A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World

50 Packing Tricks to Memorize Before Your Next Trip

Traveling just got a little less stressful.

Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.

1 / 50
human hand holding pencil prepare to writing on blank notebook.
narmacero/Shutterstock

Make a list

Writing up a list of what you plan to take might feel like a useless step, but you’ll be glad you did. Not only will it keep you organized when you’re figuring out which outfits go together and trying to remember if you packed all your toiletries, but the list could also come in handy later. “This list is also great if the airline loses your bag and asks you to list what was in it,” says travel writer Tim Davis of luxeadventuretraveler.com.

2 / 50
Cropped shot view of woman tourist holding mobile smart phone with navigation application and planned route on the screen, female looking at something on a cell telephone while touring a foreign city
GaudiLab/Shutterstock

“Pack” important documents virtually

Just in case your ID, passport, or kids’ travel consent forms are lost or stolen, keep a locked image of the files on your phone so you can access them without the Internet, suggests Grainne Kelly, inventor of BubbleBum inflatable booster seats. “You can also place a copy in your cloud, as long as it is password-protected so that the information is still accessible in the event that your phone is stolen too,” she says. “Just be sure to call the file ‘Aunt Ida’s recipes’ and not ‘All my important document information.’”

3 / 50
Nets laundry bag, for washing clothes in washing machine on white background.
homi/Shutterstock

Bring a designated laundry bag

Not just any bag will do, though. “Do not use a plastic bag as a wash bag,” says travel blogger Nat Took of natpacker.com. “It will stink after just a few days.” Instead, bring a breathable laundry bag that won’t take up much space in your luggage.

Buy now

4 / 50
Blue travel toiletry bag with travel toiletries, small plastic bottles of hygiene products and perfume on white background.
akvarelmed/Shutterstock

Skimp on toiletries

Loading up travel bottles with shower products is a waste of space, says Peggy Goldman, president and founder of Friendly Planet Travel. “Hotels usually provide shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and hairdryers,” she points out. “Anything else you need you can pick up at a local convenience store when you get there.”

5 / 50
Pile of clothes on table
Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Clear space as you go

If you’re already tight on space but plan to buy souvenirs during your trip, bring old clothes that you were planning to donate or throw away. Instead of re-packing them after every wear, you can just leave them in the trash. “Not only do you have less laundry to do when you get back home, you free up some space in your suitcase for souvenirs,” says travel writer Jennifer Dombrowski of Luxe Adventure Traveler.

6 / 50
via amazon.com

Invest in packing cubes

Packing cubes aren’t just an easy way to separate socks and undies from your T-shirts, but they’ll also compress your clothes to open up some space in your suitcase, says Took. “Seriously, these things are amazing,” she says. “It may take a few tries to get the bag/suitcase to marry up perfectly, but once you have figured it out, you save so much space.” Oh, and while you’re at it, get yourself a luggage rack to make packing and unpacking on your trip a breeze.

Buy now

7 / 50
flat lay of men's casual fashion on white wooden floor
PowerUp/Shutterstock

Create a mini capsule wardrobe

Those outlandish heels you just bought might be fun to show off on a night out, but do they really match with much? “Choose versatile, multipurpose pieces that mix and match and can be dressed up or down,” suggests Kelly. Stick with one color palette so you don’t need to bring a new pair of shoes for every outfit. Oh, and by the way, you can transport your entire capsule wardrobe organized and mess-free with this duffel bag with garment rack.

8 / 50
background with many ice cubes
Bejim/Shutterstock

Don’t put ice straight in the cooler

When you’re on a road trip, a cooler full of snacks and lunch fixings can be a lifesaver. To keep it clean, put the ice in baggies before putting it in the cooler, suggests family and parenting blogger Tangela Walker-Craft of Simply Necessary, Inc. “The bag could also be used as an ice pack in case of an injury,” she says.

9 / 50
Professional makeup tools, flatlay on white background
Daria Minaeva/Shutterstock

Ask for samples

“Toiletries will get you in trouble!” says Amanda Carnagie, travel blogger at theworldincorporated.com. “They’re small, sometimes bulky, and quickly take up a lot of space.” To save space with makeup, she recommends asking a makeup store like Sephora or Ulta for samples of your favorite products and snagging mini perfumes from department stores instead of dragging along the whole bottle.

10 / 50
A black luggage tag on a handle on a bag
Nicholas Rjabow/Shutterstock

Personalize your luggage

“When traveling with black luggage—along with 90 percent of all the other travelers in the world—the last thing you want to do is pull a dozen pieces of luggage off a baggage carousel to check which one is yours,” says Kelly. She recommends making your suitcase stand out by tying on a brightly colored ribbon, attaching an eye-grabbing luggage tag, or taping your initials on in bright duct tape. Find out how to spot a quality piece of luggage.

Buy Now

11 / 50
Cabernet Wine Box: A single bottle of red wine in a wood box partially covered by its lid.
Steve Cukrov/Shutterstock

BYO everything on cruise ships

Toiletries and OTC medications tend to be overpriced on cruise ships, so be prepared and bring your own, suggests Lori Sheller, vice president of cruise development for Tourico Holidays. Plus, you can usually bring a certain amount of soda, bottled water, and wine on the boat. “These wines are subject to a corkage fee if you would like to bring the bottles to the dining room, but not applied if you consume them in your cabin,” says Sheller. Find out more about what you should—and shouldn’t—pack for a cruise.

12 / 50
Open suitcase with casual female winter clothes on wooden table. Top view
Leszek Czerwonka/Shutterstock

Organize by weight

Keep your heaviest items, like shoes and thick sweaters, at the bottom of a duffel or by the wheels on a rolling suitcase to keep them from crushing your more delicate items when you’re transporting your luggage, suggest AAA travel experts.

13 / 50
Trekking in a forest
Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

Swap a suitcase for a backpack

A suitcase might be easier on your back, but if you’ll be city- or hotel-hopping, you might be better off with a backpack, says travel blogger Grant Sinclair of wanderfilledlife.com. Not only will you have both hands free, but you’ll also have an easier time navigating. “I always feel bad when I see folks dragging a suitcase across a cobblestone street or up stairs,” says Sinclair.

Buy now

14 / 50
Nor Gal/Shutterstock

Don’t stress about your charger plug

If you forgot your phone charger in your rush out the door, you’ll still be able to charge your phone as long as you have the cord, says Kelly. “You can use the USB port on your hotel room television (most flat screens will have one) to charge your phone,” she says.

15 / 50
Travel and tourism background with souvenirs from around the world. View from above. Flat lay
Maglara/Shutterstock

Keep fragile items safe

If you bought fragile souvenirs that aren’t protected with bubble wrap, tuck them in the middle of the suitcase, surrounded by layers of clothing to keep it from breaking, suggests McKinzie Pack, budget travel blogger at mackpacking.com. “Avoid the corners of the suitcase and the outer perimeter where it is more likely to get bumped or collide with other baggage,” she says.

16 / 50
A woman washes clothes by hand in soapy water.
White bear studio/Shutterstock

Pack detergent

You’ve probably read tips about doing laundry so you can reuse outfits, but are you really likely to waste hours of sightseeing time at the laundromat? Maybe not, but you should still pack a travel-sized tube of detergent, especially if you plan on getting sweaty, says Seb Atkinson, travel blogger for thetraveloid.com. “You may not pass a laundry on your travels, but unless you’re going far off the beaten path, you won’t be away from a sink for long,” he says. “Travel detergent is compact and means you can wear your favorite garments several times during a trip, instead of having to put them away once they get a bit messy.”

Buy Now

17 / 50
A person packing for a trip
Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

Leave no space unfilled

Make the most of those tiny luggage requirements by finding new places to tuck smaller items. “Put things in empty space—socks inside shoes, for example—so that every possible space is maximized,” says Kelly. Don’t miss these other 10 tricks for squeezing everything in your suitcase.

18 / 50
pack the luggage bag for Save Space
Myibean/Shutterstock

Avoid packing bulky items

Save space in your bag by wearing your bulkiest items during travel, suggests Dave Simmons, CEO of peer-to-peer RV rentals platform Mighway. But if you’re leaving for a ski trip in the middle of summer, no need to sweat in your puffy coat at the airport. “If you want to pack, for example, a thick jacket that takes up a lot of space, consider packing it into a space-saver bag where you can suck out the air,” says Simmons.

19 / 50
Plug in not fully into bar electrical outlet
Toa55/Shutterstock

Pack a power strip

If you have the space, a power strip is surprisingly handy during a hotel stay, especially if you’re traveling abroad. “You simply use that one adaptor to plug in your power strip, and then everything else plugs into the power strip using their conventional, two-prong, U.S.-style plugs. No additional adapters needed,” says Brian Stacey of guided tour and cruise company Tauck. Even when you’re traveling state-side, having one go-to spot for all your chargers means you don’t need to hunt all over for an open outlet, and you’ll be less likely to forget a cord in a hidden corner of the room, he says.

Buy now

20 / 50
Flat lay of winter cloth and accessory on wooden table with copy space
Sanyalux Srisurin/Shutterstock

Think in layers

Especially if you’ll be hitting a couple of different weather conditions, planning outfits around layering makes it easy to peel off or add items without stuffing your suitcase with bulky sweaters, says frequent traveler Alex Haslam, media relations specialist with howtowatch.com. “With scarves, cardigans, and other basics, you can create many different outfits without needing a ton of pieces,” she says. She stands by her “seven-layer” setup: a pair of jeans, a versatile black dress, two T-shirts, a cardigan, a weatherproof jacket, and a scarf. Bring some jewelry to mix up your look, she recommends.

21 / 50
Travel plan background. Ready for the trip. Map, blank notebook, magnifier, compass, glasses and pencil. Flat lay
Alex Veresovich/Shutterstock

Take a backup map

Don’t rely on a GPS app to get you to your destination. “Print out a map and the text directions to have in the car,” says Walker-Craft. “GPS devices fail sometimes during extreme weather.” The map is also a good spot to write contact information for the hotel and emergency contacts in case of an accident, she says.

22 / 50
Wheeled suitcase on a luggage belt at the airport terminal.
IS MODE/Shutterstock

Keep your checked bag light

Any heavy items that might put your bag over the weight limit should go in your carry-on bag, says travel blogger Lissy Wild of 2britsandabucketlist.com. “I travel 20-plus times a year via plane, and I have never had my hand luggage weighed,” she says.

23 / 50
woman packing a luggage for a new journey
Chutima Chaochaiya/Shutterstock

Roll your clothes

Instead of folding your clothes like usual, roll shirts and pants into tight cylinders. “Rolling your clothes before packing them saves far more space and the compression can actually help minimize wrinkles,” says Kelly.

24 / 50
Orange Travel Toiletry Bag with Travel Toiletries
Kris Black/Shutterstock

Be prepared all year

If you travel often throughout the year, frequent traveler John Doherty, founder of getcredo.com, recommends never unpacking your toiletries bag and keeping travel-specific versions of your go-to items in it. “Have travel-size deodorant, toothpaste, contact solution, and a dedicated toothbrush that you never remove from there,” he says. “This way you don’t forget important toiletries when packing quickly.” Oh, and you might also want to have a look at these Cadence travel containers—they’re the travel upgrade you didn’t know you needed.

25 / 50
Rack of clean clothes hanging on hangers at dry-cleaning
Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Bag it up

Save space and stay organized by tucking rolled-up clothes into bags before you plop them in your luggage. “The plastic from your dry cleaning is perfect—like cling wrap for clothes—and can minimize wrinkles even further,” says Kelly.

26 / 50
Studio shot of couple of man's shirts on a grey background
Lev Savitskiy/Shutterstock

Save space with stacks

If you’d rather not roll pieces like collared shirts, you can still save space, says Meg Roberts, president of Molly Maid. “Try and pack your folded clothes in an alternating direction to equalize the amount of space they take up on each side,” she says. Your stacks will stay flatter, making it easier to fit everything you need.

27 / 50
brown leather duffle bag on the floor
baimaple/Shutterstock

Pick soft-sided luggage

There are pros and cons for picking hard luggage vs. a soft-sided suitcase, but Kelly recommends sticking with soft luggage. “It’s much easier to squeeze it into the overhead bin on an airplane, bus or train,” she says.

Buy now

28 / 50
Traveling suitcase with checkin label (manual focus)
Pixeljoy/Shutterstock

Think inside the suitcase

If the luggage tag on the outside of your suitcase falls off, you’ll still want proof that it’s yours, so attach a second tag with your name on the inside of your case, recommend AAA travel experts.

29 / 50
Opened door of hotel room with key in the lock
Dragon Images/Shutterstock

Bring a door wedge

A door wedge won’t take up much space in your bag, but it could save you a massive headache, says travel blogger Carlita of carlita.me. “It always comes in handy when I am hauling my heavy luggage in and out of hotels for a safe entry and exit,” she says.

Buy now

30 / 50
Woman hands pushing pump plastic white bottle on white napkin indoor. top view
Liliia Mykhalevych/Shutterstock

Bring a bottle of rubbing alcohol

If you have room in your toiletry bag (speaking of, this Bagsmart toiletry bag is our all-time favorite), pour rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle so you can disinfect on the go, suggests Walker-Craft. “Alcohol can be used for sanitizing hands, spraying and wiping down surfaces before eating, and even for cleaning public toilets before using them,” she says.

Buy now

31 / 50
Jacket, tie and shirt hanging
RG-vc/Shutterstock

Avoid a wrinkled suit

If you’re checking a bag and need to keep certain items wrinkle-free, bring a garment bag as your carry-on, suggests Tiffany Mast, travel expert for TravelBank. “A flight attendant will usually happily accommodate your bag by hanging it in a closet at the front or back of the plane,” she says.

Buy now

32 / 50
Beautiful high heeled shoes on furry rug
Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Don’t pack your whole shoe collection

Shoes are likely one of the bulkiest items in your suitcase, so don’t go overboard when picking which to bring. Goldman recommends bringing just two pairs: one casual and one that’s a bit dressier. “Pack your shoes on the bottom of the bag, and stuff them with socks, belts, and other small items to save space,” she says.

33 / 50
wardrobe drawer organizer
mdbildes/Shutterstock

Divide it up

If you don’t want to tuck everything into travel cubes, try using drawer dividers in your suitcase, suggests Wild. “It’s a really easy way to keep things organized and separated in your case,” she says.

Buy now

34 / 50
Classic pajama for young boy. Navy shirt and pants decorated with white edging. Simple and elegant.
DenisProduction.com/Shutterstock

Order strategically

To avoid tossing everything out of your bag in search of the shirt you wanted, Pack suggests keeping your pajamas and your Day One outfit at the top of your luggage. “If you’re only staying in a hotel for an evening (like on a road trip), it doesn’t necessarily make sense to fully unpack until you are staying in one place for consecutive days,” she says.

35 / 50
Red suitcases on brick wall background
Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Swap suitcases for some items

If you’re traveling with someone else, put some of your clothes in your companion’s luggage and vice versa, suggests travel blogger Laura Longwell of traveladdicts.net. “If one of your bags gets lost or delayed by the airline, you’ll still have something,” she says. “We thought of this after my husband’s bag was delayed and it has saved us on more than one trip since.” These are 11 things you should always keep in a carry-on in case of emergency.

36 / 50
Multicolored striped scarf, wooden background. Colorful knitted scarf for women.
DenisProduction.com/Shutterstock

Bring a scarf

Scarves take up barely any room in your luggage, but they’ll serve tons of purposes on your trip. Use it as a fashion accessory, shawl, or hair protection in the wind, suggest AAA travel experts.

37 / 50
summer vacation, travel, tourism and objects concept - close up of woman packing and zipping travel bag for vacation
Syda Productions/Shutterstock

Think ahead

Procrastinating packing doesn’t give you much time to remember your often-forgotten items, says Jeanette Zinno, host of Jeanette on the Road With Schwinn. “I try not to leave packing until the last second, so a week before I’ll open my suitcase and throw things in it when I remember them or see them,” she says.

38 / 50
Child Hygiene.Little girl cleaning her hands with a wet baby wipe isolated on a white background.
CebotariN/Shutterstock

Nix the makeup remover bottle

Makeup remover wipes won’t spill like their liquid counterparts, and you can throw them out as you use them. “Take only the number you need of facial wipes and put them in a small Ziploc bag,” says Carnagie.

39 / 50
empty red baby Stroller
golf bress/Shutterstock

Make use of infant baggage

Most airlines let parents with kids younger than age two check bags like strollers and car seats for free, points out travel blogger Joss Hooren of littlegreenglobetrotter.com. “I recommend buying padded bags to protect these items in transit, and then stuffing them with anything you can’t fit in your suitcase,” she says. “We’ve squeezed in towels, cloth diapers, clothing, and on the way home, dirty laundry.” Make sure you know these other 18 things that are a lifesaver when traveling with kids.

Buy now

40 / 50
Expensive pendant with a diamond
AlmarinaStudio/Shutterstock

Keep jewelry from tangling

Throwing your jewelry in a baggie practically guarantees you’ll arrive with a tangle of chains to unravel when you arrive. Travel and food blogger Helene D’Souza of masalaherb.com has a trick for keeping necklace chains separated. “Roll into a cloth or cling wrap lengthwise,” she suggests.

41 / 50
Sealing plastic bag and paperboard.
XIE WENHUI/Shutterstock

Rely on zip-top bags

Sandwich baggies are a handy place to stow chargers, while gallon-sized bags can keep underwear separated from the rest of your clothes. “Have a few extras for shoes or wet things from that last-minute swim,” Kelly suggests. Here are more forgotten items you need to add to your packing list.

42 / 50
Pocket on blue handbag - fashion background
Tatiana Popova/Shutterstock

Make use of pockets

Professional organizer Felice Cohen suggests tucking the things you’ll want on the plane—like a book, snacks, and painkiller—in the front pouch of your bag if it has one. “This avoids having to open your entire suitcase,” she says.

43 / 50
Travel Toiletries in Clear Plastic Bag
Kris Black/Shutterstock

Contain spills

Having liquids break in your carry-on and spill all over your clothes is enough to ruin any trip. “It’s also a good idea to seal toiletries in a bag, and then reseal within a second bag, so you don’t have a mess,” says Mast. Memorize these other tricks for packing makeup and toiletries on vacation.

44 / 50
US passport and a boarding pass on a suitcase
Mendenhall Olga/Shutterstock

Stick important items in your personal bag

Even if you’re planning to bring a carry-on on the plane, keep key items in your purse or personal bag, recommends Liana Corwin, consumer travel expert for Hopper. “With more travelers opting to exclusively bring carry-on bags, the more likely it is that you may have to gate check them through to your final destination,” she says. “Make sure key items like travel documents, contacts, etc. aren’t going to wind up out of your sight, just in case your bag gets lost or delayed.”

45 / 50
business, trip, luggage and people concept - close up of businesswoman packing clothes into travel bag
Syda Productions/Shutterstock

Arrive to fresh clothes

You’ll want to feel (and smell) your best on vacation, so use Simmons’ simple hack for keeping clothes fresh: slip a dryer sheet in with your clothes to leave a fresh scent.

46 / 50
Light blue leather waist bag
mocker_labs/Shutterstock

Go hands-free with your bag

A fanny pack might make you scream “tourist,” but replacing your usual purse with a no-hands bag is totally worth it, says Haslam. “I find a well-styled fanny pack (yes, that exists) to be more secure than a normal purse or bag, and many come with zippered pockets to keep organized,” she says. “As an added bonus, you can avoid the shoulder strain that comes with carrying a traditional bag for long hours.”

Buy now

47 / 50
White and black leather belts hanging on old wooden background
cosma/Shutterstock

Lay belts flat

A rolled-up belt takes up a good deal of valuable real estate in your luggage, so keep them flat instead, suggests Roberts. “Run your belts around the perimeter of your suitcase to prevent creases and folds in the leather,” she says.

48 / 50
via amazon.com

Switch from liquid to solid

Airlines limit how many liquids you can take, so switch to solid products when you can, suggests Zinno. She recommends Milk Makeup’s Boss Skincare Set for cleanser, toner, and more, or Raw Elements sunscreens, which come in sticks or metal tins. Best of all, beauty bars won’t leak all over your bag like a bottle might. To save even more space, break off just a small piece of a beauty bar, suggests Carnagie. Avoid these 16 airport mistakes to stop making before your next flight.

Buy now

49 / 50
Hand holding disposable transparent plastic shower cap on white background
BonNontawat/Shutterstock

Protect your clothes from dirty shoes

Stick your walking shoes in with your clothes, and you might as well trample your clean outfits before heading on vacation. “Put shoes into shower caps to stop them from getting the rest of your clothes dirty,” suggests Simmons.

50 / 50
Midsection of young woman packing suitcase on bed
stockfour/Shutterstock

Avoid over-packing

Sure, you know you don’t want to lug an extra-heavy suitcase everywhere, but there’s another reason to pack light: You might be able to shimmy the zipper shut on a jam-packed suitcase, but not everyone knows the Tetris-like magic you pulled to get it to close, so make sure it has a little breathing room. “Do not overpack your bag,” says Kelly. “Screeners will have a difficult time closing your luggage if selected for inspection, which will only lead to wrinkles and the potential for lost articles.” Don’t miss these luggage secrets baggage handlers wish you knew.

Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Marissa Laliberte
Marissa Laliberte-Simonian is a London-based associate editor with the global promotions team at WebMD’s Medscape.com and was previously a staff writer for Reader's Digest. Her work has also appeared in Business Insider, Parents magazine, CreakyJoints, and the Baltimore Sun. You can find her on Instagram @marissasimonian.