The talk in the office has turned to holidays and overseas travel, so we all thought it was time to share our top eight tips for packing your bags.

1. Begin with a list of everything you think you should take.
2. Don't have too big a suitcase or you will fill it with stuff you'll never need. Everyone over-packs. List what you think you should take and delete half of it. We went to Africa for five weeks with only carry-on luggage. We came back with a big, cheap bag in the hold with some larger items we had collected
3. If you are travelling as a couple or a family, share your clothes evenly between each of your bags. If one bag gets lost, everyone will still have some of their clothes. Imagine yourselves losing a bag. Would you have the essentials at hand no matter which of your bags was lost? If you are travelling solo, pack some essentials and a change of clothes in your carry on.
4. Separate your clothes by type and owner using see-through bags or different coloured packing cubes for easy access. Living out of a suitcase can be stressful so make it as easy as possible to find your knickers. Very important if you are sharing bags with someone else.
5. Roll your clothes before putting them in a bag. It saves space, reduces air pockets and minimizes wrinkles.
6. Marie Kondo suggests owning a separate toilet bag and contents especially for travelling and having it in a handy place at home so it can be easily found when getting ready for that overseas trip. You won't want to pack that massive tube of toothpaste you currently use at home. Invest in compact items of all the things you need for travel and leave the bulk options behind.
7. If possible, pack your toiletries in a separate space from your clothes to prevent any accidents, or put your wash bag inside a large ziploc bag. Air pressure changes on a flight tend to make bottles leak and the last thing you need is to arrive on holiday with a suitcase full of clothes that need washing.
8. Do a practice pack one week out before your departure date and be prepared to make drastic changes to what you thought you would take away with you.

Do plenty of reading, thinking and planning before your trip. It might be the best part.

Keep asking great questions ...