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Expert packing tips from The Lanesborough.
Daniel Jordaan is Head Butler at the luxurious Lanesborough - and ideally placed to give us some packing advice honed from years of first-hand experience
As a travel journalist I do get to stay in some nice hotels. And I’m afraid I’m slightly ashamed of my luggage which always looks a bit old and scuffed.
I’m even more ashamed of what’s inside, because my usual packing method is ‘Wait till 11 o’clock the night before and then throw everything in, and spend half an hour struggling like an Amazonian explorer with an anaconda to get the damn thing closed.’ And I suspect there are many like me!
And since Daniel Jordaan recently took on the role of leading the team of butlers at the Lanesborough, I thought I’d ask him for some tips on how to pack properly (of course, if staying at the hotel I’d get him to do it for me!)
Me: Before I pack my case; what should go where? I’m sure I’m not the only person who throws everything in, in a panic, only to find all my clothes crinkled at the other end….
Daniel Jordaan: It all depends on the type of case and the amount of clothes you have. If you travel with a standard suitcase for instance; shoes, adaptors cables and toiletries in the bottom, followed by trousers, dresses and slacks (don’t fold them, leave the leg parts hanging over the sides of the case). Then add shirts, t-shirts and blouses.
If you don’t have separate compartments in the case for underwear and socks, you could add these after the shirts (or tuck them into ‘open’ areas in the case). Fold the ‘leg’ parts of the trousers etc. over at this point, forming a cocoon around the rest of the clothes.
Lastly, add the jackets and coats (turn these inside out, fold them horizontally in half and cross the sleeves over the front) and lay these on top of your ‘cocoon’. We add jackets and coats last of all because it reduces creasing and is handy when you are cold and need a jacket.
For duffel bags and hold-alls the system is almost the same, with the heavier items going in the bottom and with the exception of letting the trousers etc. hang over the sides – in this case no ‘cocoon’ is formed.
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Me: What about folding shirts? I always end up with creases!
Daniel Jordaan: It’s not easy to explain in words, but here is a graphic:
A diagram illustrating how you should pack a shirt
Me: How do I stop my shoes getting squashed en route?
Daniel Jordaan: Invest in a good set of shoe-trees, or stuff your shoes with socks or tissue-paper. As a last resort, you could fill the shoes with newspaper. Before stuffing the shoes, spray the paper with some perfume or cologne to give the shoes a new-found freshness.
If you are traveling with more than one case, pack your shoes separately and neatly in a smaller bag, using the same stuffing method. At the Lanesborough we always provide our guests with complimentary travel stuffers once we’ve polished your shoes.
Me: What are the advantages and disadvantages of different types of luggage? I always travel with a backpack – another friend of mine swears by his wheelie ‘air hostess’ suitcase.
Daniel Jordaan: Carry-on bags are ideal for those who like to travel light. Most of these bags can be taken on board as hand luggage. The downside is that most have no wheels and must be carried if no trolleys are available. Clothes also tend to crease more in these types of bags.
It is not advisable to keep breakable items like cameras or laptops (if unprotected) in carry-on bags. Wheeled luggage is currently used most.
They have ease of mobility and clothes and belongings generally stay well protected and wrinkle free (if packed correctly). But they tend to be bulky and people tend to over pack which may result in extra baggage fees or an embarrassing ‘swap session’ in front of the check-in desk at the airport.
Garment bags are ideal for business travellers on just a 24 hour trip. These bags tend to keep clothes relatively wrinkle-free and are generally accepted onboard as hand-luggage. A drawback is that they may limit travellers in bringing gifts and shopping back to loved ones on their return.
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An Apsley Suite at the Lanesborough: guests at the hotel are used to being waited on hand and foot by an army of butlers
Me: You’ve talked about packing, but what’s the best way of unpacking once I get to my destination – and how do I get creases out of silk shirts?
Daniel Jordaan: Hang the shirts over the bath or on the shower door whilst showering or taking a bath – close the bathroom door. The steam generated by hot water should be enough to reduce creases.
Hotel hairdryers are also good tools in reducing creases in delicate fabrics like silk – splash the garment with some drops of water, then use the medium setting on the hairdryer to blow out creases. Alternatively, you could always ask your butler to have it pressed!
Me: It’s always a problem knowing how much to pack, and you’ve already mentioned travellers who pack too much. Do you have any tips for how people can pack less, but still be stylish? I’m sure your clients aren’t traveling on Ryanair but a lot of people are now trying to pack much less because of airport security, luggage restrictions, and so on.
Daniel Jordaan: A good business suit (gents or ladies) can be made to appear different every day by altering shirts, blouses and ties during the trip. I know it is a typical cliché, but a little black dress can go far during a trip by varying the accessories and shoes worn with the outfit. For a more casual look; gents should invest in a good pair of chinos or jeans and for the ladies, a fashionable shirt-dress which could be dressed up or down.
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Me: Nowadays a lot of us are traveling with laptops, iPods, and loads of chargers, transformers, plug adaptors… how can we keep track of the spaghetti and pack most efficiently and safely for our business trips?
The hotel hair dryer: a surprisingly useful ally in the battle against creases!
Daniel Jordaan: Try and purchase multi-functional equipment – e.g. if you have an iPhone, there’s almost certainly no need for an iPod or camera. If you need to carry different electronic equipment and cables, try to have a separate area in you suitcase for these.
Roll cables independently and keep them rolled with elastic bands – take your free airline toiletries bag and use it exclusively for cables (guests frequently leave chargers behind in hotels – if you ask a butler or concierge I’m sure that they’d be happy to provide a charger for you).
Me: Finally, I’d like to ask you about one of the mysteries of the universe, which is that however well I pack, I always seem to end up with odd socks and I know I’m not the only one! How do you avoid this?
Daniel Jordaan: Buy socks with varying shades of colors or different patterns on the top or the side – make sure you travel with odd patterns or colors so you know which goes with which. If you have the same color socks and do not know how to ‘roll’ socks, you could always tie (loose knot) them together or I have even seen someone use paperclips.
So there you are; all kinds of useful tips to smarten up your luggage act. Or alternatively, just stay at the Lanesborough and use the butler service!
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The Lanesborough's Royal Suite is one of London's most expensive rooms: but as with all the hotel's rooms, all services (including unpacking your bags!) are included.
Incidentally, you may not be aware that although it’s an expensive hotel, you get a ton of free amenities at the Lanesborough (apart from your own Jeeves) and free WiFi too. It’s also managed by one of this blog’s favourite hoteliers, has a delightful spa and a very comfy hideaway bar.
The Lanesborough was also in our recent “bar crawl” of London hotels.
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Photo credits: The Lanesborough (St. Regis Hotels & Resorts).
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