Mum reveals her top ten suitcase packing hacks – and one will change the way you travel forever

A home guru has revealed her top ten tips for packing for a holiday, with one described as ‘life-changing’.

Melbourne mum Chantel Ibbotson, known online as Mama Mila, shared these handy tricks with her 2.8 million followers this week.

They provide tips on how to keep your luggage smelling fresh, how to make the most of the space and how to prevent your luggage from getting damaged.

But there is one tip that has been received most positively: prevent liquids such as sunscreen or makeup from leaking through your bag.

Prevent necklaces from getting tangled by threading them through a straw

Chantel called this trick an absolute ‘game changer’ for saving time and frustration when untangling wrapped necklaces.

A follower said: ‘I used your straw for necklaces when I was last traveling and it was amazing.’

Use a knot to keep earrings together

The mother of two also showed her followers how to keep earrings together with a simple knot by attaching each earring through a hole in the knot.

This also prevents the earring from being damaged during travel.

Use hanging packing cubes

Chantel recommended hanging packing cubes, which are available to buy online, as a great solution to ‘making packing and unpacking quick and easy’.

One fan had never heard of hanging packing cubes and couldn’t wait to try them out.

“They save a lot of time and space. Makes sense if you travel a lot,” said another woman.

Fill your shoes with socks

Chantel puts her socks in her shoes to save space.

Fans were shocked when Chantel simply packed her sock-filled shoes into her suitcase.

“Wow, you just put your shoes right there!? I would never do that,” said one follower.

Chantel, who goes by Mama Mila on her social media accounts, had some innovative ideas on how to make the most of space, prevent breakage and spills, and even a trick to make your bag smell nice

She assured them that she put her used shoes in a clean bag and then back in the suitcase after she finished filming the video.

Spray perfume on cotton pads to keep your suitcase smelling fresh

The mother sprays her favorite perfume on cotton pads and puts them in her packed suitcase, so that her bag stays smelling fresh and inviting.

Place cotton pads in makeup cases to prevent breakage

She also puts cotton pads in makeup bags to keep them from breaking when she travels.

The idea was a revelation to one woman who exclaimed, “OMG, the cotton pad in makeup.”

Squeeze excess air from toiletries

Perhaps the least known trick is that Chantel showed her followers how to remove excess air from toiletries by gently squeezing them.

“This creates a vacuum that prevents them from leaking,” she explains.

Pack a bag for dirty clothes

This tip makes it easy for travelers to find clean clothes while keeping dirty, smelly clothes separate in their own bag.

Fold blazers and store them on top of your suitcase

Chantel showed fans who want to keep their coats wrinkle-free how to properly fold them and place them on top of their packed bag so they stay smooth and presentable.

A follower gave a different tip than the one Chantel said she should try.

“I fold all my clothes in tissue paper on the way there, like the stores do. Very few wrinkles. Not so much on the way back,” she said.

Attach straps around the suitcase to save space

Her final trick for a perfectly packed duffel bag was to place the straps along the edge of the suitcase instead of packing them in one big chunk, which takes up valuable packing space.

Fans appreciated the packing tips and the video received 12,328 likes.

“Great tips! You also sound a bit like an airline stewardess which fits this reel so well haha,” one woman laughed.