Packing can be the bane of any traveler’s existence. Too much, and you’re lugging around a suitcase that weighs more than you do. Too little, and you’re missing essential items and spending precious vacation time shopping for things you forgot. The secret to stress-free travel lies in clever packing.

This guide is packed (pun intended!) with tips and tricks to help you pack smarter, travel lighter, and enjoy your trip to the fullest, no matter the destination or duration. From rolling your clothes to utilizing packing cubes, we’ve got you covered. Say goodbye to packing woes and hello to effortless travel!

1. The Rolling Method

Maximise Space: Forget folding! Rolling your clothes is a game-changer when it comes to maximising space in your suitcase. This technique compresses your garments, allowing you to fit more items into a smaller area. Here’s how to do it:

1. Lay your garment flat on a surface.
2. Fold the sleeves inwards towards the center of the garment.
3. Starting from the bottom, tightly roll the garment upwards until you reach the top.
4. Secure the roll with a rubber band or by tucking the top edge into the roll.

Prevent Wrinkles: Surprisingly, rolling your clothes can actually help minimize wrinkles. By creating tight, compact cylinders, your clothes are less likely to crease and wrinkle compared to traditional folding. Plus, it keeps your clothes more organized, making it easier to find what you need without rummaging through a jumbled mess.

2. Lay Out Everything First

Before you start packing your luggage, it’s crucial to visualize your packing list and edit it ruthlessly. This approach ensures you only pack the essentials and avoid overpacking.

• Visualize Your Packing: Lay out all the items you believe you’ll need on your bed or the floor. This visual representation provides a clear overview of your planned packing list, allowing you to easily identify any missing items or potential redundancies.
• Ruthless Editing: Critically evaluate each item laid out. Ask yourself:
  • “Is this essential for my trip?”
  • “Can I wear this item more than once?”
  • “Is there a lighter or more versatile alternative to this item?”
• Prioritise Essentials: Allocate sufficient luggage space for non-negotiable items such as toiletries, medications, and essential clothing items.
  • Minimize non-essentials: Limit the inclusion of non-essential items like extra pairs of shoes, multiple hats, or bulky electronics.

Benefits of This Approach:

• Reduced Overpacking: By visualizing and editing your packing list, you can significantly reduce the amount of unnecessary luggage, saving space and potentially avoiding excess baggage fees.
• Improved Organization: This method promotes a more organized and efficient packing process, minimizing stress and maximizing travel efficiency.
• Enhanced Travel Experience: Traveling with lighter and more streamlined luggage allows for greater mobility and a more enjoyable travel experience.

3. Utilise Packing Cubes

Organisation is Key: Packing cubes are rectangular fabric containers that fit inside your suitcase. They help you compartmentalise your belongings, making it easy to find what you need without unpacking your entire bag. Use different cubes for different types of clothing (e.g., tops, bottoms, underwear, socks). This keeps everything neat.

Maximise Space: Packing cubes can also help compress your clothing, further maximising space in your suitcase. By neatly packing your items into the cubes, you can eliminate dead space and prevent your clothes from shifting during travel. They act like little drawers in your suitcase.

Easy to Find: Easily locate items in your suitcase by using color-coded packing cubes. Assign different colours to different categories of clothing. For example, use blue for tops, green for bottoms, and red for underwear. This simple trick will save you time and frustration when you’re looking for a specific item.

4. Repack your Toiletries

Streamlinine your toiletries and essential items to minimise bulk and ensure easy travel access. Think of it as creating a mini-version of your bathroom and medicine cabinet that’s perfectly portable and TSA-friendly.

• Travel-Sized Containers: Less is More (and Lighter!): Full-sized bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and other toiletries take up a surprising amount of space and add unnecessary weight to your luggage. Investing in a set of reusable travel-sized containers is a game-changer. These containers are specifically designed to hold smaller amounts of product, saving you valuable space and weight. Look for leak-proof options to prevent messy spills in your bag. You can find these at most drugstores, supermarkets, or online retailers. Consider labeling them clearly to avoid confusion.
• Clear Toiletry Bag: Security-Friendly and Organized: A clear toiletry bag is essential, especially if you’re flying. It allows TSA agents to easily see the liquids you’re carrying, speeding up the security process. Furthermore, a clear bag helps you keep your toiletries organized and easily accessible. No more rummaging through a dark, cluttered bag to find your toothbrush! Choose a bag that’s the right size for your needs and complies with TSA regulations regarding liquid sizes. Many clear toiletry bags come with separate compartments or pockets, which can further enhance organization.
• Solid Toiletries: The Weight-Saving Wonders: Consider switching to solid toiletries whenever possible. Shampoo bars, conditioner bars, and even solid sunscreens are becoming increasingly popular and are fantastic for travel. They eliminate the risk of leaks, take up less space, and are often more environmentally friendly.
• Multi-Purpose Products: Streamlining Your Routine: Look for multi-purpose products to further reduce the number of items you need to pack. For example, a BB cream can combine moisturizer, sunscreen, and light foundation in one product. A multi-use balm can be used for lips, cuticles, and dry skin.
• First-Aid Kit Essentials: Be Prepared for Minor Mishaps: Pack a small first-aid kit with essentials like pain relievers, bandages, antiseptic wipes, and any personal medications you require. This will help you handle minor injuries or ailments while traveling. Keep it compact and easily accessible.
• Contact Lens Solutions and Cases: If you wear contact lenses, don’t forget to pack your contact lens solution and case. Travel-sized bottles of solution are available, and it’s always a good idea to bring an extra case.
• Medications: Keep Them Handy: Always pack any prescription medications in your carry-on luggage, not your checked bag. This ensures you have access to them even if your checked bag is delayed or lost. Keep them in their original containers with the prescription label.
• Cosmetics: Travel-Sized and Minimalist: Unless you’re attending a formal event, try to keep your makeup routine to a minimum while traveling. Pack only the essentials and consider using travel-sized versions of your favorite products.

Quick Tips

• Decide which clothes you’ll be wearing on your way home, and you can pack them in the deepest part of your suitcase.
• Put the first set of clothes you’ll be wearing on the top of the pack.
• Stuff your socks in your shoes. You get to make use of the space inside, and your shoes get to retain their shape.
• Heavier items go on the bottom. This helps suitcases stay upright, and walking with a backpack becomes easier this way.
• Bring an extra bag for souvenirs.
• Bring plastic bags in case you’ll be packing wet items the day you head home.
• Bring a reusable water bottle in your carry-on bag.
• Unroll your clothes as soon as you get settled in your accommodation.
• Ensure easy access to essentials: meds, chargers, toilet paper, sanitiser, etc.
• Postpone wrapping gifts because airport security might have them unwrapped.

Airport Parking

If you need a safe and secure place to leave your car, Alpha Airport Parking has depots in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. We’ll take good care of your vehicle while you’re away and shuttle you to your terminal for free. Visit our website to book your reservation today.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.