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How to Pack a Suitcase to Maximize Space

    How to Pack a Suitcase to Maximize

    Going on a holiday, exploring new places, knowing different cultures, and trying various cuisines is always full of excitement and fun. The better you plan, the more hassle-free your holiday is. From booking flights and accommodation to packing and reading about the things to explore; there is so much that goes into a perfect holiday. This preparedness will ensure that you can enjoy the trip to the maximum. 

    Getting your bags packed with all the essentials for the trip is one of the key aspects of going on a holiday. Of course, packing a couple of your favorite Mela blankets can be a tough task, but with the right packing technique, you can take them with you as well. Now, packing is a craft not known to many. Apart from space utilization, you must have easy access to all the important things while ensuring clothes don’t wrinkle and delicate items don’t break on the way. This article is about how to pack a suitcase while using maximum storage space prudently. Before discussing how to pack, let’s get started with what you should pack.

    Make a comprehensive packing list

    The best way to ensure you have packed your bags correctly is to make a packing list at least 2 weeks in advance and start preparing accordingly. This will provide you with adequate time to plan and decide what you need and what you can skip. Moreover, you will get enough time to buy things you don’t have, comfortably avoiding last-minute panic. 

    Packing your essentials mindfully will only make your trip more fun and hassle-free. Your packing list would depend on the destination, weather, and duration of the holiday among other things. Your list may look like the one given below:

    1. Casual Clothes 
    2. Formal Dining Wear
    3. Sneakers
    4. Flip Flops in case you are visiting a beach
    5. Swimwear if on a beach holiday
    6. Enough socks and underwear to last your entire trip
    7. Your medicines if any, including extra dosages 
    8. Camera, spare batteries mobile charger, laptop, headphones, etc.
    9. Plastic bags for your dirty clothes
    10. A foldable bag for any last-minute items or holiday shopping
    11. Carry-on bags for your laptop and travel documents
    12. Packing supplies like packing cubes and travel pouches 
    13. Plastic wrap to safely wrap breakable items
    14. Packing cubes to segregate your stuff 
    15. Emergency torch and batteries
    16. Emergency Cash 

    Best way to pack to save space 

    • According to travel experts, not everybody ends up using all the clothes they carry on a trip. Therefore, keeping it minimal and packing only what you need will definitely save space.
    • When it comes to casual wear, pack more neutral colors that can be mixed and matched easily with other clothing items. The best way to pack is to avoid carrying too many outfits, thereby reducing the space for other essential items. Rather, you can pack laundry detergent for washing clothes in the hotel sink and laundry lines that you can easily hang up in your hotel room.
    • Carry a pair of black trousers and denim jeans, as they can be mixed and matched with other clothes suitably.
    • Rolling clothes instead of folding can be a great space saver as well. It will also keep your clothes wrinkle-free. You can also go for space-saving travel roll-up bags that compress the clothing perfectly.
    • It is always a good idea to keep adequate space for souvenirs that you may pick up on the trip for friends and family.
    • Utilize the small spaces and gaps by inserting small items like underwear, socks, or medicines pouch, etc. 
    • Pack shoes in a plastic bag to avoid soiling your clothes. Another hack is to insert toiletries and socks in shoes. Pack toiletries nicely in plastic bags to avoid leaks.
    • Avoid an overweight bag to eliminate hassles at the airport. With additional items packed, you might have issues if you need to free up some space at the last minute for some very essential items which you might have forgotten to pack. Just before the trip. 

    Selecting the right bags/suitcases 

    Given the wide range of bags from duffels to backpacks, carry-on luggage bags, and large suitcases with wheels, it may not be easy to select the perfect travel size bag for a trip. When selecting a bag for your trip, the following tips might come in handy.

    Selecting the right bags/suitcases 
    • Choose a suitable size: Selecting the perfect bag for the trip is half the battle won when it comes to packing your stuff. Selecting a too small size may cause inconvenience and force you to leave some of your stuff behind.  On the other hand, taking along a bag that is too big may cause inconvenience while traveling.
    • Check the interior compartments: The interior compartments should be well-designed to make it easy for you to store different types of clothes, shoes, and other travel essentials. While they may take more space and even add to the bag’s overall weight, the advantage they offer in helping organize your bag’s contents is tremendous.  Interior compartments also help prevent clothes and other stuff from rolling over each other. This helps you avoid any kind of mess or wrinkling of the clothes.
    • Ensure it has useable exterior pockets: The exterior pockets should not be too small to hold a water bottle, reading materials, and accessories like a laptop charger, etc. comfortably and safely. If possible, select a bag with zipped exterior compartments to keep the content of the compartments safe. 

    Some helpful tools and gadgets to help you pack your bags

    The best way to pack your bag is to use some travel accessories easily available in the market. They not only ensure you have packed your bags efficiently but also help maximize space utilization. Some of these tools are:

    • Packing cubes: These are cube-shaped, zipped items that can be used for different types of clothing such as socks, underwear, etc. These cubes which have handles for convenience can be stacked one upon the other for better space usage.
    • Compression bags: These are best suited for fluffy items such as sweaters and coats etc. once packed, they are vacuum sealed to remove any excess air from the bags and compress them to a smaller size, thereby saving space.
    • Portable Digital scales: To avoid paying excess baggage fees for any overweight bags, due to weight restrictions, it is advisable to weigh your bags before you leave home using a portable digital scale. The scales can also be carried with you to weigh your bag on the return trip as well.

    Conclusion

    Trips and holidays have become an absolute necessity these days, as it is the only escape from our busy and mundane lives. Therefore, knowing how to pack a suitcase is a skill that you must learn, as it will come in handy when you plan to go on a holiday.

    No matter whether you are a seasoned traveler or a first-timer, you will find the discussed packing strategy and space-saving tips extremely useful and applicable. The skill of packing a suitcase keeps getting better with practice and experience. Using our tips on the best way to pack your bag to make maximum space for all the items, you will surely be able to carry everything you need.

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