Packing is one of those things almost everyone leaves to the last minute. It can be tedious, annoying, you don’t know what to pack and worst of all nothing seems to fit.

So here are some tips to take the nightmare out of packing and what you need to create the perfect suitcase for the perfect summer holiday.

A good book
There will almost always be a time when you are away where technology fails you. You forgot to put memory in your camera, your phone loses reception and your eBook reader battery is dead. Then the weather is horrible or you can’t be bothered swimming, but doing nothing is not an option.

That’s where a good old fashioned printed book comes to the rescue. You don’t need to charge it, it doesn’t rely on perfect weather and it definitely counts as doing something. It’s exercise for your brain and a distraction from everything that can or has gone wrong.

The cords for the technology that never leave your side
This covers phone and laptop chargers as well as digital camera cords. If you can’t bear to go without technology for your holiday, you’re going to need these cords to keep things running – and if you’re going overseas, don’t forget the right international adapter!

Two sets of swimwear
Why two? Sure, it isn’t a must but if you’re conscious of tan lines, two different sets of bathers that have different cuts mix things up enough so you don’t get really obvious and defined lines. It’s definitely something to think about.

Clothes
Unless you’re part of a nudist colony, you will need clothes. For everyone else, what clothes you pack depends on where you’re going and how long you’re going for.

At the very least, you will need a decent pair of walking shoes and a pair of sandals. Recommended are a pair of heels if you plan to go out and a pair of thongs, which you can buy while you’re there, if you are using communal showering facilities.

Also to keep in mind is that if you’re going anywhere with lots of dirt, like camping, don’t pack white.

You can’t go wrong with lightweight fabrics – anything that doesn’t need ironing is a bonus.

Look at the weather forecast for the place and time of your holiday and work out what you wear from that, and plan around it. Think about what you’d wear everyday in the same weather conditions and have a contingency in case the weather forecaster lies.

Don’t forget socks and underwear!

A towel or two
A towel for the shower and one for the beach, if you plan on going. You don’t really want to overlap the two unless you like sand all over you on a regular basis. I suppose, it’s good for exfoliating.

Sun protection
Slip, slop, slap and slide – your shirt, sunscreen, hat and sunglasses. It pays to be sun smart no matter where you are.

If you plan properly, you can avoid packing dramas and cut down expenses and worry when you over pack or leave something behind.

Happy Holidays!

This article first appeared on minx magazine.