airport security a lot more to scrutinise suspiciously. Don’t be the person holding up the queue whilst you fumble in your cluttered bag for your tickets or passport.
It Will Cost You
Too much luggage will cost you, in more ways than one. We’ve already counted the cost of the aches and pains, but what about the excess luggage cost if you’re flying? You may have to tip the taxi driver and the porter more too, if you have too many bags, cases and accoutrements.
Rocketing Stress
But all the other botherations will be as nothing compared to your rocketing stress levels. All that pre-holiday buying of things you don’t really need, the frenzied packing and unpacking, dragging all your bags around, and hoisting them in and out of taxis, planes, buses and trains will take it’s toll. By the time you get home from holiday you’ll be so stressed that you’ll need to take a long rest. But isn’t that what the holiday was supposed to be for?
What is the Right Way?
Now you know how not to do it, you’ll be wondering how to do it right. You know the perils of taking too much, so you want to avoid taking the kitchen sink with you on holiday. You know you don’t end up using half of what you take with you, so you can leave half of it at home. The trouble is deciding which half!
Next time I’ll cover what you should take with you on holiday. But for now, let my dire warning ring in your ears; if you’re going on holiday, then don’t take too much clutter or you will suffer the consequences.
