30+ Essential Suitcase Packing Tips Everyone Should Know

One of the most underrated luggage packing tips is to firstly choose the right luggage.

The topic of “best bag for traveling” is highly subjective of course, but I really can’t stress enough how important it is for you to choose the right bag for your travel style and destination.

Bringing the right bag is the difference between breezing through your travel days without crying vs. sobbing in a frustrated puddle on your hotel floor.

Okay – that’s dramatic, but having the right bag is important. 

For me personally, I’ve outgrown the backpacking stage of my life and tend to do a lot of city breaks, stay in mid-range hotels, and travel light because I’m so often on the go.

That’s why I travel with a very compact carry-on hard shell suitcase .

I think one of these is perfect for European travel because they’re quite handy, easy to carry, fit nicely on trains and overhead bins and still look pretty smart so you don’t feel terribly out of place in fashionable cities.

Of course, if you’re travelling with a family, you’ll need bigger bags, or if you’re backpacking, you’ll need a good backpack.

What’s important regardless of the type of bag you choose is you pick something that…

• A) you LOVE, because you’ll have it ALL the time
• B) something that you’ve tested before
• C) something that you can easily carry because Europe has so many stairs, cobblestones, etc.

5. Roll your clothes

Game. Changer.

If you’re wondering how to pack clothes for travel, one of my best suitcase packing tips is for you to simply roll your clothes! Seriously, if you’re not currently rolling your clothes instead of folding them, do it!

It saves lots of space, especially when coupled with magical compression bags like these ones (no vacuum needed!) packing cubes (which I’ll discuss later).

The jury is still out on whether it actually saves space or actually minimizes wrinkles but I love it because it makes it way easier to see at a glance what you’ve packed and what items you can choose from.

If you’re feeling especially crafty you can master the art of something called the Ranger Roll which apparently is used a lot in the military – it basically rolls your garments into fun little burritos.

This helps compress things but I’m a bit lazy so I just roll like normal and it’s fine.

6. Pick out what you think you need, and cut it in half

The first time I read this tip for packing light, I thought it was absolute insanity.

Then, one time I actually tried it, and you know what? I didn’t regret it at all!

While this may initially feel like a slow painful form of packrat torture, doing this will cut you down to the exact essentials you’ll actually need.

I honestly think that overpacking is hardwired in us, which is why doing this exercise is so helpful.

7. Make use of packing cubes (or in a pinch, Ziplock bags)

If you are wondering how to pack luggage and save space, the answer is packing cubes.

I am obsessed with packing cubes. The amount I own is honestly frightening.

They not only help you stay organized, but also save loads of space in your suitcase/backpack. These are my #1 travel game changers, and if you buy a good quality set, they’ll last a super long time.

I personally use my packing cubes to organize tops, bottoms, etc. but I’ve also heard of people with a different packing cube strategy which involves getting small cubes and separating them into different outfits for each day.

8. Invest In Protective Covers /Wraps

Now, this tip is more geared towards people like me travelling with any kind of fragile gear like cameras, gimbals, etc.

But really if you travel with anything mildly fragile like perfume bottles or intend to buy anything fragile like mugs… (I love a good a mug) then it’s really handy to have some of these protective wraps with you.

They’re basically these padded Velcro wraps that you can use to protect anything. I use them for my camera and gimbal, so I effectively turn any bag of mine into a camera bag and can just wrap any item up really easily and toss it in my backpack.

Of course, you can also use a fluffy scarf or something for the same purpose, but I just think the wraps are a little bit smarter and easier to handle, plus they’re not very expensive so they’re a good purchase if you travel often.

9. Plan Your Outfits

A tough piece of packing advice people hate hearing is that they shouldn’t ever bring things just in case.

This goes for everything, from the random gadgets you think you might need to the extra ballgown you want to bring in case you get invited to a ball.

But really, one underrated packing tip is to plan your outfits in advance – no ‘just in case’s.

Planning your outfits in advance can really help you streamline your vacation wardrobe and ensure you’re only bringing things you’ll actually wear. Plus, it will also help you look better during your trip.

10. Always pack your absolute essentials and one outfit change in your carry on

Smartly packing for travel means preparing for the worst, so be sure to keep this luggage packing tip in mind!

While only 1% of bags tend to get lost, it will happen to even the best of us at some point… whether the bag is lost,, goes missing or uh, is accidentally taken by someone else in Paris (true story). That’s why it’s so important to have some essentials in your carry-on bag.

Having your essentials and extra clothes on you will bring precious peace of mind, so you’re never that angsty person waiting in fetal position at baggage claim.

11. Keep Some Extra Clothes In Your Travel Buddy’s Suitcase

Another little contingency plan in case your suitcase goes missing is to (if you’re travelling with someone else) make sure to pack some extra outfits in your travel buddy’s bag and vice versa.

This way, if either of you loses your bag, you’ll at least have some backup items. In the crazy off chance that BOTH your bags go missing, well my friends, I’m sorry!

12. Bring a few extra bags (e.g. totes, ziplocks, etc.)

You never know when you’ll need them, especially for things like dirty clothes, which are always an afterthought.

They weigh nothing and come in SO handy, so don’t forget a few!

And if you (like me) are working at reducing plastic usage while travelling, I recently discovered these re-usable silicon Ziploc bags (and mesh produce bags) that would definitely come in super handy for travel as well!

 13. Bring A Bag For Dirty Laundry

On that note, even if you don’t bring a bunch of totes or extra bags, make sure at the very least to bring a closable bag for dirty laundry because you definitely want to keep that stuff separated.

… And a bag that zips up or seals is ideal because….. well, I’m sure you’ve smelled dirty laundry before.

14. Keep your liquids in a bag and separate them from your other goods

Many of you probably know this already, but just as a reminder, if you’re bringing any liquids in your carry-on bag, you’ll need to present them separately at airport security so they can be scanned.

One of my favourite carry-on packing tips is to get your own reusable toiletries bag instead of using the bags at the airport.

Since I almost always fly carry-on only, I’ve invested in this awesome reusable clear toiletries bag that’s TSA approved so I can easily store all my toiletries in it and just pop it out during security checks.

This is just way more durable and I don’t need to use those dinky plastic bags they provide.

NOTE: 95% of the time, I’ve had no trouble with this, the only exceptions being random airports here and there mostly in Paris and London I think, but yes if you travel often, a bag like this is a total lifesaver.

If you haven’t yet invested in an excellent travel toiletries bag, I highly recommend you do so. They’re one of the best investments I’ve ever made for travel! You’ll never want to use a dinky single-use Ziplock ever again.

Looking for a durable and affordable toiletries bag for your upcoming travels? Check out my roundup of best toiletry bags you can buy online, or check out this summary table below:

15. Always wear your bulkiest items of clothing on the plane

*Puts on Captain Obvious cape*

Coats and boots are heavy. So, if you plan on bringing them on your trip (when packing for winter in Europe for instance), make sure you’re wearing them so they don’t hog up all the space (and weight) in your luggage.

[Also ideal for smuggling movie theatre snacks]

16. Forget full sized liquids, pack mini versions and buy if you need more

This is one of the top suitcase packing tips for travel I recommend to newbie travellers, and one of my all-time favouite packing hacks.

Seriously, put that full-sized bottle away! There’s zero reason for you to bring it.

There WILL be toiletries to buy where you’re travelling. It’s not worth the unnecessary weight to bring a giant bottle of everything (which I have seen many people do).

17. DIY Your Own Travel Size Toiletries

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