HAVING spent more than half my life travelling the world – hitting 50 countries last year – you could say I’m quite a seasoned traveller.
And with many of those trips requiring long journeys in economy, I’ve worked out some of the key ways to make it much more bearable.
Trying to make a cramped basic seat comfortable is near impossible, no matter how many hacks there are to “making economy feel like first”.
I’ve even debunked the common seat booking hack which tells you to book the aisle and window seat to get the ‘free’ middle seat – please don’t do it.
But when it comes to what to pack, there are two items I always make sure to bring with me even when I’m only bringing hand luggage.
One of those is the TRTL pillow (from £49.99, uk.trtltravel.com)
Looking more like a neck brace contraption rather than a neck pillow, it comes with a steeper price than your cheap airport pillows.
But it is worth every hype you read about it if you struggle to sleep on planes.
Gone are the rubbish bead filled pillows which do little more than a scarf.
The pillow which wraps around your neck keeps your head up when sleeping, so no more lolling side to side and waking up with neck pain.
As someone who struggles to sleep on public transport, the miraculous contraption means I manage to get at least a few hours of comfortable sleep even when sitting up.
Of course, it does get you some weird looks when you are wrapping the long bandage-like arm around your neck.
And I picked a rather obnoxious red colour when buying it, so perhaps a black would have got me fewer strange looks.
But along with the confused side-eyes from passengers, flight attendants have often asked me if I really rate it, having heard about it themselves.
And what higher praise is there is crew are fascinated? Not only that, but it has been leant out to a number of friends who have since said they have been converted.
The other item I swear by for every flight more than three hours are flight socks (from £9.99, see koalasocks.com) – but my colour choice has again left my plane style wanting.
As someone with poor circulation, anything more than a short-haul flight leaves my legs swollen for days.
Dr. Keith Churchwell, president of the American Heart Association, told Today about why they are so important: “[Compression socks] lead to a better pathway for venous return to the heart and decreases blood pooling.”
I remember a flight back from Bali where I had lost my flight socks somewhere along the way.
I was left in so much pain during the 18 hour flight that crew even took pity on me and found some medication in their emergency kits to try and reduce the swelling in my legs.
Even after landing, my ankles remained double the size for days.
But as an avid plane-sandal wearer on flights – no going barefoot to the bathrooms, I beg you – it means yet more strange looks.
Once again, rather than opt for a plain black pair, I was given a bright multicoloured stripey option as a Christmas present – a strange look when paired with brown leather sandals.
But if you don’t mind looking being the plane oddball, I guarantee they will both make the journey much, much more comfortable.
I’ve also shared my top tips on how to pack so you never have to check in a suitcase– even if going away for 10 days.
Holiday packing tips
Jemma Solomon, aka The Label Lady has got 5 packing tips to help you get organised for your next holiday.
1. Write a list
Think about all the essentials you need to take with you; suncream, medicine, a few games for the kids, beach towels, and write everything in one list, which you can tick off as you add it to your suitcase.
Or for complete ease, try Google’s AI app – Gemini – which will create a list for you and help you not over pack.
2. Involve your kids
Jemma said: “My girls are getting older, they’re 11 and nine, and they enjoy helping to pack. So I send them a list, and say ‘this is what you need’ and they follow the list.
“And then I give them a rucksack each – and say to them ‘you can have whatever you want in there as long as it’s not liquid’, and they can take that on the plane. And that’s their ‘home away from home’ items.”
3. Try a hack or two
She said: “I think they all work, but for different reasons – and you’ve just got to pick the right one for your trip.
“Rolling your clothes is really good to stop your clothes from getting creases. And if you’re trying to get a lot of items into your case, it’s a space saver.
“Packing cubes are great – for example, I’m going on holiday with my three kids and we’re all using the same suitcase for our clothes.
“These handy compartments let you separate your clothes, toiletries and tech into designated cubes, maximising luggage space by keeping your items compressed and neatly stacked.
“I love taking them abroad with the family and it means my kids can easily take charge of their own items once we’ve arrived.”
4. Decant beauty products
Do you really need to take full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner with you? The beauty industry has evolved so much, you can now buy shampoo bars or sheets – which are much lighter and smaller.
Or, if you’ll be popping to the shops when you’re abroad, consider buying some items when you arrive.
5. Get organised before you come home
Jemma said: “When you repack on holiday [before coming home], the trick is to separate clean from dirty clothes.
“Also pack it in some form of order – so lights, darks, colours for items that need washing, or if you wash your clothes by person in the household, piles for each person.
“Then you can put it straight into the washing machine. Do it straight away, don’t leave it.”
This includes things like ditching the shampoo and body wash as well as splashing out on some packing cubes.
Here are some other items that the travel team NEVER pack going on holiday.
