Packing Hacks
Roll your clothes
Rolling your clothes will save you lots of room and help prevent from wrinkling.
Only pack what you need
I am definitely a fashion person which means that I always like having tons of outfit options because I never know what I’m going to feel like wearing, but really if you’re traveling for vacation no one is going to care what you look like. As much as you want to bring your whole closet, be logical and only bring one outfit for each day. This will save you money when it comes to checking bags and it will save your back if you are carrying it!
Pack clothes that all match – Shirts that go with all the pants and vice versa
This kind of goes with number two. If you are pack things that go with each other then you will have more outfit options with fewer clothes. When I travel I try to make sure that the majority of my shirts go with the majority of my pants. This allows me to still have many outfit options while not having to pack to many clothes.
Use air space or zip lock bags
A packing idea that I have yet to try, but have seen other people do is the use of space bags to compress your clothes. The only thing with this is that you have to make sure you are watching your weight, because even though it seems like you don’t have much packed the clothes will still weight just as much. I know for myself I have used gallon zip lock bags and do this with my undergarments, to make more room and keep them together.
Keep at least one change of clothes in your carry on in case your luggage is lost or delayed
This tip I learned the hard way. When I was traveling to Miami my luggage got lost and I ended up having to buy new clothes until it arrived. Keep at least one change of clothes with you is a good way to guarantee that you will have something to wear if by chance your luggage is lost or delayed.
Try to find a lightweight suitcase
- This will allow you to pack more in it especially if you find a soft sided one
- It will be easier to carry or lift into the overheads if it’s a carry on
Uses dryer sheets to keep your stuff fresh
When traveling I don’t always have access to a wash/dryer so I end up having to keep my clean clothes and dirty clothes close together, so it’s nice to throw a dryer sheet in with them to keep them smelling as fresh as possible.
Wear heavy/bulky items that take up a lot of space
By wearing your heavy and bulky items you will have more room in your luggage for other essential or non-essentials that you want to bring with. This will also help with the weight of the bag if you are going to be checking it.
Put your shoes in a shower cap & put your socks in your shoes
Shoes are dirty no matter what any you don’t want them touching your clothes. One thing I found helpful is to put a shower cap around them so keep all the yuck from the bottom away from your clothes and everything else in your luggage.
Another space saving tip is to put your socks in your shoes. Since you are going to wear the socks with the shoes anyways it won’t be a bother to keep then in the shoes. This will save you space and keep the shoes from getting crushed while traveling.
Depending on where you’re traveling leave the bathroom products at home
- Put a small amount of make-up/lotion in a contact case or smaller container for short travels
- I am not one to wear make-up much at all so if you’re like me where you don’t need much of it or if you aren’t going somewhere for long this is a great way to save space and avoid breaking a bigger bottle.
Keep headphones and cords in a smaller container or glasses case
I have always struggled with finding my headphones or cords when on a plane and when I do find them they are usually tangled and a mess. Being so cramped on a plane, train or any transportation is hassle enough and there certainly isn’t enough space to be emptying out your whole bag to find what you’re looking for. I have found that using a small container like an Altoids mint container or even a glasses case helped keep my cords from getting tangles/damaged and help me find them easier.
Bring an empty water bottle to fill after you’re through security
This tip comes from my conservation side and my ‘I don’t want to spend $7 on a bottle of water’ side. I really don’t like plastic water bottles that you use once and then throw away, so by bringing an empty reusable water bottle you are able to get through security and then fill it up on the other side at a water fountain. This will help create less waste and then you can have a water bottle through the duration of your travels. By doing this it will also save you some money. It’s no secret that travel is expensive, so it’s nice to save money where you can even if it’s even just a few dollars.
*** On a side note: DO NOT bring a water bottle with a straw (Camelbak Bottles) or one you have to squirt into your mouth (Gatorade bottles/Sports bottles). The reason for this is because the pressure change will cause the water to build up and once you do use the bottle all the pressure will release and you will end up with a lovely water fountain at your seat. And yes I am speaking from experience. ***
Put jewelry in a pill container to avoid tangles
I am big into earrings, rings and dainty necklaces so this one is a life saver if you are anything like me. When I traveled before I would just put my jewelry in a plastic bag and hope for the best, but I got so tired of having to untangle everything and frustrated with things breaking while I traveled, so I found an old ‘days of the week’ pill container to use to keep everything separate and protect it a bit better while on the move.
Roll your belts and put them in the collar of your shirt to keep them clean and stiff
This last one is for people who travel a lot for business especially, but also for people who are going to need to dress up while on vacation. I have found that keeping business clothes clean and neat while traveling is hard especially keeping a collared shirts collar nice. If you take a belt and put it in the collar of the shirt you will create a bit of a safety net so that it doesn’t have the chance get crushed as easily.
Thank you for reading! 🙂
** I do not own any rights to these photographs **
ROVE 