You're packing underwear wrong: Expert settles debate on how many pairs you should take

Many of us will be familiar with the anxiety that comes with travelling - and subsequently leads to us to try and fit our entire homes into 20kg of luggage.

An extra outfit here, and a spare beach towel there, and suddenly, we're wondering why we can't lift our suitcases.

But, there's one thing we never fail to scrimp on when it comes to packing: Underwear.

In fact, overpacking underwear with absolutely no logical reason has become such a universal issue, that it's now the subject of endless viral videos online.

"I bring like 14 pairs", one person admitted.

"Minimum 14 for a week's holiday", another confirmed.

"Pack more than I need every single time, at the point I just change knickers a few times a day as a holiday treat", a third joked.

So, just why do we do it?

"The majority of travellers overpack underwear as it gives them a sense of comfort and reassurance. For many travellers, packing extra underwear provides a sense of control, especially if they feel uncertain before travelling", Amanda Parker at Netflight notes about just why we overpack on underwear.

"Hygiene is also a big factor in overpacking underwear. Holidays are a time to relax, so travellers want to avoid doing their laundry when away from home; so, knowing you have enough pairs of underwear and being clean throughout the holiday encourages overpacking.

"It’s easy to buy toothpaste or shower gel from the shop on holiday, but, understandably, jet setters would rather not go underwear shopping when abroad; so, you have the overpacking. It can give you a sense of security; but, the issue many face is that they don’t know where to draw the line.”

Amanda continues, “Luggage psychology also comes into play, it's common for holiday-makers to overpack smaller items as they don’t take up much room in your case; so, we throw in a couple more pairs of underwear, and the rest!”

How many pairs of underwear should we be taking on holiday?

Pexels

"Pack three pairs of underwear more than the number of days of your holiday", Amanda confirms. "That’s the sweet spot!

"So if you're going away for five days, pack eight pairs. The extra three act as your safety net, without overpacking and stuffing your suitcase. So just in case of unexpected swims, last-minute hikes, sweaty travel days, or even just the comfort of changing into a fresh pair before dinner, you’ll be covered."

Case closed. Literally.

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