Traveling is great, but one of the worst parts of it is struggling to pack all of your stuff into a suitcase that suddenly feels way too small. That's why it's so amazing to watch someone pack 100 items into a single carry-on. I know it sounds like this couldn't be possible, but actress and big-time traveler Rachel Grant filmed an entire video showing us her impressive packing process for Biaggi Luggage— and when I say impressive, I mean impressive. There's a lot to learn here... or you can just sit back and marvel at it. It's worth it.
Whether you're travelling for a big trip or just a weekend away, it can make a world of difference to pack efficiently. Mastering the art will allow you to pack more diverse options depending on a variety of factors (like the weather, for example); furthermore, it might help you pack extra items that will be useful to any traveling companions you might have — because you know someone always forgets their toothpaste.
Packing smarter can also save you a lot of money, especially when it comes to checking a bag. And with Grant's strategy, you can fit 100 items into a bag you can bring right on the plan with you. That's right: This isn't a super-sized luggage set that she is leisurely filling with the necessities. It's a moderately small bag she can comfortably carry herself. Pretty awesome, right?
To check out how her process goes down, I've broken down the video below to cover her major packing rules — but definitely check out the full video to watch the magic unfold (or maybe the reverse, technically speaking) yourself:
1. Roll Clothes To Save Space
Rolling clothes to save space is an easy way to make packing easier. The idea here is that if you roll up items, they fit in your bag more compactly than they would if you folded them. You can roll pretty much any clothing item, but this can be especially handy for things like pajamas, underwear, and bulky sweatshirts — items that you certainly need, but which may take up more room in your bag than you'd like.
2. Use Plastic Bags To Compress Items
Using plastic bags, such as Ziplock bags, can help you compress items. It also helps you keep things super organized and easy to find later; for example, you could put a bag of pajamas shirts together and label the bag with "t-shirts," or so on. You might also use one of those vacuum pack machines to really squish things down, but bear in mind that you probably won't have access to it when you pack for your return trip. That's where the Ziploc bag technique comes in handy: You don't need anything to repack it all other than the bags you already brought with you.
3. Put Your Socks In Your Shoes
Rolling your socks into balls and putting them into your shoes actually has two advantages. First, it saves you space in your luggage. Second, putting your socks in your shoes can help your footwear keep their shape, so you don't unpack them to find them all bent up or squished.
4. Use Rubber Bands To Keep Shoes Together
Another simple and quick shoe-related tip is that once you stuff them with socks, you can use a few rubber bands to keep them together. This helps to stop them from moving around in your bag so much, too.
5. Fold Similarly Shaped Items Together
If you're packing up outfits, it can feel tempting to put items into your suitcase that coordinate together to make an outfit, like a coordinating shirt, skirt, blazer, and so on. In terms of packing efficiently, however, it actually makes more sense to fold similarly shaped and sized items together. So even though you probably aren't going to wear multiple blouses on the same day, it saves you space to fold them all up together.
6. Use Packing Cubes To Keep Things Organized
Packing cubes are a huge help if you can get your hands on some while you're packing. While packing cubes can vary in size, material, and so on, they're basically small, lightweight bags and boxes that you can stack together in your luggage. The idea here is that you can combine them to add space, but if you aren't using them, they just flatten. As you'll see in Grant's video, she is able to "expand" her bag using packing cubes.
7. Put Heavier Items In The Bottom Of The Bag
I think this is the golden rule of packing, but it's always worth a reminder: Heavier items should always go towards the bottom of your bag. This prevents heavy items from sliding down onto lighter ones, and it also makes the bag itself easier to carry and lift.
Images: asawinklabma/Fotolia; Biaggi Luggage/YouTube (8)
