How to Maximize Space as You’re Packing

The key to traveling well begins before you leave the house. For most people, packing is a pain. It has been for me for a long time. I’ve never traveled particularly well myself. The planes are too small. I don't quickly adapt to time zone changes. The worse I felt, the easier it was to lose or misplace things as I traveled. Figuring out how to reduce what I carried with me and to organize the way I packed was the easiest way to lower my stress. But the number one rule is to not overthink it. Packing in a manner that maximizes your space and minimizes your confusion is only as difficult as you make it.

I’ve written about travel gear at Wirecutter for nearly a decade now. In that time I’ve explored all the most-popular packing methods, from rolling to bundling. I’ve spoken with countless one-bag travelers, assorted travel enthusiasts, and luggage designers. Here are the best tips I’ve picked up along the way.

Clothes are often the bulk of packing. There are many methods for narrowing down what you need, but personally, the best strategy I’ve found is laying out the clothes you want to pack, then trying to be honest about how much you need. Once you’ve narrowed it down to what you think is the barest possible packing list, toss out one or two more items. Yep, you heard me.

If you’re prone to overpacking and could use external structure, limit yourself intentionally: Pick a small carry-on bag or travel backpack and stick with it.

And if you’re the list-making type, you could try using a template like the 5,4,3,2,1 method as a framework to get you started, which suggests the following for a weeklong trip:

Other experts recommend a ratio method of 3:1—three tops for every bottom you pack.

Need inspiration? Staff software engineer Rachel Fee recently went on a nearly three-month trip with only a carry-on travel backpack.

Time and again, packing cubes beat out every other method, including bundling and rolling. They’re reliable, efficient, and make for easy organization. Whatever space they sacrifice is more than made up for by their compression and Tetris-like ability to stack and organize your possessions as you pack and unpack—especially if you are traveling through several destinations!

But what about rolling versus folding into the packing cubes? Honestly, one method over the other doesn't make too much of a difference. But, if you must: We suggest rolling your softer, less bulky garments like underwear and t-shirts and folding your stiffer items like dress shirts, khakis, and skirts.

TSA's rules for liquids are pretty clear, but screening rules do sometimes seem to depend on which airport you’re passing through. That said, just in case you are asked to remove toiletries from your bag, keep them easily accessible and packed in a clear case or Ziploc within a dopp kit. To save extra space, consider purchasing all-in-one toiletries when you fly.

If you’re only traveling for a short amount of time, a dopp kit might not be necessary. Though I prefer the extra organization and spill protection from a lightweight bag like this from Sea to Summit or this from Topo. However, if you tend to take longer trips or travel with extra toiletries, try the Bensen Toiletry Kit from State Bags. It's twice the price of our lightweight picks but unzips flat, carries more than its moderate size suggests, and comes with its own removable translucent pouch for TSA checks.

This article was edited by Brittney Ho, Amy Koplin, and Sofia Sokolove.

Kit Dillon

Kit Dillon is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. He was previously an app developer, oil derrick inspector, public-radio archivist, and sandwich shop owner. He has written for Popular Science, The Awl, and the New York Observer, among others. When called on, he can still make a mean sandwich.

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