7 Top Packing Hacks to Use Less Luggage Space

Underpacking or overpacking are two less than optimal problems that many travelers have encountered at one time or another. Everyone wants to take what they need and what they think they might need without too much luggage to haul around. It is possible to pack lightly and well to deal with multiple situations with a little planning and some simple techniques. If you hate packing for a trip or you enjoy it and want to improve your skills, we have seven top hacks to make the process much easier.

1.Avoid Filler Items

Many people try to pack for every possible contingency with no real plan and they ultimately pack a lot of random items that are not required. Most of these items will never leave the bag, they may seem important, but they’re not. Before you pack a bag, lay out all the travel gear on a nearby bed or the floor to evaluate what you’re taking. For each item ask yourself a simple question, “Is this item worth the valuable space it will consume in my luggage?” and if the answer is “No” leave it at home. 

2.Familiarize Yourself with Packing Organizers

These are handy organizers that can be used to compartmentalize items in your luggage. Some use packing cubes to trace and organize to find a travel pillow or laundry bag quickly. Another great option are compression bags which can compact clothes and other soft items into a smaller footprint. Smaller items can be stored in pouches, used pill containers and anything else that you can utilize. Just make sure to choose packing organizers that fit your luggage and make sure they are filled to capacity. This is important because you don’t want to waste valuable space inside an organizer where it may be overlooked. 

3.Use the “Fold and Roll” Technique

Most people fold their clothes to hang them at their destination and have them ready to wear. But, this takes up a lot of space and there are always creases when the clothes are unpacked anyway. To put this into some perspective, it’s possible to fit three pairs of pants into the same space as a single pair if they are rolled and not folded. The wrinkles are minimal because the clothes are folded before they are rolled up. For maximum efficiency, roll tightly and smoothly to remove pockets of trapped air. The rolled clothes can be placed in the packing cubes to secure them in place during transit. 

4.Carefully Consider Your Shoes

Shoes are probably the biggest space-killer that most people take on their trip. Most of us take far too many pairs and realistically we are never going to wear all of them. Try to pack the fewest number possible to meet your needs for your trip. A single good pair of sneakers can work for walking, exercising and even at a casual eatery. Then take a second pair for any formal places you want to visit and finally a pair of sandals for the beach if you need them. Once you’ve decided on which shoes you want to take, it’s important to take full advantage of that real estate when packing. Inside each shoe there’s ample space for a couple of pairs of socks and some smaller items. Rollup underwear, pad out small devices or keep your jewelry safe until you get to the hotel safe. All of these smaller items can be kept extremely secure in a pair of shoes with some sock cushions to prevent them from moving. The same goes for hats too, stuff the interior with soft and small items and as an added bonus this will protect the shape too.

5.Spread the Load

If you’re traveling with friends and family, make sure you’re planning to pack together. With a little forethought, it’s possible to share space and prevent doubling up on toothpaste, sunscreen, and bluetooth speakers. At least one person should have the travel documents, emergency numbers and a first aid kit just in case. For longer journeys, having some basic cleaning wipes and change of underwear on hand can work wonders. Keeping some redundancy is also useful, if one or more of your bags is lost because you can keep a few items in each other's bags for emergencies. Certain airlines may even allow people traveling together to share their baggage allowance. When you pack in this way and you plan to share body wash, laundry detergent or shampoo look for solid alternatives. The liquid versions of these items are not TSA-friendly and they are more likely to leak in transit. 

6.Consider Your Tech Requirements

One of the best things about modern travel is that the tech gear is much lighter and compact. On a smartphone, you can bring an entire library on vacation and you can’t get sand in a physical book. One vital piece of gear is a good set of earbuds and a separate camera if you don’t want to use the built-in one on your phone. Some people are particular about how they take pictures and this should be taken into account during packing. It’s smart to keep virtually all your tech with you either in your carry on or on your person if you’re flying. Always choose the smaller and more high quality products if your budget can stretch that far and don’t forget a shared universal charger.

7.Pack Larger Items First

The largest items should be packed first because it’s easier to pack around them than try to fit them in your luggage after the fact. Once the largest items are in the bag, it’s much easier to pack the smaller items. 

In Conclusion

With some advance planning, it’s easy to pack your luggage and take what you really need. Here’s a final pro tip, wear your heavier clothes for the journey to reduce the weight in your carry on and your regular luggage. Any extra pockets can be used to carry valuable and tech items that you want to keep extra safe.