Brits Still Pack Home in the Suitcase
A survey of 2,000 UK travellers has put numbers on a familiar holiday habit: packing the things people do not want to miss once they arrive. Tea bags and towels came top, while biscuits, wrong-season clothes, condiments and hangers also made the list. The findings say more about trust in accommodation basics than about packing light.
What Ends Up in the Bag
- Survey: 2,000 UK travellers
- Commissioned by: Star Brands for Lenor Crease Releaser
- Tea bags: packed by 50%
- Own towel: packed by 50%
- Biscuits: packed by 36%
- Wrong-season clothes: packed by 35%
- Garment de-creasing products: packed by 20%
- Condiments: packed by 14%
- Hangers: packed by 12%
The numbers suggest overpacking is often about avoiding small holiday annoyances. Some 70% of respondents said they would rather bring too much than miss something useful, while more than half had bought an item on holiday after forgetting it. Only 8% said accommodation usually provides everything they need. Common frustrations included creased clothes, uncomfortable pillows and not enough hangers.
The figures are useful for anyone flying on a strict baggage allowance. A few familiar items can make a rented room or hotel stay feel easier, but towels, extra clothes and "just in case" bits quickly eat into cabin-bag space. On low-cost flights, that can turn a cheap fare into a paid-luggage fare before the trip even starts.
“We might not know it, but there are a host of things we rely on every day for our comfort, so it makes sense that we like to take the little things with us to truly have a good time on a trip."
A better packing test is simple: keep what would be hard, expensive or annoying to replace. Medication, chargers, passport, weather-appropriate clothes and one small comfort item make sense. Full-size towels, backup outfits for every season and kitchen-cupboard extras deserve a second look. If the hotel already provides it, your suitcase probably does not need to.
