With travel back on many agendas these days, and airlines charging big bag-checking fees, it’s more than ever practical to take only a carry-on with you, and you can do it, even for a five- to seven-day trip, if you know how to pack efficiently. Here are some tips for packing your suitcase the right way.
- Select Your Clothes – Gather together clothing you can easily mix and match. Then take a hard look and put back the garments you can do without. In most cases, you should be able to reduce your choices by half.
- Roll Your Clothing – Tightly roll the softer, wrinkle-resistant garments, like T-shirts and casual pants, including jeans and place them along the base of the bag.
- Place Folded Items on Top – Layer the stiffer and/or wrinkle-prone garments like silk blouses or starched cotton shirts and jackets over the rolled clothes.
- Drape the Longer Pieces – Fold the longer items, like pants and skirts, in half, filling the length of the bag with them and alternating waists and hems. Pro tip: Take the bulkiest jacket with you on the plane, even in warm weather, so it doesn’t take up room in your suitcase.
- Add Smaller Items – Look for nooks and crannies to fill with smaller items like underwear and socks. Stuff the bra cups with rolled-up socks or panties.
- Now, the Accessories – Snake belts around the perimeter of the bag. Wear the fine jewelry en route to ensure it won’t get lost or stolen, and stow inexpensive jewelry in a plastic pill box or similar and bury it between your layered clothes.
- Last, the Shoes – Limit yourself to three pairs of shoes, like a casual sandal or loafer, sneakers and an evening shoe. Wear the heaviest pair en route and pack the others along the sides of your suitcase in resealable plastic bags.
