Taking the Lug out of Luggage- How to Pack

The are four components you need to consider in taking the lug out of your luggage, essentially lightening your load.
1. Choose the correct type of luggage for your destination.
2. Choosing the correct type and mix of clothing for your destination.
3. Utilizing various “packing tools” that are on the market.
4. The actual packing process, where your main goal is:
      • having your clothing actually fit in the luggage
      • having your clothing arrive at your destination relatively intact and wrinkle free, not in some       jumbled mess

Before we begin talking about “How to Pack” your luggage, we need to first talk about the type of luggage that you need to have a successful trip.

A Word About Carry-On:

Many, if not most travelers these days like to travel “Carry-On”.
The main reasons for traveling “Carry-On” are:

No lost luggage- You have control of your luggage the entire flight.

Speed – No waiting at the luggage carousel for your luggage to arrive.

Traveling “Carry-On” is about mobility, about freedom, about traveling LIGHT!

Carry-On Requirements: In general most airlines will allow 22” bags to qualify for Carry-On for domestic flights. (That’s 45 inches total – Length + Width + Girth). For international flights, that drops down to 19”.

As there is no consistency among airlines with regards to carry-on requirements, it is best to call ahead to each airline that you plan to fly and ask about it’s carry-on regulations. Other factors regarding carry-on: How full is the flight? On less-than-full flights, boarding agents are much more flexible. On a very full flight to the Philippines, the only carry-ons allowed were purses and briefcases.

Features to Look For When Purchasing Luggage

Durability. For soft-sided luggage, look for luggage made with Cordura® or Ballistic Nylon. These are very strong and durable fabrics that are self-healing if punctured.

For rolling luggage, look for good wheels, axles, and bearings. The better luggage manufacturers today actually use the same silicone wheels and bearings that are used in roller blades.

For durability, luggage should be double stitched and the wear points (or corners) should be reinforced.

Retractable handles should slide up and down smoothly, with little resistance.

Expandability – Luggage that has the ability to expand gives you a lot more latitude, especially when purchasing souvenirs and gifts abroad. (One caveat regarding expandable luggage as a carry-on. Beware that when expanding your luggage, a bag that originally qualified as carry-on size, may not when expanded.)

Cinch/Compression Straps – These are the interior straps that you can use to cinch down your clothes, preventing your clothes from getting wrinkled and allowing you to carry more. I have seen these as two types: elasticized (not as compressible) or nylon web belt with fastex buckles, which can really cinch down.

Secure/Covered luggage tag – Allows you to identify your luggage without broadcasting your home address to the world.

Durable zippers – Nothing is worse than having the zippers fail on your luggage.

Piggy Back Strap – Allows another bag, purse, or briefcase to be attached on top. If not being used, stow this strap inside the bag.

Remember – DO NOT LOCK your luggage, as these will be cut off by the Transportation Security Administration folks. There are locks made by “Search Alert” that TSA agents can open the lock without destroying it.

For Business Travelers: I recommend a tri-fold garment bag, especially if you have to travel with a suit or two. Several rolling versions of these are available in the marketplace.

Wardrobe Suggestions for Traveling Light

In choosing your travel wardrobe here are a few travel savvy suggestions to lightening your load.

Choose Clothing Made From Travel Friendly Fabrics
Clothing made of microfiber, Tencel, CoolMax-Polyester, some cotton-polyester blends, silk and silk-blends, and “wrinkle-free- cottons” are typically light weight, easy care, wrinkle-resistant (if not wrinkle-free), and can be laundered in a hotel sink, drying by morning.

Choose Your Colors
Choose two neutral colors to form the basic foundation of your travel wardrobe. Choose lighter tones for warm weather; medium and darker tones for cooler climates. These should be able to be mixed and matched easily, and do double duty from day to evening, casual to fancy.
(blacks, beiges, grey, navy, etc. all work well)

Reversible Items Do Double Duty
Reversible items can lighten your load by having one garment serve the function of two. Some reversible items are casual on one side and dressier on others. Some have a solid color on one side and a print on the other. Either way, reversible items are a win-win for the traveler seeking to lighten their load.

The Packable Layering System
Savvy travelers carry a system of lightweight, packable layers, for maximum versatility with minimum weight. These layers can be easily added or subtracted as you travel, keeping you comfortable in virtually any climate. Working from the inside out these layers are:
1) Thermal or Base layer
2) Insulating Mid-Layer
3) Outer Layer

Favorite Organizational Packing Tools

Packing Cubes

Packing Sacks

Compressible Packing Sacks, which allow you to pack more in less space. They are also useful for dirty laundry.

Zip-Lock Bags are great for organizing.

Small travel size bottles for toiletries, filled ¾ full, with the air squeezed out, helps avoid unwanted spills. Also, lightens your load by avoiding bringing full size bottles of shampoo, etc.

Packing the Bag

We like to use the multi-layered packing method. The basic concept is to cushion your clothing, avoiding hard folds or creases, that emerge as wrinkles when you unpack your luggage.

Set aside clothes that your are going to wear on the flight

Place heavier items like shoes on the bottom of the bag. Stuff socks, into shoes.

If available a firm divider (like our Eagle Creek Pack-it Envelopes) or corrugated cardboard could be inserted here.

Now start with your longest items typically trousers for gents, and dresses for the ladies. Lay over the length of the bag, with the neckline or waist resting on one side of the bag and the excess spilling out over the edge. Place the next dress or trousers on the opposite side and fold the first piece over the second, and continue until all your dresses, trousers, etc. are packed.

If you have a blazer lay on top of the pants, face down, with the arms folded back along the natural creases.

Any knit items, t-shirts, sweaters, etc. can be rolled up and placed on top of that.

Tuck in underwear, sleepwear, toiletry bag, in any remaining space around the perimeter of the bag.

Now fold in the two pant ends over the top, and the blazer bottom over that. Voila! You have packed your bag.

If despite your best efforts, you unpack your bag at your destination and discover some unsightly wrinkles, fret not. Simply turn on the hot steam in your shower and hang the garment, and the wrinkles should fall right out.

THE FINAL WORD: Regarding packing, the best advice is to bring half the clothes and twice the money!

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