It’s finally time for your trip and you’re excited to get some time away to relax and unwind. But packing your bag can be a challenge depending on how long you’re going for and what clothes you’ll need. The key to maximizing space in your suitcase or travel bag is in the way you fold your clothes. The way you fold your clothes will also determine if they will be so creased that they’ll need ironing by the time you get to your destination. Here are a few ways to fold your clothes more efficiently.
Folding
When you’re using a rectangular or square suitcase, folding is an appropriate method to use. That’s because the shape of your folded clothes will fit well with the corners of your suitcase. Be sure to fold your clothes neatly and carefully to avoid creasing. Clothes become creased when other items of clothing are placed on top of them. To avoid this, try putting your rolling clothes of a softer fabric and placing them on the bottom of the case and your folded items on top. This way you’ll minimize the creasing. Folding also works well with stiffer fabrics like blazers, starched cotton shirts or slacks, and dress clothes.
Rolling
This method works best with soft fabrics because they’re mouldable. Clothes like t-shirts, jeans, and tights are best rolled because they don’t crease as easily as other fabrics. Not only does packing clothes that are rolled maximize space in your luggage but it helps you prevent creases. This is the best method for backpackers because the rolled clothes will fit the shape of a backpack better than folded clothes. To roll your clothes, you need to fold them in half lengthwise, then you can roll the item as tightly as possible starting from the bottom hem, and then work your way up.
Bundling
Bundling is when you wrap clothes around each other to create a big bundle. The idea is to put smaller items of lighter fabrics on the inside and bigger more stiffer fabrics on the outside. You can create a core with small items such as socks, underwear, and swimwear. Place them in a pouch so they’re ready to wrap. Then place the heaviest items of clothing button-side up, on a flat surface. Collared tops and pants should be kept on the inside. As you layer each item, you can rotate the direction in which you place the clothes to create a square shape. Keep layering the items one by one until you’ve added the light items. Only then can you place the core pouch in the center and start folding the bundle.
Vacuum Sealed Bags
If you have a gadget that vacuum seals then you can use this method to pack your clothes. By removing all the air from the nag, you’re creating a smaller package that will maximize space in your luggage. Fold your clothes as you normally would before placing them in the bag. You can even pack smaller items together in the same bag to make it easier to find when unpacking. Your clothes might get more wrinkled than when using other methods, but you’ll maximize on space.
A very important tip to remember is that if you place your clothes in plastics bags it will minimize friction, which in turn means they’ll be almost wrinkle-free. Get packing and enjoy your trip!
