Pack Like a Pro: 12 Essential Luggage Packing Tips You Must Know

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Traveling is fun, but the whole packing process can be tiring and stressful. It’s a challenge, especially for beginner travelers. For pros, however, it’s not already that hard.

Here are 12 tips on how to pack like an Expert Traveler

#1 Use the right suitcase

There are different types of bags that you can use when packing for trips, so make sure you choose one that would accommodate your needs.

Rolling suitcases are the most commonly used suitcase in the very definition that it’s pretty convenient. So, how would you choose the right rolling suitcase?

You can choose if you want the soft-side luggage or a hard-side one. The soft-side luggage is more expandable and compresses if place on an overhead bin. But if you like to secure fragile items, then the hard-side luggage is your way to go.

You can also choose if you want a two-wheeled or a four-wheeled one. The two-wheeled luggage is easier to maneuver at uneven surfaces, but you can only move them forward or backward. The 4-wheeled luggage, on the other hand, allows you to roll your bag in any direction.

Choose also the appropriate size of the luggage. If you’re going away for a few weeks, then it’s best to pack light. You can pick among the best carry-on luggage available in the market to ensure that you choose one with top-quality.

#2 Follow the 1-2-3-4-5-6 rule

Packing like a pro also means packing light. This means that you don’t have to bring all your clothes or your entire home. With this said, we highly recommend that you follow the “1-2-3-4-5-6 rule”.

1 hat
2 pairs of shoes
3 bottoms
4 tops
5 pairs of socks
6 underwear

These are the basics, but what you can bring is not only limited to this. You can customize your packing list by adding a swimwear if you’re going swimming, or formal attire if you plan to attend a party.

Just remember that you don’t need a lot of clothes even if you’re going away for a few weeks. Besides, you can always do laundry.

What we do advise is to bring neutral colored clothing that you can pair with anything and would fit any occasion. This way, you can create a dozen of styles even if you only have a few sets of clothes.

Choose shoes that would suit any event too.

#3 Roll your clothes

Rolling your clothes is a great space-saving technique if you want to bring more clothes or if you have other necessities that you need to fit in your luggage.

Aside from being a technique that will save more space in your luggage, it’s also a great way to keep everything organized. Not to mention that it doesn’t wrinkle your clothes.

#4 Consider clothing fabric

Always think about clothing fabric when you travel to a new country. You can effectively choose the right material if you do your research beforehand.

Would you need warmer clothing or cooler clothing? Depending on the season that coincides with your day of arrival, the fabric you need would differ.

Pack clothes that would best fit the season and the country you’re going to. As much as possible, choose the fabrics that are light, small, dries quickly, water and wrinkle-resistant, and will keep you either warm or cold.

#5 Stick to a color palette

You can’t bring all your clothes on your trip, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t stay classy or trendy even if you only have a limited set of clothes.

To do this, we recommend to choose a color palette and stick to it. You can choose something more neutral. Also, follow the “Rule of Three,” which means that you should pack clothes, thinking that you would wear them on any occasion.

#6 Use packing cubes

Packing cubes will help you organize your baggage better. You can separate your tops and bottoms from your accessories, and your accessories from your toiletries.

It saves a lot of space, too, since you can compress your clothing to fit the mini-size cubes.

#7 Use vacuum bags

Other than packing cubes, vacuum bags are another helpful way to save space when packing.

Simply pile your clothes up together, seal the bag, then push the air out. This is pretty useful if you’re carrying a lot of bulky items that take up huge space.

#8 Cut down on shoes

Just like with your clothes, you don’t need to bring a lot of shoes. Take only what you need for your trip and, if possible, take one that you can use on any occasion.

Deciding is best done when you’re going over your itinerary. This way, you’ll be able to see if you can use one pair of shoes for more than three occasions.

#9 Downsize your toiletries

The best way to downsize your toiletries is only to bring what you’re using daily (again, the essentials only).

It’s also best if you identify which of the toiletries have a dual purpose so you can only bring one instead of two.

Finally, make sure you don’t carry full-size liquid products. Bring the travel-sized ones only to save weight and space inside your luggage.

#10 Pack strategically

Start by gathering what you think you need. This will help you see all your items and will help you decide better which of it you really need.

For clothes, it’s best if you opt for wrinkle-resistant fabrics. Then, fold or roll each clothes neatly. You can use vacuum bags or packing cubes too to keep you organize and to save more space.

Put some thought when it comes to arranging your clothing in your luggage so you can save more space. It’s also best if you put the clothes you’ll be using first on top of your luggage.

For your toiletries, pack them inside a ziplock bag before you place them together with your clothes. Make sure to keep each of it secure so the liquid won’t spill.

#11 Fill dead space

Every space counts when packing. If you see a dead space, like the inside of your shoes, for example, it’s time to put the other things that you’ve set aside.

This way, you’re making the most out of the remaining space in your baggage.

#12 Digitize Your Documents

Good thing we now have the gift of technology where we can keep every important document safe in the cloud. We prefer Google Suite to save your important documents.

Documents such as passport, visa, tickets, credit cards, and IDs are some documents that you would want to scan and email to yourself. This way, you will be able to download them and save them whenever you need them. You can also save them in the drive and organize them in easy to find folders.

This will also save you any worry in case you lose them.