Now I even wish that I had this option when packing for my holiday (which is Sunday so I won't be blogging next week, ill be having a sunny break away from the mac and online shopping). Every year this happens, me, being captain procrastination, panicking about what to pack, whats going in hand luggage, what to wear on the plane etc BUT determined to not be like that this year I kicked my butt into gear and actioned some helpful tips to help with the stress of trying to organise a stress free holiday (ironic really?)

1. NEVER ever over pack- This sounds so stupid but do you really need those jumpers and jeans in a hot country? do you need to pack 8 pairs of shoes for a short trip? NO, be your inner sceptic and pack light, making sure to optimise outfit choices such as a pair of shoes you know that'll work with nearly every outfit etc which is what I've done this year (wearing my grey Vans on the plane there, and they're comfy enough for walking and go with everything due to a neutral colour and i've also packed a pair of black Toms)
2. Lighten the load before- Do you really need that fully packaged product? Do you really need that industrial bottle of shampoo that weighs your luggage allowance and probably more? Think cleverly and scale back, such as ditching unnecessary packaging and also, trial products before you go, that way things that work will be lighter to travel with such as shampoo or conditioners which are often pretty bulky. Another tip is to just buy the products when you get there, then buy the smallest one and it can be easily discarded.
3. Be realistic- Pack the essentials, such as an exact number of tee's or vests, as in a hot country, you cant always reuse things due to being sweaty etc so make sure you've got backups and also make sure you've got enough to last you instead of relying on travel washing which is like a last resort.
4. Think about cost- If the items your packing are cheap, split them between the amount of suitcases your taking (when me and my family travel we split our stuff 3 ways so that if one of our suitcases goes AWOL then we aren't stuck without all our luggage) and also think that if your gonna be upset over a item that either cost a lot or is pretty irreplaceable, think about placing it in hand luggage so you know its with you at all time (which is what ill be doing with my more expensive pieces) 
5. Let your hair down- Holidays aren't a fashion show, its about practicality for where your going such as skin tight items don't go down well in hotter climates (you'll be sweating more then a sauna) or skimpy items don't work in colder climates (nobody wants to turn blue like a extra in Avatar) so always when packing, think of practical items that'll easily transition between day and night (some countries temperatures differ dramatically during the day so be prepared)
6. Ditch the added extras- This may be a taboo for many, but do you really need all those electrical hair goods? or all that makeup? Things like hair and makeup turn from a really nice style to a horror movie extra in hardly any time so embrace a more natural laid back holiday look such as beachy hair etc.