Love to travel but hate packing? Here are 5 tips to maximize your suitcase space and stay organized:
- Use packing cubes: these small bags are perfect for keeping your items separated and organized into different compartments. Packing cubes usually come in sets that come together to fit inside your luggage. Separate your items by category and have designated cubes for your clothing, toiletries, shoes, etc. You’ll find a variety of styles, features, quality, and material when shopping for packing cubes. Some brands even offer compression cubes to squeeze and fit bulkier items, such as puffy jackets and sweaters, into your suitcases. Tip – opt for a transparent packing cube set or one with mesh so you could see its contents and won’t have to rifle through your entire suitcase when searching for a specific item.
- Roll your clothes: rolling your clothes versus folding them maximizes space while minimizing wrinkles. You can also use the “bundle technique,” where you wrap your clothes around a core object. Start with your least wrinkle-prone object (such as socks or t-shirts) in the center core and wrap the items that wrinkle easily (such as linens or buttons-down shirts) outside around the core. Using this technique will significantly reduce wrinkling.
- Bring an extra empty laundry bag: most people won’t have time to do any laundry while traveling, so be sure to pack an empty bag to separate your dirty clothes from your clean clothes. This bag will contain any smelly odors and will make it easier for you to dump all your dirty clothes straight into the washing machine once you return home.
- Clear bag for liquids: separating your liquids into a clear quart-sized plastic bag will make your TSA screening run a lot smoother (remember that carry-on liquids may not exceed 3.4 oz. and anything larger than that will have to go into your checked bag!) Placing your items into a plastic bag can also come in handy in case any leaks or spillages occur.
- Wear your bulkiest items onto the airplane: if you’re planning on bringing any bulky items such as thick sweaters, puffy jackets, or large winter boots, you can wear these items on the plane to save some space in your luggage.