Whether it’s a cross-country trip, a summer in the Caribbean, or a weekend getaway at the beach, it’s essential to have a lightweight suitcase that keeps your clothes organised. While space-saving packing methods will differ based on the commute, budget, and more, some tips will work in most cases.
Here are 12 tips that can help you both when packing your clothes and during your stay:
- Prepare the luggage in your bed
- Select the lightest suitcase
- Travel light
- Choose clothes that match
- roll up your clothes
- Wear sturdy clothing
- Store things in shoes
- Leave space for your purchases
- Seal bottles and containers
- Substitute the material for the digital
- Carry a first-aid kit
- Pay attention to baggage restrictions
Prepare the luggage in your bed
Even if you are anxious to put everything you see scattered around the house in your travel suitcase, it is best to be patient and place your belongings on the bed first; to make sure you don’t forget anything and don’t fill it with unnecessary things either. Remember electronic devices, toiletries, medicines, and creams and put everything in sight for a better selection.
Choose the lightest suitcase.
Once you have seen the number of things you need to carry, we recommend choosing the smallest and lightest suitcase that can contain everything. Since there are weight limits and 1 kg less of the bag means 1 kg more for one of your possessions.
Travel light
General advice is to be very selective when packing your travel suitcase and take only what is essential since if you are missing something, you can probably get it at the destination.
Choose clothes that match.
Wear the most basic clothes if you do not want to go wrong. You can pack at least one bottom and four tops; to have four different looks. Think of the most straightforward and most practical, but without being repetitive. For this reason, we recommend selecting pieces that can be combined into different styles.
Roll up your clothes
This is one of the most effective ways to fit more things into your travel suitcase. Although simply folding your clothes may seem the most logical option, you will save almost twice as much space if you roll them up.
You can start with the most important items and work your way down the scale to the minor things. For example, in the case of T-shirts, you must first fold your garments as usual, then fold them again on their longest side and finally roll them up.
Wear resistant clothing
The fabric of your clothing is essential when packing since you should avoid taking materials that wrinkle or stain easily. Also, look for clothes that keep smelling fresh after multiple uses and dry quickly.
Store things in shoes
In the shoes, you can store small things for the trip. Use that extra space to put underwear, adapters or jewellery. Inside the boots is a perfect place to enter everything loose, so you should use it wisely.
Leave space for your purchases.
You will bring back some memories of the trip, right? It is another reason not to overdo it when packing your suitcase; the luggage will always return bigger. So remember to leave a space for purchases before closing the bag to board.
Seal bottles and containers
If you carry liquid in your suitcase and travel by plane, keep in mind that any container you use is put to the test during the flight, as the content can spill. To avoid this, we recommend you close the lids of the bottles you carry with adhesive tape.
In addition, you can use a plastic bag, such as a freezer one, to seal all the liquids inside the travel suitcase.
Substitute the material for the digital
Although paper books have their charm, and for many are better for reading, an e-book reader will save you a lot of weight and space in your suitcase. You can also replace the material with the digital that you have; thus, you can download maps, guides and other reading materials that take up space within the smartphone.
Carry a first-aid kit
Although it will be for emergencies only, it is essential to have these basic supplies on hand, especially for those who take controlled medication or often have dizziness or respiratory problems.
We recommend storing everything in transparent containers. Keep in mind that in hand luggage, the liquid limit is 100 ml per container. However, check if your destination has any other specific restrictions.
Pay attention to baggage restrictions.
Generally, there is a weight and liquid limit for suitcases on domestic and international flights. Thus, on domestic flights, you cannot exceed 23 kg. On international flights, travel bags are usually limited to a maximum of 32 kg, depending on the airline.
We recommend you distribute the items very well among your travel luggage before checking in, to avoid paying taxes or preventing you from continuing. For this reason, it is essential to weigh your bags before arriving at the airport and know all the airline’s rules.
