Travel tips: Packing made easy

Heading on holiday? Packing can be stressful, particularly if like me you have a tendency to overpack. Not to mention the struggle of getting it to all fit back in your suitcase for the return trip! Here are a few life hacks that I use to make packing that little bit easier.

Plan your wardrobe

Smart closetThis is the easiest way to avoid over or under packing. Instead of picking random items out of your wardrobe try to pack outfits instead. This will save you from feeling like you have nothing to wear when you get to where your going! To plan my outfits I like to use the Smart Closet app. Although it takes a while to upload your wardrobe it is so worth it to be able to browse your clothes directly from your phone. You can even create a packing list for your holiday so that when it comes to transferring clothes to suitcase you don’t miss anything!

Keep it organised

Packing cubesWant to maximise your space and keep everything organised, packing cubes are your friend! These are an essential if you are going to make multiple stops as it saves you having to unpack and repack as you can just leave everything in the cubes. You can get them in loads of different sizes and colours, personally I wanted something that looked a bit more stylish so shopped around and found these from Nordace. Not only do they look super cute but they are also compression cubes so they shrink down making them even more space efficient.

Accessorise with ease

f35dbb12-7b93-48e3-bfe5-20c658decb94One of my biggest bugbears when travelling is tangled jewellery. I used to spend hours de-tangling my necklaces but my Stackers jewellery box has been a major game changer! You can get a variety of sizes but I find the medium one is perfect for me. Not only does it keep everything organised for the journey, its also a great way to keep everything organised while you’re on your trip and minimise the chances of a misplaced necklace or a lost earring.

What do you use to make your life easier when it comes to holiday packing?


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Ways to up your nail game

Anyone else like having their nails done but also not a fan of paying someone to do it for you? If my nails don’t have polish on I do not feel complete! Here are some of my top tips for getting the salon look from the comfort of your own bedroom…

1. Buy some falsies.

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Sick of forever smudging your nails or having to sit there unable to move for 3 hours to make sure they are really properly dry? This one is for you.

There are so many ready painted stick on nails you can get these days – just pop into Boots or Primark – or if you want to get a bit more creative, buy a big pack of plain ones and paint them yourself.

You can buy them in the shape you want and then cut or file them down to size. I use a nail art stand from Amazon and once I’ve got the nails to the right shape and size, paint them and let them dry before sticking them on. Voila, no smudging!

2. Gel polish

Screenshot 2020-02-19 at 20.15.57Want to keep your natural nails? No problem! This one is a bit more of an investment but worth it in the long run. You can get a full starter kit from Mylee for under £60 which includes the lamp, plus 4 gel polishes, gel polish remover and a top and base coat. Or if you want to be a bit more economical there are lamps on amazon for under £30.

Gel’s are great for avoiding the smudge problem but also will last up to 4 weeks if you take care of them properly.

 

3. Fun top coats

Screenshot 2020-02-19 at 20.16.16Want something a bit more out there than a plain colour but not the most creative? Never fear, the fun top coat is here! Using a fun top coat is an easy way to add more to your manicure. Use on all your nails or just one as an accent.

My personal favourites are the funfetti (No. 920 – pictured) and stars in your eyes (No. 477) from candy coat. To get the best out of these products I would recommend using a little paint brush to position the bigger pieces and spread them out to get your desired affect.

4. Glitter

Screenshot 2020-02-19 at 20.15.30Accent nails are another easy way to spice up your manicure. You can go simple and just do one whole glitter nail, or you can go all out and have all your nails glittery. I almost always end up adding some glitter to my nails, these are one of my favourite sets I have done. By doing a glitter ombre it means it isn’t too much for every day but it still has a good amount of sparkle!

To do an ombre you can either use a sponge or a specific paintbrush. There are loads of YouTube tutorials on this.

5. Go dotty

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Nail art can be quite daunting so start simple and add some dots for a cute look. You can get a set of dotting tools from Amazon for under £2. As you get braver you can experiment with different dot sizes, overlapping them, using multiple colours. The possibilities are endless, and so easy to do!

Lacking inspiration? Instagram is my go to. There are loads of nail accounts which you can look to for new ideas and patterns.

 

6. Cuticle oil and moisturiser

Want to get that post salon shine and glow? Pick up some cuticle oil and use post manicure or just on natural nails to keep your skin looking fresh. Oh, and don’t forget to moisturise – you don’t want to spend all that time making your nails look good to have dry hands!

Let me know if you try any of these!

I post all my nail pics over on instagram, find them here: @lottiedoesnails