Why does packing always seem like more of a chore than it needs to be? It can be a tedious task on its own, sure, but a lot of packing stress likely stems from the anxiety of not really knowing what you're going to need when you get to wherever you're going. (What if it rains the whole time? What if your luggage gets lost? What if you don't end up doing half of what your itinerary originally said you'd be doing?)
We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to somehow, miraculously, pack only exactly what we might need—no more, no less—and keep things wrinkle-free in the process. Here are some helpful packing techniques to ease the burden of filling your suitcase efficiently and keeping your clothing in tip-top shape while in route.
1. Start Thinking About What You Need In Advance
For one, it starts youe trip two weeks early. But it also leaves you with enough time to rethink what you’re packing. You can use that time repack and reorganize, to ultimately maximize space. And finally, it leaves you time to remember anything you might have initially forgotten to pack (you’d rather forget before than when it’s too late!).
2. Narrow Down Your Must-Haves
Half the battle of packing is determining what is essential to take with you. Limit yourself to five pairs of pants if you’re going on a ten-day trip, including a few pairs of jeans and a few pairs of shorts. Lay it all out in front of you, and then get rid of one or two pairs that are similar to one another.
3. Learn How To Maximize Space At The Bottom Of Your Suitcase
Everyone knows that the trenches at the bottom of the suitcase are inconvenient lost space created by the handle and wheels. Here is a simple solution for how to fill those gaps to not loose that much packing space… you can lay each sock flat within the divot until the hole is completely filled (people usually like stuffing socks in their shoes, don’t worry, you’ll probably have leftover socks to do that too). But you don’t just have to put socks here, you can really put anything here that’s about the same height as the bars, for example, fit umbrellas here.
4. Rolling Vs. Flat Packing
If you’ve ever researched the best packing tips, you might have stumbled upon the “Rolling vs. Folding” debate. It’s actually most efficient to combine both methods. Rolling has certain benefits that folding doesn’t, and vice versa. The main pro with rolling is that there aren’t any creases after being compressed in a suitcase for several hours. Rolling your clothes also tends to keep them more organized. But the issue with rolling is that certain types of clothes can take up a lot more space than if they’re laid flat. For example, pants and sweaters become HUGE when rolled! So, instead of rolling those, you can lay your pants flat on the bottom of your suitcase and do the same thing for larger sweaters.
5. Pack Wrinkle-Resistant Fabric
If possible, pack clothing that is less likely to wrinkle. For example, jeans won’t wrinkle as much as slacks. Avoid packing anything made from fabric like linen or rayon, as these fabrics wrinkle easily. Consider taking a few pairs of yoga pants in addition to jeans. Yoga pants rarely wrinkle, can be dressed up easily, and take up just a few inches of space. You can also take a travel size bottle of wrinkle release spray for wrinkle emergencies.
6. Keep Clothes in Place with Dry Cleaning Bags
Most clothes, no matter the material, are a bit slippery. Slip dry cleaning bags between each layer of clothing to eliminate any slippage or movement during travel. By keeping your clothing and other items firmly in place, you’ll maximize your suitcase space and discover extra nooks and crannies where you can stash additional cargo.
