Cara Delahoyde-Massey Shares Mom’s Trick for Cramming Extra Liquids into Carry-On Luggage
Crossing the sea with your family is exciting, but just the thought of packing and preparing can be stressful for parents.
Make sure you have packed enough luggage for the children and yourself, and that the luggage is not too heavy.
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And to make matters worse, most airlines charge extra fees for checked baggage.
This means that many people go out of their way to cram as much as possible into their carry-on luggage, hoping to save money.
However, this does put a limit on what you can take through security, including the amount of liquids you can bring with you.
But Cara Delahoyde-Massey, former winner of the second season of Love Island, has a great travel trick when it comes to liquids.
READ MORE ABOUT TRAVEL HACKS
The 34-year-old reality star spoke on Episode Two from her podcast The School Runway – Pack Light or Pack Big? Demystifying the Holiday Chaos – with her co-host Bronagh Meere.
And even her Bronagh was stunned when she heard Cara’s top tip, which came after a listener wrote to the couple asking for some packing advice.
The listener, a mother of two, is going on a two-week vacation with a family of four and is only taking hand luggage.
Cara, who shares her two children Freddie-George and Delilah with former Love Island season two winner Nathan Massey, was the first to reveal her clothing hack
She prefers to roll her clothes rather than fold them because they wrinkle less and can store more.
She also suggested that if the family went to a villa, they would only pack for one week.
This is because most villas have a washing machine.
Cara then jokingly added, “You don’t have to pay for the electricity, so take it all with you. Do it all.”
Package for one week
But if you don’t have a washing machine on holiday, you don’t have to worry.
Cara and Bronagh suggested buying hand-washing detergent and washing the clothes in the sink.
But it was Cara’s next travel trick that surprised her co-host the most.
This golden tip is intended for parents who want to take more toiletries than allowed by customs.
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Click and collect
Cara suggested choosing a Click and Collect collection point from the Boots store at the airport.
She said: “Buy your toiletries at the airport. Depending on which airport you’re going to, you can do Click and Collect at Boots.
“For nappies and milk. You can find Boots at the airport you are going to and do Click and Collect.”
Cara says it has always worked for her, as she has picked up powdered milk from Boots at the airports.
Extra baggage
And for those traveling with a stroller, she said this can be great for packing extra items that you can’t fit in.
The same applies to excess baggage, including golf clubs.
Cara said: “Nathan also puts extra luggage in his golf clubs.
“So he puts shoes in his golf bag, and diapers. I don’t think they weigh the golf clubs or strollers.”
Tips for packing for your holiday
Jemma Solomon, also known as The Label Lady, has 5 packing tips to help you get organised for your next holiday.
1. Write a list
Think of all the essentials you need to bring: sunscreen, medicine, a few games for the kids, beach towels. Write everything down on a single list, which you can then cross off as you pack the list in your suitcase.
Or, for ultimate convenience, try Google’s AI app, Gemini, which makes a list for you and helps you avoid overpacking.
2. Involve your children
Jemma said: “My girls are getting older, they’re 11 and 9, and they love helping with packing. So I send them a list and say ‘this is what you need’ and they follow the list.
“And then I give them each a backpack – and I tell them ‘you can put whatever you want in it, as long as it’s not liquid,’ and they can take that on the plane. And those are their ‘home away from home’ items.”
3. Try a hack or two
She said: “I think they all work, but for different reasons. You just have to choose the right one for your journey.
“Rolling your clothes is a really good idea to prevent your clothes from wrinkling. And if you have a lot of stuff to pack in your suitcase, it’s a space saver.
“Packing cubes are great. For example, I go on holiday with my three children and we all use the same suitcase for our clothes.
“These handy compartments let you separate your clothes, toiletries and technology into separate areas. This helps you make the most of your luggage space by keeping your belongings compact and neatly stacked.
“I love taking them abroad with the family. That way my kids can take care of their own things once we arrive.”
4. Drain beauty products
Do you really need to carry around large bottles of shampoo and conditioner? The beauty industry has evolved to the point where you can now buy shampoo bars or sheets – which are much lighter and smaller.
Or, if you plan to go shopping abroad, consider buying some supplies while you’re there.
5. Get organized before you get home
Jemma said, “When you pack your things again on holiday, [before coming home]The trick is to separate clean clothes from dirty clothes.
“Also pack in a certain order, so light and dark clothes, colored clothes that need to be washed. Or, if you wash your clothes per person in the household, piles for each person.
“Then you can put it straight into the washing machine. Do that straight away, don’t leave it lying around.”
