Holiday Packing Challenge Part one - getting the most out of my tote.

As most of you already know I am facing a "hand luggage only" packing challenge this year and its not just about the £30 per suitcase charge for the 6 of us travelling, but more because my husband is too damn impatient to wait for the cases to come out!

Yes we are that family where everybody else in the groups's baggage comes out, except his, or mine. I usually go into a state of mild hysteria, he just gets the hump and then its all "come on, come on" as he races out of the airport with his 6ft 4 inch legs while us shorties race along behind, and as I am usually suffering from a massive hangover at this time (I have to get completely legless before I can even step on a plane) the relaxation never quite sets in until I'm safely ensconced round the pool. Everybody say "ah".

So with this in mind, I have been making plenty of packing plans and with the school holidays starting shortly, I thought I had better start to share some of my tips with you, pronto, before you find yourself with "heavy" stickers all over your luggage and a rather hefty fine at check-in!

So in the first of my series I am going to cover your Beach Tote/Travel Bag.

Some in-flight essentials with room for plenty more!

Last year I used my LV Neverfull as my travel bag/poolside bag of choice.  Its a few years old now so I am not going to panic about getting the base of it wet round the pool.  I have the largest one in the series, so it doubles up perfectly for travel essentials as well as towel, suncream, hat and refreshments when going to the beach or out on a day trip.  It is also large enough to house an expensive evening bag or clutch, if you are afraid to let yours go in the hold.

Still plenty of room for book, ipod etc

Using this bag as my "everything" holiday bag was further enforced when I saw Millie Mackintosh using her "Neverfull" in Dubai on one of the Made in Chelsea episodes (sorry but that series is a guilty pleasure, just like Towie and the Khardashians - sad I know and I always blame my daughters).

Sadly I won't be looking that glamorous! 

Taking a bag that can double up as being your in-flight bag as well as your daytime holiday bag is obvious in that it eliminates the need to carry one and pack one, therefore saving on essential suitcase space.

Weather you prefer Straw, Canvas or Neoprene, there are plenty of different styles and colours out there with something to suit every budget, check out a few of my favourites to get bags of style on the plane and beside the pool this summer and every single one is in the sale! 

Diane Von Furstenberg large beach tote at Style-Passport, was £107 now £53.50.

Linea Tote at House of Fraser was £35 now £10.50.

Reiss Straw Shopper was £59 now £23.

Radley Travel Tote was £19 now £13.

Do you take one bag to do it all when you go on holiday?

Look out for future posts in this series, next up will be beauty and skincare, followed by a dummy run of how I am going to fit my clothes in a cabin sized suitcase - wish me luck with that one!