How to Pack Clothes in Your Suitcase
Start with a packing list. A packing list can serve as a reminder of what not to forget while also helping you to avoid overpacking.
Download a couple of packing lists and modify them to create a personalized list that you can use over and over again. Take inspiration from both minimalist lists and exhaustive lists to find your happy medium.
Here are a few general suitcase-packing rules you should follow to speed up the process:
1. 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.
2. Arrange Your Clothes Carefully Using Your Favorite Packing Technique
Learning the best packing technique for a suitcase or other type of luggage is essential. Here are 3 techniques to consider:
Folding Clothes
This is the most basic method of packing your clothes into your suitcase. Lay out all your folded clothes. Then place soft clothes, which are the most flexible, at the bottom of your suitcase.
Rolling Clothes
Rolling your clothes can help you save space and prevent wrinkles. It’s a great method if you’re traveling with a duffle bag or backpack and want to fill all the nooks and crannies. It lends itself well to casual clothes and fabrics such as denim, knits, and synthetic fabrics.
Bundle Packing Clothes
Bundle packing your clothes is an alternative technique to rolling your clothes. Instead of rolling, neatly wrap smaller clothing items inside of larger ones to create a bundle. This is a good method if you’re traveling with a suitcase or a flat-laying bag.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Toss in an Extra Bag for Laundry
It’s easy to forget about needing to store your dirty clothes while you travel. Separate your dirty laundry from the rest of your clothes by placing it in a separate plastic or fabric laundry bag with a zipper that keeps in smells.
