Classic scenario: you're in the boarding line for that low-cost airline. You start sweating bullets. The flight attendant looks at your backpack, which currently has seams screaming for help, and then looks at the dreaded metal sizing box. You know the bag won't fit. She knows the bag won't fit. And suddenly, your €20 flight just got €50 more expensive.
Nobody likes paying for excess baggage. It’s like throwing money in the trash that could (and should!) be spent on local beer and tacky souvenirs for the family.
To make sure this horror movie never happens to you again, we've gathered the definitive hacks for packing your cabin bag like a true ninja:
1. Roll > Fold (The Sausage Technique) 🌯
It sounds like a myth, but science (or people who travel a lot) proves it: rolling clothes very tightly in a "sausage" shape saves an absurd amount of space in the suitcase. Besides being able to stuff twice as many t-shirts into the empty corners, you prevent your clothes from arriving at your destination looking like they were chewed by a cow.
2. The Neck Pillow Trick 🤫
Pay attention to this master trick. Airlines let you carry a neck pillow in your hand. What don't they tell you? That you can remove the foam from inside that pillow (if it has a zipper, of course) and stuff it with extra socks, underwear, and t-shirts! No one is going to weigh your neck pillow at the boarding gate, friend. Trust the process.
3. Wear the "Heavyweights" 🥾
Are you taking those massive hiking boots and that giant winter coat? You're going to wear them on the day of the flight. You might look like the Michelin Man walking through Lisbon airport in the middle of August, but your suitcase (and your wallet) will thank you. As soon as you get on the plane and sit down, take off the big coat, put it in the overhead compartment, and breathe again.
4. The Minimalist Toiletry Bag 🧴
Forget family-sized shampoo bottles; you're not washing a whole football team's hair. Buy those 100ml refillable bottles or, even better, switch to solid shampoos and body washes. They take up zero space, last forever, and you won't have to pour liquids into transparent plastic bags in front of airport security, slowing down the whole line.
5. Use the Inside of Your Shoes 👟
The space inside the footwear in your bag is luxury real estate being wasted. Stuff rolled-up socks, phone cables, chargers, or even small bottles inside your sneakers. It’s like playing Tetris, but with your gear.
The Bag is Packed. Now What?
You're proud. You managed to fit 7 days of clothes into a backpack that meets the measurements. But now you have a problem: are you going to drag that backpack and the rest of your stuff through public transport? Are you going to squeeze onto the metro at rush hour wearing a winter coat? Or are you going to pay double for a taxi?
Make your life easier. Travel is enough work as it is. Grab your own car, toss the backpack inside, and drive to the airport with the AC on full blast and your music playing.
With Multipark, you don't need to look for a spot in a dark lot miles from the terminal. Go straight to the Departures door, we'll take your key and park the car for you in our secure lot. Fast, cheap, and zero effort.
You saved on excess baggage, now save your patience. Check your Valet Parking quote at Multipark and travel like a boss!