Holiday Must-Haves & Top Travel Tips

You've switched your out of office on, you've spent your taxi money on a mani pedi (worth it though, wasn't it?) and now all that's left to do is the dreaded P word... pack. Whether you're off on a 10 day all inclusive jaunt to Crete, or a last-minute holibobs to Clacton with the family, prep for your jollies with our travel guide and we'll guarantee a stress-free departure. From space-saving packing hacks to holiday must-haves, prepare to never travel the same way again.

Boarding passes, please. Summer wardrobe essentials await...

Imagine if finding inspiration for holiday outfit ideas was as easy as deciding on the hotel with or without the swim-up bar. Oh wait... *TK Maxx's Holiday Shop enters the chat*. From daytime looks and evening 'fits to sandals, sunnies and swimwear galore, there's no need for endless scrolling, as our Holiday Shop has everything your holiday wardrobe could ever need — all under one magical online roof.

The ultimate packing list for a beach holiday

We've all been there: frantically googling 'what to pack for a holiday' 12 hours before the taxi is booked to pick you up for the airport. There's clothes strewn across the bed, you're trying to figure out if twelve pairs of shoes is too many and you're shouting at everyone who dares to get in your way as you've just weighed your suitcase and it's 3kg over (without your toiletries)... even the dog's getting it in the neck. Sound familiar?

The search is off for the perfect holiday packing list, because you're looking right at it!

The only packing hacks you'll ever need to know...

Sitting on your suitcase to force it shut? Being stung with excess baggage fees at the airport? Never heard of it. You won't have either once you've had a good ol' read of our travel packing hacks. Are you ready to never pack the same way again? *Drum roll please!* Here goes...

  • If you fancy crease-free clothes and optimal suitcase space, then you need to be team roll. Rolling clothes helps avoid wrinkles and hard creases created by folding clothes, meaning no need to iron when you arrive in paradise.

  • Packing cubes will be your saviour for separating categories and unpacking on the other side. Do swimwear/undies in one, day clothes in another and evening clothes in another, and it'll prevent you from overpacking.

  • Shoes are a big excess baggage culprit. You can't help the size of them, so utilise them better. Stuff socks, belts, jewellery pouches and anything small into your shoes to save on precious space. Bonus: it helps keep the shape of your shoes, too.

  • Try on all your outfits before you pack and take photos of them to reference when you're away. This helps avoid overpacking random items that don't match and means you have guaranteed outfits. Win-win.

  • All hotels and apartments provide towels, so why waste precious space? Fancy another packing hack? Use your beach bag as your hand luggage and throw in one daytime outfit, one cossie and some underwear in case your suitcase goes missing.

  • So you and the rest of the airport opted for a black suitcase? Original. Avoid the conveyor belt drama and pick a stand-out bright suitcase from yours truly for a stress-free airport experience, every single time you travel.

Travel beauty hacks we swear by

Forget the fancy clothes and designer shoes, beauty aficionados know that the true precious cargo is their makeup bag and evergrowing skincare collection they've tried (and failed) to cram into one pouch. Allow us to share a few foolproof beauty travel hacks with you on how to safely transport the most precious cargo of all...

Cling film your toiletry lids

When *that* cleansing balm costs £45 a pop, it's gotta be protected at all costs. It's no secret that air pressure can cause plastic bottles to swell, resulting in a lovely liquid explosion that nobody wants to deal with the second they arrive at the hotel. To avoid a (very expensive) beauty disaster, take off the bottle lid when packing, place a layer of cling film under each lid and screw it back on. This'll help prevent the bottle from expanding during your flight and liquid exploding all over your clothes. You can thank us later.

Go mini or go home

When working with a 20kg limit, 8kg on toiletries is a big fat no. Leave the big boys at home and dig out those minis you pinch every time you stay in a hotel and pack 'em instead. The same goes for any beauty samples you collect throughout the year. Fancy another beauty travel hack? Go on then. Got any empty mini bottles? Decanter your favourite full size products into those, et voilà... a plethora of products, neatly contained in teeny tiny bottles. 20kg limit? Nailed it.

The must-have travel add-ons

Because travel doesn't stop at the checked bag now, does it?

Final call for scorching hot summer savings

Want to know the best travel hack of all time? Bagging yourself a bargain on your holiday wardrobe, that's what. From sunnies and sliders to suitcases and sarongs, you'll struggle to find a better travel hack than saving up to 60% less than the RRP. Go on, we dare you to try.