20 ways to pack more efficiently

Packing is one of those aspects of travelling that manages single-handedly to excite almost every emotion on the spectrum. What starts as excitement swiftly turns to tension, and as one’s suitcase becomes heavier and fuller, one’s levels of irritation and uneasiness rise in seemingly perfect correlation. Nor do the mixed feelings stop here: even when the job is done, one’s feelings of calmness are interrupted by the occasional niggling thought: “is my bag too heavy? ” or worse, “have I forgotten something? ”.

However, as with all such situations, it doesn’t have to be like this. With a few nifty tricks, and a bit of extra organisation, even the trickiest packing job can be made quite simple. Below, I’ve listed twenty of my top tips for all you agitated travellers out there, so that you can spend less time stressing, and more time progressing!

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Before you start packing

About to start packing for a trip? Take these precautionary measures for an easier and smoother experience!

Check your baggage allowance

Before you’ve even opened your suitcase, it’s a good idea to know roughly how much you can afford to stuff into it. Checking your airline’s restrictions on luggage dimensions and weight is, then, the first thing you should do before any packing job. Even just having these figures in the back of your mind should help you to think more wisely about what you do and don’t need to bring on your trip.

Use a smaller bag

It goes without saying that if you have a smaller bag, you won’t be able to pack as much stuff. If you don’t have much self-restraint, it is, then, a good idea to ditch your big suitcase, and force yourself to contend with greater limits. Not only will you avoid overpacking this way, but you may well save yourself a lot of time and physical exertion.

Make a packing list

Packing lists are extremely useful for two reasons: not only will you know exactly what you need to go around your house finding, but also you’ll be less likely to forget anything, especially if you tick items off as you add them to your suitcase. Create your own checklist, or find a template online. Going on a long trip? Check out this article, where I’ve gone through ten essential items that may have slipped your mind!

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Pack whole outfits, rather than individual garments

While writing up your list, think about which items of clothing you can wear together, and try to restrict yourself to a maximum of one outfit per day (or less, if you’re going to be staying somewhere with a washing machine, or near a launderette). Remember that jeans – and indeed most bottoms – can be worn multiple times before needing to go in the laundry basket, so try to incorporate these staple garments into as many ensembles as you can.

Lay everything out on the floor

Once you’ve made your packing list, lay everything out on the floor next to your suitcase, so that you can visualise exactly how much stuff you’re intending to bring with you. If you’re feeling extra organised, take some time to sort things into different piles: one for tops, one for toiletries, one for electronics, etc.

Halve your load, then halve it again

If you’re really trying to reduce your load, one of the best things to do is to halve it once, then halve it again. It’s easy to overestimate how much you’re going to need while away, and this technique will really help you to separate the necessary items from the trivial ones. Wave goodbye to that dress you haven’t worn once since buying it, or that makeup product you’ve always been meaning to try out (but somehow never have). Chances are that if something’s spent its entire existence sitting in your wardrobe or bathroom cabinet, it will spend the entire trip sitting in your suitcase, so don't pack anything unless you're absolutely sure you'll use it!

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Reducing the weight of your luggage

Packing efficiently means complying with weight limits (and ideally keeping well below them). Read on to find out how you can keep the heaviness of your bags to a minimum.

Weigh while packing, and not just when you’re finished

It’s all very well bearing weight restrictions in mind as you pack, but unless you’re a magician (or an incredibly experienced traveller), you won’t know exactly how heavy your suitcase is until you actually put it onto some scales. This can, of course, lead to some rather nasty surprises, but these can be avoided if you weigh your luggage continuously as you pack. This way, you’ll have a constant idea how much can still be added to your bags.

Limit the number of shoes you bring

When you’re jetting off somewhere, it can be tempting to bring your whole wardrobe with you. However, if there’s one clothing item that will really get the weight of your suitcase soaring, it’s shoes. It is, therefore, best to bring a maximum of three pairs. This may not sound like an awful lot, but if you opt for footwear that can be used in multiple situations, and will go with a lot of different outfits, you shouldn’t have too much of a problem cutting down.

Limit the number of toiletries you pack

Toiletries can also add a great deal of weight to your baggage, especially if you have no liquid restrictions to adhere to. Try, then, to pack only essential items like toothpaste and shampoo, and stick, wherever possible, to travel-size bottles. If the worst comes to the worst, and you run out of a particular product, you can always just buy some more while you’re away.

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Download books or listen to them on your phone

I have all the sympathy in the world for people who prefer books in their physical form, but such inclinations are just not practical if you’re trying to keep the weight of your suitcase to a minimum. If you’re hoping to get a bit of summer reading in, use apps like iBooks or Kindle to download works onto your phone or tablet, or experiment with audiobooks.

Avoid packing food or drinks items

There are many reasons not to pack food or drinks items: they could go off in your suitcase; they could leak all over your belongings; they could emit unpleasant smells; they could violate the entry conditions of certain countries; and, most relevantly, they could add an awful lot of weight to your luggage. It is, then, best to leave such items at home, and buy any refreshments for your journey at the airport or on the plane.

Wear your heaviest items to the airport

If you want to bring any heavy items of clothing on holiday – I’m talking dungarees, coats, or hiking boots – be sure to wear them when you fly to and from your destination. This will make an enormous difference to the overall weight of your suitcase, and if you start overheating, you can always take things off once you’re in your seat.

Pack items into your pockets

Along with this, make use of any pockets in your travelling outfits to store small items like socks and underwear. My brother and I once spent a good half an hour at the airport stuffing things into every pouch we could find, only to end up not having our suitcases weighed when we arrived at the gate! Never mind: at least we were prepared for the worst.

Put heavier items into your hand luggage

Leading on from this, I’ve found, in recent years, that airlines never check how heavy your hand luggage is. As a result, I tend not to pay much attention to these weight restrictions, and always pack as many heavy items (books, hairdryers, etc) into these bags as I can. It’s not a totally foolproof trick, but until I get caught out, I intend to carry on using it!

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Maximising the space in your suitcase

Running out of suitcase space is another classic issue faced by travellers worldwide. Here, however, are a few ways to avoid this problem.

Pack vertically

If the average person were asked to pack a suitcase, chances are that they’d stack everything horizontally – that is to say, one item on top of the other. However, it’s actually much more efficient to arrange things vertically (think books on a shelf). This tip really is a game-changer, and full credits go to Marie Kondo for its invention.

Roll your clothes, instead of folding them

Another great trick is to roll your clothes, instead of folding them. Most items won’t wrinkle even if you do this, and they certainly won’t occupy as much space as they would otherwise have done. If you don’t want to risk creasing a particular garment, try, at least, to lay it flat in your suitcase, rather than folding it.

Pack things inside your shoes

If you’re looking to pack smaller items (and would rather not stuff anything into your pockets at the airport! ), make use of the space inside your shoes. You’ll be surprised by how much you can cram in here, and if you wrap these possessions in plastic bags, you won’t even have to worry about unpleasant smells being transferred onto them.

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Pack layerable – rather than thick – garments

Thick garments, like coats and jumpers, are always going to take up more space than is ideal, so try, wherever possible, to replace such garments with thinner, layerable items (thermal tops, leggings, etc). Not only will you free up some room in your suitcase, but you’ll also be able to adjust your holiday outfits more easily, to accord with any sudden changes in temperature.

Use vacuum packs

Whether you’re assembling clothes to take on holiday or to gathering items to put into storage, if you’re looking to minimise their overall volume, vacuum packs will be your best friend. They’re easy to work, can be used over and over again, and really do get rid of every last air pocket. Just make sure you’re going to have access to a hoover again before your journey home!

Sit on your suitcase

Sometimes, when your suitcase is over flowing on all sides, there is nothing better to do than to sit on it. Line everything up as best you can, plonk yourself down, and in no time, you’ll have luggage that’s all zipped up and ready to go!

And if all else fails…

Take advantage of your travel companions

If you’re really at a loose end, and can’t – even with the above tricks – get your luggage down to a desirable weight or size, ask around and see if any of your travel companions have spare space in their suitcases. Just make sure to take note of which people you’ve given what to!

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Bon voyage!

So there we have it: my twenty tips for efficient packing! I hope you've learned a new trick or two, and are looking forward to trying it out next time you go on holiday. Good luck to any of you with trips planned in the near future – may the preparation of your baggage be a quick and easy process – and remember: if in doubt, leave it out!

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