A trip is coming up and you should make arrangements for the departure. Although you should look forward to the trip, not knowing where to start or how to pack everything in your suitcase can sometimes be frustrating. Don't stress, here are some helpful tips on how to organize and make the most of the space in your suitcase.
Pack only what you need
Instead of packing your suitcase at the last minute, take the time to sort it out. Gather all the clothes you thought you would need. To make the right choice, consider the length of the trip, the weather at your destination and the type of schedule you'll be travelling on. Try to find out what events are planned and what costumes are available.
Once you've done that, put on half of them. There are some things you should think twice about before you go on a trip. Think about your last trip and the items you packed. Now, ask yourself how many of these things you actually used?
A question of good technique: folding or rolling up your clothes?
Think about Tetris! The best way to maximize the space in a suitcase is to fill every inch of space. Longer and heavier clothes, such as jackets and pants, should remain at the bottom of the suitcase.
Roll up softer clothes and fold the more rigid ones. Underwear, T-shirts, jeans, cotton pants and knitwear do not wrinkle when rolled tightly. Stiffer fabrics, such as starched cotton shirts, blazers, dress pants and skirts, should be carefully folded.
If you roll towels, shirts, sweaters and the like, you save much more space than if you fold and stack them. The rolling principle also applies to belts, silk scarves and ties. However, you must wrap the latter two around a roll of paper to protect them better.
You can pack even more effectively if you don't just roll up T-shirts, but use the military folding technique.
And for the other accessories, how do you do it?
You can fill the paper roll with socks and save precious space again. The same goes for shoes that can be filled with briefs and cosmetics.
For your shoes, follow the rule of three. Consider a casual sandal or moccasin, sneakers and an evening shoe to be your holy trinity. Because of their shape and heels, shoes take up the most space. Wear the heaviest, bulkiest pair and take the other two with you.
You may need your medications and cosmetics, but you could probably do without all the packaging. Count the tablets and keep them in a safe place. Invest in travel tubes and containers to carry small amounts of your favourite hair or facial products. Most people don't travel long enough to consume an entire bottle of shampoo or conditioner.