Can you believe it’s officially the last month of summer?

As September draws closer, many of us are still enjoying the long summer days, lighter clothing and warmer temperatures that we’ve been able to enjoy these last couple of months, while also embarking on our last holiday before the season changes.

But with airport chaos resulting in travel delays, flight cancellations and increasing luggage costs, the idea of going abroad has become something of excitement but also frustration.

And while we don’t have control over the travel chaos, we can control our holiday packing and how much we can fit into our cost-effective hand luggage - but it’s not always easy.

After all, deciding how many clothes, toiletries and shoes to bring is a task that we can all relate to, as we spend hours holiday packing and sitting atop a suitcase forcing it to close.

But if you do struggle to pack and get what you need in your suitcase, there is a way to make that process a lot easier.

The “pillow hack” is one of the most-searched travel trends on TikTok, with one video in particular amassing over 24.8 million views as travellers do what they can to create more space in their suitcases.

TikTok user Anya Lakovlieva (@nolimitua) came up with a genius way to pack more while avoiding extra fees that come from overweight baggage by taking an empty pillowcase and stuffing it with additional clothing items that you couldn’t fit in a suitcase.

Lakovlieva notes that as pillows “fly for free” it makes for the perfect way to store additional clothes (and clothes only, people) and has racked over 1.3 million likes and resulted in searches for ‘packing hacks for flying’ increasing by 175%.

“I am flying tomorrow to New York and I’ll try this trick,” one wrote while another said: “If you do have underwear, small tops etc that can’t fit in a suitcase, this is an amazing trick to get those extra bits in.”

While the hack is undoubtedly clever, you have to check if the airline you’re flying with allows you to carry an extra pillow free of charge.

“While very clever and worth trying, travellers should keep in mind that this hack may not work on every occasion,” said Naveen Dittakavi, founder and CEO of Next Vacay.

“Most airlines will allow you to bring a travel pillow as part of your attire, but each airline will determine if you can board carrying a standard-sized bed pillow, depending on their luggage regulations.

“Some airlines may consider a full-sized pillow as one allotted personal item, so if you are planning on using this hack, check with your airline what pillow size is appropriate to avoid unexpected fees.”

Image: Getty