“How to pack a suitcase?” Well, yours truly has a favourite answer for that. Ask somebody to do it for you! Sadly, in the absence of any willing volunteers, most of us will probably have to pack our own suitcases this August. Some of us will have to pack suitcases for the whole family. What a lot of work!

You can make packing easy and efficient though with our handy guide (top tip – bunging it all in and hoping for the best will never, ever work…)

1. Make a list of everything you want to take, making sure that you’ve looked up what the weather is going to be like at your destination first.

2. Rolling your clothes, rather than folding them, can help to maximise space. You roll clothes by only partially folding them first to make them a bit more compact and then rolling them tightly from the bottom up.

3. Put heavy ladies clothes and shoes at the bottom of your suitcase and undies and socks inside your shoes.

4. Clothes that are delicate and can’t be rolled, like smart jackets, should go at the top of your suitcase.

5. Always pack a smart black dress. You never know when you’ll need it.

6. Toiletries should be as small as possible – you can buy mini bottles to decant your goodies into in most pharmacies. Put your toiletry back inside a plastic bag in case it leaks to protect your clothes.

7. If you can bear to wear your jeans travelling, rather than packing them, do, as they can be heavy to pack.

8. Pack a number of carrier bags to store your dirty clothes in during the holiday.

The summer holidays are nearly here and so you’ll be looking for a holiday destination to suit the kids, the husband

Trolley Weekend Bag

and maybe even the dog too!

France is an excellent holiday destination and, because it’s so close to the UK, it helps to minimise your travelling time.

The advantages of France are many. It has something for everyone, from culture to romance, summer sun to ski action. If you have the car with you, you might even to a little road trip around the country. If you have teenage children, the likelihood is that they study French, which means that they’ll get to practice the lingo, and you’ll have a free translation service!

France is also a very stylish country, giving you the opportunity to show of all of your favourite black dresses and ladies clothes as you swan about enjoying yourself.
Today we highlight some wonderful cultural destinations to visit.

Paris: a short hop on the Eurostar and you’re in one of the most romantic and sophisticated cities on earth. Visit the Pompidou Centre and take a walk by the River Seine.

Lille: a really beautiful city full of culture. Take a trip to the Lille Fine Arts Museum and enjoy a pastry in Meert, one of France’s most famous patisseries.

Bordeaux: home to the famous wine and a World Heritage Site in its own right. Stroll around its many historic buildings and enjoy a wine tasting or three!

Amber Bedlinen

Going on holiday is wonderful, isn’t it? But it can be so depressing to come home to the same old routine – and the same old home décor!

It doesn’t have to be this way. With a little imagination and research and a few bold moves, you can recreate the treasures you’ve discovered during your travels abroad.

First, think about the countries you’ve visited that have inspired you. Perhaps there’s just one place in particular that you return to year after year, or maybe you’re a real traveller whose wanderlust has stretched from country to country. Make notes as you remember the sights and sounds that have delighted you.

Then, have a think about how you want to create your international themes. Do you want to devote each room in the house to a different country, or do you just want one room to be themed? You could have all of your collectibles from your travels in one room along with different photos, colours and fabrics to create a relaxed, bohemian style.

It doesn’t matter if you can’t find specific items from your favourite places to put around the house. You can easily recreate the feeling by choosing patterns and colours to decorate with. For example, you might love the blue skies of Australia in the summer, so why not have blue wallpaper and a matching bedlinen set?

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Digital Luggage Scale

Packing for your holiday can be as much of a hassle as it can be exciting. You want to take as much as possible away with you, but at the same time you don’t want to lug a heavy suitcase across countries and continents. That’s not to mention avoiding the wrath of certain airlines who will charge you extra if you go even a teeny bit over your luggage allowance.

With that in mind, here are some of our tips for packing for travel … with any luck, you’ll have some room left in your suitcase (perhaps you could use that space to smuggle us along on your holiday?).

Create a capsule

Holiday packing is all about the capsule wardrobe. That means choosing a few select items that can be worn together in many different combinations. The result? You wear a different outfit every day but without needing to take, say, 20 dresses with you.

Flippety floppety

Flip flops have come into their own of late and are a holiday must-have. Take one black and one coloured pair with you, and that’s your beach and evening footwear taken care of without weighing down your luggage at all.

Linen lovelies

Linen trousers are a summer style classic – the very stuff that holiday capsule wardrobes are made of. Wear them over your swimming costume during the way along with a silk scarf and oversized sunnies, and then team with chunky metallic costume jewellery and a smart handbag for dinner.

Holiday Shop - Ombre Dress

Well, we’re only one month into the year, and most of us already need a break from the old routine! Who’d have thought that going to work or looking after the kids in this freezing weather would be so exhausting?

There’s no need to wait until the summer to get yourself some time away. In fact, a city break provides the perfect way to get a little holiday without spending too much money or indeed taking up too much of your annual leave. In fact, with some destinations such as Paris and Bruges so close to the UK, you might not need to take any time off of work at all: simply hop on the Eurostar after work on a Friday night and come home on Sunday night ready for the week ahead!

When thinking about which city to visit, first of all consider who you’re taking with you. If it’s a family trip, then you’ll want to visit a city with activities for kids of all ages. Copenhagen, in Denmark, has beer and castles for the grown-ups whist the oldest Legoland (just outside the city) in the world will amuse the children.

If you’re planning a romantic break, then of course Paris springs to mind – especially in springtime. It’s the city for lovers and the scene of many a tear-strewn proposal, especially at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

For a fun trip with friends or family, why not check out Barcelona? There are bars and fine restaurants aplenty as well as lots of gorgeous Gaudi architecture.