How to pack a suitcase correctly

Packing a suitcase is not an easy part of traveling. You not only need to choose three outfits out of a hundred, but also pack everything so that when you arrive, your shirts don’t look like a herd of elephants trampled them. In this article, we’ll tell you how to pack a suitcase so everything fits.

Preparation and selection of necessary items

• Make a list of everything you’ll need for your trip, then ruthlessly cut it down. Immediately discard anything in the “just in case” category. If “just in case” does happen, you can always buy the item at a store. For example, there’s no need to bring five books if you’re flying to Thailand for a week to swim, go on excursions, and sunbathe. Most likely, you won’t have time to read, and you won’t get through that much literature in a few hours on the beach. Several bottles of perfume and a huge jewelry box with your favorite pieces are also questionable choices.

• Make two lists: one for checked baggage and one for carry-on. Put only the most valuable items in your carry-on: gadgets, chargers, documents, money. Everything else you’ll use during your trip should go into checked baggage. As for what you can and cannot take in your carry-on, we’ve already covered that here.

• Don’t forget to try on clothes before packing your suitcase. Summer dresses that have been sitting on a shelf for a year might suddenly be too big at the waist. You also need to check if all your clothes match each other. It will be ideal if you can combine clothing items throughout your entire vacation.

• Travel in your heaviest and bulkiest clothes. It’s better to wear hoodies, jackets, and sweaters to avoid overweight baggage fees.

Packing clothes and shoes in a suitcase

Hooray, you’ve chosen your items, decided what you’ll wear for the flight — now comes the most crucial part: packing it all so nothing gets wrinkled or broken. Here are a couple of hacks on how to pack things compactly in a suitcase.

Rolled clothes. This method is great if you’re bringing a lot of everyday items: jeans, knitwear, t-shirts. The idea is that rolled bundles are easier to fit into small spaces and corners of a suitcase, unlike clothes folded in the classic “store-bought” way. However, evening dresses made of expensive fabric and thick suits are better packed more carefully.

The rolling scheme looks like this: fold the item into a rectangle, then roll it up. That’s it! The rolls will fit compactly in the suitcase. Even if the clothes get slightly wrinkled, it definitely won’t be too critical.

Bundle packing. Take dresses, shirts, and jeans, lay them overlapping on the bed, place something dense and square in the center (for example, a jewelry organizer), and then fold all the items, wrapping them around the dense object to create a large bundle. This can then be easily placed in the suitcase.

Packing shoes is another headache. Moreover, you always want to bring more so you can change sneakers or shoes if you get blisters while wandering through ancient ruins or dancing at a beach party.

Here are some tips on how to pack shoes in a suitcase:

1. Use the rule of three. Take that one pair of shoes that never lets you down (e.g., comfortable sneakers, boots, or ballet flats), something basic that matches any shades in your wardrobe, and something fashionable that you wouldn’t be ashamed to wear to a restaurant or take a photo for some forbidden social network.

2. Fill shoes with small items. These could be glasses, a phone charger, socks, or underwear. This way, you save space in your suitcase.

3. Pack shoes in bags. If there’s dirt on the soles, you’ll prevent unpleasant surprises after unpacking your suitcase.

Important: remember that airlines have baggage volume restrictions, and suitcases themselves often weigh quite a bit. Before packing your suitcase, check if it meets the carrier’s requirements to avoid excess baggage fees. And we recommend leaving at least 5 kilograms as maneuvering space — in case you want to stock up on souvenirs, ceramic dishes, or local alcohol during your trip.

So, how do we pack clothes and shoes:

• roll clothes into compact bundles or fold them into a large pack;

• place small items inside shoes to save space in the suitcase;

• don’t forget to pack dirty sneakers in bags;

• and also check the baggage weight before heading to the airport to avoid paying for overweight luggage.

How to compactly pack underwear

Underwear doesn’t take up much space in a suitcase on its own. It can be rolled up, packed into fabric pouches, and placed inside shoes, while bras with cups can be carefully placed on top of other items or along the side once the suitcase is packed.

How to pack cosmetics and toiletries

Ideally, you shouldn’t have to think every time about how to pack half a liter of your favorite micellar water in your suitcase, but rather have a separate travel toiletry kit. Many cosmetic stores sell miniatures specifically for such occasions. Just keep your necessary set of miniatures in a special cosmetic bag, replenish products that run out, and take them with you on every trip.

How to pack various small items

• To prevent jewelry from getting tangled (which often happens with chains and necklaces), it’s best to pack them in a special travel organizer where each piece will have its own place.

• Manicure and toiletry items — scissors, nail files, razors — will fit well in a cosmetic bag. And don’t forget that sharp objects are not allowed in the airplane cabin, so you’ll only be able to fix a bad manicure after you land.

• Belts, wires, and books can be placed in the gaps between clothes and along the sides of the suitcase.

Wrap fragile items

How to pack a suitcase correctly for a trip so nothing breaks? Iron rule: if you’re carrying something fragile, wrap it in the clothes you’re bringing with you. A bottle of cognac will fit perfectly nestled in a sweater, and a ceramic vase can be wrapped in a t-shirt or cardigan. Place breakable items in the center: baggage handlers sometimes treat luggage roughly, and something valuable risks breaking upon impact.

Packing liquids

Liquids can leak in a suitcase if packed incorrectly. This can happen due to pressure changes: if a shower gel bottle is half empty, it might spill. A good option is to transfer liquids into special travel-sized bottles from travel kits. They are designed specifically for travel, seal well, and their volume meets airline requirements.

If you are flying with full, large-volume bottles, pack them in a sealed plastic bag. This way, you’ll avoid unpleasant situations with clothes ruined by spilled shower gel. Moreover, if you’re asked to show what liquids you’re carrying during security checks, you won’t have to frantically rummage through your luggage to find every bottle of tonic or shampoo — you can simply present everything at once.

Unfortunately, large volumes of liquids can only be transported in checked luggage, not in carry-on. According to regulations, all liquids you bring into the airplane cabin must be in containers up to 100 ml. In total, you can carry 1 liter of liquids, including medicines, cosmetics, and other toiletries. To avoid exceeding the limit, there’s an option to use solid cosmetic products. As an idea — instead of a heavy perfume bottle, take solid perfume in a small jar. Shampoos and deodorants are also sold in this format.

What to do with liquids:

• transfer them into special travel bottles (to save space and prevent spills) or pack them in plastic bags;

• remember that liquids are better transported in checked luggage rather than carry-on to avoid restrictions. By the way, we’ve already covered all the rules in more detail at this link;

• if you want to take perfume or tonic in your carry-on, transfer them into a container up to 100 ml;

• or use a solid cosmetic product.

Organizing items in a suitcase

For organizing items in your luggage, it’s convenient to use:

• transparent plastic bags with a zipper — you can put liquids and cosmetic products in them;

• fabric pouches for socks and underwear;

• cosmetic bags;

• compression (vacuum) bags, where thick winter clothes are placed, and then air is removed to make the bag more compact.

The most important tip for packing a suitcase correctly is to use every inch of space inside. Roll each item of clothing as tightly as possible and use bags and shoes to place underwear, t-shirts, or socks inside. And then everything will definitely fit!