Top 8 Travel Packing Tips

Rather than packing by person, pack by day. Begin by putting the clothes into a plastic bag or packing cube for each day of the trip. This allows for easier navigation as you do not need to search through multiple suitcases to locate everyone’s clothes.

Vacations are a perfect way to loosen up but packing for vacations can be stressful. How can you pack all the clothes you need and not end up with a mess or not having enough room in the suitcase? We have our top 8 tips on how to make sure your clothes stay as wrinkle-free, and organized as possible.

Begin With a Packing List

Creating a packing list makes the chances of forgetting something you need much less likely. Start this list a week prior to your trip. This allows you time to remember things you may have forgotten. We suggest saving a packing list electronically, as this makes it easy to change and update the list as necessary for each trip. Printing out hard copies of the list can also be helpful as you can check off each item packed as you go. You can also pass out a list to each child or travel companion so that they do not forget anything.

When creating your packing list, make sure to include everything, from clothing and shoes to toiletries and electronics. Having this list will not only ensure that you don’t forget anything important, but it will also help you stay organized as you pack and leave you feeling confident that you’ve remembered everything before you walk out the door.

Travel Packing Techniques

Pack By Vacation Day

Rather than packing by person, pack by day. Begin by putting the clothes into a plastic bag or packing cube for each day of the trip. This allows for easier navigation as you do not need to search through multiple suitcases to locate everyone’s clothes.  This also gives you a place to put dirty clothes at the end of the day.

Suitcase Packing Tips

Rolling Clothes

Rolling clothes is our ultimate go-to when packing because it not only saves the clothes wrinkle free, it also is a huge space saver. When it comes to packing your clothes, rolling them up is a great way to save space in your luggage, but this tip is often neglected even by frequent travelers.

How to Roll Your Clothes

1. Fold your clothes in half lengthwise
2. Roll them tightly from the bottom up, which will help to prevent wrinkles and save space in your suitcase.

Rolling is super easy and can quickly be repacked if something has gone wrong. This tip works best for casuals like T-shirts, jeans and shorts.

Square Fold

Layering your clothes one on top of one another is a tried and tested classic method of packing. Just square fold your clothes by folding in the shoulders and collar and keep your clothes wrinkle free.

Make Use Of The Suitcase Gaps

Arranging clothes in a neat and orderly fashion, leaves gaps and crevices in the suitcase causing clothing items to shift and move around leading to wrinkling. Minimize this by stuffing pairs of socks, gloves, scarves or undergarments in these crevices and cut down on the moving around of the clothes and to maximize the space within the suitcase.

Chances are you and your family will be buying souvenirs to bring home. It is important to factor this in when packing and leave extra room in your suitcases.

Using Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are a great way to keep your luggage organized and make it easier to find what you need, especially if you regularly fall into the trap of leaving all of your luggage in your suitcase throughout your trip. These small, lightweight bags come in a variety of sizes and can be used to separate your clothing, toiletries, and other items. Plus, they also make it easier to pack and unpack your bags, so what’s not to love?

Just remember, before you pack your clothes into packing cubes, they should be clean and ready to wear – take a look at our dry cleaning services to see how we can help you transform your suitcase before your next vacation.

If you find yourself traveling often, investing in packing cubes may be the best route for you. Rolling and lugging your suitcase around can disrupt the entire arrangement of the suitcase making clothes topple on each other and causing them to wrinkle. Packing cubes keep all the sections sorted with minimal toppling and minimal wrinkling.

Travel with Plastic Bags

Plastic zippered backs don’t just work for delicates, they are also a great way to help plan outfits.  By putting a t-shirt, undergarments, and socks into a zippered back and pressing all the air out, you get a compact outfit.  On the way home, the zippered bags work great for loading up dirty laundry to keep it away from any remaining clean clothes.

Plastic Bags for Shoes

Shoes taking up a lot of space in your suitcase? We’ve been there! But, there’s a simple solution to this problem – pack your shoes in plastic bags! Using a separate bag for your shoes not only keeps them organized, but it also prevents them from getting scuffed or marked on clothing buttons or buckles. You can even stuff socks or other small items inside your shoes to save even more space.

Plastic Bags for Toiletries

Toiletries can be difficult to pack well as they’re so prone to leaking in your luggage, and it’s a good idea to pack them in a clear plastic bag – this will make it easier to find what you need and will also prevent any spills from getting on your clothing. You can also pack small items like contact lens cases or medication in the same bag.

Just remember, if you’re flying with just a cabin bag, and aren’t checking any luggage, then many airlines will require you to add all of your liquid toiletries into one clear bag, so it’s important that the products you choose to bring will fit! Bear this in mind when packing, as the last thing you want is to be throwing out valuable items before your trip has even begun!

Packing Travel Accessories

Travel with Dry Cleaning Bags

Next time you stop into CD One Price to pick up dry cleaning, make sure to save the dry-cleaning bags to pack up your clothes when traveling. Packing clothes in bags helps them stay separate with minimal friction and avoidance of wrinkles.

And Don’t Forget that when you come back from your trip, there’s no need to do the post-vacation laundry. Bring your suitcase right to CD One Price Cleaners and take advantage of our Wash & Fold Services! We offer same day service, one low price, and hypoallergenic and fresh scent options. We hope to see you and your laundry in a CD One Price Cleaners soon!

Travel with a Wrinkle Releaser

Say you have a meeting as soon as you get to your destination, you absolutely need to have a wrinkle releaser spray in your luggage. Sometimes even after careful packing, clothes can still get creases or a deep wrinkle. Always carry a wrinkle releaser and free yourself from worrying about your clothes staying crisp and wrinkle-free.

Bring a Day Bag

It’s a great idea to pack a small day bag in your main case that you can use while on the go. This bag doesn’t need to be flashy, but it can be used to carry your essentials like your phone, wallet, and camera, as well as a change of clothes or a snack if you’re going on a day trip. A small backpack or tote bag works well for this purpose, so you don’t need to go all out – just enough to keep your essentials in will do!

Travel with Extras

When traveling with children you never know what could happen and it is better to be safe than sorry. Having bandages and medications can be extremely helpful. You can buy a basic first aid kit and then add in things particular to your family. Be sure to have the right medications to accommodate to all ages of your family.

If kids carry their own backpack then it helps limit the number of items they will pack. If the kids are young you can distribute their belongings between one of your bags and theirs.

Pack snacks that are easy to carry around including granola bars, carrots, dried fruits/nuts, etc. Also hide a few treats that can be used in times of need such as candy and cookies.

Don’t Overpack

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when packing for vacation is overpacking. It’s easy to get carried away and pack too many clothes or pairs of shoes, but this will only make your luggage heavier and harder to manage. Be realistic about what you’ll actually need while on vacation, and try to pack light – for example, it’s better to have one clean and pressed shirt that you can wear to multiple meetings on a business trip, than lots of casual shirts that won’t even see the light of day.

Ultimately, packing for vacation doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. By following these top tips, you can pack your bags efficiently and make the most of your trip. Remember to prepare a list, optimize the space you have and make the most of laundering services before you leave, and you’ll be guaranteed the trip of a lifetime – happy travels!