By Expedia Team, on February 25, 2016

8 Packing Techniques to Help Save Space in Your Suitcase

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8 packing techniques that will save you space in your suitcase

From wrinkled clothing to fees for placing baggage in the hold, we’ve all experienced luggage nightmares that could easily have been avoided. But sometimes it seems like there’s just never enough space – whether that’s because we own too much, hold possessions too dear, or simply have the folding skills of a T-Rex.

Just take the cult following that Marie Kondo, arguably the world’s only decluttering and folding celebrity, has garnered in the wake of her book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”. This is in no small part due to her (semi)radical philosophy towards possessions and space-saving; she encourages her readers to ask themselves, “Do your things spark joy?” If the answer is no, you thank the possession for its years of loyal service and discard them with a hug (‘Farewell, thou good and faithful servant!’).

It’s nothing short of liberating, and wholly relevant to those among us with wanderlust trying to maximize suitcase space when travelling. The first thing that ‘Konverts’ learn about the ‘KonMari’ method is the folding technique – turning unfolded laundry into neat, collapsed rectangles that can be easily stored or presented. But there are other, more efficient ways of folding clothes to maximize space in a small carry-on luggage. Mastering the military-style roll, for instance, can prove far better for packing as many clothes as possible within the tight confines of your case – particularly if you’re taking lots of t-shirts and tops with you.

To start, you simply fold both of the sleeves inward and the bottom behind. Next work from each side of the shirt to fold those inwards towards the center, taking care to overlap each one. Finally, roll the entire shirt from top to bottom and the two flaps to ‘tuck in’ like a burrito.

But of course, if it simply won’t fit (and you can’t break the laws of physics) then follow a KonMari-lite approach – before putting clothes and possessions in your suitcase, ask if this possession will spark joy on your vacation. If the answer is no, and taking high heels on a desert trek is a given, then leave it behind.

To help you get as much joy as possible from your trip, here’s an infographic showing you 8 effective packing techniques to make packing for your next getaway stress-free.
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  1. Leonard, I. (2015). Watch how to pack a month’s worth of clothes into your budget airlines hand luggage allowance. mirror.co.uk
  2. Lopez, J. (2015). How to fold a shirt military style. Save space and room. snapguide.com
  3. O’Rourke, T. (2015). The best way to pack a suitcase. realsimple.com
  4. Pinola, M. (2015). The best way to pack a suitcase: five methods compared. lifehacker.com
  5. Prolific Living. (2015). Travel like a pro: 21 smart packing tips. prolificliving.com
  6. Shunatona, B. (2014). 20 genius space-saving hacks for packing your suitcase. cosmopolitan.com
  7. Tarantola, A. (2013). 5 ways to pack your suitcase way more efficiently. gizmodo.com
  8. Trip Advisor. (2015). How to fit more stuff in your suitcase. tripadvisor.com
  9. Explainer Video by Explainer Labs
  10. Motion Graphics & Animation by Square Ship

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