The way you pack bags for your trip is one of the most important things when getting ready for holidays. What to pack for a trip and what is the best way to pack a suitcase to save space become two main issues during the preparations for the departure.
Let’s check the best tips for packing a suitcase and see what you can do to save space in your bag and take maximum of the most needed items with you.
Here are some tips to save space when packing a suitcase:
- Roll your clothes instead of folding them.
- Use packing cubes or compression bags to condense your clothes.
- Stuff your shoes with socks or small items.
- Use every inch of space – fill corners with small items like underwear or accessories.
- Consider using vacuum bags for bulky items like coats or blankets.
- Wear your bulkiest items on the plane instead of packing them.
- Pack multi-purpose items like a sarong that can be used as a scarf, towel, or cover-up.
Some travelers prefer to travel light and prefer to take a few things with them.
They already know the most efficient way to pack a suitcase and it helps them save time and effort while getting for the trip and reducing time and resources during the trip to monitor and keep under control their luggage.
The best way to pack a case is to take minimum things with you. This way you will not have to worry about the safety of your suitcases, will be mobile and flexible in your travel.
Even though the best ways to pack a suitcase will differ because of the different length of the trip, budget, travel itinerary and more, there are some common tips for packing a suitcase to save space.
One of the first recommendations for everyone who plans a trip is to plan and pack in a peaceful and calm environment. You should be well concentrated and no other problems should be disturbing you at this moment.
This is the most efficient way to pack a suitcase, which will help you to stay focused on the list of things to take with you for a trip.
The next step you need to do is to check your bag, – check the edges, wheels, and the zipper. Make sure your bag is ready to travel, and all of your items will be safe and protected in the suitcase.
Use compression bags
One of the best ways to pack a suitcase and save space is to use compression bags.
You probably have them already at home, and use them to store items. There are special travel compression bags, from which you can remove the air and save space.
Using compression bags is a very efficient way to pack a suitcase, since it allows you to take more clothes and keep dirty clothes separately during the trip back.
Some travelers use compression bags even for washing clothes – add some water, soap and shake!
But be wise, and make sure you do not overpack. If you are traveling by plane, remember that there are certain weight restrictions per person. Double check the weight of your suitcase before you leave and leave less important items at home.
Packing cubes
Another way to pack a suitcase to save space is to use packing cubes. They help to keep things well organized and neat. You can pack cubes as you prefer – based on the type of clothes or based on the size of the items.
You can buy packing cubes in almost every travel store.
Some of the packing cubes can be vacuum-sealed. But remember that after you open such a cube you may have an issue with compressing it back.
If there is no option to compress packing cubes, your items will need more space in your suitcase.
The best way to pack a suitcase to save space is to pack minimum things. If you can easily survive with the minimum items, pack a hat, 4-5 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of shoes, 3 pairs of pants or skirts, 5 T-shirts and 7 sets of underwear. This is the minimum list of things for 1 week of travel.
Of course, you can change the list based on the type of your trip and adjust it as needed.
For example if you are going to hike, take more T-shirts, do not take skirts, etc.
But this is one of the basic rules of the best way to pack a suitcase to save space if you are not sure how to start.
Select clothes and shoes of the same color palette
One more efficient way to pack a suitcase and save space is to consider a color palette of the clothes you are packing for a trip.
You need to reduce the number of clothes you pack and sticking to one color palette will help you look elegant and feel comfortable during your journey.
Also make sure the shoes fit the colors of the clothes set you have selected.
The best way to pack your suitcase is to think twice about the items to put into your travel bag. Remember that your trip is limited in time and you should bring only those clothes and items you will really need.
If you are traveling with hand luggage only, the list of things to pack with you should be even less.
Roll clothes – best way to pack a suitcase to save space
One of the best tips for packing a suitcase to save space is to roll clothes. This is an efficient way to pack a suitcase, save space in your travel bag and reduce wrinkles on your clothes.
Also, packing rolled clothes into your suitcase helps to find them quickly.
Some travelers recommend putting rubber bands around clothes to keep them in order and save space. But this is up to you, maybe you will find some other efficient tips for packing clothes into your suitcase.
Reduce the weight of your suitcase
Follow the best tips for packing a suitcase and do not take items, which are too heavy and take a lot of space in your case. For example if you love reading and plan to read your favorite book during holidays, take a digital copy instead of a hard copy.
Download a book – it won’t add additional weight to your suitcase!
You can do the same with regards to the maps, travel guides, and vocabularies. Instead you can download travel Apps and online translators.
The only paper document you must have with you is your passport, but make sure you also keep a digital copy of it!
You can also print a copy of your itinerary and most important travel information, just in case you are in a situation where access to the internet is limited and you won’t be able to use online services.
One of the best tips for packing a suitcase is to use plastic bags of small sizes and keep clothes separately based on the activity.
For example, you will keep clothes for swimming in one bag and clothes for horse riding in another. It will help you to efficiently pack a suitcase and save space.
What to do if you carefully followed all the tips above, but still your suitcase is too big and you can’t sip it? The easiest thing to do in such a case is to take out the bulkiest cloth and to put it on.
Of course, it will also depend on the weather and the season, but if the weather permits, you can wear your raincoat for example, instead of packing it into your suitcase. That’s the best way to pack a suitcase to save space!
Just check the weather forecast before you leave on a trip and make sure you pack only seasonal items and according to the weather.
Remember that you can use the inside of your shoes to save space in a suitcase! You can put your socks or underwear, or any small items like souvenirs inside of the shoes. This way fragile items will remain safe and won’t be broken during the trip. Rolled small clothes and socks inside of the shoes will free some space in your travel bag.
In fact, you can use any gap in your suitcase to fill it with underwear or any other small piece of clothes. You will be pleasantly surprised how much space in your suitcase you can save this way!
The best way to pack a suitcase to save space is to make sure your clothes match your plans and activities.
For example, if you are going hiking and will spend most of the time in the mountains, take lightweight clothes, blazers, light but comfortable shoes. If you are going to spend more time at the beach, swimming suits and clothes should be prioritized.
How to check if your suitcase is packed efficiently?
Test it! Yes, test how comfortable you are with the suitcase you have packed, can you roll it up and down the street? Is it light enough as a hand luggage?
Can you easily take your suitcase up the stairs? If you test your suitcase this way, you will know whether it is packed efficiently and whether you will feel comfortable during your trip.
Put Small Jewelry in Pill Cases
If you are going to pack your jewelries, make sure they are packed safe and will not be broken during your trip.
The best way to pack them properly is put your jewelry into pill cases.
Jewelry packed into pill cases will remain safe, will not get broken, and you can store each piece of the jewelry in a separate holder.
This way your jewelry will not get tangled up together.
Another way to pack your jewelry, accessories and any other tiny items is to press and seal plastic wrap.
Put all of your tiny accessories or jewelries on a sheet, cover them with the second sheet and press between each of the items to create an individual niche.
One of the best way to pack a suitcase to save space and stay organized during the trip is to string the necklaces through the drinking straws. After that you can put them between the sheets and press and seal.
These are the best tips for packing a suitcase to save space. If you know more tips, please share them with us in the comments below!
Great tips!! When I travel it is always so hard to decide what things to take with you. In most cases it seems we need EVERYTHING, but this is wrong. 🙂 When traveling we need to have more time and energy to concentrate on positive things, enjoy beautiful places and minimize our routine. I will keep this post in my favorites to read each time when I will be packing my suitcase 🙂
Nice tips! Thanks a lot for sharing! I also wear the heaviest piece of outerwear when travel by plane or bus to save space in my suitcase, that helps!
Hi Katrin, thanks a lot for sharing this tip! I did not think about this before but now I realize this is a good way to keep your suitcase ell balanced.
I think the best way to pack and save space in your travel suit is to properly plan what you really need to take with you on a trip and take minimum items. I always examine several times everything I am going to pack and in most cases only 1/3 is left. At the same time I understand people may have different needs and need more things to feel more comfortable.