Going on holiday is always exciting, isn't it? So many places to see, food to try, people to meet and perhaps shopping to do. What isn't so exciting is the packing part. For some unknown reason, it seems like it's in the human nature to over-pack, especially when travelling low-cost with limited luggage space and weight restrictions.
If you are planning an upcoming trip, here are 5 tips on how to pack your essentials without overdoing it.

Essentials mean essentials

How often do we open the wardrobe, grab everything that we believe 'we might need' and chuck them on the bed? Truth is, you probably only need a third of the things you are planning to pack. To eliminate the extra items, start by checking the weather forecast of your destination to get an idea of what the temperatures will be like. Secondly, plan your outfits. It might sound OCD-like, but having a clear idea of which clothes you'll be wearing on which days will help you avoid over packing. Of course, we can't fully trust the weather forecast, so do include some layers, just to be safe – but hey, you certainly don't need three hoodies only because you'reafraid it may rain on one of the days.

Roll, don't fold

Your relatives might have told you a thousand times about the importance of folding clothes, to avoid creases and keep tidy. This is a rule you need to forget when packing.Rolling clothes can actually save more space than folding them. Roll your t-shirts, sweaters, trousers, and skirts – you'll be impressed by how much space you'll save.

How much is too much?

We totally understand the need to keep clean, and we highly encourage the use of deodorant after a shower, but realistically speaking, how much shampoo and body lotions do you actually need to pack with you? Keep in mind that most hotels now offer shower gel, and if you are visiting a friend or relative, you can always use some of theirs. Alternatively, buy your toiletries from a store close by to your hotel room. We understand that there are people who would rather use the products they are used to, and other whouse specific brands due to allergies, so what we recommend is investing in travel bottles. Those bottles are life savers, as their sizes fall within the 100ml regulations.

Save space in your shoes!

Packing shoes can be an enormous waste of space, but here's a little trick: use them as storage. Store your socks, jewelry, cables, belts, medicines and all your fragile object in them. It's that easy!

Make a checklist

We might be biased when saying this, but checklists are awesome! They allow you to never forget a thing (unless you forget about the checklist, that is). Make a list of things that are essential to you, then go through it one more time to remove a few things (because, deep down, you know that you actually don't need to pack two camera chargers). Once your list is finalized, and you get rid of all the unnecessary items, you can use it to keep track of what you need to pack. A checklist is also convenient when it's time to go back home, as it prevents you fromleaving anythinglaying around the hotel room.

BONUS: Our general checklist

1. Toothbrush and toothpaste
2. 100ml Shampoo and 100ml conditioner
3. Travel size hairbrush
4. One pair of shoes
5. Underwear
6. Laptop/Tablet (for the ones who like to watch movies on the plane)
7. Camera (or why not use your phone instead?)
8. Chargers
9. Adapter (these are particullarly useful if you're travelling to a country that has different sockets than Malta)
10. Clothes fit for the season